..::Football III::..

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Sacked Neville: Results weren't good enough

Sacked Valencia head coach Gary Neville has admitted that results were not good enough during his spell at the club.

Neville was hired in December but was relieved of his duties on Wednesday and the former Manchester United defender released a statement thanking those that worked with him but insisting that the results were not up to the standards that he expects.

Valencia are currently 14th in La Liga, sitting six points above the relegation zone, with the club winning just three of their 16 league matches under Neville.

And Neville has issued a withering assessment of his own tenure, saying in a statement: “I would like to thank Valencia Football Club, the fans, staff and the players.

“I would have liked to have continued the work I started but understand that we are in a results business and in the 28 games they have not been to my standards or to those which are required by this club.”

Neville was appointed on December 2 but failed to win any of his first nine matches in charge in La Liga and has also suffered elimination from the Copa del Rey and Europa League.

 

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Bale fires Barcelona warning ahead of Clasico

Gareth Bale has warned Barcelona that Real Madrid have not given up hope of snatching the Liga title from their grasp.

The champions hold a 10-point advantage over third-placed Madrid with just eight matches to go and are enjoying a 39-game unbeaten run across all competitions.Bale, however, insists his side can still claim their first league title since 2012 if they are able to win Saturday's Clasico at Camp Nou.

"I believe everything is possible in football. We're 10 points behind, but we're going to keep fighting until it's impossible," he told reporters.

"On Saturday, we can move to within seven points and you never know what can then happen."Obviously every game is important in La Liga, if we win we can gain confidence and take that into the Champions League."

Bale went on to praise the work of Zinedine Zidane, who will oversee his first Clasico as Madrid boss this weekend, and says the squad are benefiting from his hardline approach."We want to play like a team, to attack and defend together. When the 11 are on the pitch we know what we have to do is easier," said the Wales international.

"Sometimes we need to be shouted at. It gives us a nudge in the right direction. I hope we finish the season with a trophy."Bale admitted he feels far more comfortable in the Spanish capital this season after becoming acclimatised to life outside of the Premier League.

"I think things have changed a little. It's true that my form was not good. This season I wanted to give everything, to improve," the former Tottenham forward added."It's difficult to play in a foreign country. I feel better in the team and I think I've got better on the pitch.

"I feel more comfortable here, I speak a bit of Spanish. I think I have to continue working hard, improving, giving me best to help the team."Barca won November's reverse fixture 4-0 and have not lost a home league match to Madrid since 2012.

 

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Messi: It would be nice to hit 500 goals against Real Madrid

Barcelona star Lionel Messi says it would be a special moment to score his 500th career goal in Saturday's Clasico at Camp Nou.

The 28-year-old struck his 50th international goal from the penalty spot in Argentina's 2-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Bolivia on Tuesday.

That strike put Messi on 499 in his senior career and the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has set his sights on hitting his next milestone against fierce rivals Real Madrid."It would be a nice moment to reach that figure against Real Madrid. It would be nice to win to stretch our advantage," he told reporters.

Messi has received heavy criticism from fans in Argentina in the past two years, predominantly as a result of Gerardo Martino's side losing the finals of the World Cup and the Copa America.

But the captain was keen to praise supporters for their backing in Cordoba as his side made it three wins in a row in World Cup qualifying."I'm happy with the six points, which were our objective in these matches," he added. "The welcome we received was nice. Again the fans gave us a lot of support."

 

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Valencia identify Man City boss Pellegrini as No.1 choice to replace Neville

Valencia have lined up Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini as the No.1 candidate to replace the sacked Gary Neville, Goal understands.

It was revealed in February that Pellegrini will leave the Etihad Stadium to make way for Pep Guardiola when his contract expires in June, although there remains a very real possibility that he could yet lose his job before the end of the season, should City’s Premier League slump continue.

That has not dissuaded Valencia, though, and the club still see the Chilean as the ideal candidate to take over from Neville, who was sacked on Wednesday after collecting just three wins from 16 league games in less than four months in charge.

Suso Garcia Pitarch, sporting director at Mestalla, had already met with Pellegrini’s agent as the struggling Primera Division club planned for life next season, in the knowledge that Neville would not be a long-term fixture.

Pellegrini still owns a house in Valencia from his time managing Villarreal and it has long been suspected around City's Etihad Campus training ground that he is open to returning to Spanish football with los Che this summer.

There are a number of obstacles to overcome before a deal can be completed, however, with the veteran manager said to be averse to taking over a squad as youthful as the one in place at Valencia – something which will no doubt raise a wry smile among a section of the City support.

And Pellegrini, who has repeatedly praised the working environment at the Etihad, particularly in comparison with his tumultuous season at Real Madrid, would also like to have considerable say in major decisions taken by the club.

Peter Lim, who assumed control at Mestalla in October 2014, has developed a close relationship with super-agent Jorge Mendes in recent years and many of the club’s transfers in the last 18 months have been facilitated by the Portuguese.

Pellegrini, who has also been offered a contract by Russian side Zenit St Petersburg, is thought to be keeping his options open, and is keen to stay in England when his association with City comes to an end.

But it appears there will be no opportunity to do so, with Chelsea, who had earlier shown an interest in the veteran coach, set to appoint Antonio Conte.

Pellegrini's immediate future is just as uncertain, with City currently sitting fourth in the Premier League table, just one point above West Ham and two ahead of rivals United, having won just one of their last six matches.

That is a run that has alarmed decision makers at the Etihad and Pellegrini could be shown the door before the end of the season, with Saturday’s game against Bournemouth seen as crucial ahead of next week’s Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain.

Valencia, meanwhile, will entrust their short-term future to interim coach Pako Ayestaran, who has replaced Neville until the end of the season.

 

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Bale ready for BBC v MSN showdown

Gareth Bale believes Real Madrid and Barcelona are fully educated on the strengths of their opponent's strikeforce ahead of their Clasico clash on Saturday at Camp Nou.

Karim Benzema, Bale and Ronaldo each found the net last time out in the 4-0 win over Sevilla and all are expected to be named in Real's starting line-up for the historic Spain derby.

Madrid's 'BBC' frontline will come head to head with the lethal Barca trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, who will spearhead the prolific table-toppers.
Former Tottenham winger Bale is adamant both teams will be under no illusion of the talents of their rivals when the game kicks off.

"The MSN is made ​​up of world-class players and they are doing very well at the moment," the Welsh international said.

"We know everything we can know about them, and they know all that may know about us. We three, we have a very good relationship and we play well together. But it's not for us to judge whether we are the best or not."The media give their opinion, people also and the only thing we can do is go on the field and try to score."

Bale has been particularly pleased with the return to fitness of comrade Benzema, who has recently recovered from a three week spell on the sideline with a muscle strain."It is excellent news that he returns from injury," the 26-year-old added.

"He's an important player for us. He is a world class striker and he showed this season with the number of goals he scored. He is a good tip to our attack line and hope he comes back [from international duty with France] with the same shape as before."

 

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BBC V MSN​

 

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Ibrahimovic is like Benjamin Button - Raiola

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's agent Mino Raiola has compared the Paris Saint-Germain striker to Benjamin Button, claiming the 34-year-old gets younger each day and could keep playing for five more years.The Sweden international's current contract with PSG expires in the summer, leading to several clubs around the world expressing an interest in signing him on a free transfer.

Ibrahimovic, who has scored 35 goals in all competitions for PSG so far this term, has been linked with moves to the Premier League and Serie A, as well as China and Qatar, while extending his stay in the French capital also remains an option.

The former Milan and Barcelona marksman himself suggested this month that he could even hang up his boots, but the attacker's agent is adamant he still has plenty to offer.

"Zlatan is just like Brad Pitt when he plays Benjamin Button, the guy who gets younger each day," Raiola told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "With his mental and physical condition, he can play on for another five years. His future? It will be a special choice.

"All the clubs in Italy want him, including Napoli, but they are better at making films. Inter are also interested in signing him, but [Erick] Thohir's plans are not very clear. Milan are more about publicity I think. They would need three or four signings to become competitive again.

"There have been offers from all continents. I cannot give the exact figures, but we are talking about big numbers when it comes to China. We will know more pieces of the puzzle when I get back from my holiday in three weeks' time."All the big clubs from the Premier League have been knocking on our door, except Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

"Plus PSG are still doing everything within their powers to renew his contract. PSG remain an option for him as well."

 

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Guardiola will not find England easy - Ferguson

Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has warned Pep Guardiola that managing in the Premier League will not be easy, but is ultimately confident the current Bayern Munich chief will succeed in England.Guardiola will replace Manuel Pellegrini at the Manchester City helm once the current season ends, in what will be his first foray in English football.

The Catalan is regarded as arguably the finest coach in the world but while Ferguson has lauded his qualities, he says it will be difficult for him to take to English football like a duck to water.

"Manchester City have made a real coup in getting him, but Pep won't find it easy. English football is not easy," Ferguson told Sky Sports.

"Every foreign coach that has come to England will tell you that. Arsene Wenger was talking about that a few months after coming and even Jose Mourinho was.
"Pep will be a success, but I don't think he'll ever replicate what he did at Barcelona because that was a high standard, they were the best.

"Without question Pep has got a fantastic work ethic about him, he demands that in all of his training sessions. Anyone who thinks they're not going to work hard at City won't last long. He has got great coaching ability, there is no doubt about that."Guardiola has won league titles with both Barcelona and Bayern and will be expected to do the same during his time with City.

And Ferguson says much depends on how the league's biggest clubs react to Guardiola's impending arrival at City in the summer to determine who can challenge them for the crown.

"You have to ask what the big clubs are going to do. If you take my time at United, when Chelsea and Jose came on the scene, in the first two years they had quick starts, so I had to accept that challenge," he added.

"That's what you have to do when you're a big club. Arsenal, Liverpool and the other clubs have to accept the challenge when they are not good enough. They'll have their own ambitions and will be desperate to win the league next season as much as City, so there is not a guarantee they can win the league.

"That's the beauty of our league. Arsenal, City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham will want to do something and now, of course, Leicester City are there. Who's to say they can't win it next season?"

 

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Reina: Ter Stegen must prove he is the best for Barca

Unsettled Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen must show why he deserves to be starting more games for the Catalan giants, according to Miguel Reina.

The German shot-stopper has recently complained in public that he should feature more often than solely in the Champions League and Copa del Rey, while Claudio Bravo has been the undisputed choice in La Liga.

But Reina, who is no stranger to the Camp Nou net having spent seven seasons as Barca 'keeper between 1966-73, assures it is up to him to claim his spot.

"He knows what he has to do. He must keep working and that is all there is to it," the father of Napoli No. 1 Jose Reina told Goal.

"He must let his confidence come back him, and show he is the best. As my father used to say, patience is a virtue."

"If he does not receive trust let him decide whatever he has to do. But he is definitely a Barcelona keeper."

The Champions League quarter-finals will see Ter Stegen come up against Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid in the battle of the goalkeepers.

Having represented both Barcelona and Atletico, Reina believes both men have the talent to shine in the tie.

"The pair are going to give their teams some great performances, I am convinced of it," he affirmed.

"They will be two cornerstones of each side over time."

And Reina Sr. also took the opportunity to praise son Pepe, who is in fine form himself between the Napoli sticks.

"He is enjoying it, doing what he loves, he is playing, he feels happy and that is always the key," he said.

"[Napoli] are also having an extraordinary campaign, brilliant. I hope he has all the luck."

 

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Ozil: I'm not interested in returning to Madrid

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has voiced his admiration for Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane but insists he isn't interested in a return move to the Spanish capital.The Germany international left Madrid for Arsenal in 2013 and has since developed into a key figure at Emirates Stadium.

Ozil was reported to be considering his options, with speculation claiming he had "lost patience" with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, but the 27-year-old has dismissed those suggestions, insisting he isn't looking to leave the Gunners any time soon.

Speaking to Spox, Ozil said: "Zidane was an amazing player. He did not just play football, but lived for the game."I got to know him after his active career as someone who is always willing to lend a hand.

"But that does not say anything about my future. I am only thinking about Arsenal. There is no truth in the speculation linking me with a return to Spain."I have watched a lot of games involving Zidane. He was one of the most clever players in the world.

"He was able to read the game and direct play without any unnecessary tricks and showboating. That's what makes him so special."

Ozil was equally full of praise for Andrea Pirlo but admitted playing in a more withdrawn position like the Italy legend is not an option for him."Pirlo is someone who is almost at the same level as Zidane," he added.

"He might have been slightly more defensive, but was always calling the shots on the pitch."I cannot see myself play in Pirlo's role, though. I see myself more as a playmaker or a classic number 10.

"I have to play high up the pitch and create chances. That is my best position. You will not see me play as a holding midfielder any time soon."

 

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Ferguson calls for patience during Van Gaal 'quiet years'

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists Louis van Gaal will bring success back to Old Trafford as long as the club are patient with him.

United have not won a major trophy since the Premier League title triumph in Ferguson's final season in 2012-13, and the FA Cup is their only realistic chance of silverware in a frustratingly inconsistent campaign so far.

With United out of the Champions League and Europa League and facing a battle to finish in the top four, pressure has mounted on Van Gaal's position, with talk of Jose Mourinho replacing him before next season refusing to die down.

Ferguson, however, says a crippling injury list has blighted his old club's chances of performing to expectations this term and is confident the current boss can deliver.

"It is dead easy to be critical," he told Sky Sports. "You have to be realistic about some things – the number of injuries he has had: Phil Jones has played only seven games this season, Ashley Young, [Antonio] Valencia, [Luke] Shaw, these are big losses. It doesn't matter which team you are, if you have players missing of that calibre it has to have an impact on the team.

"The other aspect which is always easy to forget there are also five new players in their first season at United, and two are young players in [Anthony] Martial and Memphis [Depay] and their promise is good.

"You have to have some patience being a Manchester United fan and they have shown that over the years; in Matt Busby's time, in my time. For 150 years of history it is worth having a couple of years on the quiet side of success because they will always come back and come back strong."

Ferguson is delighted with the faith Van Gaal has shown in United's academy prospects this season, specifically striker Marcus Rashford - a player he considers to be "a sensation"."He's given nine young players their debut – I think the future is good," he added.

"Rashford is an example of what I think is Manchester United. They are the one club in England who will always identify a Rashford and give a young kid a chance – there is no better club in England at giving young kids a chance."Rashford is a sensation and one of the best in years."

 

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Matthaus urges Gotze to leave Bayern and return to Dortmund

Former Bayern Munich star Lothar Matthaus has advised Mario Gotze to cut his losses at the Allianz Arena and return to Borussia Dortmund.

Gotze left BVB for Bayern in 2013, but has struggled to live up to the high expectations and win over his critics at the Bavarians.

The playmaker has been heavily linked with a return to Dortmund in recent weeks, while Liverpool have also been credited with an interest in the 23-year-old, and Matthaus has urged Gotze to move back to the Signal Iduna Park."Gotze back to Dortmund would simply be a good fit," Matthaus wrote in his column for Sport Bild.

"Our World Cup hero is a child of the Borussia Dortmund academy. He might have ruined it for some fans following his move to Bayern, but I feel he does not owe anyone an apology over his decision to go for a new challenge elsewhere.

"Things unfortunately didn't pan out as everybody expected. But both Gotze and Dortmund know from each other what they bring to the table. He will soon win the fans over again after his first few goals for BVB.

"Would a return to Dortmund mean he has failed at Bayern? I think that would be harsh to say. He won two Bundesliga titles with Dortmund and he will win his fifth title in total if Bayern win it this season. These successes with Bayern, in which he had a hand, prove him right for joining them. But it's also a fact that he has been unable to become a undisputed starter like Thomas Muller.

"The reason behind all this is not just Gotze's quality or his mentality. The marriage between Gotze and Bayern was a misunderstanding right from the start."

 

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Buffon plans to retire from football at 40

Legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon intends to bring down the curtain on his footballing career in two years' time at the age 40.

The Italy and Juventus captain, who has won six Serie A titles and a World Cup during a glittering 22-year career, remains first choice for club and country at the age of 38, but does not want to continue playing for much longer.

Buffon told So Foot he was committed to seeing out the remainder of his playing days at Juve, where he is well on track to securing another top-flight crown, and expressed an interest in becoming a scout thereafter.

He said: "After this year, I will play for two more seasons before quitting. I do not want to play after 40 years, but I want to get to 40 years."Even if I were to be offered twice the salary elsewhere, I would stay at Juve for life. Being part of it makes me proud, because it has a value. And now certain values seem out of fashion.

"I have a wealth of experience, but I do not want to coach. I rather like the role of recruiter. They are ambitious. I would go to nations like the United States or China, which have great potential for a large population."He added: "If I do something, I do it with the idea to get to the top - without that I would stop living."

 

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Kane to ditch 'disturbing' mask against Liverpool - Pochettino

Harry Kane will play without a face mask for the first time since breaking his nose when Tottenham take on Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday.

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino confirmed the in-form England striker will not wear the protective gear, which he has used since suffering the injury in the FA Cup defeat to Crystal Palace on February 21.

Kane has scored six goals with the mask, but Pochettino is relieved that he is set to ditch it because he feels it disturbs the 22-year-old's play."It's good because on Thursday he trained without the mask and this is good for him," said the former Southampton boss.

"That is good because it always disturbs you a little bit to play with this on your face."Pochettino was relieved to see his squad come back from international duty largely unscathed ahead of the contest with Jurgen Klopp's men.

"It was hard for our players because nearly all of them were involved on international duty," he added."I think they enjoyed it and all our players are back at a good level, happy to come back.

"This was the first day we had them all back here training. Thursday and Friday we prepare for the game at Liverpool and ensure we arrive in a very good condition."
Tottenham are five points adrift of Premier League leaders Leicester City with seven matches to play.

 

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Lukaku would be a good option for Juventus, says agent

Romelu Lukaku could swap Everton for European heavyweights Juventus in the summer, according to his agent Mino Raiola.

The Belgian striker has enjoyed a productive campaign on Merseyside this season, finding the net 18 times in 29 Premier League appearances.

A number of clubs have reportedly shown an interest in signing Lukaku but Raiola has now opened the door to a potential move to Juventus, while also suggesting that Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid could also be in the hunt.

“Lukaku? Of course, Juventus as a solution could go well,” Raiola told Gazzetta dello Sport.“But keep an eye on Paris St-Germain and Real Madrid too for the Everton striker.”

Questions also remain over the future of PSG-linked forward Gonzalo Higuain, who is just one of a number of players that could have a say in exactly where Lukaku ends up.

Raiola is unsure exactly how much the French moneybags are willing to splash out ahead of next season, however, having spent big in recent years to assemble a stellar squad.

“Does it also depend on Higuain’s future? The environment has changed in Paris," he added."I don’t know if they’re ready to spend €90m – the price of oil has fallen and the emir is keeping more in his pocket. Also for this reason he’s insisting on keeping [Ibrahimovic].

“[Edinson] Cavani? I repeat, if they could decide to keep the ‘Matador’ as well. And then let’s not overlook the fact that [chairman] Nasser Al-Khelaifi hasn’t forgotten the [Kingsley] Coman deal yet. So before giving Cavani to Juve…”

 

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Klopp: Liverpool looking everywhere for signings, not just Germany

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists his focus is on more than just the Bundesliga when he considers off-season signings.

The German is expected to overhaul his squad at the end of the campaign, with his team sitting ninth in the Premier League but still alive in the Europa League
Players from Klopp's former club, Borussia Dortmund, and the Bundesliga as a whole have been heavily linked with moves to Anfield.However, the 48-year-old said he would be looking everywhere for signings, not just in his homeland.

"We will not not sign a player because he is German. That would be nonsense," Klopp told Sport1."We look not only in the Bundesliga.

"We are really global at the start, but it is much more important not where the player comes from, but that it is the right player for us."Klopp's men are seven points off fourth spot in the Premier League ahead of Saturday's clash against Tottenham.

 

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Unbalanced Real Madrid are only the third best team in Spain, says Schuster

Real Madrid are only the third best team in Spain at the moment heading into Saturday's El Clasico at Camp Nou, according to former coach Bernd Schuster.

Schuster said Real were unbalanced and were being outdone in player recruitment by Barcelona, adding that even Atletico Madrid had overtaken his former club.

"Leaving aside personal preferences, if you take the Madrid squad, draw a line and divide it in two, you know that it is not balanced and at the top you pay for that because your biggest rivals are doing things better," he was quoted as saying by AS. "Your rivals and even Atletico are doing things better. They change one piece for another in the same position, something that Madrid don't do and to a certain extent they’re paying for it."

Schuster said the unbalanced nature of the squad made it hard to predict what was to come from Real in the highly-anticipated La Liga clash.

"I'm not sure how they’ll perform. I see so many highs and lows that I don’t know what to expect," Schuster said."After the international break they've barely trained together. They appear to be playing better but we'll see.

"One player who does seem happier is Cristiano [Ronaldo]. Before he didn’t look happy. Cristiano needs to be comfortable and happy and to know he’s the best.
"At the moment the Barcelona front three are more convincing. They're amazing to watch."

 

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Vidal: Barcelona want Clasico win for Cruyff

Aleix Vidal says Barcelona want to pay tribute to their former player and manager Johan Cruyff by beating Real Madrid in this weekend's El Clasico.

Cruyff, who sparkled on the pitch for the Blaugrana during the seventies before going on to embed the philosophy which has made them the force they are today as their coach, sadly passed away on 24 March after losing his battle with cancer.

Barcelona will use Saturday's meeting with Madrid to honour the memory of the Dutch great with a 90,000-piece mosaic at Camp Nou and Vidal hopes his side can also dedicate a victory to Cruyff."We want to top off the tribute to Cruyff by dedicating a victory to him," said Vidal.

Barcelona's clash with Madrid will be their first since Cruyff's death and will also be the start of a stacked fixture list to come as Luis Enrique's charges aim to retain the treble they lifted last season.

The Catalan giants face three games in the space of 11 days after their battle with Real including both legs of their Champions League quarter-final tie against Atletico Madrid.But Vidal says Barcelona's heavy schedule isn't a burden, insisting the fixture pile-up fills them with more motivation to succeed.

"There is so much motivation to play in these types of games that fatigue remains in the background," he continued."A team like ours is able to play many games in a row, we have the best in the world and no matter how many games we play because we will always [play to the] death."

Barcelona will head into their encounter with Madrid boasting a 10-point lead over their rivals at the top of La Liga and Vidal is confident his team's blistering firepower can earn them victory."We have the best forwards in the world and our mentality is always to win," he added.

 

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Klopp: Premier League will be 'explosive' next season

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes the Premier League is destined to be “explosive” next season with change across all of England's top clubs set to take place in the summer.

Klopp is expected to begin an overhaul of the Reds squad he inherited from Brendan Rodgers in October and bring in a number of players more suited to his high-pressing demands.

The German will not be alone in making big adjustments with Chelsea and Manchester United both likely to appoint new managers while Manchester City will be led by Pep Guardiola for the first time next term.

Arsenal have also been rumoured to be weighing up a summer splurge to make up for their pursuit of a first league title since 2003/04 slipping away and to also combat their rivals' fresh changes.

Such a shake-up at the top has led Klopp to believe English football will “take off” and he predicts a huge amount of money will be spent between all of the teams.

"If you have a look you see how the things take off around us,” he told Sport1.

“Pep Guardiola is joining Man City and we all will be astonished how this team will change. Manchester United is restructuring, too. I don't know what will happen exactly, but it will happen with a lot of money.


“It seems that Arsenal won't be champions this year, which does not mean, that they say the next season: 'We tried it so often, now we will stop.' And Chelsea is getting a new coach – in England it will be explosive."

 

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Wenger: Leicester can still lose Premier League title

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has not given up hope of overhauling Leicester City in the race for the Premier League title.

Leicester have opened up a five-point lead over Tottenham with seven games to in one of the most unpredictable Premier League campaigns of all time. Arsenal are 11 points off the Foxes, but have a game in hand.Arsenal host Watford on Saturday, with Leicester welcoming Southampton to the King Power Stadium a day later.

And Wenger hopes to put pressure on a Leicester squad that has little collective experience of competing at the top of the table."Leicester at the moment are in a very strong position, but they can still lose it," Wenger told a news conference.

"But we have to perform. Our job is to perform until the last day of the season, so let's perform. The target is to win our remaining [eight] games. Let's be pragmatic. It starts on Saturday."Finishing on 79 points could be enough, but it depends on the results of Leicester. Nobody knows how they will respond in their last games.

"I don't know how many teams are still in the title race. Everybody doubts Arsenal's chances, so for the teams behind us it's even more difficult."Seasons like this could be more of a norm because all English clubs have fantastic financial potential."

Arsenal appeared to be on their way to Premier League glory back in January, but a poor run of form saw them fall behind Leicester and Spurs.Wenger is pleased with the way they have responded, though, and refuses to draw conclusions until the end of the season.

"We have 17 teams behind us so let's focus," Wenger added. "It has been very difficult but I believe you focus on giving your best and performing. "The language is very dramatic in the Premier League and you have to accept that."We focus on giving our best until the end of the season, then we will judge the season.

"Our last two games were very positive and it shows the team responds well. Some teams sink and some respond. We have responded in a very efficient way."We have had many injuries as well. Let’s not judge too much."