..::Football IV::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Chelsea need to move on from the Conte era - but there's no quick fix


It's time for the blame game to begin. Chelsea will miss out on next season's Champions League after a 3-1 home loss to Tottenham, who had not won at Stamford Bridge since February 1990.Eight points adrift of Spurs with only seven games remaining, the Blues' prospects of closing that gap are slim.

Antonio Conte's future was already in serious doubt before kick off. Little wonder, then, that he entered the media room as sullen as he has ever looked in west London, as he navigated a painful press conference inflicted on him by Dele Alli's brilliance.The Chelsea head coach was a hero last season after leading the club to the title. Transfer market frustration last summer, though, proved merely a precursor to a limp title defence.

He may have distanced himself from the decision-making process, but the club hierarchy are not in turn happy with the Italian's strategy to point fingers at others. After Sunday's match, the former Juventus boss said that he has been getting the most out of his players this season, insinuating that they are no longer good enough to battle for a finish above Spurs in the table.

"I'm sure about this because I think... we are working," he said. "We are working very well, very hard, and the commitment of the players is top. Despite this, you stay in this position. We must be a bit worried about this.” Meanwhile, Conte's friend Gianluca Vialli has said that the Blues head coach "can't wait to leave Chelsea".

Even FA Cup success would fail to paper over the cracks of what has been a thoroughly demoralising season. While Manchester City and United are operating in a different financial market to the Blues, Liverpool and Tottenham have taken advantage of their long-term stability.The Italian signed a new contract in the summer, but he merely accepted a pay-rise without extending the length of his deal which expires in 2019. In contrast, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino and Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp operate seamlessly within their club's system, Conte has brought more tension to an already chaotic club.

The friction between the 48-year-old and Chelsea's hierarchy began after he sent a text message to Diego Costa to say he was no longer needed. Costa knew he was exiting the club, having pushed to do so in the two transfer windows prior, but he reacted angrily while away with Spain on international duty.

Moreover, the coach got frustrated by the club's refusal to sign a host of older players as they looked for value in the transfer market in the shape of youngsters.When the Blues did target their manager's prefered options - Juventus's Alex Sandro, Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly and Roma's Radja Nainggolan, for example - they missed out.

Of the eight players they did sign, only Antonio Rudiger was consistently of the standard expected. Five, meanwhile, arrived either injured or having just overcome injury.Chelsea spent big money, but in terms of net spend, they sit a long way behind Manchester City. Conte wanted Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal, but the board could not compete for his signature as Manchester United offered him a huge wage package.

This inability to sign players of the required standard had a directly negative effect on the team, most notably against Burnley, when the manager was left woefully short of options. Similarly, in a fixture against Bournemouth, he was forced to use Eden Hazard as a false 9.

Closing the gap off-the-pitch is a job for Marina Granovskaia and the club's office-based staff, but they need to learn from the appointment of Conte and hire the right manager, rather than the best manager next time.

Paris Saint-Germain and the Italian national team are the main options for Conte after Chelsea, but in the meantime, the Blues should look to someone who can work with smaller budgets.

Additionally, someone is required who can integrate the incredible talent from the youth academy, while also making the most out of the club's loan system. Chelsea need to be patient with that person and not dangle a sword over their heads to win trophies.Ironically, they need someone like Pochettino, who is committed to improving the club's playing staff gradually, despite the limitations that he has faced with Tottenham.

It could be a long road to recovery for Chelsea. The Europa League is exactly where they deserve to be.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

I can't be compared with Salah, says De Bruyne


Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne believes he deserves to win the Player of the Year award as he distanced himself from comparisons with Liverpool sensation Mohamed Salah.

De Bruyne is set to be among the contenders to claim the individual honour, having helped City move within one victory of the Premier League title.The Belgian midfielder has scored seven goals and tallied a league-high 15 assists for Pep Guardiola's leaders this season.

Liverpool forward Salah, meanwhile, tops the Premier League's scoring charts with 29 goals – 37 in all competitions following his arrival from Roma in the off-season.

The pair will go head-to-head in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday and De Bruyne said: "You cannot compare – it is impossible. So how do the players choose?"Everybody has his own opinion. It depends on what people are looking for in a player. "Salah has a remarkable goalscoring run, and he plays very well like an inside forward type of role, for me. This season he has been incredible.

"To compare us, I don't know. With the statistics how are we going to compare ourselves? It's totally different, I played [against Everton] like a defensive midfielder, how you can compare me to an inside forward? I have no idea."He has been outstanding, his record speaks for itself. It's just the way it goes.Luckily I don't have to do that."

De Bruyne added: "Well, if I get it, it would be nice I think for the team and for me.In one way I believe I deserve it, because I have been very consistent in my form."I am very happy with myself, I am very pleased with how I have played, I didn't expect to be this good this season, to be honest.

"I think there is almost no game where my standard has dropped, so I have been very constant, and I am very happy with myself. To maintain the level the amount of games I have played, the amount of minutes, I am very pleased with that."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Juventus will need luck to stop Ronaldo' - Chiellini


Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini admits he does not expect to stop Cristiano Ronaldo from scoring in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg, conceding the Bianconeri will need luck to be on their side if they are to shut him out.

The Real Madrid forward has scored 12 goals in his eight appearances in the competition this season and has been on the scoresheet at least once in every match since last year's final.

Chiellini thinks it is safe to assume the 33-year-old will find the net against any team, but he hopes the fine margins of Juve's clash with the holders in Turin will favour the Italians."Ronaldo will always score against everyone," said Chiellini."Real are more than just him but, over the years, he has played amazingly well and made the difference."Thinking about stopping him is presumptuous, it will also take luck. The difference between winning and losing will be marginal."

Juve met Madrid in last season's final in Cardiff, where they suffered a 4-1 defeat, with Ronaldo scoring twice.Chiellini insists his side are not motivated by revenge, though, and is confident they can achieve a more favourable result over a two-legged tie."The tie will be different from Cardiff as you play two games, not one," he said. "The personnel has changed a bit here, while most of their squad is still the same.

"We have to keep calm and show our quality. We will have to be aware as Real are able to make you think you are in the ascendency, but they can then hurt you quickly."There is a lot of respect for Real Madrid, but it doesn't mean we can't beat them. Revenge will not be on our minds. We have positive and negative memories of Cardiff, along with everyone else.

"If you want to reach the Champions League final, you have to play the big teams like Real Madrid. Apart from the match in Cardiff, we also have good memories of playing Real and playing against the best teams always gives you a great incentive."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Manchester United confirm pre-season tour of United States


Manchester United have announced they will return to the United States for a pre-season tour for the second straight season and the fourth time in five years.

The Red Devils will play five games across the Atlantic in the summer of 2018, and have confirmed two of the matches — one contest against Club America of Liga MX and another against the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer.
The match against the Liga MX giants will take place at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona on July 19.

Three days later, the Red Devils will trek to Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California for the match against the Earthquakes. It is the same stadium where, in 2017, United squared off against Real Madrid.America will also be in their pre-season at the time of their friendly, but the Earthquakes will be in the middle of the MLS campaign.

The remaining three fixtures, which will likely be part of the International Champions Cup, will be announced at a later date. It has been reported one of those features will be a showdown with their longtime rivals Liverpool.

In the meantime the Old trafford outfit have the remainder of the Premier League season to worry about as they will face local rivals Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

UEFA Champions League Quarter-final 1st Leg Fixtures 2018.04.03

UEFA Champions League Quarter-final 1st Leg Fixtures 2018.04.03

Juventus Vs Real Madrid

Sevilla Vs Bayern

​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Sevilla 1 Bayern Munich 2: Bundesliga giants battle back to win in Spain

Bayern Munich benefited from a pair of deflected goals to secure a 2-1 away victory over Sevilla in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Having let slip a two-goal lead to draw with Barcelona at the weekend, Sevilla failed to build on scoring first against the Bundesliga giants to suffer their first home defeat in Europe this season.

Pablo Sarabia controlled Sergio Escudero's early cross from the left to fire the LaLiga side ahead in the 32nd minute, raising the possibility of Vincenzo Montella's side claiming a second major scalp after knocking out Manchester United in the previous round.




However, Jesus Navas' attempt to block Franck Ribery's cross inside only resulted in an own goal, the former Manchester City player's untimely deflection sending the ball beyond goalkeeper David Soria.The visitors' winner also went in off a Sevilla player, Escudero, albeit Thiago was awarded the goal after heading Ribery's deep delivery from the left towards the target.

Still, Jupp Heynckes - who became the first coach to win 12 consecutive Champions League games - will be relieved to return home with a lead


Brilliant in a 6-0 win over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, they were surprisingly subdued in the first half.In contrast, the hosts were sharp and incisive in attack, deservedly taking the lead when Sarabia caught out a snoozing Juan Bernat to fire beyond Sven UIreich, albeit his initial touch to set up the opportunity appeared to be with his left arm.

The left-footed finish made amends for an earlier miss with his right, Sarabia failing to even hit the target after a block by Mats Hummels fell perfectly into his stride just as he arrived inside the penalty area.However, Sevilla’s advantage lasted less than five minutes. Bayern made the most of a rare foray forward – as well as a large slice of luck – to grab an undeserved equaliser.

Ribery was aiming for a team-mate in the middle but Navas inadvertently provided the finishing touch, Soria, surprisingly selected ahead of Sergio Rico by Montella, unable to react in time to prevent the ball out at his near post.

Conceding in such unfortunate fashion punctured Sevilla's spirit.Javi Martinez produced a last-ditch tackle to deny Franco Vazquez a shooting opportunity but it was Bayern who controlled possession in the second half.

Soria denied Martinez from making an impact at the opposite end of the field, turning away the Spaniard's volley, but could do little to prevent Thiago's winner.

Ribery's cross found his team-mate unmarked at the back post and while he nodded the ball back towards the target, Escudero's contact prevented his goalkeeper from making a comfortable save.

Sevilla will have Ever Banega back for the return leg, and they did triumph 2-1 at Old Trafford to qualify for the last eight, but Bayern will be the strong favourites to reach the semi-finals when battle resumes on German soil next week.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Juventus 0 Real Madrid 3: Ronaldo magic puts holders in command

Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, the second a moment of pure quality, helped Real Madrid to a commanding 3-0 win over Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

The Portugal star became the first player in the competition's history to score in 10 consecutive appearances, a run that began when Madrid beat Juve 4-1 in last season's final, before setting up Marcelo to add what could be a crucial third for the reigning champions.

Paulo Dybala was sent off for the hosts in the second half to compound a miserable outing as they suffered their first loss in all competitions since November, and a first at home to Madrid in Europe since 1962.




Ronaldo buried a cross from Isco – who was picked ahead of Gareth Bale by head coach Zinedine Zidane – within three minutes, but Juve were probably the better of the teams in an open first half.

Massimiliano Allegri's side continued to press after the break but Ronaldo struck again in the 64th minute, sending an overhead kick past the motionless Gianluigi Buffon to earn a standing ovation from the home fans.Dybala received a second yellow card just two minutes later and Marcelo finished a slick move to make it an emphatic win for Madrid, who surely have one foot in the semi-finals despite Ronaldo missing a hat-trick chance in stoppage time.

Isco wasted little time in justifying Zidane's faith, the Spain star escaping down the left before cutting the ball back for Ronaldo to prod home a clever finish.
Juve responded well to the setback, with Sergio Ramos making a fine tackle to deny Dybala a clear chance before Rodrigo Bentancur scuffed a shot after being teed up by Gonzalo Higuain.Higuain thought he had levelled against his old club 22 minutes in, but a brilliant reaction save from Keylor Navas denied the striker from close range, before Toni Kroos blasted a shot off the crossbar on a rare Madrid break.

Juve felt they could have had two penalties just before half-time, but referee Cuneyt Cakir decided Casemiro did not deliberately handle a Giorgio Chiellini header and then booked Dybala for diving when he went to ground easily in the box.The home side continued to press early in the second half, Dybala watching a free-kick deflect agonisingly wide after a foul by Ramos, who picked up a booking that will keep him out of the second leg in Spain.

The match was taken out of Juve's hands in the space of two minutes. Ronaldo acrobatically fired Dani Carvajal's cross into the net from 12 yards out, earning applause from all corners of the Allianz Stadium, and Dybala's high foot on Carvajal saw him dismissed soon afterwards.With the home crowd stunned, Marcelo combined first with Isco and then Ronaldo before clipping the ball over Buffon and blasting home on the line with 18 minutes remaining.

Mateo Kovacic hit the bar from the edge of the box and Ronaldo missed a golden chance to get his third, volleying over unmarked from barely six yards out, but the damage had been well and truly done.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

C.Ronaldo ge Bicycle Kick goal eka patta

​

Cristiano Ronaldo AMAZING BICYCLE KICK GOAL vs Juventus ​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

De Bruyne grateful for Silva as Man City pair achieve gold standard


Kevin De Bruyne believes lining up next to David Silva in Manchester City's midfield has helped him enjoy the most complete season of his career to date.

The Belgium international has played an integral role in helping City dominate in the Premier League, with Pep Guardiola's side needing just one more win to secure the title after already claiming the Carabao Cup.De Bruyne has contributed seven goals and a league-high 15 assists without shirking his responsibilities in City's engine room.

"It's probably the most complete [season I've had]," he told the media ahead of the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie with Liverpool."I play like a central midfielder now, I need to do a lot of stuff, but the thing I'm happy about is I could play almost every minute without any problems and play at a level that's consistently high."While De Bruyne's performances have seen him installed as a leading contender for the PFA Player of the Year award, he feels team-mate Silva deserves to be in the running for the accolade as well.

The pair have formed an outstanding partnership as the creative force in a City team that is on track to reach a century of both goals and points in the Premier League.Silva has not allowed his standards to dip despite spending time away from the squad this season following the "extremely" premature birth of his son, Mateo, in January.

"He can make the difference every time he wants to. He's probably one of the best this season," De Bruyne said of the Spain star."Since I came here, he's been unbelievable, he helped my game in a lot of ways. When he plays, we often win.

"For me, he is [in the running for Player of the Year], but obviously in the end when we did the voting we cannot choose any City players. But if you look at the team this year, there are so many players who could get noticed."

With the domestic title almost secure, De Bruyne and the rest of the City squad can now focus fully on their bid to conquer Europe.
They return to the scene of their only league defeat this season on Wednesday, with Jurgen Klopp's side scoring three goals in the space of eight minutes before surviving a late scare to triumph 4-3 on home turf."I think we had a 10-minute spell when we lost control of the game. It was 50-50 at the time, we lost a few balls and they scored quickly," De Bruyne recalled of the game in January.

"Even then, we tried everything to get something out of the game. It was a crazy game, up and down, but for the neutral, beautiful."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Pogba & Alli need time' - Lloris feels criticism of Man Utd & Spurs stars is unfair


Tottenham and Manchester United midfielders Dele Alli and Paul Pogba need to be given time to fulfil their undoubted potential, says Hugo Lloris.Two international performers have come in for criticism this season, with their respective superstar statuses ensuring that their every move is dissected in minute detail.

Pogba has seen his value at Old Trafford called into question, leading to benching at United, while Alli has seen his form with Spurs and England thrust under the microscope and doubts raised over his role at this summer’s World Cup.

Lloris knows both men well, as an international and club colleague, and the experienced French goalkeeper believes two proven performers will silence their detractors on the field.He told reporters after seeing Alli net twice in a crucial 3-1 Premier League victory for Spurs over London rivals Chelsea: “The best answer he could give was on the field on Sunday.
“He is still young but has a big personality. To react in that way is fantastic. It is not easy for him, or for people like Paul Pogba with France, because you need to give time to them to get to the right age, to mature.
“There is a lot of expectation but he stays calm and good in his mind. He came back to training from the national team with a big willingness to show his quality.”

Lloris added on Alli, whose brace at Stamford Bridge took his goal tally for the season to 12: “He is human.

“You can always have some doubt in a difficult time but I don't think it is a difficult time for him. He didn't play [for England against Italy during the international break] and he came back to training with a big willingness to show his quality and I think he is ready to finish this season strong.”

Alli netted 22 times in all competitions last season, so has some way to go if he is to get close to that return, but has shown that he remains a man for the big occasion and has also contributed 13 assists to the Tottenham cause.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Aguero to miss Man City's Champions League trip to Anfield


Sergio Aguero will miss the first leg of Manchester City's Champions League quarter-final tie with Liverpool as he continues to recover from a knee injury.

City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed the club's all-time leading scorer did not travel with the rest of the squad to Merseyside ahead of Wednesday's game at Anfield.The forward has instead remained in Manchester to undergo further treatment on a problem he picked up in training prior to the international break.

Aguero has not featured since the 1-0 home win over Chelsea on March 4, sitting out away games against Stoke City and Everton, as well as Argentina's recent friendlies with Italy and Spain.

However, Guardiola refused to rule the player out of contention for the derby with Manchester United, with City knowing a win over the neighbours on Saturday will secure the Premier League title.

"He's in Manchester, he didn't come. He's still not fit," Guardiola told the media.
"We'll see [about the derby]. He's much, much better, but he spoke with the doctors and he was still a little bit uncomfortable."

With Aguero absent, Gabriel Jesus is set to start in attack against a Liverpool side who remain the only team to beat City in the league this season.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Klopp: Salah 100 per cent deserves PFA Player of the Year award


Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Mohamed Salah "100 per cent" deserves to win the PFA Player of the Year award and challenged him to continue his great form until the end of the season.

The Egyptian forward has found the net 29 times in 31 Premier League appearances for the Reds since arriving on Merseyside in July and is only three away from setting a new division record for goals in a single 38-game season.

Salah faces his main rival for the prestigious PFA accolade, Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, on Wednesday as the two teams meet at Anfield for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

And Klopp thinks that his star man can cement his status as the frontrunner if he sustains his excellent run of form through to the end of the campaign."As his manager, I think Mo would deserve it 100 percent," the German told the club's official website. "I'd say, 'come on, prove it by playing at this level for the rest of the season'.

"But if I said now that Kevin De Bruyne should have no chance, I'd be lying. Both players have played an outstanding season, scoring goals and creating chances – which is what everyone wants to see.

"I am happy that I don't have to make this decision."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Allegri plans move abroad: I'm finished coaching in Italy


Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed he will move to another country to look for his next job after he leaves Juventus.The Italian coach is aiming to win a fourth consecutive Serie A title with the Bianconeri, adding to the Scudetto he won in a prior stint at AC Milan.

The 50-year-old has been the subject of interest from Premier League sides recently. Chelsea are said to want him to succeed Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge, just as he did in Turin, due to the latter's struggles this season. Meanwhile, London rivals Arsenal are said to eye him as a potential replacement for Arsene Wenger.

Although he stayed quiet on his next move, the former Napoli player intends to expand his horizons by going abroad after his sustained success in his homeland."Certainly I will go abroad," Allegri told The Telegraph."In Italy, finished."

Allegri sees himself as an "instinctive" coach, instead of relying too much on statistics or tactics."I could never be a coach who mainly focuses on tactics or analytics because I am more instinctive," he said.

"The coach, in my opinion, bases his decisions on sensations, on perceptions.
"Otherwise it would be enough to sit in front of the computer and football would be like a PlayStation. And that is not what I am."In football there are a lot of people who try to reach perfection with figures, with tactics but it's impossible because there are too many variables."

Allegri is hoping to guide his side towards another Champions League final this season when they meet Real Madrid in the quarters, but it took a tense tie against Tottenham Hotspur to make it this far.

After surrendering a 2-0 lead to draw with Spurs at home, Juve came from behind to beat Mauricio Pochettino's men in the second leg, turning the tie around with two goals in the space of three minutes.And Allegri insists that he saw the small window of opportunity and told his side to capitalise on it.

"Tottenham are certainly a great side and a great club," he added."But I knew that during the match there was a period of maybe 15 or 20 minutes where they will concede goals. That's why I told my players to stay very focused, very targeted, because we had to exploit that. And that's what they did."I had a clear idea in my mind what we had to do considering we had no strikers on the bench, just full-backs."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ronaldo: I didn't expect to score 'fantastic' overhead goal


Cristiano Ronaldo's stunning bicycle kick came as a surprise to the man himself after his memorable display guided Real Madrid past Juventus in the Champions League.

It was the Ronaldo show in Turin, where the Portuguese star scored twice to inspire a 3-0 victory over 10-man Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday.Ronaldo opened the scoring within three minutes at the Allianz Stadium but the five-time Ballon d'Or saved his best for the second half.

In a moment of magic in the 64th minute, Ronaldo sent an overhead kick past the motionless Gianluigi Buffon to earn an ovation from the Juve fans, before Marcelo completed the scoring.

Reflecting on his jaw-dropping goal, Ronaldo – who became the first player in the competition's history to score in 10 successive appearances, told UEFA.com:"Great goal. What can I say, fantastic."I didn't expect to score that goal but let's speak about the game.

"I think the game was amazing. We scored three goals against Juve – a great team.
"We played nice and of course I'm happy. I helped the team. I scored two goals. A great night."With his two-goal performance, Ronaldo took his tally to 39 goals across all competitions for two-time reigning European champions Madrid this season.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Buffon believes Ronaldo deserves Pele and Maradona comparisons after Champions League stunner


Gianluigi Buffon compared Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to Pele and Diego Maradona following the Real Madrid star's wonder goal against Juventus.Ronaldo scored a stunning overhead kick in Real Madrid's 3-0 Champions League quarter-final first-leg win over Juventus in Turin, having earlier broken the deadlock with a precise close-range finish.

The Portugal forward's second goal earned an ovation from the home fans at the Allianz Stadium and gave Madrid a crucial advantage in the tie, before Marcelo added a third after Paulo Dybala was sent off for the Italians.

Buffon could only express his admiration for Ronaldo and Barcelona star Messi in the wake of the dispiriting defeat."We saw what Ronaldo has always been: a player of an extraordinary level, who is achieving the highest things, along with Lionel Messi," Buffon told Mediaset Premium.

"They should be compared in their value to Maradona and Pele for the way they ultimately are able to decide the matches and trophies their teams win." It is a sentiment that Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane shares, as he specifically made mention of Buffon's comment to agree with it, speaking to reporters after the match.

"I was happy with the second goal, the gesture was spectacular," Zidane said."Buffon is right: you have to take off your hat with these players you named. Messi and Ronaldo are as influential as Pelé and Maradona."

Meanwhile, Buffon, who has never managed to win the Champions League in his storied career, admitted it was a massive blow to see the tie effectively killed off even before the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Mistakes can happen," he said. "You're playing against top champions and they force you into being less precise than usual. You're facing the best and there's a reason a player has scored 500 goals.

"I feel great regret and disappointment because we probably won't be able to progress. It's a regret, a big regret, but it's also true that, when you meet certain opponents, you must have a clear enough head to recognise they are stronger."Juventus will try to overturn their deficit April 11 in the second leg at the Bernabeu.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

UEFA Champions League Quarter-finals 1st Leg Fixtures 2018.04.04

UEFA Champions League Quarter-finals 1st Leg Fixtures 2018.04.04

Barcelona Vs Roma

Liverpool Vs Manchester City

​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Liverpool 3 Manchester City 0: Klopp's crop stun City in first leg at Anfield

Mohamed Salah inspired a first-half blitz as Liverpool seized control of their Champions League quarter-final tie against Manchester City with a stunning 3-0 win at Anfield.

As expected, the first leg of the all-English tie provided plenty of goals, albeit few predicted Jurgen Klopp's side would score three without reply against the Premier League champions-elect.

Salah broke the deadlock in the 12th minute, grabbing his 38th goal of a prolific season after Roberto Firmino had capitalised on Kyle Walker's failure to clear the danger.




Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain doubled Liverpool's advantage with a blistering drive from distance, while a third arrived just after the half-hour when Sadio Mane headed home Salah's delivery from the right flank.Sensational in the first half, the home side rather retreated after the interval, their cause not helped by Salah's departure with an apparent groin injury.

The fitness of the club's leading scorer will be a concern for Klopp ahead of the second leg next Tuesday – as will be the suspension of Jordan Henderson - yet a sixth win over Pep Guardiola in 13 meetings puts Liverpool in command and leaves City's treble hopes hanging by a thread.


The City manager selected Ilkay Gundogan in midfield, meaning no start for Raheem Sterling against his former club, hoping an extra body in midfield would give his side a modicum of control to proceedings. The move worked – for all of 12 minutes. Having barely had a kick, Liverpool took the lead on their first attack of note, triggering a chain reaction that left City on the ropes.

Salah’s pace down the right set up a shooting opportunity for Firmino and while Ederson denied his fellow Brazilian with a smart save, Walker's failure to clear the ball allowed Liverpool's striker to toe-poke the ball across to his waiting team-mate.

City had the chance to hit back almost immediately when Liverpool's eagerness to capitalise on a free-kick caught them short of numbers, Leroy Sane wasting the opportunity when he dragged a left-footed shot wide despite having colleagues in support.

The miss looked even more costly when Liverpool scored two more before the break, starting with a right-footed rocket from Oxlade-Chamberlain even more impressive than his long-range effort against the same opponents at Anfield earlier in the season.Mane had the home fans pinching themselves when he made it 3-0, heading Salah's teasing cross to the back post into the ground to make sure the ball bounced up out of the reach of the diving Ederson.

Guardiola waited only 12 minutes into the second half to bring on Sterling, who was welcomed back to his old stomping ground by a chorus of boos – his only contribution luring Henderson into a rash tackle that earned him a booking and a suspension.

Klopp was forced into an early substitution in the second half too, Salah disappearing down the tunnel to have treatment after pulling up.Georginio Wijnaldum's introduction signalled a reshuffle but Liverpool struggled to clear their own territory as they were pegged back by City's relentless passing.

Yet for all their patient probing, and despite dominating possession, the visitors failed to test goalkeeper Loris Karius in front of a raucous Kop, leaving them facing a monumental task in the return fixture at the Etihad Stadium.Liverpool know a thing or two about dramatic comebacks in Europe, yet they - not City - are the ones in pole position to reach the last four.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barcelona 4 Roma 1: Suarez off the mark after own goals tee up win

Luis Suarez scored in the Champions League for the first time this season as Barcelona, aided by two own goals, took a commanding 4-1 first-leg lead against Roma in their quarter-final.

The Uruguay international last found the back of the net in Europe in last term's incredible 6-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain, but he restored Barca's three-goal cushion in the 87th minute after Edin Dzeko grabbed a late away goal.

Ernesto Valverde welcomed Lionel Messi, the match-winner against Chelsea in the previous stage, back into his starting XI following injury, but the Catalan side toiled until Roma shot themselves in the foot either side of half-time.




Messi was involved on both occasions as Daniele De Rossi and Kostas Manolas put through their own net, settling what had been a rather nervy Camp Nou.Gerard Pique got the third before the hour mark and, following Dzeko's strike 10 minutes from time, Suarez hit the target in the Champions League for the first time in over a year.

Roma's early resolve was admirable in the absence of injured duo Radja Nainggolan and Cengiz Under, but they look to have too much to do back in Italy, with the chances of Eusebio Di Francesco's men mustering the firepower to down the LaLiga leaders extremely slim.


Barcelona made a slow, sloppy start and were initially restricted to shots from distance, Messi's 25-yard drive stinging Alisson's palms before an Ivan Rakitic curler clipped the base of the right-hand post.

Manolas claimed before the match there is "no way" to stop Messi, but the centre-back continued to effectively restrict Barca's main man, although he was able to tee up Suarez for an effort Alisson saved well.

It was typical then that the latest in a series of desperate defensive challenges would undo Roma's hard work seven minutes before the break, De Rossi lunging to keep the ball from Messi and inadvertently firing a rocket beyond his own goalkeeper and into the bottom-right corner.

The visitors should have drawn level seconds after the restart when Alessandro Florenzi's deep centre from the right reached the far post, but Diego Perotti directed a straightforward header back across the face of goal and wide.More misfortune did for Roma in the 55th minute, though. Manolas dived in front of Samuel Umtiti in the area - after Messi combined with Rakitic - but clumsily bundled the ball against his own post and over the line.

The third goal followed four minutes later when Pique charged forward and tapped into the net when Alisson parried from Suarez.Roma rallied late on and looked to have salvaged some interest in the tie, Dzeko holding off Alba to slide Perotti's pass into the bottom-left corner.

Suarez's timely contribution followed, though, with Roma unable to scramble clear and the striker prodded a finish under Alisson to put Barca within sight of a semi-final spot.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

AC Milan 0 Inter 0: Scoreless derby keeps Nerazzurri on track for Champions League

Mauro Icardi wasted a glorious stoppage-time chance as Inter missed the opportunity to put further distance between themselves and city rivals AC Milan in the race for Champions League qualification with a 0-0 draw at San Siro.Having looked likely to win Derby della Madonnina for a second time this term, Luciano Spalletti will know Inter should have more than a two-point cushion over fifth-placed Lazio.

The scoreless draw was enough to maintain their eight-point advantage over Milan, meaning Lazio are now the main side who can deny them a return to Europe's top club competition.




Icardi, scorer of a sublime hat-trick that gave Inter a 3-2 win in the teams' last league meeting, appeared to have scored what would have been the decisive goal late in a frenetic first half, only for the VAR to rule him offside.Leonardo Bonucci and Patrick Cutrone did force Samir Handanovic into a pair of smart saves either side of half-time but, in truth, the Rossoneri struggled to carve out the clear openings required to close the gap.

And they should have been punished by the normally reliable Icardi, but with the goal gaping on two occasions he somehow managed to miss the target, leaving a frustrated Inter to settle for a point.


The raised stakes of an encounter Gattuso described pre-match as being "back to something significant" were evident from the intense early exchanges as Franck Kessie got in the way of Rafinha's third-minute shot.

Gianluigi Donnarumma was then forced to parry a stinging Antonio Candreva effort, while Marcelo Brozovic twice curled harmlessly wide either side of that attempt.Inter's early momentum would have been completely erased if not for the incredible reflexes of Handanovic, who somehow clawed Bonucci's flick-on header away the bottom right corner.

Far from assured at the other end, Milan were fortunate that Ivan Perisic's loose touch cost him a better sight of goal midway through an entertaining half.And they earned another reprieve when the VAR deemed Icardi to have marginally strayed into an offside position prior to firing in what looked to be the opener.

The Rossoneri started the second half in the same unconvincing manner as the first, Donnarumma seeing a Perisic cross drop on top of his crossbar before a tame Brozovic strike squeezed through the young goalkeeper's fingers.It was yet to become one-way traffic, though, with Handanovic's smother from Cutrone in the 52nd minute a reminder of the delicate scoreline.

Earlier denied by an offside decision, the assistant's flag - albeit contentiously raised - spared Icardi from complete embarrassment prior to the hour after he somehow transpired to screw Candreva's squared pass wide of an empty net.Cutrone also had an impressive bicycle kick correctly ruled out as the tension increased with the clock ticking into the final 20 minutes.

There was still time for Icardi to go agonisingly close in the 93rd minute, but the skipper's outstretched boot could only turn Joao Cancelo's low cross inches around the around upright, denying Inter a result that would have moved them third.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ex-England, Chelsea and Man Utd star Ray Wilkins dies after cardiac arrest

Former England international Ray Wilkins has died aged 61 following a cardiac arrest at the end of March.

Wilkins, who played for both Chelsea and Manchester United during his playing career, was being treated at St George's Hospital in London in an induced coma.In a statement, the Professional Footballers' Associations (PFA) said: "It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we have learnt that former England midfielder Ray Wilkins has passed away, aged 61.



"The thoughts and condolences of everyone at the PFA are with his family and friends."Wilkins' family released a statement via BBC Sport where they wanted to "thank St George's staff for the amazing work they have done to care for our beloved Ray".

They added: "We would also like to say thank you for the many goodwill messages we have received from Ray's friends, colleagues, and members of the public."Ray leaves behind his loving wife, Jackie, daughter Jade, son Ross, and his beautiful grandchildren, Oliver, Frankie, Ava, Freddie, Jake and Archie."

Wilkins also played for European giants Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan during a playing career that spanned over 20 years, while he managed the likes of QPR and Fulham following his retirement, as well as being caretaker boss at Chelsea in 2009.The football community paid tribute to Wilkins following the sad news of his death, with the England national team tweeting: "We’re devastated to hear the news that Ray Wilkins has passed away at the age of 61.

"Wilkins made 84 appearances for the #ThreeLions, and was assistant manager of our Under-21s between 2004 and 2007. We will miss you, Ray." Chelsea wrote their own note of condolence on social media, tweeting:"Everybody associated with Chelsea Football Club is devastated to learn of the passing of our former player, captain and assistant coach, Ray Wilkins. Rest in peace, Ray, you will be dreadfully missed."

Jack Grealish, who worked with Wilkins during his time as Aston Villa assistant manager, wrote on social media: "So upset to hear the news of Ray Wilkins. RIP Ray."Even when Ray left Villa, he was always ringing me, offering advice and telling me what I could do to improve. A true gentleman and one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met."