..::Football III::..

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Real Oviedo 0-2 Atletico Madrid: Griezmann and Torres on target

Atletico Madrid made it two wins in as many pre-season friendlies as Antoine Griezmann and Fernando Torres scored in a 2-0 win over Real Oviedo.

Diego Simeone opted not to give a debut to new signing Jackson Martinez, but the Rojiblancos coach will have been pleased with his side's lively performance against opposition from Segunda Division.Atletico started the game well, and deservedly took the lead after 28 minutes when a simple cross into the penalty area from Luciano Vietto was met with a first-time shot by Griezmann that flew high into the net.

Oviedo found Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak in fine form, and he pulled off a brilliant, one-handed reaction save when Miguel Linares was clean through on goal.Griezmann was busy throughout, picking up a booking for a rash first-half challenge, and narrowly squandering chances to impress with further goals either side of the break.

The second goal arrived after 68 minutes, when Torres was at hand to follow up a parried shot and guide the ball in at the far post.

 

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'Play me against Barcelona - or you're fired!'

It might be every football fan's dream to play against Barcelona but ex-Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov is alleged to have sacked his manager in 2007 for refusing to let him live out that lofty ambition.

The Scottish top flight side were being co-managed by Stephan Frail and Anatoly Korobochka during the club's pre-season as a glamour tie with the Catalans loomed.

Despite Romanov not having trained with the Scottish team or having any experience of professional football, Korobochka claims his former boss demanded to get his chance to line up against Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Andres Iniesta and Co. at Murrayfield.

"We played Barcelona in a friendly match and there were almost 60,000 fans there," Korobochka told Edinburgh Evening News. "Ronaldinho was at his peak and Barcelona were terrific."Before the game, Romanov approached me and told me he wants to play in the game. He wanted me to pick him. He wasn’t joking.

"I refused and told him he had done no training and therefore he couldn’t play. He said to me: ‘Fine, but you will not be the coach for long.’ He sacked me soon after."Goals from Ronaldinho and Giovani dos Santos in July 2007 gave Barca a 3-1 win over Hearts without Romanov, who sacked Korobochka as manager six months later in January 2008.

Lithuanian businessman Romanov began to take control of Hearts in late 2004 and stayed at the helm of the club until they exited administration last year, having been relegated to the second tier.

Hearts celebrated the end of their Romanov era by winning the Scottish Championship in 2014-15 and will play this coming season in the top flight, which starts this weekend.

 

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Dundee 0-2 Everton: Lukaku injury sours Toffees win

Romelu Lukaku suffered an injury scare as Everton continued their pre-season preparations in Scotland with a 2-0 win at Dundee.

Roberto Martinez's men secured a 3-1 victory at Hearts on Sunday and there were six changes to the XI that featured at Dens Park - including a start for Tom Cleverley in midfield.

Forward Conor McAleny slotted home from the edge of the box to give Everton a second-minute lead and Cleverley had a shot deflected over as the visitors dominated the opening exchanges.

Dundee responded, with Luka Tankulic rattling the crossbar before Martinez was confronted with the worrying sight of Belgium striker Lukaku limping off with an apparent hamstring problem.

Ross Barkley made the win safe just before the hour by winning and converting a penalty before substitute Kevin Mirallas came close to adding a third prior to the final whistle.

 

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Mourinho: Falcao will be feared at Chelsea

Jose Mourinho believes Radamel Falcao will rediscover his scoring touch at Chelsea, despite underwhelming at Manchester United last season.

Monaco loanee Falcao scored just four Premier League goals during his loan spell at Old Trafford in 2014-15, having previously hit 70 in 90 games for Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea secured the signing of the Colombia international in early July and Mourinho is sure that the 29-year-old can once again become a feared striker, with the Portuguese admitting that he was dreading coming up against the forward when he initially sealed his move to United.

"When he went to Man United I have to say I was a bit scared," Mourinho told ESPN. "Because he's a predator in the box and a guy who does score goals all the time.

"He did that in every club in every league, so I was convinced he was going to do that in our league, in England."

Mourinho is also sure that Falcao’s problems at United did not stem from his fitness, and says he has no worries over his new signing’s physical condition – and believes their relationship will serve the forward well.

"We had a very exhaustive analysis of his condition before we made a decision," Mourinho added. "Our doctor had real work to investigate all of that. He is not, for sure, a physical problem. So if it's not physical, we can make him score goals again.

"Falcao was in my league when he was in Portugal. We moved to Spain at the same time. When I went to Real Madrid, he went to Atletico, so we spent three years in the same league.

"Then I came to England and he came to England too. So I know obviously this player very well."

 

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Wenger responds to Mourinho spending jibe: I let other people talk

Arsene Wenger has responded to Jose Mourinho's assertion that the Arsenal boss should "get a calculator" insisting that he gets "different reproaches" to his spending habits and that he'll let other people do the talking.

Mourinho again called into question his rival's transfer dealings with his latest barb on Monday, claiming that the Gunners should be challenging for the title given their investment in playing staff over the last few seasons.

And when asked his response to Mourinho's jibe, Wenger refused to bite back at the Blues boss, suggesting that his spending has been justified by the way his players have developed at the Emirates Stadium.

He told reporters: “We spend when we think we have to spend and do not listen too much to what people think or say.

“You must not listen too much to what people say because ­sometimes in the same week I get two different reproaches. One is that I don’t spend enough and another is I spend too much.

“If you want to create success - which we want desperately - we must focus on what happens inside, just try to do as well as we can and believe in the football we want to play and play it as well as we can and let other people talk.

“We just try to make the right decisions. When you have the money available, we spend it. When we don’t have it, we don’t spend the money we haven’t got.”

Wenger was also asked about his pursuit of Eden Hazard before the Chelsea winger joined the Premier League champions from Lille and insists that he was "a few millions" short of being able to take the Belgian to Arsenal.

 

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Fabregas: I will always love Arsenal

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas insists that he will always “love” Arsenal as he prepares to face his former club in the Community Shield.

The Spain international spent eight years at the club prior to his departure for Barcelona in 2011, winning a solitary FA Cup during his spell at the Gunners.

Fabregas made a stunning return to England last summer, as he sealed a £30 million move to the Blues, much to the annoyance of Arsenal supporters, but he maintains that he still feels a strong association with Arsene Wenger's side.

“Whatever it is, it is. The love I have for that club will never change whatever happens and what is the most important is what I have with me are the memories,” he told reporters.

“The rest doesn’t matter. I have great memories, love and respect for the club. You will never hear anything bad from me about them.”

Fabregas also accepts that Chelsea will have to be at their very best throughout the 2015-16 campaign if they are to retain their title, with a number of clubs spending significant sums in order to challenge at the summit.

“[Manchester] United already spent last year, Arsenal last year too. We spend, [Manchester] City maybe less, then now they spend again,” he added.

“They all want to compete and it will be for sure very difficult to retain the Premier League. There are four or five teams who can win it. We will see what happens but we know we will have to fight again.

“People will say United, City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea – there will always be divided opinions. What we have to do is to the maintain the levels of last season because all the teams will be better and that means we will better so we can compete against them to do well.”

 

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Cillessen not going to Manchester United, claims De Boer

Ajax manager Frank De Boer insists Jasper Cillessen won't be moving to Manchester United, despite heavy transfer rumours.

The Dutchman has been linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent weeks due to Real Madrid's continued pursuit of current Old Trafford No.1 De Gea.

De Boer has previously admitted that the club will not stand in Cillessen’s way were United to table a formal bid, though he says that losing the 26-year-old would be a “disaster”.

Nevertheless, De Boer maintains that the goalkeeper is not on the verge of any kind of move, and says he is currently struggling with an injury as Ajax prepare to face Rapid Wien in a Champions League play-off.

"We'll have to wait until after the training on Tuesday, then we will see if he is able to play", he told reporters.

When asked if the injury was staged to avoid a transfer, De Boer added: "No, he really has a calf injury. Luckily, I would say, in this case."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Cillessen not going to Manchester United, claims De Boer

Loku deyak​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Chelsea 2-2 Barcelona (4-2 pens): Blues win shoot-out after Hazard wondergoal

Thibaut Courtois sealed a penalty shoot-out victory for Chelsea over Barcelona in the International Champions Cup.

Barcelona looked to be heading for a victory after Luis Suarez and Sandro cancelled out Eden Hazard's sublime opener during the second half.

But Gary Cahill headed in from close range in the closing stages - and picked up a bloody nose in the process - to force the game to a penalties.

Alen Halilovic chipped his spot kick against the bar and Courtois saved from Pique as Loic Remy scored the winning penalty.

Chelsea were virtually at full strength, with Hazard, Courtois, Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Oscar, Nemanja Matic, Branislav Ivanovic, Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta all starting.

Suarez, Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets and Jeremy Mathieu were included in Barcelona's starting XI, while Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta, Jordi Alba and Pedro were among the substitutes.

Chelsea stormed out of the blocks on the front foot, and centre-back Kurt Zouma almost headed the Premier League champions into a third-minute lead.

Mourinho's men got the goal they deserved seven minutes later thanks to Hazard, who skipped past four Barca players before he coolly slotted the ball underneath Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The match ebbed and flowed as Barca slowly found their rhythm, but only the woodwork prevented Chelsea from making it 2-0 as Barca's back four struggled to contain the likes of Hazard and Costa.

Oscar's free-kick struck the crossbar in the 26th minute, with Ter Stegen rooted to his line.

Suarez - lively throughout the first half - thought he had equalised in the 31st minute but the Uruguay international was denied again by Courtois, who dived down quickly to his right.

Chelsea were a constant threat on the break and Costa wasted a golden opportunity to double the lead moments later after beating the offside trap and out-running his opponents, but the Brazilian sliced his effort just wide of the post.

Suarez engineered an opening for Rakitic to restore parity before the interval, however the Croatian midfielder skied his shot over the bar from just outside the six-yard box.

However, Suarez got the goal he deserved six minutes into the second half, scooping the ball over Courtois, despite Zouma's best efforts on the line.

Barca dominated from that point and went in front courtesy of Sandro in the 66th minute. The La Masia graduate drifted onto his right foot and curled the ball beyond Courtois.

With time running out in Landover, Cahill courageously headed over substitute keeper Jordi Matip in the 86th minute, picking up a bloody nose in the process.

The goal forced the game to penalties, and after Halilovic hit the bar, Courtois saved from Pique, leaving Remy to calmly seal the win for Jose Mourinho's side.

 

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[Wolverine GTR]

'She should focus on his weight' - Mourinho launches stinging attack on Benitez

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has unleashed a stunning attack on Real Madrid counterpart Rafael Benitez, claiming he "destroyed" his Inter team and even poking fun at his weight.

Benitez's wife, Montserrat Seara, caused a stir when she claimed her husband is always tidying up after Mourinho, having coached Inter, Chelsea and now Madrid after the Portuguese.

Those comments have provoked a stinging response from the Blues boss, who pointed to the fact Benitez was sacked just six months into his spell at Inter having taken over a treble-winning team.

"The lady is a bit confused, with all respect," Mourinho said after Chelsea beat Barcelona 4-2 on penalties after drawing 2-2 with Barcelona in the International Champions Cup.

"I'm not laughing. Because her husband went to Chelsea to replace Roberto Di Matteo and he went to Real Madrid and replaced Carlo Ancelotti.

"The only club where her husband replaces me was at Inter Milan, where in six months he destroyed the best team in Europe at the time.

"And for her also to think about me and to speak about me, I think the lady needs to occupy her time and if she takes care of her husband's diet she will have less time to speak about me."

 

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'This shall be the season of Luke Shaw' - Van Gaal

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has tipped left-back Luke Shaw to shine in the Premier League this season.

Shaw struggled in his debut season at Old Trafford in 2014-15, with injuries and fitness issues limiting the England international to just 16 league appearances following his big-money transfer from Southampton.

The 20-year-old appears to have put those woes behind him, having featured in all three of United's International Champions Cup fixtures after taking a fitness coach on holiday to Dubai in a bid to stay in shape.

"Luke Shaw is a big talent," Van Gaal told the press. "He's very young so it's not so easy for him to come from Southampton to as big a club as Manchester United.

"He has the benefit that he's an Englishman. Memphis Depay is a Dutchman and it's a different culture, a different rhythm to the game.

"So I think that it shall be the season of Luke Shaw, that I believe. I believe in him and he has to feel that and I hope he shall show it.

"But he's only 20 years old. How many players of that age are playing in the Premier League?"

 

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Wenger: Flawless pre-season boosts Arsenal for title challenge

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hopeful of converting his side's 100 per cent pre-season record into competitive results.

The Gunners head into Sunday's Community Shield encounter with Chelsea after flawless friendly form, winning all four of their games this summer and scoring 14 goals in the process.

And the Frenchman wants to take that confidence into the Premier League, telling the club's official website: "We had a good preparation and a good preparation brings confidence.

"Of course confidence is important but competition demands performance. It's a good basis to have a good confidence level in the preparation.

"If you have the choice, when you prepare a team you want a good pre-season. It doesn't give you a guarantee that you start strong in the competition but it's still better for the confidence and the belief of the group.

"Then, when it comes down to points, you add that little bit of extra commitment that is demanded in games."

Wenger concedes that, while every club aim to improve their squads over the summer, reigning champions Chelsea start at an advantage as Arsenal look to close the gap.

"We want to improve," he added. "We know we will be better and we work very hard to better. It's difficult to know how much better our opponents will be. Everybody tries to be better.

"Let's not forget that Chelsea won the Premier League with a comfortable distance last year so we have to make our way up. There was still a gap between them and the others but the desire is to improve and to move up there to fight for the championship.

"We know that many teams will be in that position. Let's start well and try to give our best."

 

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Muller will never leave Bayern - Rummenigge

Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes Thomas Muller could remain at the club for his entire playing career and beyond.

The Germany international has been at the Bundesliga side since he was 10-years-old and has gone on to become a star of the first-team, winning four league titles, three DFB-Pokals and the Champions League.

The World Cup winner has attracted interest from Manchester United this summer, but Rummenigge says he cannot see the 25-year-old leaving the Allianz Arena outfit any time soon. "I have the feeling that Thomas is at Bayern for life and will never leave," the former Bayern player told Sport Bild.

"When Thomas one day ends his playing career, we would like to integrate him into the club in another role."He is totally comfortable in Munich. I do not think that our fans have to worry."

Coach Pep Guardiola's future has also come under some doubt over the last year or so, with his contract set to expire in 2016, but Rummenigge is confident he will sign a new deal."There has been no indication that Pep does not want to extend," he added.

 

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Ibrahimovic would make Milan title contenders - Menez

Jeremy Menez believes that signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic would immediately turn AC Milan into title contenders. The Sweden striker has been linked with a return to his former side this summer as they look to further boost their attack ahead of the 2015-16 campaign.

Milan have already signed two strikers - Carlos Bacca from Sevilla and Luiz Adriano from Shakhtar Donetsk - but Menez believes Ibrahimovic could provide a real touch of quality.

"We would surely be contenders," he told Corriere dello Sport. "Ibra is one who scores a lot of goals, he always wants to win and he encourages you to give even more."He is one of the strongest in the world."

The Rossoneri finished eighth last season, which saw Filippo Inzaghi dismissed as coach at the end of the campaign and replaced by Sinisa Mihajlovic.

But though they will face competition from the likes of Roma, Napoli and Inter for a European berth, Menez says the club must target the Champions League places.
"Milan must always set the highest possible goals. When we go out onto the pitch, we have an obligation to give everything and we must try to qualify for the next Champions League and get even higher in the league.

"We signed players who can be important for Milan, they will make us stronger."
The 28-year-old insists Juventus remain a force despite losing Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal this summer and admits he hopes rivals Inter do well this year.

"Juve always have a great team. We must have respect for them and for what they have done in recent years, but football is played on the field and predictions are made to be proven wrong.

"Inter are strong and have a great future. I hope they will do well because Inter is a great team and it deserves success. But I want to win the derby."The former PSG and Roma player is also hoping to impress France coach Didier Deschamps ahead of Euro 2016.

"I have to show my worth and that I deserve a call up to the national team. It 's been a bit too long since the last call."I know that Deschamps follows me and now it's up to me to put in the work. I want to continue to do my best and to have no regrets."

 

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Vermaelen: My Barcelona return is as good to me as winning the treble

Thomas Vermaelen says his return to football has meant as much to him as Barcelona winning the treble.The defender, 29, joined the club from Arsenal last summer but a nine-month lay-off with a thigh problem saw him make just one appearance all seasons.

The Belgium international has now fully recovered and made an appearance for Luis Enrique's men in their friendly defeat to Chelsea on Tuesday and admits he is delighted to be back.

"I feel good and fit," he told AS. I got well the last weeks of last season and this summer I could participate in the preseason preparations, something I have not been able to do since 2013."Last year was the most difficult of my career, it was complicated, but I had an operation last year and now I have started well and played; that was like my own treble win - my great victory.

"I don’t expect to be in the starting XI in the European Supercup against Sevilla. I have to be realistic. I have to keep improving."

The former Ajax and Arsenal centre-back also praised Gerard Pique, who he says has helped him adapt settle in to Barca's playing style, but was also full of praise for Luis Enrique."Pique is the player closet to me on the pitch and the one who helps me the most. The other players are great with me but due to the positioning, it’s Pique who I have most contact with.

"Luis Enrique is a coach who likes to communicate, although he has yet to offer me any personal advice. He’s a guy who speaks his mind."Barca winger Pedro is reported to be close to a move to Manchester United, but Vermaelen hopes he stays at Camp Nou.

“He’s a great player and I hope he remains at the club. All I know are the rumours as I haven’t discussed this matter with him."He has the bad luck of being in a squad with three world class forwards in Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez."

 

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Official: Arsenal sign teenage striker Malen from Ajax

Arsenal have signed 16-year-old striker Donyell Malen from Ajax, the Dutch club have announced.

The teenager, already a youth international for Netherlands, was courted to stay by the Eredivisie side but has opted to develop with the Gunners instead.

Ajax's head of youth development, Wim Jonk, lamented his departure but says that Arsenal have star potential on their hands.

"Donyell is a great talent," Jonk told the club's official website. "It is extremely unfortunate that he is leaving Ajax.

"We have made him an excellent offer and presented a clear development plan but the player has still made another choice, which is disappointing. The potential is clear and the opportunities will come with Ajax. We are continuing with the guys who do believe in it."

With Malen unlikely to go straight into the senior reckoning, goalkeeper Petr Cech remains Arsenal's only first-team signing so far this summer.

 

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Low: I'd love to coach Balotelli, Xavi and Pirlo

Germany coach Joachim Low has admitted that he would like to coach Mario Balotelli, Andrea Pirlo and Xavi.

The Liverpool striker has proven to be a difficult character to work with and failed to make any impact at Anfield, having scored just one league goal during his debut season following a €20 million move from AC Milan.

Low admits that the player does not work hard enough, but believes the striker has great potential."I have seen him from time to time against Germany or in Italy and he was just awesome," he told Bild.

"When he realises his potential, he would probably not be able to be stopped by anyone."Of course, he does far too little. Those are only special moments in which he appears. He does not make enough of the chances he gets."

The coach also praised Xavi and Pirlo, who have moved to Al Sadd and New York City FC respectively this summer."For years, Xavi was one of the best players in the world to me. So a strategist like Xavi I would like to train.

"I think Pirlo is still a brilliant player. Someone who has been playing for 15 years at this high level and with his game intelligence he is still at the top."

 

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Luis Enrique brushes off Barcelona defeats

Luis Enrique insists he is "happy" with Barcelona's pre-season tour despite winning just one of their three games in the United Stets.

Barca lost 4-2 on penalties to Chelsea in the International Champions Cup on Tuesday following a 2-2 draw with Jose Mourinho's side, and were beaten 3-1 by Manchester United three days earlier.

The Blaugrana will now return to Europe, where they face final pre-season games against Fiorentina and Roma before the Uefa Supercup clash against Sevilla.

"We have been able to get playing time against top-quality opposition, we have had the chance to feel the support of lots of fans, who have been the majority in the grounds and we have been able to promote the club," said Luis Enrique.
"We go back home happy.

"We did not lose the match against Chelsea, we drew. It was a game of a high physical level, although we had times when we did not control the game."

Marc-Andre ter Stegen has said he wants to play more regularly in La Liga next season and the coach admits he has a tough choice ahead of him between the German and Claudio Bravo."How much more difficult could the decision be for the Barca coach? The good thing is we have to choose. No need to rush and we will see what I decide."

Barca captain Andres Iniesta added: "There are positive things and other things to improve on, like at the start of every season."We are still trying to prepare ourselves as best we can through training sessions and matches and, beyond results, I think we have to be positive."

Barca confirmed early on Wednesday that full-back Douglas, who had to be replaced early on against Chelsea, is expected to be sidelined for around two months with a hamstring problem.