..::Football IV::..

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Monaco win first Ligue 1 crown in 17 years

Monaco have sealed the Ligue 1 title after beating Saint-Etienne on Wednesday evening.

Leonardo Jardim's side have broken Paris Saint-Germain’s hold over the French crown, with Les Parisiens having won four straighht titles since 2012-13, with their run tying for the second-longest in the league’s history behind Lyon’s seven consecutive crowns between 2001-2008.

Needing only a draw to secure the title, Kylian Mbappe netted his 15th goal of the Ligue 1 season before Valere Germain added a late second as the hosts came away with the 2-0 victory over Saint Etienne.

With the win, Monaco moved to 92 points, while PSG sit at 86, unable to close the gap with just one game remaining.It is Monaco’s first league title since the 1999-2000 season and the club’s eighth overall.

It has been a marvelous season for Jardim’s men, as they not only took home the title in France, but also enjoyed a run to the Champions League semi-finals.Led by Radamel Falcao, who scored 21 goals in the league this year, Monaco also made the final of the Coupe de la Ligue and the semi-final of the Coupe de France, but lost both contests to PSG.

 

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Congratulations Monaco!

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Celta Vigo 1 Real Madrid 4: Ronaldo double helps Zidane's men to within a point of LaLiga title

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in Wednesday's 4-1 win over Celta Vigo as the in-form Real Madrid talisman fittingly took Zinedine Zidane's men to within a point of the league title.

Madrid went into the match knowing that four points from their final two LaLiga games would guarantee them the crown regardless of Barcelona's efforts and they successfully passed their first test in an expert manner in Galicia.

It proved to be a strong start by the visitors and they found themselves ahead early on thanks to their Portuguese superstar, who overtook Jimmy Greaves as the most prolific player to grace Europe's top five domestic divisions, scoring his 367th and 368th goals across England and Spain.

There were not too many other opportunities for the away fans to get excited about in the first period, but Ronaldo made Celta pay for their wastefulness with a second just after the break, rounding off a devastating counter-attack.

Celta's – and Barcelona's – hopes seemed to be dashed when Iago Aspas was controversially dismissed for diving just after the hour, but the hosts' response was excellent, as John Guidetti clawed one back.

But Madrid stepped up another gear shortly after, Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos wrapping things up, meaning they only need to draw at Malaga in their final game of the season to lift their 33rd LaLiga title.Celta looked lively during the early exchanges, but Madrid were typically lethal and took a step closer to the title just 10 minutes in.

Facundo Roncaglia tackled Isco on the edge of the area, only for the ball to drop kindly for Ronaldo, who hammered a ferocious left-footed drive through Gustavo Cabral's legs and beyond the helpless Sergio Alvarez.That proved one of few Madrid chances in the first half, though, as a purposeful Celta began to take over.

Keylor Navas went unpunished just after the half-hour mark, as he palmed Daniel Wass' effort into the danger zone and Roncaglia failed to react quickly enough to the rebound.

And some of the home fans thought they were level nine minutes before the break.
But Aspas' effort only found the side netting after latching on to a Pione Sisto pass which deflected off Danilo.Celta threatened early in the second half, as Wass picked out Guidetti in the Madrid area before the Swede was crowded out.

And a few seconds later, Madrid had a two-goal lead.Isco did brilliantly through the middle, charging past a couple of defenders and slipping a pass beyond the defence for Ronaldo, who coolly slotted inside the left-hand post.

Referee Juan Munuera then incurred the wrath of Celta as he deemed Aspas to have dived under a challenge from Sergio Ramos, brandishing a second yellow in the striker's direction, before also sending off coach Eduardo Berizzo and his assistant.

Guidetti struck back for the frustrated Celta a few moments later, as the forward's deflected 18-yard effort left Navas stranded, but Benzema finished them off with a tap-in from Marcelo's low cross 20 minutes from time.

The French striker was instrumental again just before the end, pouncing on a defensive error and feeding Kroos into the left side of the area, with the German confidently finding the net to wrap up a resounding win and leave Madrid on the brink of the title.

 

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Juventus 2 Lazio 0: Alves, Bonucci secure historic third consecutive Coppa Italia

Juventus took their first step towards the treble with an historic 2-0 win over Lazio in the Coppa Italia final at Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday.

First-half goals from Dani Alves and Leonardo Bonucci secured an unprecedented third triumph in a row in Italy's premier cup competition and the 12th in their history.It also means Juve's hopes of winning Serie A, the Coppa and the Champions League in a single season for the first time remain firmly intact.

Lazio, winners in 2013 and beaten finalists against the same opponents two years ago, hit the post through Balde Keita early on but found themselves behind soon afterwards thanks to a sixth goal of the season from Alves, who started on the right side of the attack for Massimiliano Allegri's favourites.

Juve pressed their advantage, doubling their lead through Bonucci with 24 minutes played, and it was a lead they rarely looked likely to surrender despite a drop in intensity after the break.

Neto – again preferred to Gianluigi Buffon in the cup – made a handful of good saves but Lazio ultimately toiled in vain as they suffered a second final defeat to Juve in three seasons.

They now head into a weekend match with Crotone knowing that a win will guarantee the league title with a game to spare, before they turn their attention towards the Champions League final with Real Madrid on June 3.

Lazio came within inches of the opener after only five minutes, Keita racing beyond Bonucci on the break before seeing a shot deflect off Andrea Barzagli, onto the near post and out.

Gonzalo Higuain teed up a fierce volley that Thomas Strakosha did well to parry, but he was caught out by Alves' finish after 12 minutes as Juve snatched the lead.
Alex Sandro found space down the left and looped a superb cross towards his compatriot at the far post, who bounced a volley off the turf, over the goalkeeper and into the net from six yards out.

Juve pushed for a quick-fire second and Strakosha kept his side in it with three exceptional saves, denying Paulo Dybala twice from distance before making a brilliant block to stop Higuain from slotting in from barely a yard out.

But Juve made the most of some slack defending to double their lead midway through the half, as Alex Sandro flicked on a corner to allow Bonucci – arriving unchallenged into the six-yard box – to tap home.

Lazio spurned chances to halve the deficit before the break, with Ciro Immobile heading wide and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic nodding straight at Neto from a corner, while substitute Felipe Anderson brought a good low save out of the Juve keeper as they kept up some pressure early in the second half.

Neto then reacted brilliantly to claw an Immobile header away from the bottom corner as Juve's lacklustre start to the second half continued, although Alves and Higuain twice fashioned chances to make it 3-0 only to see the moves fall apart in the penalty area.

Simone Inzaghi's side kept pushing in the closing stages but had little to show for their efforts, as Allegri celebrated his sixth trophy in only his third season in charge.

 

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Barclays Premier League Fixture 2017.05.18

Barclays Premier League Fixture 2017.05.18

Leicester City Vs Tottenham

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Leicester City 1 Tottenham 6: Four-star Kane pulls clear in Golden Boot race

Four goals from Harry Kane and two from Son Heung-min helped Tottenham to a 6-1 battering of Leicester City in their penultimate Premier League match of the season on Thursday.

England international Kane moved to 26 in the top flight for this season – putting him two ahead of Romelu Lukaku in the Golden Boot standings – while Son took his tally to 21 goals in all competitions in the emphatic victory.

The hammering puts Spurs on 83 points for 2016-17, three more than Leicester managed when they were crowned champions last term.Son and Kane combined to put Spurs ahead before the South Korea star made it 2-0 as half-time approached with a well-taken volley.

Ben Chilwell gave Leicester some hope with his first Premier League goal, but a Kane header and a brilliant Son finish ended the Foxes' resistance.Kane then struck twice in the closing stages to seal the dominant win for Mauricio Pochettino's swashbuckling side.

The defeat, Leicester's 18th of a miserable title defence, saw them miss out on the chance to draw level on points with eighth-place Southampton and did little to enhance manager Craig Shakespeare's chances of holding on to the job for next term.

For Spurs, who move back to within seven points of champions Chelsea, it was another impressive performance in an excellent campaign that will finish against Hull City on Sunday.

Son twice had a half-chance on the edge of the Leicester area but it was Jamie Vardy who missed the first good opportunity, striking straight at Hugo Lloris after Riyad Mahrez played him through on goal.

Pochettino was visibly frustrated when Son blasted a golden chance over the bar after Dele Alli blocked the ball into his path, but the South Korea forward was decisive in helping Spurs take the lead after 25 minutes.

Son beat the offside trap to latch onto a simple long ball from Toby Alderweireld, moved into the penalty area and cut the ball back for Kane, who slotted home first time from 12 yards out.

Vardy saw appeals for a penalty waved away when Alderweireld shouldered him to the ground after an error from Eric Dier, and it got worse for Leicester before the break, Alli clipping the ball over Yohan Benalouane and Son steering a volley into the bottom-right corner to make it 2-0.

Shakespeare switched his side to a back three for the second half and the change triggered a response, with Mahrez testing Lloris from 20 yards and Marc Albrighton seeing a promising opening snuffed out by a fine Eric Dier block.

With 59 minutes gone they found a lifeline. Lloris failed to clear his lines after racing out to challenge Vardy – who looked to have strayed offside in the build-up – and when Wilfred Ndidi scuffed a shot towards Chilwell, the full-back showed great composure to steady himself before slotting into the net.

Hope of a comeback lasted barely four minutes, however. A good team move from Spurs saw Moussa Sissoko feed Alderweireld in space down the right, and Victor Wanyama headed his cross back towards the near post giving Kane the simple task of nodding the ball beyond Kasper Schmeichel.

Son made the win an emphatic one with the best goal of the game. Striding towards the Leicester area on the break, he lost Ndidi with a clever turn before bending an excellent finish beyond Schmeichel's outstretched arms from 20 yards.

And there was enough time for Kane to take his tally to four and move top of the league's goalscoring charts outright. The 23-year-old blasted a low shot from the edge of the area that seemed to fool Schmeichel as it flew beneath him and into the net, before being granted time and space to produce an almost identical finish to cap a dominant display.

 

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Man United's Romero credits Mourinho for turning a 'nobody' into a star

Sergio Romero claims “nobody knew me” when he signed for Manchester United and credits Jose Mourinho with helping to raise his profile.

The Argentine goalkeeper saw his stock rise again on Wednesday evening as his penalty save from Manolo Gabbiadini earned the Red Devils a point from a goalless draw at Southampton.

He has now kept 11 clean sheets in 17 appearances this season, with his displays marking him out as a reliable back-up to undisputed number one David de Gea.

His ability should never have been questioned, as he arrived at Old Trafford as an experienced international who has spent time in Holland, Italy and France, but he feels he was a relative unknown.

That is no longer the case, though, much of the delight of a man who will be gracing a major final next week when United take on Ajax in the Europa League.

Romero told reporters: "For me, the final is very important."I arrived here in the last year, free, nobody knew me."Now with the confidence that Jose gives me and the confidence the players give me and the confidence I have this is very important and I will try and do my best for all, for the team.

"The final will be special for the year, for the club. The most important is the club and the fans and we will go there in Stockholm to win."Only two of Romero’s appearances this season have come in the Premier League, with Mourinho using him mainly in cup competitions.

 

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Keeping Man Utd and Madrid target Mbappe is Monaco's 'priority'

Ligue 1 champions Monaco will make keeping Kylian Mbappe out of the clutches of a Manchester United or Real Madrid their “priority” this summer, says vice-president Vadim Vasilyev.The principality club have ended their 17-year wait for top-flight glory in France and are now in a position to plan for the future.

It is the hope of all connected with Monaco that teenage frontman Mbappe will play a leading role in their domestic and European quests heading forward.

They are aware of mounting interest in his services, with Liverpool reported to have tabled a £64 million bid, but there is a confidence on their part that the 18-year-old can be persuaded to stay put.Vasilyev told CNN: "It is part of our model that some players leave but now we are financially much stronger than two years ago.

"With all these young players, we know that their value will never go down because they are so talented and ambitious."To keep Mbappe? It is our priority.

"I think he's very happy at Monaco."There's the World Cup next year — and he's already in the French national team."Mbappe has netted 26 times in 43 appearances after bursting onto the scene this season, with those efforts helping to inspire title glory and a run through to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

 

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Real Madrid join race for Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Oblak

Real Madrid are ready to enter the race for Jan Oblak having already moved to sign Theo Hernandez from rivals Atletico Madrid this summer.The Slovenian shot-stopper is highly coveted in the Premier League, with Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United all linked with bids as they prepare for potential goalkeeping departures.

And Goal understands that Madrid - who motivated Chelsea and United's interest in Oblak with their reported interest in Thibaut Courtois and David de Gea - are ready to consider an offer for the 24-year-old as an alternative to current No. 1 Keylor Navas.

Courtois and De Gea remain the frontrunners to move to the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer should Zinedine Zidane decide a new No.1 is needed.

Oblak has emerged as another option, however, for the Merengue if they fail to land one of the Premier League stars, though the deal would not be easy to complete given Atletico's likely demands.

The goalkeeper has a release clause worth a mammoth €100 million and Atletico are not prepared to lower that price for any suitor, least of all their arch-rivals in the Spanish capital.

A possible compromise, however, could be a part-exchange deal, with Diego Simeone's men needing a new keeper if Oblak was to leave and also seeking a top-class striker.

United remain in pole position to land Oblak having made the most progress of the interested Premier League clubs in convincing Atletico to sell. He would be in line to replace De Gea if the Spaniard's move to Real, which has been mooted for several years, was to be completed this summer.

It is by no means unthinkable, however, that Zidane and Florentino Perez could cut out the middle man and move directly for Oblak should negotiations with the English club prove as difficult as they have done previously.


Should a move materalise, Oblak would not be alone in crossing the Spanish capital this summer; Alaves loanee Hernandez completed a medical ahead of his proposed switch earlier this month.

 

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Lloris blunder means Courtois clinches Golden Glove award

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has clinched the Premier League Golden Glove award after Hugo Lloris' error ruined his clean sheet on Thursday.

Lloris charged outside of his box to meet a second-half through ball for Jaime Vardy, but was unable to clear and eventually Ben Chilwell scored with the Tottenham goalkeeper scrambling.

The goal meant little to the result, as Spurs crushed defending champions Leicester City 6-1, but it did secure Courtois the award which goes to the goalkeeper with the most Premier League clean sheets on the season.

The Belgium international has 16 clean sheets in 2016-17, while Lloris is on 15 with just one round of fixtures remaining.

Lloris could still co-win the award on the season's final day if he keeps a clean sheet against Hull City and Courtois either concedes or doesn't play against Sunderland.


The Golden Glove used to have a tie-breaker system which resulted in only one winner, but that was amended in 2013-14 to stipulate that there could be multiple winners of the award.

 

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Kompany backs Guardiola to deliver 'something special' at Man City

Vincent Kompany says the Manchester City squad are buying into Pep Guardiola’s “vision” and his ability to build “something special”.The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss finds himself in the unusual position of having failed to deliver silverware this season.

He has been able to guide City towards a top-four finish, but the Premier League has presented plenty of challenges to one of the finest coaching brains in the business.

Kompany, though, insists that there have been enough signs of encouragement to suggest that Guardiola is guiding the club towards a bright future.

He told reporters ahead of a final-day clash with Watford: “I think we've got a manager who has come in with a very specific vision of how he wants the game to be played.“We have a team that will try everything to implement that.

“On certain areas we've been doing extremely well and no result or ranking will ever be able to translate that properly.“We've dominated games, been organised, tried to play in a certain way that I always think is the beginning of something better, something special.

“But obviously we've lacked in key moments and everyone has to take responsibility for that.“As long as we recognise that and try to improve on it, then we're still set up for something good. There's a lot still to come beyond this year.”

Kompany has pointed to the struggles of Arsenal and Manchester United this season in the battle to secure Champions League qualification as an example of how City have been able to maintain high standards through a testing spell.

He added: “It does say a lot about the Premier League that two top teams will miss out on the top four. But it's exciting. Usually you find out a lot about the teams and the players in those kind of moments.

“We'd have preferred to be tighter to first place perhaps, but I'm sure eventually that will be the case. In this instance we're fighting for a Champions League place and it's down to details.”

City are not guaranteed to finish in the top four, but they are three points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal with just one game remaining and know only a five-goal swing can deny them.

 

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Mourinho admits Rooney situation is 'very difficult' as Man Utd skipper nears end

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has hailed Wayne Rooney’s attitude, but admitted that managing him through the latter years of his time at Old Trafford is “very difficult”.

The 31-year-old is already assured of a place in Old Trafford and English folklore, as the all-time leading goalscorer for club and country.He has, however, seen his game time dwindle this season, with a starting berth no longer guaranteed.

Mourinho acknowledges that iconic figures can find such situations difficult to handle, but has been impressed by Rooney’s professionalism and continued dedication to the cause.The Portuguese coach told Omnisport: "It's very difficult because during my career I had this kind of situation of getting players – amazing players with amazing history – in the last period of their career.

"When you get players in the last part of their careers, the players with the big history in the club – and I had that everywhere, I had that in Inter, I had that at Real Madrid, I had that at Chelsea.

"Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, to have them – and in my case I had them in the best period of their career – and then when I returned the second time, I had them in their last period of their career. How difficult it is.

"And sometimes, the players understand the situation. Sometimes the players still feel they are 24, 25 and it's very difficult. The good thing with Wayne is that he's a very club man. He's very club man. And if he is frustrated, he hides it. If he is not happy, he hides it. He behaves in the best possible way.

"And when he's not injured, he's always available. And in fact now, I need him. I need him back because we have so many problems."Rooney has still made 37 appearances in all competitions this season and could have two more to take in.

United will bring the curtain down on their Premier League campaign at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday before turning their attention to a Europa League final date with Ajax in Stockholm.

 

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Rooney team 1ke inna 1ka godak watinaqa​

 

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Ander Herrera crowned Man Utd Player of the Year

Ander Herrera has won Manchester United's Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award in a historically close vote, topping Antonio Valencia and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.The midfielder finished just 242 votes clear of the Ecuadorian, with the big Swedish striker finishing a close third.

Among the highlights of the season for the Herrera were a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over Chelsea last month. Herrera is the second successive Spaniard to win the award after his compatriot David de Gea took home the prize last season.

While the midfielder claimed the club's top award, right-back Valencia was voted the Man United Players' Player of the Season.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan was the winner for the club's Goal of the Season award for his superb effort against Sunderland, and 16-year-old Angel Gomes became the youngest ever winner of the club's Youth Team Player of the Year award, while Axel Tuanzebe collected the Reserve Player of the Year gong.

 

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Congratulations Herrera!

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'That chapter is finished' - Kroos rules out Bayern return

Toni Kroos has ruled out a second stint at Bayern Munich, or in the Bundesliga, with it possible that he could stay at Real Madrid past 2022.

The World Cup winner left his homeland for Spain in the summer of 2014 after establishing a reputation as one of the finest midfielders in Europe.His talents have been embraced at Santiago Bernabeu, with 145 appearances made across three seasons.

Kroos admits to enjoying his time in La Liga and sees no reason why he should be looking to retrace his steps and head back to familiar territory in his native Germany.He told a podcast with business magazine Sponsors: "In the Bundesliga, I will definitely not play anymore, that chapter is finished.

“I cannot imagine going back to Bayern, it will not happen, so there is no other option for me in Germany."Kroos committed to a new contract with Madrid in October 2016, keeping him at the club for the foreseeable future.

He will be 32 by the time that agreement comes to a close, but there is a chance that another extension could be put in place.Kroos added on his future: "I cannot say what's going to happen in five years, but the goal is to stay at Real Madrid.”

And when the time does finally come to hang up his boots, the talented midfielder has admitted that he will not be looking to pursue a career in coaching.He said: "Not because I do not trust in myself or it is not fun, but because it would require more time and effort than now as a player.”

For now, Kroos’ focus is locked on helping Madrid to end the 2016-17 campaign as double winners, with Zinedine Zidane’s side chasing down La Liga and Champions League crowns.

 

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LA Liga Fixture 2017.05.19

LA Liga Fixture 2017.05.19

Granada Vs Espanyol​

 

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Alexis has massive respect for Wenger but knows his time at Arsenal is up

Alexis Sanchez rarely talks to the media unless it’s an interview with Arsenal’s in-house team or a PR event related to the Chilean national side, but over the past few weeks, the 28-year-old’s policy of speaking out publicly has changed dramatically.

Pundits have tried to read the enigmatic Sanchez, who has 23 goals and 11 assists in the Premier League this season, from his body language, his passion and commitment. But in recent weeks, such advanced techniques have not been necessary.

There has undoubtedly been a shift in Sanchez’s outwardness on the pitch this season. He looks more frustrated, angrier and more selfish in possession. It’s easy to understand why when you take an overview of Arsenal’s season. Arsene Wenger’s side were out of the Champions League and Premier League title race by mid-February and have never really got going, despite starting the season with a handful of positive results.

Recent comments from Alexis provided a telling glimpse into what is going on in his mind right now, even though many will suspect that he is being told to speak about his future by a representative or agent. From the quote in which said he wants to play for a "winning club" to his more recent murmurings about his frustration with the mentality of this current Arsenal side, it’s clear that Alexis is keeping all of his options open going into this summer.

“Sometimes the frustration more than anything is about the fact we could be challenging for the Premier League title,” he said."I've always said we have great players here, it's just about having the mentality of being a great player and going out on to the pitch already thinking about winning.”

And mentality is key here. Alexis spent his childhood growing up playing football on the rocky streets of Tocopilla in Chile. He knows what it means to win and will do anything to make it happen. Can the same be said for every single player in the Arsenal team? Results this season, particularly the implosions at West Brom, Bayern Munich and Crystal Palace, are examples of the collective disappointment that has taken over at the Emirates Stadium this season.

By no means should excuses be made for the way Alexis has conducted himself on and off the pitch at times, however. A training ground fight that was denied by Wenger and subsequently confirmed by Theo Walcott and Robert Pires reinforced the notion that the attacking maestro has become increasingly frustrated with his team-mates' efforts. The stats show that Alexis loses possession the most out of anyone in the Arsenal team in almost every domestic game this season. Different theories have been put forward as to why this is the case: is he always looking for the ball and trying to make things happen or is he someone careless in possession and wants to avoid passing to certain team-mates?

Then there is the relationship with the manager. Wenger brought Sanchez to Arsenal at a time where the Chilean couldn't get into the world’s best attacking frontline. He has proved that he is world class but this season has shone a light on the Frenchman’s inability to manage his team successfully in the biggest games. The comments from Sanchez about his manager were interesting because he chose not to defend the performances which Wenger has presided over this season - instead, he voiced his disappointment at the protests which have gained traction over the past few months.

"For me, [fan demonstrations are] very bad. He is the manager who gave a stadium to the club, won cups, and he has been 21 years in the job. He is the creator of the stadium, the players and style of the club,” he said.

Whatever happens in the coming months, you can be sure that Alexis Sanchez will be a man in demand. Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are just a handful of clubs who are monitoring his contract situation, with the deal set to expire at Emirates next summer.

The most important thing for Alexis is clearly winning trophies, and while an FA Cup may go some way to softening the blow of not being able to compete for the biggest prizes, it surely won’t be long before he realises that he needs to go elsewhere to win the most sought after silverware.

 

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Klopp: I'd love 'fantastic' Gerrard to succeed me as Liverpool manager in the future

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp would love club great Steven Gerrard to be his successor at Anfield.Gerrard saw out his playing days with MLS side LA Galaxy after making the last of 710 appearances for Liverpool in May 2015.

He is now back on Merseyside working with the Reds' academy, where he will take full charge of the club's under-18 side next season.Klopp is contracted to Liverpool until 2022 and hopes to play a nurturing role with Gerrard, recalling the 18-time English champions' once-celebrated tradition of nurturing their own coaches.

"It's perfect that we can involve Steven. What a guy, he's fantastic," Klopp said in an interview with the Times. "He was one of the world's best footballers ever.

"I told him when I leave, or the club sack me, I don't care of course who'll be my successor, but I'd love that he'd be it. I'll do everything I can to make sure he gets all the information he needs.

"Because when you join a club you have a big responsibility for the future, and the future of this club needs legends like Steven Gerrard in decisive positions."[Gerrard] gave the club a lot and now we can give him the best education in this specific part he wants to work in, hopefully for the rest of his life."

Liverpool conclude their Premier League campaign at home to Middlesbrough on Sunday, knowing victory will guarantee them a place in the top four.

 

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Qatar 2022 World Cup to have a robust security plan

The Euro 2016 held in France last year saw the English and Russian fan groups clash before and after the group game in Marseille. Two nights before the match saw clashes across the French city while as soon as the full-time whistle blew, ultras from the Russian end made their way towards England supporters and began throwing punches and kicks.

Nasser Al Khater, Assistant General Secretary for Tournament Affairs for the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, stated that the State of Qatar has already begun working on a plan in order to deal with hooliganism at the 2022 World Cup.

He went on to mention that Qatar is engaged in conversations with police agencies from various countries and are preparing a list of people who have had a notorious background.

“Every tournament has its risks and this is typical with any major event. As long as we have a robust security and safety plan, you are able to minimize destruction as much as possible. The good thing is that we have started working early. We have started working with Interpol (International Police Organisation) and ICSS (International Centre for Sport Security) from very early on.

“What’s good is that we work with security and police forces of various countries that have a large database of people who have created trouble in the past. We are fortunate that the information sharing is taking place. We hope to minimise the people who in the past have caused trouble, from being involved in the World Cup. I think that’s an important thing that we shouldn’t ignore,” he answered to a query on how Qatar will deal with hooligan culture.Probably for the first time in the history, one of the venues is ready more than five years before the World Cup kicks-off.

“There was never a World Cup which had 12 year lead time also! I think Khalifa’s refurbishment is not just for the World Cup as it will host the 2019’s World Athletics Championship. We will have stadiums ready relatively early as compared to other World Cups. We have a deadline of 2020,” said Khater.Xavi: 'If Iniesta wants to renew his contract, Barcelona will do it' Asia will host only its second World Cup in 2022 and Khater opines that football in the world’s largest continent is very much on the rise both from a technical and investment standpoint.

“I think it’s going with the trend. I think Asian football is rising. It is becoming more competitive. There is a lot of investment from Asia especially from China in football. Technically too, the football is improving. It will be 20 years since Asia last hosted the World Cup. So it will be a source of immense joy and pride for the people of the region and Qatar,” he mentioned.

The World Cup in Qatar will be a different experience for fans as for the very first time it is being hosted in a country where each venue isn’t very far from the other. Commuting will not be a challenge as a fan can just hop into a metro and enjoy the greatest footballing extravaganza.

EXCLUSIVE: Xavi positive 'close friend' Messi will renew Barcelona contract
“Look obviously, our slogan was ‘Expect amazing’. We wanted to be true to that but also we promised an innovative World Cup. I think we are sticking to that promise as well. The amount of research going into this World Cup is immense.We have a new type of signature grass that is made for the region. We have the solar fuelled helmets, the cooling vests and the stadium alert system.

“There is a weather station at the construction sites too. If the temperature goes beyond a certain point, the alarm goes on and the workers stop working. Because of the heat in Qatar after a certain temperature the work has to stop. It used to be done manually but now this one is completely automated. To answer your question, yes there was a drive. We wanted to be innovative and there was a drive to be sustainable. There was a drive to develop spot beyond just football,” he signed off.