..::Football IV::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Ozil will 'need some time' to get over Germany's early World Cup exit


Mesut Ozil says it "hurts so much" for Germany to fall at the World Cup's first hurdle, failing to qualify for the knockout round.

Although Germany beat Sweden thanks to a late Toni Kroos free-kick, defeats either side to Mexico and South Korea saw the defending champions finish bottom of Group F.Germany were among the pre-tournament favourites, having triumphed at last year's Confederations Cup to add to their Brazil 2014 crown.

But Die Mannschaft instead failed to pass the first round for the first time since 1938, leaving Ozil to rue what went wrong.

Following the loss to South Korea, Germany coach Joachim Low insisted Ozil was not the only player to produce a below-par performance , but that didn't stop the criticism of the Arsenal midfielder from rolling in.Having seen all vitriol pointed his way, the 29-year-old claims that it could be a while before he can fully move on from the disaster that was Germany's 2018 World Cup run."Having to leave the World Cup already after the group stage hurts so much," Ozil posted on Instagram."We just weren't good enough. I'll need some time to get over it."

Germany have yet to confirm whether Joachim Low - who has a contract to 2022 - will continue as coach.Under Low's leadership, Germany reached the final of Euro 2008, as well as the last four at the following European Championships and the 2010 World Cup.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Suarez says 'fully motivated' Uruguay must give everything against Portugal


Luis Suarez says he is a "perfectionist" but the Uruguay forward believes his form is on an upward curve ahead of a World Cup last-16 showdown with Portugal.Suarez had a tough start to Russia 2018, drawing a blank in a flat performance as Oscar Tabarez's men edged past Egypt 1-0 in their opening Group A game.

Yet the Barcelona striker bounced back by hitting the winner to down Saudi Arabia before finding the net again in a 3-0 win over Russia, as Uruguay headed into the knockout rounds with maximum points.

"I am a lot better than in the first game," Suarez told reporters ahead of facing Portugal on Saturday. "On a personal level, I am very much a perfectionist."After games I always look back at what happened, talk to my team-mates, with the coach."I know what we are playing for tomorrow, the last 16 of the World Cup against the European champions.

"We are fully motivated and we have to be calm knowing that if it goes wrong then we have given everything."Topping Group A ahead of hosts Russia means Uruguay have avoided a clash with 2010 champions Spain, where Suarez could have gone up against club colleagues including Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba.

"Our mentality is always to win," Suarez said. "During the group stage there was talk of what [place in the group] would be best but we didn't do that, we always wanted to finish first."

Although Uruguay's success has been built on defensive resilience encapsulated by captain Diego Godin, the combination of Suarez and Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani is one of the World Cup's most dangerous forward pairings in the competition."We have known each other for a long time and have played together for over 10 years in the national team," Suarez said of Cavani.

"We are fighting for the same country and doing the best for the team, so we try and help each other as much as possible."We are not aiming for personal objectives but for the national team to get as far as possible."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Croatia can be confident of lifting World Cup


As Argentina disintegrated and Germany booked their flight tickets back home, it only highlighted some of the struggles faced by renowned teams at this World Cup. Russia 2018 has largely seen the traditional elites stumble and the underdogs rumble to alter the footballing landscape football fans have been accustomed too.

Argentina for that matter has been at the heart of the headlines with rumours of infighting and player mutiny. When La Albiceleste took on Croatia; who are no underdogs by the way, many expected a tough fight between the two, instead it was so one sided with Croatia dominating. While many question marks were pointed towards the men in blue and white, they forgot how simply splendid the Croats were.

Make no mistakes about it, this Croatian team are built to win given how balanced the squad is and they have a genuine chance of bettering their third placed 1998 World Cup finish. Indeed the strength of this team lays it in its midfield with Luka Modric being the heartbeat of the squad. Joining Modric is Ivan Rakitic and Inter’s Marcelo Brozovic and there you have a solid midfield that ran past Mascherano as if he was invisible.




Additionally, having the likes of Ivan Perisic, Dejan Lovren and Mario Mandzukic whom Croatia coach; Zlatko Dalić described as the soul of the team helps your cause greatly too. Significantly it’s clear to see the Eastern European side has a talented generation of players capable of making an indelible mark in the tournament. This group of players have been together since Euro 2008 and Russia 2018 could be the last chance for many of these players.Indeed the omens are looking good for the Vatreni whom alongside Uruguay are the only two teams in the entire tournament to top their group with maximum points. So far they have only conceded one goal in the three matches they played.

Moreover they have an average of 53% possession in those games with 81% pass accuracy while scoring an average of 2.3 goals per match. This is a team that is always in control and dictates the tempo of the game.

Croatian teams that enter the World Cup have always been compared to the 98 team featuring Davor Suker and Zvonimir Boban. Well that could all change soon in 2018 and the image of captain Modric holding aloft the World Cup isn’t a far-fetched one. But for now mark your calendars for a nearer date because a date with Denmark becons.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Portugal don't rely on Ronaldo, insists Santos


Portugal are not a one-man team reliant on captain and all-time leading goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo, according to head coach Fernando Santos.Ronaldo has led the way for Portugal at the World Cup, scoring four goals in three games to help the European champions reach the last 16 against Uruguay in Sochi on Saturday.

Santos was inevitably asked about Ronaldo on the eve of the knockout clash at Fisht Stadium and the Portugal boss revealed he had won himself a free coffee after betting that he would field questions on the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Responding to the initial question, Santos said: "I have to repeat, I always understand the question. Everybody knows, that we depend on our players."We have one of the best in the world but if you ask me, [Luis] Suarez, [Edinson] Cavani, you can ask the same question of Uruguay because you have great players in every team."

When the attention turned to Ronaldo and whether Portugal rely on the 33-year-old superstar, Santos told reporters: "It's the team that has to play.If Ronaldo plays alone, we will lose. We have to be strong as a team as strong as Uruguay are as a team.

"It's very hard to rely on a single player. Even if you score three goals, you need the support of a full team. It's going to be a confrontation between two teams of high quality. You look at the midfield, they have players in European leagues – one for Juventus, one for Inter, one for PSG and one for Barca. We're talking about great teams and players.

"It's true, of course, when both teams manage to cancel each other out, then individuals come to the fore. I hope my team is up to the task then Ronaldo will make the difference."

Portugal finished as runners-up to Spain in Group B, while Uruguay kept three successive clean sheets as they topped Group A ahead of hosts Russia.
"Uruguay are Uruguay. You know they have a coach [Oscar Tabarez] who has been working for them for 12 years," Santos added."Very experienced. Quality. Strong team. We know and recognise all the players. You don't find too many weaknesses. They behave as a unit. Several phases of the game they're very strong. Within their strength, there's always something you can find and that's what we did. We got to know our opponents.

"It's a match between two teams who are very strong. You'll see the teams doing their best to win. I think Portugal will win but I recognise Uruguay are strong."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Genius Messi a shining light for Argentina, says Sampaoli


Lionel Messi is a "genius" and Argentina must make their World Cup last-16 tie against France as easy as possible for their captain, says coach Jorge Sampaoli.

Messi opened the scoring in a 2-1 defeat of Nigeria that sent Argentina through to the knockout rounds, Sampaoli's side bouncing back from a 3-0 thumping dealt out by Croatia.

Didier Deschamps said France will aim to "neutralise" Messi on Saturday, while captain Hugo Lloris pegged the Barcelona star as the potential matchwinner for Argentina.

Sampaoli, though, is focusing on ensuring Argentina are set up so "shining light" Messi can make the difference in Kazan."Leo is completely committed to the team, you see this on the pitch," Sampaoli said at a news conference on Friday.

"He is someone with such clear vision in football that he allows us to sometimes see things only a genius sees, the same for his team-mates.

"It's often difficult to be at such a level of Leo, he's a real shining light for us all, we have to play bearing in mind his capacity, playing as close to his level as we can. Some players can get used to him quicker because of experience, others maybe need more time.

"I'm sure they have a plan to neutralise Messi, but we have our own plan to make it easier for him. Let's see who has the best plan. We have the best player on earth, but we have others who can make things difficult for them too."

Ever Banega's superb long pass sent Messi away for his first goal of the tournament against Nigeria, the Argentina captain having opened the tournament by missing a penalty in a draw with Iceland. "It's normal he wasn’t as confident as normal because we didn't start the tournament so well," said Sevilla midfielder Banega.

"Thankfully we won the last game and he appeared more comfortable on the pitch and when we spoke. He showed the will to win. We have a leader who's always thinking of winning."Messi has had a great performance with the national team, he always shows complete commitment and I hope he'll be around for many years.

"I have to say that it's always a pleasure with Messi, we know what he offers as a player and what he offers football. Over the years he's gained experience in Europe. I played the last match and tried to help as much as I could. Hopefully we can all continue to improve."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'He will be a great team-mate' - Fred excited by Man Utd link-up with Matic


Fred is looking forward to linking up with Nemanja Matic at Manchester United and feels he will be a ‘great team-mate’.

The two crossed paths in Brazil’s 2-0 victory over Serbia in their final World Cup group game on Wednesday and the midfielders exchanged shirts after the final whistle , making United fans even more eager to see the two of them line up alongside each other next season.

Fred’s move to Old Trafford was confirmed last week, with the 25-year-old joining for around £52.5 million on a five-year-deal from Shakhtar Donetsk following five successful years in Ukraine, where he won three league titles.

He has received a warm welcome from Matic and is excited by the prospect of being on the same side as the former Chelsea midfielder."It was a nice chat with him, he welcomed me for coming to the great club that is Manchester United," Fred told ESPN Brasil . "We exchanged shirts, too, he will be a great team-mate."

Matic also commented on his new midfield partner after the game with Brazil and feels Fred ‘will bring great quality’ to Jose Mourinho’s squad. "I spoke to him after the game, he is a great player, he will bring quality to our team," Matic told reporters."We will see [if we can work together]. I think we’ll understand each other very well."

Fred is United’s second signing of the summer after Diogo Dalot joined from Porto and he will be aiming to play a key role as Mourinho’s side look to close the gap to Manchester City next season.

The midfielder was a standout player as Shakhtar beat City 2-1 in this season’s Champions League group stage before they narrowly missed out on a quarter-final place after an away-goal defeat to eventual semi-finalists Roma.

Since making his Brazil debut in 2014, he has been capped eight times and is in their 23-man squad at the World Cup, but has yet to make an appearance for the tournament favourites.

He is the fourth most expensive signing in United’s history and has acknowledged that the move has not really sunk in yet as he is just trying to focus on the World Cup.He added: "It's a big change, but I have not stopped yet... It still hasn't set in, I'm very focused here on the World Cup.

"I do not think much about it, but it's a great club in Europe, it's one of the biggest, so I'm very happy for that."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Fellaini extends Man Utd deal until 2020

Manchester United have announced that Marouane Fellaini has signed a new deal that ties him to the club until 2020, putting an end to speculation over the Belgian's future.

The 30-year-old was set to be a free agent when his contract expired on July 1, and he promised to reveal a decision on his future on Sunday while he is at the World Cup with Belgium.

There were rumours that the former Standard Liege star was on his way to Italy, as AC Milan director Massimiliano Mirabelli claimed he would not sign a new deal and was in talks with the San Siro side.

However, United have jumped ahead of Fellaini and confirmed that he will spend another two years at Old Trafford, with an option to extend for a further season.

"I am pleased to be continuing my journey as a Manchester United player," Fellaini told the club's website. "I made this decision because I am very happy here. Also, I feel like this team, under Jose, still has a lot we want to achieve.“I would like to say a special thank you to Jose for the faith he has always shown in me. My focus now is on the World Cup and I am looking forward to a successful season ahead.”

Injury saw Fellaini, who joined from Everton in 2013, limited to just 16 Premier League appearances last term, scoring four goals, as the Red Devils finished second to Manchester City.Jose Mourinho's side are preparing for another title challenge in 2017-18, and the manager is happy to count on the Belgian, who has made over 150 appearances for the club.

“I am very happy Marouane is staying with us," he said.“I always believed in his desire to stay with the club and I am delighted that he has signed a new contract.”

Fellaini will be in action with Belgium on Monday July 2 when they take on Japan in the last 16 of the World Cup.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Fellaini contract eka extend karalanemamanam hithuwema yai kiyala

Congratzzzz & Good Luck Fellaini!​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'De Gea trains like an animal' - Thiago defends under-fire Spain keeper


Thiago Alcantara has rebuffed the criticism aimed at David de Gea during the World Cup group stage.

De Gea spilled Cristiano Ronaldo's shot in Spain's dramatic 3-3 draw with Portugal to open Group B, and though he kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 victory over Iran, he conceded two of Morocco's three shots on target in a 2-2 draw on Monday.

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago, who started just one of Spain's three group games, suggested the Manchester United shot-stopper's hard work in training would go some way to silencing his critics.

"If you have seen the matches of David de Gea at Manchester United you can see that he is a porterazo [magnificent goalkeeper]," he told reporters.

"To criticise, you have to see everything, including how he works in training like an animal."Thiago feels improvements were required all over the pitch ahead of Spain's clash with Russia in the round of 16, which takes place at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday.He called for the Spanish media in Russia to get behind the team as they prepared for a partisan crowd in the capital.

"We are not going to play against eleven Russians, but against thousands of them," said Thiago. "We are all far from home and in theory supporting Spain.

"I agree that we have made mistakes in defence. I know we're not playing our best, but let's win - we're all together."What needs to be improved? Everything. But that starts with trust. You have to have your own trust and trust in your team-mates."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'We know Messi can decide our fate' - Lloris warns France ahead of Argentina match


Hugo Lloris admits Lionel Messi can "decide the fate of the match" if he raises his game in Argentina's World Cup last-16 match against France.Messi offered Argentina fans a tantalising moment of brilliance with his goal as Jorge Sampaoli's men beat Nigeria 2-1 to avoid a group-stage exit.

Lloris, who earned his 100th cap against Peru before being rested for the match against Denmark, suggested France will take collective responsibility for keeping the Barcelona star in check, with a place in the quarter-finals on the line.

"We are preparing to play in a last-16 game against Argentina, so we have to be at our top level," he told reporters ahead of Saturday's match.

"We've studied their group games, which gives us an indication, but we know players like Messi can step up his own level and decide the fate of the match, as he does with Argentina and Barcelona.

"We need collective answers, to give it our all individually and collectively. We need to be outstanding to go ahead." He added: "Argentina have a lot to prove. They've had difficult times and still qualified. I'm sure they feel like going much further in the competition.

"They've won the World Cup in the past so it will be a big, difficult match and we'll have to step up our level."Lloris refused to be drawn on comparisons between the talismanic Messi and France's prodigious winger Kylian Mbappe.

Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe scored France's winner in their 1-0 victory over Peru and Lloris said he expected the 19-year-old to shine against Argentina.

"Messi is unique, you can't compare anyone to him," said Lloris."Kylian has huge quality and potential, he's fast, explosive and needs space. I think [against Argentina] he'll have more space than the first three matches and as we go on in the competition the level will step up and will have less room for mistakes.
"Mbappe has the potential to make the difference in difficult moments."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

FIFA World Cup 2018 Round of 16 Fixtures 2018.06.30

FIFA World Cup 2018 Round of 16 Fixtures 2018.06.30

------------------------------

France Vs Argentina

Uruguay Vs Portugal

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[RottenCOLT]

France Vs Argentina

Uruguay Vs Portugal

​

argentina, portugal dinnoth hodai



suarez

 

[Wolverine GTR]

France Vs Argentina

France Starting Line-up

Lloris
Hernandez
Umtiti
Varane
Pavard
Kante
Pogba
Matudi
Griezmann
Mbappe
Giroud

&

Argentina Starting Line-up

Armani
Rojo
Otamendi
Pavon
Mercado
Tagliafico
Banega
Perez
Mascherano
Messi
Di Maria
​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

argentina, portugal dinnoth hodai

suarez ​

 

[Alucard_SxE]

France Vs Argentina

France Starting Line-up

Lloris
Hernandez
Umtiti
Varane
Pavard
Kante
Pogba
Matudi
Griezmann
Mbappe
Giroud

&

Argentina Starting Line-up

Armani
Rojo
Otamendi
Pavon
Mercado
Tagliafico
Banega
Perez
Mascherano
Messi
Di Maria
​

patta line ups dekak. Both Aguero & Higuain are on the bench so Messi will play as a false 9. Di Maria/Perez on left & Pavon on right & Banega as the playmaker. Di maria might also play as a CAM behind Messi

 

[Alucard_SxE]

Portgual Dinanawa!!!

I hope them to show up big time today. I wouldn't mind a boring match but they need to control the mid unlike the last 2 games.

Adrien Silva should start IMO. Don't think both Silva & Moutinho would start so maybe Bruno Fernandez who isn't likely due to crappy form so probably Bernardo Silva who is again not playing that well. BUT NOT JAO MARIO. That idiot don't know how to play forward or cross at all.
In front Guedes with Ronaldo.
What's scary is Suarez & Cavani facing Pepe & Fonte. Hope both CBs turn up big time

Ah perhaps Quarresma would start

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Half Time

France 1 Vs 1 Argentina

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[Wolverine GTR]

Di Maria ge goal eka patta
​

 

[Alucard_SxE]

draw wei wage full time
argentina apahu game ekata awa eth I expect France to attack rapidly at the start of the second half.
Messi playing too deep. Di Maria playing as a CAM role is better than the wing

 

[Alucard_SxE]

LMAO

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkpdRheBIFX/?taken-by=ericcantona​