..::Football IV::..

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Villarreal 2 Atletico Madrid 1: Unal deals LaLiga title race blow for Simeone's men

Enes Unal came off the bench to score two late goals for Villarreal, denying Atletico Madrid victory and dealing Diego Simeone's men a huge blow in LaLiga's title race.Antoine Griezmann's controversial penalty had Atletico on track for a 12th win in 13 games in all competitions, the striker scoring from 12 yards at Estadio de la Ceramica after he was harshly adjudged to be brought down by Jaume Costa.

Jan Oblak had been mostly untested in the Atletico goal but when Alvaro Gonzalez stood up a fine right-wing cross to the back post, Unal was there to nod home a deserved leveller for Villarreal with eight minutes to go.




And in the first minute of added time, Turkey international Unal tucked home at the back post, Daniele Bonera's cross having made its way through a crowded box to find the unmarked striker.

Griezmann had earlier wasted a golden opportunity to secure all three points for Atletico - now 11 points behind Barcelona - the LaLiga leaders having eased to a comfortable 2-0 win at home to Athletic Bilbao earlier on Sunday.

Atleti are winless in their last six league meetings with Villarreal and their title hopes, having been hurt by a narrow loss at Camp Nou earlier this month, now look over as Atleti imploded, Vitolo's stoppage-time red card compounding their misery.


Saul forced a first-minute save from Sergio Asenjo as Atletico made a rapid start.Griezmann then collected a booking for fouling Roberto Soriano, which means the striker will be available for next month's derby with rivals Real Madrid after serving a one-game ban.Villarreal had been on top but after Griezmann went down under Jaume Costa's clumsy challenge in the box, Atletico took the lead in the 20th minute.

Griezmann sent Asenjo the wrong way from 12 yards after a long delay, Villarreal's players claiming the France international deceived the officials.
Koke struck the post from Sime Vrsaljko's pullback as Atletico ran through the gears.But at the other end Villarreal were close to levelling in the 31st minute, Pablo Fornals rifling narrowly wide after robbing Koke on the edge of the visitors' penalty area.

Villarreal continued to show attacking intent after the break, with Rodri influential in midfield, Mario Gaspar hitting a ferocious 25-yard drive that Oblak collected well on the bounce.

Penalty appeals for an apparent handball in the Atleti box were rejected before the interval and the referee said no again when Jose Gimenez seemed to drag Carlos Bacca to the ground.

Griezmann should have wrapped up the points in the 70th minute when Diego Costa and Angel Correa combined to set up the striker, but he blazed his shot well over the crossbar and was whistled off by the home fans when Simeone substituted him.That miss came back to haunt Atletico in incredible fashion as Unal struck only eight minutes after his introduction, guiding home a fine header from Gonzalez's right-wing cross.

With Atletico stunned by the equaliser, worse was to come as Bonera's cross was not cleared, Unal finding himself in space to beat Oblak from close range.Vitolo then saw red for clashing with Nicola Sansone as Simeone's men - beaten 3-0 at Villarreal last season - endured another miserable visit that left their title hopes in tatters.

 

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Leicester City 1 Chelsea 2 (aet): Pedro and Morata send Conte's men through

Pedro came off the bench to grab an extra-time winner and send Chelsea through to the FA Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 win at Leicester City.

The former Barcelona winger capitalised on some poor goalkeeping from Kasper Schmeichel to nod home N'Golo Kante's cross in the 105th minute and end the Foxes' hopes of a place at Wembley.Earlier, Jamie Vardy's second-half equaliser had cancelled out Alvaro Morata's first goal since Boxing Day to send an entertaining tie beyond the 90 minutes.




Although Chelsea boss Antonio Conte said beforehand the FA Cup was "not important" to him on a personal level, it now represents the best chance of silverware for the soon-to-be dethroned Premier League champions and his strong starting XI reflected that.Despite that it was Leicester who started the better, Marc Albrighton firing Danny Simpson’s right-wing cross narrowly past the right-hand post.

But Chelsea gradually found a foothold, thanks largely to Kante’s intelligent promptings against his former club while wing-backs Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso were finding plenty of space down the flanks.

Wilfred Ndidi forced Willy Caballero into a fine save down to his right after 20 minutes but the visitors looked the more assured in possession.Morata had already fired straight at Schmeichel from the edge of the box before he finally ended his goal drought three minutes before the break.

Willian led a swift counter attack before slipping a delightful through ball to the former Juventus man and he showed a cool head to clip past Schmeichel and into the net.


Leicester came out strongly after the break and Riyad Mahrez could have levelled within two minutes, his 45-yard attempt following a poor clearance from Caballero drifting wide of goal. Vardy then skewed a header off-target when completely unmarked eight yards out but he was not to be denied with 15 minutes to go.

Mahrez was the architect with a run and cross down the right flank that caused chaos inside Chelsea's six-yard box. Vardy and Vicente Iborra saw shots blocked before the latter forced another effort on goal. Caballero made a smart save low to his left but the loose ball fell nicely for Vardy to power into the net.

Both sides went for a winner in the final 10 minutes - Morata backheeling against the post from a Cesc Fabregas cross, although the offside flag was up, and Vardy firing low at Caballero before Schmeichel was quickly off his line to deny Morata.

The extra period started slowly and it came as a surprise when Chelsea went back in front. Kante's cross into the box did not look overly threatening but Schmeichel's decision to charge off his line proved foolhardy as Pedro simply nodded over him and into the empty net.



Leicester pushed for a second leveller - Moses producing a sensational block to thwart Fousseni Diabate - while, at the other end, Albrighton denied Kante in similar circumstances.

 

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FA Cup semi-final draw: Man Utd to face Tottenham at Wembley


Manchester United will face Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup semi-finals while Chelsea have been paired with Southampton.

United secured their place in the last four when they beat Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford on Saturday thanks to goals from Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic.

Although the Red Devils were drawn as the home side in the April 21 tie, the game will be played at Wembley, the stadium that Tottenham, who got the better of fellow Premier League side Swansea City in their quarter-final, have called home this season.

United and Spurs have beaten each other already in the league this term, with Jose Mourinho's side winning 1-0 at Old Trafford before falling to a 2-0 defeat at Wembley in January.
Last year's runners-up Chelsea needed extra-time to edge past Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Sunday. Jamie Vardy struck for the Foxes to cancel out Alvaro Morata's first-half goal, but substitute Pedro emerged to net the decisive goal for Antonio Conte's team.

On April 22, the Blues will take on a Southampton side that beat the last remaining lower league team to get into the final four, with Saints having earned a 2-0 win over League One side Wigan Athletic on Sunday. The two sides have met just once in the current campaign, when Chelsea secured a 1-0 victory through a Marcos Alonso goal.

 

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FA Cup semi-final draw: Man Utd to face Tottenham at Wembley

Loku fight ekak denna wenawa win karanna

Good Luck Manchester United!​

 

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RB Leipzig 2 Bayern Munich 1: Werner strike seals memorable triumph

Timo Werner returned to scoring form in style as RB Leipzig came from behind to claim their first ever Bundesliga victory over Bayern Munich, delaying the title-holders' seemingly inexorable march to retaining their crown.

Leipzig squandered a four-goal lead in the corresponding fixture last season, but it was the hosts who completed the comeback this time when Werner - an early substitute - put them ahead with a typically-composed finish on 56 minutes.

It was nothing less than Leipzig deserved, with Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich having pulled off a string of superb saves prior to Naby Keita cancelling out Sandro Wagner's opener.




Bayern should have pulled level just after the hour mark, but Mats Hummels and Arturo Vidal both squandered gilt-edged opportunities.However, it was not to be for the champions-elect, who will look to bounce back in Der Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund later this month.

Leipzig, meanwhile, have ended a run of four Bundesliga games without a win, and sit just two points behind fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.


Hasenhuttl's decision to go with a three-man defence backfired on 12 minutes - James Rodriguez exploiting the space between Ibrahima Konate and auxiliary wing-back Bruma to deliver a pinpoint cross that Wagner duly headed home.Bayern's lead would have been short lived if not for Ulreich, however, who charged out to deny Yussuf Poulsen with an excellent double save.

Werner - on in place of the injured Marcel Sabitzer - was the next to go close, as Niklas Sule cleared the former Stuttgart striker's looping header off the line.

Ulreich was in action again prior to the half hour - tipping over Bruma's dipping free-kick before keeping out Werner's strike from an acute angle.Leipzig's dominance continued, Poulsen and Werner both failing to connect with Konrad Laimer's wicked cross, but the hosts' supremacy finally paid dividends in the 37th minute.

Having set up a chance for Werner, Keita reacted sharply to latch onto the rebound, making no mistake with an emphatic finish high into the net.

Leipzig remained in top gear after the restart - Bruma wastefully curling wide following good play from Kevin Kampl, but the hosts did not have to wait long for a second.Keita was again involved as he found space in an advanced role and proceeded to thread a neat throughball into Werner who, having curved his run brilliantly to beat Bayern's offside trap, kept his cool to finish across Ulreich.

Werner could have doubled his tally on the hour, but the youngster only managed to find the side-netting after cutting inside from the left.Bayern finally managed to create some chances a few moments later, Hummels forcing Peter Gulacsi into a terrific stop, before Vidal somehow headed over from point-blank range.

Bayern appealed for a penalty when the ball struck Stefan Ilsanker's arm late on, but referee Marco Fritz - after consultation with the VAR system - decided to stick with his initial decision not to award a spot-kick, as Jupp Heynckes' side slumped to just their third league defeat of the season.

 

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Barcelona 2 Athletic Bilbao 0: Messi and Alcacer secure comfortable success

Lionel Messi scored for the sixth game in succession as Barcelona moved 11 points clear atop LaLiga thanks to a routine 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.

The leaders were missing the injured Sergio Busquets and the suspended Luis Suarez at Camp Nou but they had few issues in brushing aside Ernesto Valverde's former club to move further ahead of Atletico Madrid, who visit Villarreal later on Sunday.

Victory capped another impressive week for the Catalan giants, who dumped Chelsea out of the Champions League on Wednesday to set up a quarter-final against Roma, and this straightforward success moved them a step closer to regaining the domestic crown from fierce rivals Real Madrid.




Paco Alcacer, selected as Suarez's replacement, opened the scoring in the eighth minute - his first league strike since November - before Messi doubled the advantage with his 35th goal of the season in all competitions.

Barca utterly dominated the opening period and would have gone into the break with an even healthier lead had Philippe Coutinho and Paulinho not struck the woodwork on three occasions between them.

Just four days after an encounter with Chelsea that was more exacting than the 3-0 scoreline suggested, the intensity understandably dropped in the second half, but Valverde's men were able to keep Athletic at arm's length to ensure they head into the international break in buoyant mood.


Messi had scored 16 goals in 18 games against Athletic at Camp Nou coming into this clash and he almost improved on that tally as early as the fourth minute with a curling free-kick that Kepa Arrizabalaga tipped over the crossbar.

Barca did not have to wait long to break the deadlock, however, as Messi fed Jordi Alba down the left and the full-back cut the ball in towards the penalty spot where Alcacer sidefooted home into the bottom-right corner.

Kepa twice denied Messi in the 12th minute as Athletic found themselves swamped by the Blaugrana tide and the goalkeeper was beaten again soon afterwards, only for Coutinho's rasping half-volley from another Alba pass to crash off the bar.

The hosts continued to dominate and fine approach play involving Messi and Coutinho ended in Ousmane Dembele firing straight at Kepa from close range but there was no mistake from Messi on the half-hour as he received Dembele's pass and, left all alone on the edge of the area, rifled home.

Coutinho struck the frame of the goal for a second time, looping an effort onto the top of the bar after an impudent flick from Paulinho, who followed his compatriot in going close by curling a shot off the outside of the post as the interval approached.

Athletic did show signs of life in the early stages of the second period as Inigo Lekue and Sabin Merino erred from presentable opportunities, before an off-balance Coutinho could only stab an effort straight at Kepa.

The introductions of Inaki Williams and Aritz Aduriz off the bench offered Athletic another dimension up front but Marc-Andre ter Stegen was never truly tested as Barca cruised to a win that extends their unbeaten run in LaLiga to 36 matches.

 

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AC Milan 3 Chievo 2: Silva spares Rossoneri once more

Andre Silva proved AC Milan's hero for the second time in as many Serie A matches with a late winner in a rollercoaster 3-2 victory over Chievo at San Siro on Sunday.

A week after making the difference at Genoa, the Portugal international came off the bench to rescue his side again by completing a vital comeback in the 82nd minute.

The Rossoneri had appeared set for a shock defeat at the hands of relegation-threatened Chievo after the visitors struck twice in as many first-half minutes through Mariusz Stepinski and Roberto Inglese.

That stunning spell overturned Hakan Calhanoglu's earlier opener, but Patrick Cutrone celebrated his maiden Italy call-up with a close-range equaliser soon after the interval.And Silva eventually completed the turnaround to cut the deficit to fourth-placed Inter back to five points, although there was still time for Franck Kessie to see a penalty saved in stoppage time.

Gennaro Gattuso's men remain in the hunt for a Champions League place courtesy of a fifth successive Serie A victory, with that run set be tested by a trip to Juventus after the international break.

Calhanoglu gave Milan the lead in their 3-1 Europa League defeat at Arsenal in midweek and did the same here in the 10th minute, turning in the simplest of finishes after Stefano Sorrentino had pushed Kessie's squared pass into his path.

The Turkey international's third league goal looked to have his side set for a serene stroll to three points until, out of nowhere, Chievo came to life.

​Emanuele Giaccherini got around Fabio Borini with a fabulous cushioned touch and put the 33rd-minute equaliser on a plate for Stepinski.

And the incredible turnaround was complete just over a minute later when Inglese lashed an unstoppable effort into the top right corner, the ball having broken kindly on the edge of the area.

Suso curled an attempt at an immediate response around the far post before Kessie was shown a yellow card for simulation as Milan welcomed the chance to regroup at the interval.

​Gattuso's half-time talk clearly had its desired effect. Cutrone buried the follow-up from Lucas Biglia's initial shot and, after originally being ruled offside, the VAR intervened to award the equaliser.

Cutrone and Silva, on as a substitute for Borini, both failed to make the most of headers as the home side pressed for an all-important third.

And, after a nervy 30-minute wait, the home side eventually found a fortuitous way through with Calhanoglu's corner bouncing off Pawel Jaroszynski and into Silva's lap for a tap-in.
The margin of victory should have been extended in the third minute of added time after the VAR adjudged Nenad Tomovic to have handled in his own area, but Sorrentino moved well to his right to parry Kessie's tame spot-kick.It mattered little, though, with Milan seeing out a crucial victory that keeps them in touch with the top four.

 

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Borussia Dortmund 1 Hannover 0: Batshuayi the difference again for Stoger's men

Michy Batshuayi was the hero for Borussia Dortmund once again after hitting a superb winner in a 1-0 defeat of Hannover on Sunday.Batshuayi came off the bench last weekend to score twice in a 3-2 defeat of Eintracht Frankfurt, the on-loan forward hitting the decisive goal deep in added time.

Dortmund needed fewer dramatics this time - although they did survive a close call with 10 minutes to go when Jonathas saw an equaliser ruled out for a debatable offside - as Batshuayi's first-half goal saw Peter Stoger's men to back-to-back victories in the Bundesliga.



BVB surprisingly exited the Europa League on Thursday, losing 2-1 on aggregate to RB Salzburg, but Stoger is now unbeaten in 12 league matches since replacing Peter Bosz as Dortmund coach.

The Austrian has been highly reliant on Batshuayi, though, whose six Bundesliga goals since signing on loan from Chelsea in January have all given Dortmund the lead.

And while Roman Burki had to deny Pirmin Schwegler from close range, Dortmund's win was rarely threatened, bar Jonathas' late effort, as they moved within a point of second-placed Schalke despite being without the injured Marco Reus.


Stoger would have wanted a response from his side following their European exit and they hit the woodwork in the first minute after Andre Schurrle slipped Batshuayi into the box, the striker's poked effort striking the post.Jonathas forced a save from Burki with a snapshot after Hannover weathered an early storm that saw Mario Gotze, Omer Toprak and Schurrle fail to hit the target.

Schurrle's whipped corner was tipped away by goalkeeper Philipp Tschauner from under his own crossbar, but the Hannover captain could do nothing about Batshuayi's 24th-minute opener, his eighth goal for Dortmund in all competitions.

The Belgium international made a terrific near-post run to meet Schurrle's centre from the resulting left-wing corner, jumping to flick the ball in mid-air, sending it across goal and in at the far post.

Batshuayi should have had a second but was denied by Tschauner from close range before Burki made a fine block from Schwegler's point-blank effort.Tschauner made two fine saves low to his right to deny Mahmoud Dahoud in quick succession shortly after the restart as Dortmund sought to wrap the game up.

Julian Korb fired off target as Dortmund, wary of a repeat of Eintracht's fightback last weekend, grew increasingly nervous, Burki then easily claiming an ambitious, acrobatic hit from Marvin Bakalorz.



Batshuayi was feeding off scraps in the second half but he kept the ball alive brilliantly in the 70th minute, setting up Dahoud for a low strike that curled just wide.

Hannover may feel unfortunate to have been beaten after Jonathas scrambled in Waldemar Anton's clever knockdown, the offside flag cutting short his celebrations, while substitute Maximilian Philipp was unlucky not to add a late second for the hosts when he hit the post.

 

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Nice 1 Paris Saint-Germain 2: Alves earns late victory for runaway leaders

Dani Alves' late header snatched a hard-fought victory for runaway Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain as they came from behind to beat Nice 2-1.

In a frenetic encounter at Allianz Riviera, Alves' first Ligue 1 goal proved the difference in the 82nd minute, with Angel Di Maria having cancelled out Allan Saint-Maximin's 17th-minute opener.

Having stepped into the void left by the injured Neymar, Di Maria has been excellent for Unai Emery's side in recent weeks, and netted his 11th goal of the campaign in spectacular fashion 21 minutes in.Hunting a fourth consecutive away league win, PSG stepped up the pressure after the interval, with Kylian Mbappe seeing a goal correctly disallowed for offside.

Nice still presented a threat on the counter, though - Balotelli heading against the crossbar with 15 minutes remaining.But PSG would not be denied a ninth successive league victory as Alves had the final say, the Parisians near certainties to regain the title with a 17-point lead over Monaco at the top.


Buoyed by their 5-2 hammering of Guingamp last time out, Nice started on the front foot - Pierre Lees-Melou forcing Alphonse Areola into action, while Balotelli rattled the upright with a powerful header.PSG responded well - Cavani denied by Walter Benitez before turning the rebound against the post from point-blank range, and that miss would soon prove costly.

Having netted four times against Guingamp, Alassane Plea turned provider with an exquisite throughball into the path of Saint-Maximin, who duly slotted past the onrushing Areola.

Nice's lead would last just four minutes though, as - having already seen one effort well saved by Benitez - Di Maria raced through the hosts' defence before prodding home.

Di Maria could have had an assist to his name when he whipped in a brilliant corner in the 34th minute, only for Adrien Rabiot to head wide from six yards out.Layvin Kurzawa replaced Yuri Berchiche for the second-half restart, and Saint-Maximin wasted no time in getting the better of PSG's substitute, Areola rushing out to deny Nice's winger a second.Mbappe had the ball in the back of the net just prior to the hour, but had just strayed offside before connecting with Di Maria's delicate pass.That was followed by chances at either end - Benitez doing well to tip Alves' acrobatic attempt over while Areola kept out a rasping Balotelli strike.

Balotelli looked set to double Nice's tally when he connected with an in-swinging corner, but his header clipped off the bar, before Mbappe missed a golden opportunity at the other end.His blushes were spared, however, as Alves leapt high above Nice's defence to flick Rabiot's pinpoint cross into the bottom-left corner.

 

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Sampdoria 0 Inter 5: Four-goal Icardi demolishes former side

Mauro Icardi produced a remarkable display against former club Sampdoria on Sunday, passing a century of goals in Serie A by scoring four as Inter crushed their hosts 5-0.Icardi had been without a league goal since January 5, but at his old stomping ground he exploded back into life, becoming the sixth-youngest player to reach 100 goals in Serie A and blowing Sampdoria away in an extraordinary performance.

It took Inter a little while to find their stride, but once they went ahead through Ivan Perisic – scoring for the first time since December 3 – there was no looking back, as they blitzed Sampdoria before the break.


Icardi was central to a stunning first-half showing, netting his milestone goal from the penalty spot before completing a 14-minute hat-trick with a pair of close-range finishes including an impudent backheeled effort.The Inter captain was not finished there, though, scoring his fourth of the day just after the break thanks to a stroke of good fortune.

Antonio Candreva should have added a sixth late on, but that mattered little in the grand scheme of the game, as Inter cruised to a fantastic win and moved back up to fourth ahead of Lazio for at least a few hours.

Proceedings were cagey and pedestrian at first, but things soon livened up in the 21st minute when Inter's onslaught began.Samp goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano suddenly became very busy, producing smart saves to deny Perisic and Milan Skriniar, before a Joao Cancelo corner struck the post.

Viviano was helpless soon after, however, as Perisic met Cancelo's cross with a looping header from the edge of the box and found the right side of the net.Rafinha was then hauled down by a clumsy Edgar Barreto challenge in the 30th minute, with Icardi coolly dispatching the resulting penalty to reach his landmark.

The striker will have perhaps wished his second of the day was the milestone goal, as he beat Viviano with an audacious backheel.And he rounded off his stunning first half on the stroke of half-time, blasting into the roof of the net from five yards after Viviano had denied Rafinha.

Fortune smiled on Icardi five minutes after the break, as he produced a volley from a tight angle that was drilled into the ground and bounced over the helpless Viviano for his 100th goal in an Inter jersey.



Sampdoria sat back even further as a result in an attempt to limit the damage, and their hopes of not conceding further goals were improved when Icardi went off for Eder – also facing his former side – in the 66th minute.

Candreva should have rounded things off 13 minutes from the end by ending his 11-month goal drought, but Gianmarco Ferrari raced back to block his 12-yard effort following a precise Perisic cutback, though the scoreline had long since lost any degree of respectability by that point.

 

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Demanding Mourinho is still special, insists Matic


Nemanja Matic believes Jose Mourinho's "special" aura is retained by his relentless will to win after a difficult week for the Manchester United manager.Mourinho's side were dumped out of the Champions League last 16 by Sevilla on Tuesday, putting in a meek performance which led many to question the Portuguese's selection and tactics.

Things improved on Saturday as United advanced to the FA Cup semi-finals by seeing off Brighton and Hove Albion, but Mourinho was scathing in his assessment of that showing and accused his team of being "scared" to play.

Only Matic was singled out for praise, described as "an island of personality" against the Seagulls and the Serbian, having won the Premier League title with Mourinho at Chelsea, is only too aware of his exacting standards.

"He's special because he wants to win, always," Matic said. "You can see when we lose a game he cannot accept that. Probably that's why he won more than 20 trophies in his life."It's very difficult to work with him, because he always wants more and more.

"Even if you win the league, he wants to win again next season. He's like this and the players need to be ready for that. I like it when the manager always wants better and better, so you have to improve always, always do your best. I like this kind of work, this kind of relationship.

"At this high level at Manchester United, and where I used to play at Chelsea, the players need to be ready for that because the pressure is big."Everyone expects you to win every game. Obviously it's not possible, but supporters always expect. It doesn't matter if you're tired or not, supporters want high quality football. It's normal."

Mourinho has been critical of his players - with the likes of Luke Shaw in particular coming under fire - and Matic was hesitant to confirm that only those with a certain mental strength can flourish under the Portuguese.

"I think this is a question for him," he said. "I'm doing my best and I'm happy to work with him, I'm happy to be part of his team, this club. I think he respects what I'm doing every day, not only in the game, but in the training sessions and I'm happy for that and I'll continue like this."

United's sole hope of silverware this season comes in the form of the FA Cup, in which they will take on Tottenham in the last four for a chance to play Southampton or Chelsea in the final.

"In the Premier League you have six or seven teams who want to win the league, so it's not possible to always win," added Matic, with Manchester City enjoying a 16-point lead in England's top flight.

"But if we win the FA Cup it's good, but not perfect. You have four competitions in the season - if you win one, for me, it's not enough, but you always have to do your best.

"In the Premier League, when you're in the first four, it's not perfect, but it's good to play for the Champions League next season. If you win the FA Cup, I cannot say it's a successful season, but it's a good season."

 

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'I lost the game myself' - Simeone accepts responsibility for Atletico Madrid defeat


Diego Simeone has accepted responsibility for the dramatic late loss at Villarreal that leaves Atletico Madrid's La Liga title hopes hanging by a thread.Antoine Griezmann's controversial penalty looked to have given Atletico a 1-0 win to cut Barcelona's lead at the top of the table to eight points.

But after Greizmann was substituted, having missed a great chance to seal the points, Unal stuck twice in the last 10 minutes to snatch victory for the hosts.

Simeone's options were restricted by injuries to full-backs Juanfran and Filipe Luis, who broke his leg in Thursday's Europa League win over Lokomotiv Moscow.

But bringing on Vitolo for Angel Correa backfired — the winger was sent off in injury-time after a clash with Nicola Sansone — while the decision to gamble by introducing striker Fernando Torres for Koke with the score at 1-1 left Atleti overrun.Unal slipped in unmarked at the back post to extend Atleti's winless run against Villarreal to six matches and Simeone took the blame.

"I have the feeling that I lost the game myself," Simeone said."The players made a huge effort and I could not help them with my decisions. I may have been wrong.

"It was an intense match with similar characteristics in both teams, we made a good first half and we were handling it well in the second and they took advantage of those two actions."The details caused the match to fall on their side in such a close game."

Atletico were on track to win their 12th game in 13 matches in all competitions before their late collapse, a narrow defeat at Barcelona the only result blotting their recent form.

But even though a 2-1 loss at Villarreal leaves his side 11 points behind Barca with only nine games to play, Simeone is not yet ready to give up hope."We are still on the same line, trying to do as much as possible," Simeone said."We did many good things, others bad, but we still think about adding many points."We have to add many points and we will see in the last five days where we are."While Simeone held his hands up regarding tactical decisions, Saul Niguez blamed Atletico's defending of set-pieces for their loss.

"We have no explanation, they have taken advantage of the fact that they have not defended well those two set plays, today we started well but two tactical errors cost us the game," Saul told beIN Sports.

"Their set pieces are different, they are strong in that aspect and they have beaten us with them."We should not think about the league, but focus on our matches and do things right."

 

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Ronaldo: I always say I'm the best — and I prove it


Real Madrid and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo again hit back at his critics after winning yet another individual award.Ronaldo was named the best Portuguese player of 2017 on Monday, beating Sporting CP goalkeeper Rui Patricio and Manchester City star Bernardo Silva.

The 33-year-old claimed a record-equalling fifth Ballon d'Or last year, having helped Madrid win La Liga and the Champions League.

Ronaldo is finding form again late this campaign and the superstar forward dismissed his critics.

"I am grateful for this award to all those who are here," he said. "It is also an award for all my colleagues — 2017 was an excellent year, unforgettable both collectively and individually.""I also won my fifth Ballon d'Or and my second The Best award. I also dedicate it to my four children. That's another record — three children in three months.

"We have to defend what is ours because there is always a Portuguese in the fight.
"I always believe and say that I am the best, whatever they say, and then I show it in the field. We are in the fight year after year."

Ronaldo scored 42 goals in 46 games in all competitions in 2016-17, while he has 37 in 35 so far this season.He scored four times in a 6-3 win over Girona on Sunday, marking the 50th hat-trick of his career for club and country.

Madrid sit third in La Liga, 15 points behind rivals Barcelona. They resume league play against Las Palmas after the international break before traveling to face Juventus three days later in the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final tie.

 

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Koeman won't rule out Van Persie Netherlands return


Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman says Robin van Persie could still earn a recall to the squad if he can sustain his fitness.

The 34-year-old, who has scored a record 50 goals in 102 appearances for his country, has not played for Oranje since the 4-0 defeat to France in World Cup qualifying last August.

But Koeman has not ruled out bringing the striker back into the international fold, with Van Persie having scored four times for Feyenoord since his return to the club in January.

"He has not said he will stop, but he will first have to be completely fit," Koeman, who watched Van Persie score twice in his side's 4-3 Eredivisie win over PEC Zwolle on Sunday, told a news conference."He once again showed his class on Sunday, and I do not say no in advance."

Netherlands are in need of a new captain for this month's friendly matches with England and Portugal, with former skipper Arjen Robben having retired from international duty last November.

With Van Persie not in the picture and record caps-holder Wesley Sneijder having also retired, Koeman suggested Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk could be given the armband.

"I'm going to decide that," he said. "I'm not into voting, so I'm going to decide."I don't think it must necessarily be a new leader. It must be someone who has dominance in the group and plays in a certain position. Virgil van Dijk is a possibility as a captain."

 

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Man Utd yet to make Jorginho contact, claims agent of Napoli star


Manchester United have yet to make “any contact” regarding a mooted move for Jorginho, claims the Napoli midfielder’s agent.

The Brazil-born Italy international is reported to be registering on the radar of several Premier League sides ahead of the summer transfer window.United are among those said to be considering an approach, with Jose Mourinho seeking further reinforcement in the middle of the park.

They are, however, yet to formalise any interest, with no official approach made to Napoli or the 26-year-old’s representatives.

Joao Santos told Radio Crc: “As a player for one of the most important national teams, and a club fighting for the Scudetto, it’s clear he’ll be looked at by these clubs.“I’ve spoken with [Napoli sporting director Cristiano] Giuntoli three times in recent months, he hasn’t told me anything, but I haven’t had any contact with United.

“He [Jorginho] has two years on his contract and negotiations [for a renewal] will begin for that reason, because it becomes dangerous and then expires.“We’re not thinking about it right now, but we will do later.”Jorginho has been with Napoli since January 2014 and made over 150 appearances for the club.

He has proved himself on a Serie A stage, with his exploits having earned him senior international recognition and three caps for Italy.His current contract is due to run until 2020, but Santos has previously suggested that a move could be made if reinforcements are acquired by Napoli.

He said in February: “If a player like [Lucas] Torreira arrives from Sampdoria, then that will require an important investment and Jorginho could be sacrificed to make way.”

 

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Buffon: I’m with Italy because of Astori


Italy legend Gianluigi Buffon has admitted that he has joined up with the national squad in part to pay tribute to late international team-mate Davide Astori.The Fiorentina centre-back passed away on March 4 aged only 31, sparking tributes around Italy, including his club pledging to rename their training ground after him.

Buffon, meanwhile, believes that the best way he can honour his late cohort is by turning out for the Azzurri in friendlies against Argentina and England when it was thought he might choose to sit these games under interim boss Luigi Di Biagio out.

“He’s a reason why I’m here. I wanted to be present and respond to this feeling,” the veteran goalkeeper admitted, referring to the former AC Milan and Cagliari man.

Additionally, the 175-time capped international confessed that he felt he might have let his country down if he had not heeded the call, despite uncertainty over his long-term future with the Azzurri as he ponders retirement from the game.

“I’m here because I’ve always been a person who has followed through with what they have said, with a sense of responsibility,” the 40-year-old added. “These two things are enough, and what’s more, Di Biagio was very nice to me. The young guys have already grown up and will have the space they need.”

Buffon’s career highlight was achieved with the national team when he won the 2006 World Cup, helping his side beat France in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in Berlin.

 

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Welbeck faces no action over alleged dive against AC Milan


Danny Welbeck's alleged dive against AC Milan will not lead to any punishment by UEFA.

The Arsenal forward went to ground under minimal contact from Ricardo Rodriguez in his side's 3-1 Europa League win over the Serie A club last week, converting the penalty himself.

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger indicated in a post-match interview that he did not see whether Welbeck deceived the officials, while Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso said he would not "judge" English football over the incident.

"I haven't seen it again. I will watch it again and give my honest feeling about it,"said Wenger. "I will give him my honest feeling about it as well, don't worry."
UEFA's disciplinary body met on Monday to discuss last week's European matches and no case has been opened against Welbeck, a spokesperson confirmed to Omnisport.

Welbeck – included in Gareth Southgate's latest England squad – will therefore be available for selection for Arsenal's Europa League quarter-final against CSKA Moscow next month.

The striker has scored seven times in his 31 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions this term, starting eight of the 20 games he has played in the Premier League.

 

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Everyone hopes Iniesta will stay at Barcelona – Ter Stegen


Marc-Andre ter Stegen has revealed that the Barcelona dressing room is united in its desire for Andres Iniesta to remain at the club beyond the end of the season.

The 33-year-old midfielder has been at Barca for the duration of his 16-year professional career and, though he signed a "lifetime contract" with the club in October, there is uncertainty over whether he will continue at Camp Nou.
The player has put an April 30 deadline on his decision and has promised the club that they will know the outcome before the media.

Germany international goalkeeper Ter Stegen, meanwhile, has urged the veteran star to remain with Barca, though he admits it is a call that must be made by the player himself.

“It's a personal decision and everyone hopes he stays at Barca because he's a great person," he said.“We know that we have to keep going as a team until the end of the season and we need him right now and for many more years. “We are thinking about the present and he'll make the decision. I hope he stays but the only person that knows what to do is him.

“We know he's a great person who knows he is very important for the club and we'll try everything to convince him to stay.“We’re going to support him whatever he does. We love him as a captain.”

Even head coach Ernesto Valverde is in the dark over the future of the 123-time capped Spain international.“For now all we can do is wait and see what he decides to do. We know what he gives us and we would all like to have Iniesta around forever,” he added.

During his time at Barca, Iniesta has amassed over 650 appearances for the club and has scored 56 goals. He has a glittering collection of honours, including four Champions League titles and eight Spanish crowns.

 

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'Pogba can't be happy' - Deschamps acknowledges Man Utd frustration but wants France focus


France boss Didier Deschamps has urged Paul Pogba to forget his unhappy spell at Manchester United and focus on the national team's upcoming friendly matches.
Pogba is enduring his most difficult period since returning to United from Juventus for an initial £89 million fee in August 2016.

The 25-year-old was hauled off during Premier League defeats to Tottenham and Newcastle United and was left out of the starting line-up for the Champions League defeat to Sevilla and FA Cup quarter-final win over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Deschamps admits Pogba is unlikely to be enjoying his time at Old Trafford at present but wants him to concentrate on the games against Colombia and Russia this month."It's not a specific case to Paul. It happens at different call-ups, that a player is not so good or is going through a certain situation at his club," he told a news conference.

"It could be Paul, there, and others at a different time, and I will do as I have always done: I will talk with him, to understand, as I don't have all the elements.

"But that's what I told them [the squad] at midday: what happened at the weekend and before is no longer on the agenda. We have to focus on Russia and Colombia.That's part of our job as coaches."Obviously, this is a situation he won't appreciate in relation to everything he's done. There can be many, varied reasons. He can't be happy with what he's going through with his club."

Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele earned a recall to Deschamps' set-up following a run of good displays under Ernesto Valverde in recent weeks.

The 20-year-old was not involved for his country towards the end of last year, initially being left out while Barca tried to secure his transfer from Borussia Dortmund last August, before a serious hamstring injury saw him miss the final World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Belarus and a friendly win over Wales.Deschamps has been pleased with Dembele's recent displays but wants him to become more "efficient" in attack.

"The summer was complicated for him and it prevented him from being there in September," he said. "That was before his injury, then there was a slight recurrence.

"He has come back well. He's been able to string together a few games and his latest performances prove he has found his legs."If he scores and assists, it's better. It has not always been the case and it is on this that he has to be more efficient."

 

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'Morata in perfect shape' - Pedro expecting floodgates to open for Chelsea striker


Alvaro Morata is “perfect” again, says Chelsea team-mate Pedro, with the striker being backed to put a testing run behind him.The Spanish striker had endured a 13-game drought without a goal prior to finding the target in an FA Cup quarter-final clash with Leicester.His struggles had seen him benched by Antonio Conte and left out of the latest squad selected by his country.

Fellow countryman Pedro is, however, confident that belief will return to the 25-year-old’s game now that he is back on target.“I’m very happy for Alvaro to score again and hopefully that will give him the confidence to score more,” the World Cup winner told Chelsea’s official website.“Alvaro is a very good player and an important part of our team. It’s important for him to score and to help the side and hopefully he can continue to do that until the end of the season.

“He had a back injury but now he’s in a very good condition and it’s a good time for him.“I think his back is perfect now and hopefully he can keep scoring, because we all know just how good he is.”Morata’s efforts against Leicester helped Chelsea to book a day out at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Southampton lie in wait for the Blues in that contest, with Pedro - who grabbed an extra-time winner against the Foxes - determined to down the Saints and edge a step closer to landing another major trophy.

He added: “Every game is difficult, for sure, and Southampton will be too.“We want to get to the final but first we have to beat Southampton and that won’t be an easy game, we will have to work very hard.

“For me, it’s very good if we can win this trophy. I haven’t done this in my career and it’s something I want to win with Chelsea, it’s a target for me and my team-mates. It’s a very good competition in England with a lot of history.“Now is a good moment because of this win and there is a good atmosphere in the changing room.

“We have the international break now, so hopefully we can recover a few players that aren’t with their national teams and then come back and prepare well for Spurs. It’s very important for us to try and get the three points against them.”