..::Football IV::..

Wolverine GTR

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    Borussia Dortmund 2 Monaco 3: Mbappe stars as rearranged game produces thriller

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    Kylian Mbappe's rise into the upper echelons of football's elite continued as his star turn put Monaco on the path to the Champions League semi-finals with a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund.

    The rearranged quarter-final first leg was played just a day removed from an attack on Dortmund's team bus which hospitalised defender Marc Bartra, and Thomas Tuchel's fears that his side could struggle to compete were borne out in a one-sided first half.

    Though Monaco lacked first-choice full-backs Djibril Sidibe and Benjamin Mendy, as well as midfield shield Tiemoue Bakayoko, they stifled Dortmund smartly, while the hosts were rickety in defence.

    Fabinho's penalty miss was soon forgotten when Mbappe opened the scoring and Monaco's second away goal came via the head of Dortmund defender Sven Bender - deputising in place of Bartra in Tuchel's back three.

    Christian Pulisic's half-time introduction gave Dortmund fresh impetus and stand-in left-back Andrea Raggi regular headaches, and they hit back through an Ousmane Dembele goal which owed much to a sublime touch from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the build-up.

    Mbappe's scintillating strike left Tuchel's side with a mountain to climb, but Shinji Kagawa's calm effort at least began the ascent before they travel to the principality in a week's time.

    Tributes to Bartra and a stirringly defiant rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' gave way to a cagey start typical of games at this stage of the competition but very much atypical of both sides, until a Dortmund lapse at the back kickstarted a thrilling contest.

    Sokratis Papastathopoulos allowed Mbappe a clear path to goal until an arm on the teenager's shoulder prompted him to fall and Italian referee Daniele Orsato to point to the spot, only for the usually reliable Fabinho to miss from 12 yards, screwing his effort wide of Roman Burki's right-hand post.

    It mattered little to the visitors, though, as they took the lead two minutes later. Bernardo Silva led a lightning-fast counter, taking the ball from one box to the other before finding Thomas Lemar, who opted not to shoot but saw a cross bobble in off Mbappe - his 20th goal of the season allowed to stand despite the attacker standing offside.

    Dortmund had not taken advantage of Raggi's deployment as an unfamiliar left-back until the 31st minute when Matthias Ginter turned the Italian inside out, only for Kagawa to wastefully scuff wide from eight yards.But Raggi proved his worth when Bender headed a left-wing cross into his own net, claiming a foul by Radamel Falcao which Orsato dismissed.

    Marcel Schmelzer and Bender, playing for just the third time in an injury-hit season, were replaced by Nuri Sahin and Pulisic at the break and only Fabinho prevented Aubameyang converting the USA international's cross from the right.

    The Gabon striker played a crucial role shortly after as Dortmund clawed their way back into the contest, brilliantly backheeling Raphael Guerreiro's whipped cross to Kagawa and the Japanese touched the ball away from Danijel Subasic for Dembele to convert simply.

    Falcao blazed over after touching clear of an onrushing Burki, but Mbappe's ice-cool technique was on full display as he robbed Sokratis, drove towards goal and lashed into the top-right corner.

    Dortmund earned a lifeline when Kagawa twisted into the penalty area and reduced the deficit to a solitary goal and they ought to have been level before full-time, but Aubameyang headed over from inches out.

    Though Monaco hold the advantage, Fabinho's late booking rules him out of the second leg, while Mbappe was nursing a calf injury and the sides' gung-ho nature suggests another classic is on the cards.
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Atletico Madrid 1 Leicester City 0: Advantage Atleti after controversial Griezmann penalty

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    Antoine Griezmann benefitted from a contentious penalty call to give Atletico Madrid a 1-0 win over Leicester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

    Griezmann made light of a dismal recent record from the spot to send Kasper Schmeichel the wrong way in the 28th minute but Marc Albrighton's clear foul on the France star was made just shy of the box.

    Diego Simeone's side are chasing their third final appearance in four seasons and, having overcome Barcelona and Bayern Munich over two legs last term, they did not always appear comfortable in the role of favourites.

    Atletico have not conceded a goal in a home knockout tie in Europe since March 2014 and Leicester failed to register a shot on target as they rarely looked like breaking that run.

    But Atletico were unable to turn their dominance into a more convincing win and Leicester, who overturned a first-leg deficit to knock out Sevilla in the last-16, will still have designs on another LaLiga scalp.

    Atletico pushed forward from kick-off, with Saul Niguez having a shot blocked, but the sight of Jamie Vardy tearing after Shinji Okazaki's punt and firing across the face of goal demonstrated Leicester's most likely route to an upset.

    Koke powered a rising 25-yard strike against the left-hand post as Schmeichel grasped at thin air, while Yannick Carrasco failed to punish Robert Huth for making a mess of a headed clearance in the ninth minute and slashed his back-post volley wide.After 15 minutes, Leicester had registered a mere 10 touches inside the Atletico half but the visitors belatedly settled into a period of possession and Okazaki was unable to readjust adequately to turn home Albrighton's dangerous low cross.

    The sense that Simeone's counter-attacking masters were ushering Leicester onto them was heightened by the manner in which they broke to prompt the opening goal.

    Griezmann tore towards goal from the left with rapid menace and a panicked Albrighton brought him down, with referee Jonas Eriksson pointing to the spot, though replays confirmed the contact came outside the area.

    Schmeichel saved a penalty in each leg against Sevilla but Griezmann, who began a sequence of three consecutive misses amid Champions League final heartache against Real Madrid last term, coolly stroked his kick into the left corner.

    Atleti were unable to add to their lead before the break, when Craig Shakespeare sent on Andy King in place of Okazaki to bolster Leicester's over-run midfield.

    The Wales international's introduction did little to alter the pattern of the play, although Huth - later booked for a foul on Griezmann to rule him out of next week's second leg - had a shot blocked when Atletico failed to fully clear Christian Fuchs' long throw.

    Fernando Torres should have doubled Atleti's lead after the hour when he gathered Koke's probing pass and scooted around Huth, only to lose his footing in comic fashion.

    Atletico substitute Angel Correa passed up a late chance with the goal gaping, by which stage Leicester deserved credit for drawing the sting from Atletico and Shakespeare's men will still feel the semi-finals are tangible ahead of next week's return at the King Power Stadium.
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Morata hints at Chelsea move: I will play for Conte one day

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    Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata believes it is inevitable he will play for Antonio Conte one day amid reports Chelsea are keen to lure him to Stamford Bridge.

    Conte attempted to sign the Spain international ahead of the 2016-17 campaign, but Madrid refused to sell the attacker having only just re-signed him from Juventus.

    The 24-year-old has been struggling to break into the starting XI at the Santiago Bernabeu, though, with head coach Zinedine Zidane preferring Karim Benzema up front.

    Morata's situation at Madrid has not gone unnoticed elsewhere and recent reports suggest Chelsea are ready to make another move for the striker come June and he is relishing the prospect of potentially linking up with Conte.

    "Various Premier League coaches called to tell me to play for them. I said yes, I would like to, that if I had to leave I would almost certainly go to London, but that I did not know what Madrid would do," Morata told The Guardian.

    "I knew they would bring me back, but I did not know if it was to keep me or sell me. Madrid said they did not want to sell, so here I am. I am very happy at Madrid and they support me, but if an offer like that came again and they want to sell, I should not close doors. I loved Italy, but if one day I have to leave, I am sure it will be to the Premier League.

    "I spoke directly to [Tottenham boss] Mauricio Pochettino and Antonio Conte, although the norm is clubs call my dad or agent. I remember talking to my dad then and him saying that Conte was going to win the league with Chelsea.

    "Conte is the manager who most 'bet' on me, without even ever having had me in his team. I am very conscious of that: he bet on me for Juventus, but left before I arrived; then he wanted me at Chelsea come what may. He knows me better than I could imagine, I am sure, and that is important: it motivates you to work hard, train well.

    "I feel indebted to him because he is the coach that most trusted in me, most wanted me, who made me feel I could perform at the highest level. And yet I have never had the fortune to actually work with him. I am sure sooner or later I will.

    "The future excites me, whether that is Madrid or somewhere else. I still have to learn, improve. I can do a lot but I need to play more and for someone to really back me. Either I take off or I end up in a position of comfort, playing games occasionally.

    "I am no longer the youngest, I am 24, it is a big moment."
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Sevilla warn Argentina over Sampaoli interest

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    Sevilla have warned the Argentine Football Association (AFA) they will not tolerate any attempts to lure Jorge Sampaoli away from the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

    Argentina are in the market for a new coach after dismissing Edgardo Bauza on Tuesday and have reportedly lined up Sampaoli as a potential replacement.Nevertheless, Sevilla are determined to hold on to Sampaoli for the foreseeable future, with the 57-year-old's contract not due to expire until 2018.

    "In response to various reports in local and international media outlets about the potential interest of the Argentine football association (AFA) to sign Jorge Sampaoli – who has a contract with Sevilla until 30 June 2018 – and in the wake of quotes attributed to AFA president Claudio Tapia that he intends to meet with Sampaoli in the upcoming days, Sevilla have sent a letter to AFA to make it clear the club would consider it a lack of respect if there is any truth in those reports, while stressing any meeting or contact with the intention of convincing Sampaoli to end his contract with this club would be unacceptable and that the club will not hesitate to take action," the statement reads.

    Sampaoli replaced Unai Emery at Sevilla at the start of the 2016-17 campaign following the latter's departure to Paris Saint-Germain.

    Sevilla sit fourth in La Liga with seven games left and appear to be on their way to Champions League qualification, having made it to the round of 16 in European club football's elite competition this season.

    But Argentina's plight is precarious, with Bauza leaving them fifth in qualifying for Russia 2018, a position that carries an intercontinental play-off spot, with four games remaining.
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Injured Bartra sends messages of gratitude to fans

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    Borussia Dortmund defender Marc Bartra has sent a message of gratitude on his Instagram and Twitter accounts following Tuesday's terrorist attack on the team's bus. Three explosions were detonated near Dortmund's bus en route to a Champions League quarter-final tie with Monaco at Signal Iduna Park.

    One explosion shattered the bus window and injured Bartra, who underwent surgery on his wrist on Tuesday evening.

    The centre-back posted on Instagram and Twitter on Wednesday, saying he was doing "much better" and thanking fans for their support.
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Rooney to miss Manchester United's clash with Anderlecht

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    Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has been left out of the squad to face Anderlecht in the Europa League quarter-final on Thursday.

    The 31-year-old has missed the last two Premier League games with ankle problems and has not travelled with the team for the first leg in Brussels.

    "He's not happy with his condition," said manager Jose Mourinho. "He has a bad feeling with his ankle."
    Asked if Rooney will be fit for the visit of Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday, Mourinho added: "Let's see".Goalkeeper David de Gea is in the squad despite missing the 3-0 Premier League win over Sunderland last Sunday, although it is expected that Sergio Romero will keep his place in the team.
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    :yes:De Gea should not care about speculation, says Mourinho

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    Jose Mourinho has demanded that David de Gea put speculation over his future to one side and focus on Manchester United's season run-in.

    The Spain goalkeeper was on the verge of a deadline day move to Real Madrid at the start of the 2015-16 season but a failure to process paperwork in time kept him in Manchester.

    Keylor Navas' poor form this season means a new keeper reportedly remains high on the agenda at the Santiago Bernabeu but Mourinho does not want De Gea to become side-tracked as his EFL Cup winners chase Europa League glory and a top-four spot in the Premier League.

    "I'm not interested in the speculation. If the player is, he shouldn't [be]," Mourinho told a news conference ahead of Thursday's Europa League quarter-final first leg at Anderlecht.

    "Every match for us is crucial. In the Premier League we lose a match and the top four gets almost impossible. In the Europa League, we lose a match and we are in trouble.

    "Every match demands total focus. I don't see David with any problem related to this. The end of the season is the time when players can be thinking about what is going to happen with their careers."

    Mourinho has decisions to make over shuffling his squad and possibly prioritising one competition over the other.

    Champions League qualification via the Premier League remains in United's hands but a daunting run-in, featuring games against leaders Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham, adds weight to the argument that winning the Europa League might be their best route back into Europe's elite competition.

    Nevertheless, Mourinho claims there is no way he could consider selecting a below-strength XI for the game at Chelsea that is sandwiched by the Anderlecht tie.

    "It's still mathematically very possible to finish top four. I think, if we played against Chelsea with a second team, you would kill me, the football country would kill me," he said."While it's mathematically possible, we have to try, with the risks you are speaking about."If at a certain moment of the season we have no chance and we're still in the Europa League, then we have a reason.

    "Manchester United history is so big, so bigger than many other clubs that are playing Champions League, that if Manchester United don't play Champions League for three or four years then it doesn't affect the prestige."So Manchester United doesn't have to play Champions League, but it wants to play."

    He added: "We need to fight with everything we have to try to play Champions League next season. How can we do that? By winning Europa League or finishing top four."We still have two open doors. If one day, one door closes, we have another open and we have to go with everything until the end.


    "My feeling is that we're going to fight with everything we have in both competitions. But honestly, I have a special feeling with the Europa League and the players are the same, because it's a competition we can win. It can give us the same as top four but it can give us a title."
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Griezmann brilliance forced Leicester rethink, says Shakespeare

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    Atletico Madrid match-winner Antoine Griezmann forced Leicester City into a tactical re-think as the Premier League titleholders were beaten 1-0 in the Champions League at the Vicente Calderon.

    Griezmann converted a 28th minute penalty for his 24th goal of the season in Wednesday's quarter-final first leg, although replays showed he was outside the area when brought down on the break by Leicester winger Marc Albrighton.

    Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare was understandably aggrieved by that decision but the France forward's all-round inventiveness during the first half forced him further on to the defensive.

    The visitors failed to register a shot on target over the 90 minutes and midfielder Andy King replaced forward Shinji Okazaki at the interval, with Wilfred Ndidi dropping into holding role to marshal the mercurial Griezmann.

    "We changed it, we had to sacrifice one of the forwards and put Wilfred deep in a 4-5-1," Shakespeare explained to BT Sport."In the first half Griezmann was getting in between the lines, getting in the pockets and causing us problems."

    "This is one of the best teams in Europe and we've given a good account of ourselves. We know what we're about at the King Power Stadium and we know what we've got to do."

    Leicester overturned a first-leg deficit against LaLiga foes when they beat Sevilla 2-0 at home in the previous round.Their task would be a little more straightforward this time around if referee Jonas Eriksson had not erred so badly before the half-hour mark."It's disappointing, it's a key moment in the game," Shakespeare said. "The referee has to get that one right, you can't guess on those things.

    "The referee has a hard job but it's the key decisions that you want correct."It's a good break [by Atletico] and we spoke about that beforehand, but we'd like a chance to defend the free-kick instead of defending the penalty."

    Leicester were without captain Wes Morgan due to a back injury and face further problems at centre-back in next week's game after Robert Huth's booking for a second-half foul on Griezmann earned him a booking.

    Planning ahead, Shakespeare booked Morgan in for some late-night fitness work.
    "I've just told him in there when we get back to the hotel he's putting his kit on and going in the gym to do a session," he added.
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Centurion Ronaldo thankful after 100th European goal

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    Cristiano Ronaldo continues to make history.On Wednesday, the Champions League's all-time top goalscorer became the first player to score 100 goals in European club competitions.

    Ronaldo – who opened his Champions League account for Manchester United in August 2005 – netted a brace as titleholders Madrid overcame Bayern Munich 2-1 in the first leg of their quarter-final.

    The four-time Ballon d'Or winner ended a drought with his first European goals since September, netting a 47th-minute equaliser before putting Madrid in the box seat 13 minutes from time.And Ronaldo used social media to express his gratitude to his team-mates and coaches following another milestone.

    Ronaldo reached 50 goals in April 2013 after 96 matches despite only scoring once in his first 32 European appearances for Sporting CP and United.

    The Portugal captain then brought up his second half-century in just 47 games.
    Of Ronaldo's 100 goals, 97 have come in the Champions League proper with one in qualifying and two in the European Super Cup.
     

    ObeliX

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    My champions league and europa league predictions, ubalageth dapan balanna:)

    Monaco vs Dortmund ---> Monaco
    Leicester city vs Atlético ---> Atletico
    Barcelona vs Juventus ---> Juventus
    Real Madrid vs Bayern ---> Real Madrid

    for the semi

    Ajax vs Schalke ---> Ajax
    anderlecht vs Man utd ---> Man utd
    Celta vigo vs Genk ---> Celta vigo
    Lyon vs Besiktas ---> Besiktas
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    i
    Anderlecht Vs Manchester United
    i


    Anderlecht Starting Line-up

    Ruben
    Bram Nuytinck
    Kara Mbodji
    Ivan Obradovic
    Dennis Appiah
    Nicolae Stanciu
    Leander Dendoncker
    Yoeri Tielemans
    Isaac Kiese Thelin
    Frank Acheampong
    Massimo Bruno

    &

    Manchester United Starting Line-up

    Sergio Romero
    Marcos Rojo
    Eric Bailly
    Matteo Darmian
    Antonio Valencia
    Henrikh Mkhitaryan
    Paul Pogba
    Michael Carrick
    Zlatan Ibrahimovic
    Marcus Rashford
    Jesse Lingard