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..::Football IV::..
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Real Madrid 1 Girona 2: Stuani and Portu seal stunning comeback
Cristhian Stuani scored his 13th LaLiga goal of the season and Portu headed a famous winner as relegation-threatened Girona claimed a 2-1 comeback win away at Real Madrid.
Santiago Solari's side looked on track for a sixth straight victory in the league following Casemiro's first-half header at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.But after Sergio Ramos was punished for a handball in the penalty area, Stuani stepped up to convert a spot-kick and Girona's battle against relegation was boosted by a stunning winner.
Thibaut Courtois weakly parried Anthony Lozano's effort back into the danger zone and Portu was on hand to steer the rebound past the Madrid goalkeeper, with captain Ramos then dismissed in the last minute as he tried to equalise with an overhead kick.
Madrid took the lead in the 25th minute with Casemiro on target for the second LaLiga game in a row, the Brazil midfielder powering home a downward header from a Toni Kroos cross.Casemiro teed up international team-mate Marcelo for a drilled finish before the break, but the goal was rightly ruled out for offside.Girona should have equalised in the 59th minute. Courtois could only push Lozano's header back into the danger zone but Aleix Garcia blazed the rebound way over the crossbar.
However, Madrid failed to heed that warning and Girona levelled from the penalty spot. Courtois turned Stuani's effort on to the post but Douglas Luiz got to the loose ball first and his shot was partially blocked by Ramos' arms.
Stuani clipped the spot-kick down the middle after Courtois dived to his right to equalise and Girona suddenly had Madrid reeling, Portu crashing a rocket of a shot against the post. And Girona scored an incredible winner in the 75th minute, Portu squeezing a header past Courtois to complete a remarkable comeback.
Substitute Gareth Bale was denied by Yassine Bounou and as Madrid chased a leveller, Ramos was shown a second yellow card after referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez deemed his acrobatic effort to be a dangerous challenge.Courtois almost made amends with an unbelievable 95th-minute equaliser but, after going up for a corner, his header flew wide in a frantic finale.
Cristhian Stuani scored his 13th LaLiga goal of the season and Portu headed a famous winner as relegation-threatened Girona claimed a 2-1 comeback win away at Real Madrid.
Santiago Solari's side looked on track for a sixth straight victory in the league following Casemiro's first-half header at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.But after Sergio Ramos was punished for a handball in the penalty area, Stuani stepped up to convert a spot-kick and Girona's battle against relegation was boosted by a stunning winner.
Thibaut Courtois weakly parried Anthony Lozano's effort back into the danger zone and Portu was on hand to steer the rebound past the Madrid goalkeeper, with captain Ramos then dismissed in the last minute as he tried to equalise with an overhead kick.
Madrid took the lead in the 25th minute with Casemiro on target for the second LaLiga game in a row, the Brazil midfielder powering home a downward header from a Toni Kroos cross.Casemiro teed up international team-mate Marcelo for a drilled finish before the break, but the goal was rightly ruled out for offside.Girona should have equalised in the 59th minute. Courtois could only push Lozano's header back into the danger zone but Aleix Garcia blazed the rebound way over the crossbar.
However, Madrid failed to heed that warning and Girona levelled from the penalty spot. Courtois turned Stuani's effort on to the post but Douglas Luiz got to the loose ball first and his shot was partially blocked by Ramos' arms.
Stuani clipped the spot-kick down the middle after Courtois dived to his right to equalise and Girona suddenly had Madrid reeling, Portu crashing a rocket of a shot against the post. And Girona scored an incredible winner in the 75th minute, Portu squeezing a header past Courtois to complete a remarkable comeback.
Substitute Gareth Bale was denied by Yassine Bounou and as Madrid chased a leveller, Ramos was shown a second yellow card after referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez deemed his acrobatic effort to be a dangerous challenge.Courtois almost made amends with an unbelievable 95th-minute equaliser but, after going up for a corner, his header flew wide in a frantic finale.
Inter 2 Sampdoria 1: Nainggolan salvages win in Icardi's absence
Radja Nainggolan came to Inter's rescue in Mauro Icardi's absence to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory over Sampdoria in Serie A on Sunday.Icardi, who was this week stripped of the captaincy amid ongoing speculation over his future, watched from the San Siro stands due to the knee injury that kept him out of the 1-0 Europa League victory over Rapid Vienna on Thursday.
Inter looked set to rue his absence until Danilo D'Ambrosio opened the scoring in the 73rd minute, but substitute Manolo Gabbiadini pounced on some shoddy defending just 25 seconds after coming on to pull Sampdoria level.
However, Nainggolan's shot from the edge of the box found a path through a host of bodies three minutes later to restore the Nerazzurri's four-point cushion over fourth-place AC Milan.Lautaro Martinez, who scored Inter's goals in back-to-back wins over Parma and Rapid, led the line in Icardi's absence and was kept off the scoresheet by Emil Audero in the sixth minute.
Audero had to scramble back to stop a tame Ivan Perisic shot that squirmed through his legs crossing the line, while Milan Skriniar saw a goal ruled out for offside against D'Ambrosio in first-half stoppage time.Samir Handanovic stayed on his feet to deny Gregoire Defrel just 32 seconds after the restart and the newly appointed captain produced a fingertip save to keep Fabio Quagliarella's looping header out in the 66th minute.
Perisic was unperturbed by seeing a shot saved by Audero and his run into the box from the left enabled D'Ambrosio to dart in front of Nicola Murru for the opener.Gabbiadini punished Skriniar's failure to clear the ball with his first involvement after replacing Riccardo Saponara in the 75th minute, but Sampdoria were unable to hold on for a point.
Nainggolan somehow found the bottom-left corner with Audero unsighted to seal an important win that enabled Inter to strengthen their grip on third.
Radja Nainggolan came to Inter's rescue in Mauro Icardi's absence to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory over Sampdoria in Serie A on Sunday.Icardi, who was this week stripped of the captaincy amid ongoing speculation over his future, watched from the San Siro stands due to the knee injury that kept him out of the 1-0 Europa League victory over Rapid Vienna on Thursday.
Inter looked set to rue his absence until Danilo D'Ambrosio opened the scoring in the 73rd minute, but substitute Manolo Gabbiadini pounced on some shoddy defending just 25 seconds after coming on to pull Sampdoria level.
However, Nainggolan's shot from the edge of the box found a path through a host of bodies three minutes later to restore the Nerazzurri's four-point cushion over fourth-place AC Milan.Lautaro Martinez, who scored Inter's goals in back-to-back wins over Parma and Rapid, led the line in Icardi's absence and was kept off the scoresheet by Emil Audero in the sixth minute.
Audero had to scramble back to stop a tame Ivan Perisic shot that squirmed through his legs crossing the line, while Milan Skriniar saw a goal ruled out for offside against D'Ambrosio in first-half stoppage time.Samir Handanovic stayed on his feet to deny Gregoire Defrel just 32 seconds after the restart and the newly appointed captain produced a fingertip save to keep Fabio Quagliarella's looping header out in the 66th minute.
Perisic was unperturbed by seeing a shot saved by Audero and his run into the box from the left enabled D'Ambrosio to dart in front of Nicola Murru for the opener.Gabbiadini punished Skriniar's failure to clear the ball with his first involvement after replacing Riccardo Saponara in the 75th minute, but Sampdoria were unable to hold on for a point.
Nainggolan somehow found the bottom-left corner with Audero unsighted to seal an important win that enabled Inter to strengthen their grip on third.
Saint-Etienne 0 Paris Saint-Germain 1: Magical Mbappe snatches the points
A moment of magic from Kylian Mbappe gave Paris Saint-Germain a hard-fought 1-0 win at Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1.The reigning champions and runaway leaders bounced back from a 2-1 loss to Lyon at the start of the month by beating Bordeaux 1-0 last weekend, however, Thomas Tuchel's team were short of their best once more at Stade Geoffroy Guichard.
Mbappe dazzled in the 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester United on Tuesday but found the going tougher in a line-up without the considerable talents of Neymar, Edinson Cavani, Marco Verratti and Thomas Meunier.
Yet he settled matters with aplomb in the 73rd minute, swivelling to guide Dani Alves's lofted pass into the top corner on the volley to score his 19th league goal of the season.It was the act of a player a class apart from the rest – much like PSG, who are 12 points ahead of Lille at the summit with two games in hand.
The same combination that undid United in midweek were to the fore again, with Angel Di Maria storming forward on the break in the 20th minute to play in Mbappe, whose shot was beaten away at the near post by Stephane Ruffier.
Mbappe felt the effects of a robust challenge from Romain Hamouma, who had a shot blocked by PSG captain Thiago Silva late in the first half after Thilo Kehrer's misjudged headed clearance.Ruffier smothered a shot from Julian Draxler at close quarters in the 55th minute, Di Maria and Mbappe having combined on the end of Marquinhos' excellent raking pass.
Juan Bernat's replacement Colin Dagba was quickly into the action with a last-ditch challenge to deny Saint-Etienne wing-back Gabriel Silva, with Kevin Monnet-Paquet going close from the resulting 63rd-minute corner.Di Maria should have done better when he skewed wide two minutes later, leaving Mbappe to majestically show him how it was done.
He showed a more pragmatic side as he joined substitute Layvin Kurzawa in being booked for kicking the ball away in stoppage time - PSG closing out a result that denied Saint-Etienne a move into the top four.
A moment of magic from Kylian Mbappe gave Paris Saint-Germain a hard-fought 1-0 win at Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1.The reigning champions and runaway leaders bounced back from a 2-1 loss to Lyon at the start of the month by beating Bordeaux 1-0 last weekend, however, Thomas Tuchel's team were short of their best once more at Stade Geoffroy Guichard.
Mbappe dazzled in the 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester United on Tuesday but found the going tougher in a line-up without the considerable talents of Neymar, Edinson Cavani, Marco Verratti and Thomas Meunier.
Yet he settled matters with aplomb in the 73rd minute, swivelling to guide Dani Alves's lofted pass into the top corner on the volley to score his 19th league goal of the season.It was the act of a player a class apart from the rest – much like PSG, who are 12 points ahead of Lille at the summit with two games in hand.
The same combination that undid United in midweek were to the fore again, with Angel Di Maria storming forward on the break in the 20th minute to play in Mbappe, whose shot was beaten away at the near post by Stephane Ruffier.
Mbappe felt the effects of a robust challenge from Romain Hamouma, who had a shot blocked by PSG captain Thiago Silva late in the first half after Thilo Kehrer's misjudged headed clearance.Ruffier smothered a shot from Julian Draxler at close quarters in the 55th minute, Di Maria and Mbappe having combined on the end of Marquinhos' excellent raking pass.
Juan Bernat's replacement Colin Dagba was quickly into the action with a last-ditch challenge to deny Saint-Etienne wing-back Gabriel Silva, with Kevin Monnet-Paquet going close from the resulting 63rd-minute corner.Di Maria should have done better when he skewed wide two minutes later, leaving Mbappe to majestically show him how it was done.
He showed a more pragmatic side as he joined substitute Layvin Kurzawa in being booked for kicking the ball away in stoppage time - PSG closing out a result that denied Saint-Etienne a move into the top four.
Orlando City signs former Manchester United star Nani
Orlando City has announced the signing of former Manchester United star Nani, who joins from Sporting CP in Portugal.Nani has signed a three-year designated player contract with the Lions, according to the MLS club, which also announced there was no transfer fee to complete the deal with Sporting.
“This is an exciting day for our organization,” Orlando City SC EVP of Soccer Operations Luiz Muzzi said in a statement. “Nani brings tremendous experience to our roster. He’s a dynamic winger with quality abilities to move and cross the ball, impact games and lead the offensive play.”
Orlando City will mark the sixth senior side the 32-year-old Portugal international will play for in his career.Nani began his senior career at Sporting, where he featured for three years before a big move to Manchester United.
There he would go onto the play for parts of eight seasons, many of them alongside his Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, and win four Premier League titles, two League Cups as well as the 2007-08 Champions League crown under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Nani would return to his old club Sporting for the 2014-15 season on loan and then completed a permanent Old Trafford exit the following campaign when he headed to Turkish club Fenerbahce.
The Portugal man has not been able to find a long-lasting landing spot since his departure from the Red Devils.Nani would only spend a year at the Fener before heading to Spain, joining up with Valencia in July 2016 for a season.
The next year Nani headed out on loan to Lazio in Serie A, though he only started two league games for the Italian club.He returned to Sporting in July 2018, and now makes his exit after seven months to the United States.On the international level, Nani had been a fixture for Portugal and started seven games for his country when it won the 2016 European Championship.
However, while the winger made the preliminary roster for the 2018 World Cup, he did not make the final 23 for his country’s journey to Russia.He joins an Orlando City side looking to finally break through in MLS.The Lions joined the league as an expansion side in 2015, but have yet to make the playoffs in their four seasons of existence.
Orlando City has announced the signing of former Manchester United star Nani, who joins from Sporting CP in Portugal.Nani has signed a three-year designated player contract with the Lions, according to the MLS club, which also announced there was no transfer fee to complete the deal with Sporting.
“This is an exciting day for our organization,” Orlando City SC EVP of Soccer Operations Luiz Muzzi said in a statement. “Nani brings tremendous experience to our roster. He’s a dynamic winger with quality abilities to move and cross the ball, impact games and lead the offensive play.”
Orlando City will mark the sixth senior side the 32-year-old Portugal international will play for in his career.Nani began his senior career at Sporting, where he featured for three years before a big move to Manchester United.
There he would go onto the play for parts of eight seasons, many of them alongside his Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, and win four Premier League titles, two League Cups as well as the 2007-08 Champions League crown under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Nani would return to his old club Sporting for the 2014-15 season on loan and then completed a permanent Old Trafford exit the following campaign when he headed to Turkish club Fenerbahce.
The Portugal man has not been able to find a long-lasting landing spot since his departure from the Red Devils.Nani would only spend a year at the Fener before heading to Spain, joining up with Valencia in July 2016 for a season.
The next year Nani headed out on loan to Lazio in Serie A, though he only started two league games for the Italian club.He returned to Sporting in July 2018, and now makes his exit after seven months to the United States.On the international level, Nani had been a fixture for Portugal and started seven games for his country when it won the 2016 European Championship.
However, while the winger made the preliminary roster for the 2018 World Cup, he did not make the final 23 for his country’s journey to Russia.He joins an Orlando City side looking to finally break through in MLS.The Lions joined the league as an expansion side in 2015, but have yet to make the playoffs in their four seasons of existence.
Ramsey will be a big loss for Arsenal and huge gain for Juventus - Wenger
Arsene Wenger admits Aaron Ramsey “will be a loss for Arsenal”, with it likely to be difficult for the Gunners to replace a Juventus-bound midfielder.
Wales international Ramsey is approaching the end of his current deal at the Emirates Stadium and is set to become a free agent in the summer.He already has a lucrative pre-contract agreement in place to link up with the Serie A champions in Turin when freed of his duties in north London.
Wenger was the man to snap Ramsey up for Arsenal as a talented teenager and guide him through a decade of service with the Gunners.He was unable to tie him to fresh terms, though, before stepping aside in 2018 and concedes that a 28-year-old at the peak of his powers is going to be a big miss.
Wenger said of a player he believes will slip seamlessly into Juve’s star-studded squad: "It will be a loss for Arsenal."I must say it will be an interesting move for Ramsey.
"He is a player who is great going forward. His main quality is he can keep the final ball and he makes interesting runs from deep."You don't find many players today who can make midfield runs off the ball. It will be an interesting addition for Juventus."Ramsey has made over 360 appearances for Arsenal and recorded 61 goals.
He has also delivered a steady stream of assists down the years, with his playmaking qualities helping to keep Arsenal ticking over.Unai Emery will be forced into the market for a suitable successor when the next transfer window opens, but finding a replacement will not be easy.
It could be that Denis Suarez is the man to fill the void, with the Spain international having been signed loan from Barcelona, but it remains to be seen how much will be required in order to trigger the option of a permanent deal being put in place.
Arsene Wenger admits Aaron Ramsey “will be a loss for Arsenal”, with it likely to be difficult for the Gunners to replace a Juventus-bound midfielder.
Wales international Ramsey is approaching the end of his current deal at the Emirates Stadium and is set to become a free agent in the summer.He already has a lucrative pre-contract agreement in place to link up with the Serie A champions in Turin when freed of his duties in north London.
Wenger was the man to snap Ramsey up for Arsenal as a talented teenager and guide him through a decade of service with the Gunners.He was unable to tie him to fresh terms, though, before stepping aside in 2018 and concedes that a 28-year-old at the peak of his powers is going to be a big miss.
Wenger said of a player he believes will slip seamlessly into Juve’s star-studded squad: "It will be a loss for Arsenal."I must say it will be an interesting move for Ramsey.
"He is a player who is great going forward. His main quality is he can keep the final ball and he makes interesting runs from deep."You don't find many players today who can make midfield runs off the ball. It will be an interesting addition for Juventus."Ramsey has made over 360 appearances for Arsenal and recorded 61 goals.
He has also delivered a steady stream of assists down the years, with his playmaking qualities helping to keep Arsenal ticking over.Unai Emery will be forced into the market for a suitable successor when the next transfer window opens, but finding a replacement will not be easy.
It could be that Denis Suarez is the man to fill the void, with the Spain international having been signed loan from Barcelona, but it remains to be seen how much will be required in order to trigger the option of a permanent deal being put in place.
'I can imagine myself in Ligue 1' - Mourinho sparks speculation of French connection amid PSG links
Jose Mourinho has suggested that he could make a return to managerial work in Ligue 1 after attending Lille’s home game against Montpellier.
The Portuguese, who has worked as a television pundit since his dismissal by Manchester United in December, was pictured with former France striker Nicolas Anelka at Sunday’s game, which finished in a goalless draw between the two sides.
Mourinho has previously won league titles in his homeland as well as Italy, Spain and England throughout a distinguished career, in addition to a pair of Champions League crowns among other honours and he has now suggested that he could see a future in France.
“I can imagine myself as a coach in Ligue 1,” Mourinho, who previously dismissed speculation he could take charge of Benfica, said to beIN SPORTS.“I am a man who has worked in four different countries, I like to know and learn other cultures. Working in a new championship would be a fantastic experience.“For now I'm calm, I try to live better with my family and friends and I work to get the right opportunity to go back to training.
“Two to three months [without a job] is okay, afterwards it's more difficult. I hope to have the opportunity to come back stronger.“My project is my project as a person and coach, to improve myself, to be better, to think all days about my profession, which is also a passion. But this is not the time to talk with clubs.”
Mourinho, previously linked with taking charge at Paris Saint-Germain, was reportedly a guest of Lille's technical director Luis Campos, with whom he worked at Real Madrid.
Campos - who has been linked with a move to either Chelsea or Manchester United - was sat next to Mourinho, who took a selfie with Lille goalkeeper Kouakou Herve Koffi.Mourinho and his assistants picked up a hefty compensation packing from United following the former’s sacking – though the decision appears to have been the right one for the Red Devils.
Interim replacement Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has subsequently led the club back into the Premier League's top four and suffered only one loss so far, against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Jose Mourinho has suggested that he could make a return to managerial work in Ligue 1 after attending Lille’s home game against Montpellier.
The Portuguese, who has worked as a television pundit since his dismissal by Manchester United in December, was pictured with former France striker Nicolas Anelka at Sunday’s game, which finished in a goalless draw between the two sides.
Mourinho has previously won league titles in his homeland as well as Italy, Spain and England throughout a distinguished career, in addition to a pair of Champions League crowns among other honours and he has now suggested that he could see a future in France.
“I can imagine myself as a coach in Ligue 1,” Mourinho, who previously dismissed speculation he could take charge of Benfica, said to beIN SPORTS.“I am a man who has worked in four different countries, I like to know and learn other cultures. Working in a new championship would be a fantastic experience.“For now I'm calm, I try to live better with my family and friends and I work to get the right opportunity to go back to training.
“Two to three months [without a job] is okay, afterwards it's more difficult. I hope to have the opportunity to come back stronger.“My project is my project as a person and coach, to improve myself, to be better, to think all days about my profession, which is also a passion. But this is not the time to talk with clubs.”
Mourinho, previously linked with taking charge at Paris Saint-Germain, was reportedly a guest of Lille's technical director Luis Campos, with whom he worked at Real Madrid.
Campos - who has been linked with a move to either Chelsea or Manchester United - was sat next to Mourinho, who took a selfie with Lille goalkeeper Kouakou Herve Koffi.Mourinho and his assistants picked up a hefty compensation packing from United following the former’s sacking – though the decision appears to have been the right one for the Red Devils.
Interim replacement Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has subsequently led the club back into the Premier League's top four and suffered only one loss so far, against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Sanchez slump is like waiting for ketchup – Solskjaer
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has likened Alexis Sanchez’s poor form at Manchester United to the agonising wait for ketchup to emerge from a bottle!The Chilean attacker was ineffective once more as a substitute in Tuesday’s home Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain, leading caretaker-boss Solskjaer to proclaim that Sanchez needs to “find himself” out on the field of play.
But as United prepare for Monday’s FA Cup fifth-round trip to Chelsea the Norwegian has backed Sanchez to burst back to form soon, telling his post-match press conference that attempting to coax a performance out of the former Arsenal man reminds him of bashing a bottle of ketchup.“He’s very talented, but of course there’s only so many things you can sit down and talk about and tweak,” said Solskjaer.
“If he could just get that goal I’m sure that would release his confidence. That’s what it’s about when you go through periods when you don’t perform up to your standard because we know there is a very, very good player there.“It’s one of those things. You know that bottle of ketchup when it never comes, but when it suddenly comes there’s loads!“When it comes, it comes. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
With Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard set to miss out for two to three weeks each with groin and hamstring issues respectively, Sanchez could well feature more prominently in the coming fixtures against the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and the return with PSG.
And Solskjaer admits he could do with the 30-year-old finding some form sooner rather than later.
“We need every player to perform to the best level. We are challenging to be top four, challenging against very, very good teams, so you need the players to step up now and you expect that at Manchester United at the end of the season. You always do well towards the end of the season.“The players have had this little set back with the PSG game, maybe a reality check. Their pride has been hurt, and I’m sure they’ll bounce back on Monday.”
Meanwhile, Solskjaer has backed Paul Pogba despite his late sending-off against the French champions for a foul on Dani Alves when attempting to shield the ball.“I know what his intentions were. He was trying to shield the ball, but it can look on VAR or TV like it’s a bad challenge, but Paul is one of them who uses his body really well. He’s unlucky to hit him there.
“For me it’s one of his strengths to shield players off and get away from people. But I’ve been speaking to him about how we move on from this.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has likened Alexis Sanchez’s poor form at Manchester United to the agonising wait for ketchup to emerge from a bottle!The Chilean attacker was ineffective once more as a substitute in Tuesday’s home Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain, leading caretaker-boss Solskjaer to proclaim that Sanchez needs to “find himself” out on the field of play.
But as United prepare for Monday’s FA Cup fifth-round trip to Chelsea the Norwegian has backed Sanchez to burst back to form soon, telling his post-match press conference that attempting to coax a performance out of the former Arsenal man reminds him of bashing a bottle of ketchup.“He’s very talented, but of course there’s only so many things you can sit down and talk about and tweak,” said Solskjaer.
“If he could just get that goal I’m sure that would release his confidence. That’s what it’s about when you go through periods when you don’t perform up to your standard because we know there is a very, very good player there.“It’s one of those things. You know that bottle of ketchup when it never comes, but when it suddenly comes there’s loads!“When it comes, it comes. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
With Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard set to miss out for two to three weeks each with groin and hamstring issues respectively, Sanchez could well feature more prominently in the coming fixtures against the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and the return with PSG.
And Solskjaer admits he could do with the 30-year-old finding some form sooner rather than later.
“We need every player to perform to the best level. We are challenging to be top four, challenging against very, very good teams, so you need the players to step up now and you expect that at Manchester United at the end of the season. You always do well towards the end of the season.“The players have had this little set back with the PSG game, maybe a reality check. Their pride has been hurt, and I’m sure they’ll bounce back on Monday.”
Meanwhile, Solskjaer has backed Paul Pogba despite his late sending-off against the French champions for a foul on Dani Alves when attempting to shield the ball.“I know what his intentions were. He was trying to shield the ball, but it can look on VAR or TV like it’s a bad challenge, but Paul is one of them who uses his body really well. He’s unlucky to hit him there.
“For me it’s one of his strengths to shield players off and get away from people. But I’ve been speaking to him about how we move on from this.”
Chelsea Starting Line-up
Arrizabalaga
Azpilicueta
Luiz
Rudiger
Alonso
Kante
Jorginho
Kovacic
Pedro
Hazard
Higuain
&
Manchester United Starting Line-up
Romero
Young
Lindelof
Smalling
Shaw
Herrera
Matic
Pogba
Mata
Lukaku
Rashford
Full Time
Chelsea 0 Vs 2 Manchester United
Manchester United Goal(s)
A.Herrera 31'
P.Pogba 45'
Manchester United Goal(s)
A.Herrera 31'
P.Pogba 45'
Congratulations Manchester United!
We're into the FA Cup Quarter-finals
Well played everyone
match eka control kala hodatama
Pogba,Rash & Herrera
& next Liverpool.Good luck for the next match Manchester United!
We're into the FA Cup Quarter-finals
Pogba,Rash & Herrera
& next Liverpool.Good luck for the next match Manchester United!
Leeds fined £200,000 following 'Spygate'
Leeds United have been fined £200,000 following 'Spygate', in which a club representative was caught spying on Derby County's training session prior to their upcoming Championship clash, the club have revealed in a statement on their official website.
The EFL have deemed the club to be in breach of Regulation 3.4 - ‘in all matters and transactions relating to the League, each Club shall behave towards each other Club and The League with the utmost good faith.’Consequentially, Marcelo Bielsa's side have been fined £200,000 and have also been issued a formal reprimand that the action must not be repeated.
Furthermore, Leeds have agreed to support the writing of a new EFL regulation that expressly forbids teams from watching an opposition team's training sessions 72 hours prior to a fixture.
EFL Chief Executive Shaun Harvey explained the sanction and revealed that talks would commence later this month regarding the new regulation.“The sanctions imposed highlight how actions such as this cannot be condoned and act as a clear deterrent should any club seek to undertake poor conduct in the future," Harvey said.
"I would like to thank Leeds United for their assistance in helping to bring this matter to a conclusion as quickly as was practically possible.“We will now look to move on from this incident and commence the discussions about introducing a specific regulation at a meeting with all clubs later this month.”
A Leeds United spokesperson responded to the sanction, saying: "We accept that whilst we have not broken any specific rule, we have fallen short of the standard expected by the EFL with regards to regulation 3.4.
“We apologise for acting in a way that has been judged culturally unacceptable in the English game and would like to thank Shaun Harvey and the EFL for the manner in which they conducted their investigations.“Our focus can now return to matters on the field.”
Leeds play Bolton Wanderers in their next league fixture, hoping to return to the summit of the Championship with a win.
Leeds United have been fined £200,000 following 'Spygate', in which a club representative was caught spying on Derby County's training session prior to their upcoming Championship clash, the club have revealed in a statement on their official website.
The EFL have deemed the club to be in breach of Regulation 3.4 - ‘in all matters and transactions relating to the League, each Club shall behave towards each other Club and The League with the utmost good faith.’Consequentially, Marcelo Bielsa's side have been fined £200,000 and have also been issued a formal reprimand that the action must not be repeated.
Furthermore, Leeds have agreed to support the writing of a new EFL regulation that expressly forbids teams from watching an opposition team's training sessions 72 hours prior to a fixture.
EFL Chief Executive Shaun Harvey explained the sanction and revealed that talks would commence later this month regarding the new regulation.“The sanctions imposed highlight how actions such as this cannot be condoned and act as a clear deterrent should any club seek to undertake poor conduct in the future," Harvey said.
"I would like to thank Leeds United for their assistance in helping to bring this matter to a conclusion as quickly as was practically possible.“We will now look to move on from this incident and commence the discussions about introducing a specific regulation at a meeting with all clubs later this month.”
A Leeds United spokesperson responded to the sanction, saying: "We accept that whilst we have not broken any specific rule, we have fallen short of the standard expected by the EFL with regards to regulation 3.4.
“We apologise for acting in a way that has been judged culturally unacceptable in the English game and would like to thank Shaun Harvey and the EFL for the manner in which they conducted their investigations.“Our focus can now return to matters on the field.”
Leeds play Bolton Wanderers in their next league fixture, hoping to return to the summit of the Championship with a win.
Nurnberg 0 Borussia Dortmund 0: Stalemate leaves Bayern within striking distance
Borussia Dortmund sit just three points ahead of Bayern Munich at the Bundesliga summit after a disappointing 0-0 draw against bottom club Nurnberg on Monday.
Bayern's 3-2 win over Augsburg on Friday cranked up the pressure on Lucien Favre's side and they were unable to respond, labouring to just a solitary point against a team that has won only twice in the league this season.Dortmund came up against a goalkeeper in inspired form, Christian Mathenia producing a string of fine saves to frustrate the visiting team's attackers, most notably Mario Gotze.
The result means that Dortmund have now gone five games in all competitions without a win, while Nurnberg are now five points away from safety.
Any thoughts that Dortmund would sweep aside their lowly opponents were dispelled in the early stages with Nurnberg looking significantly more robust than they did during September's 7-0 thumping at Signal Iduna Park.
Their positive start was almost rewarded before the half-hour mark, Hanno Behrens twice going close with headers. His first effort was pawed over by Roman Burki and the unmarked Nurnberg captain powered over from eight yards from the resulting corner.
An out-of-sorts Dortmund belatedly woke from their slumber in the closing stages of the first half, carving out a number of clear opportunities to take the lead.Gotze was twice denied by excellent stops from Mathenia, while Axel Witsel saw a close-range effort deflected into the side netting.Mathenia got down sharply to again deny Gotze shortly after the break, while the Germany international flashed wide from a promising position soon after.
Substitute Jacob Bruun Larsen had a late strike rightly ruled out for offside, but all three points would have flattered Favre's stuttering side, who could be level on points with Bayern by the time they host Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.
Borussia Dortmund sit just three points ahead of Bayern Munich at the Bundesliga summit after a disappointing 0-0 draw against bottom club Nurnberg on Monday.
Bayern's 3-2 win over Augsburg on Friday cranked up the pressure on Lucien Favre's side and they were unable to respond, labouring to just a solitary point against a team that has won only twice in the league this season.Dortmund came up against a goalkeeper in inspired form, Christian Mathenia producing a string of fine saves to frustrate the visiting team's attackers, most notably Mario Gotze.
The result means that Dortmund have now gone five games in all competitions without a win, while Nurnberg are now five points away from safety.
Any thoughts that Dortmund would sweep aside their lowly opponents were dispelled in the early stages with Nurnberg looking significantly more robust than they did during September's 7-0 thumping at Signal Iduna Park.
Their positive start was almost rewarded before the half-hour mark, Hanno Behrens twice going close with headers. His first effort was pawed over by Roman Burki and the unmarked Nurnberg captain powered over from eight yards from the resulting corner.
An out-of-sorts Dortmund belatedly woke from their slumber in the closing stages of the first half, carving out a number of clear opportunities to take the lead.Gotze was twice denied by excellent stops from Mathenia, while Axel Witsel saw a close-range effort deflected into the side netting.Mathenia got down sharply to again deny Gotze shortly after the break, while the Germany international flashed wide from a promising position soon after.
Substitute Jacob Bruun Larsen had a late strike rightly ruled out for offside, but all three points would have flattered Favre's stuttering side, who could be level on points with Bayern by the time they host Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.
Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2: Solskjaer's men bounce back to reach FA Cup quarter-finals
Manchester United provided a fine response to their Paris Saint-Germain defeat by beating Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge to secure a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
It was said Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's so-called honeymoon period as United interim manager was ended by the 2-0 Champions League loss to PSG, but his team bounced back excellently – the Norwegian getting his tactics spot on despite the injury-enforced absences of Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard.
Although Chelsea initially looked the brighter of the two sides, United gradually improved and were good value for the lead when Ander Herrera nodded in from close range in the 31st minute, and Paul Pogba – provider for the opener – made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time.
In desperate need of a route back into the contest, Chelsea increased the intensity after half-time and generally controlled proceedings, but they could not find a way past the solid backline of a United side who find themselves two wins from the final.
Chelsea appeared to be shading an open contest during the early exchanges – Sergio Romero producing two saves in quick succession to keep David Luiz's free-kick and Pedro's volley out in the 11th minute.But United got a foothold and took the lead just past the half-hour mark, as Herrera beat Kepa Arrizabalaga with a stooping header from Pogba's sublime cross.
The visitors increased their lead just before half-time, as Pogba released Marcus Rashford up the right flank and then met the striker's pinpoint right-wing delivery with a towering header.Chelsea became more productive after the interval, though United's defence thwarted them time and time again – Chris Smalling twice blocking efforts from Gonzalo Higuain.
Despite Chelsea's dominance towards the end, chances just would not present themselves and United had little difficulty holding on.
FA Cup quarter-final draw: Man Utd face Wolves as Man City draw Swansea
Manchester United will face Wolves while Manchester City will take on Swansea City in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
The draw was held on Monday following the conclusion of the fifth round of FA Cup play as Manchester United beat Chelsea to complete the set of eight matches.Quarter-final matches will be played on the weekend of March 16 with the winners booking a date in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium on April 6.
Manchester United advanced to the quarter-final after taking down reigning champions Chelsea by a 2-0 scoreline on Monday thanks to goals from Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba.A trip away to Wolves will be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's next task after the fellow Premier League side edged Bristol City 1-0 to advance to the quarters.
The Red Devils have lost just once since the former Norway forward took charge, coming in a 2-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 battle.
Manchester United's crosstown rivals, Manchester City, had little problem with League Two side Newport County, as the Premier League title contenders picked up a 4-1 victory away from home.
With that victory, Pep Guardiola's side has now won four straight since a stunning Premier League loss to Newcastle, with the aggregate score of those matches coming to 15-2.
Now, they will take on Swansea, who cruised past Brentford 4-1 in Wales in their fifth-round matchup. The reigning Premier League champions face a visit to the Liberty Stadium for the tie.Swansea, along with Millwall, are the lowest-ranking remaining sides in the competition as the six other teams remaining are all representing the Premier League.
Millwall, currently sitting 20th in the Championship, will play host to Brighton & Hove Albion after edging AFC Wimbledon in their fifth-round match. Brighton, meanwhile, held on for a tight 2-1 victory over Derby County in their last match.The final tie will pit two Premier League sides against one another as Watford are set to host Crystal Palace at Vicarage Road.
Watford currently sit eighth in the Premier League and are fresh off a 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers while Palace are 13th in the league with a 2-0 win over Doncaster Rovers pushing them to the quarter-final round.
FA Cup fifth round draw in full:
Manchester United will face Wolves while Manchester City will take on Swansea City in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
The draw was held on Monday following the conclusion of the fifth round of FA Cup play as Manchester United beat Chelsea to complete the set of eight matches.Quarter-final matches will be played on the weekend of March 16 with the winners booking a date in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium on April 6.
Manchester United advanced to the quarter-final after taking down reigning champions Chelsea by a 2-0 scoreline on Monday thanks to goals from Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba.A trip away to Wolves will be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's next task after the fellow Premier League side edged Bristol City 1-0 to advance to the quarters.
The Red Devils have lost just once since the former Norway forward took charge, coming in a 2-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 battle.
Manchester United's crosstown rivals, Manchester City, had little problem with League Two side Newport County, as the Premier League title contenders picked up a 4-1 victory away from home.
With that victory, Pep Guardiola's side has now won four straight since a stunning Premier League loss to Newcastle, with the aggregate score of those matches coming to 15-2.
Now, they will take on Swansea, who cruised past Brentford 4-1 in Wales in their fifth-round matchup. The reigning Premier League champions face a visit to the Liberty Stadium for the tie.Swansea, along with Millwall, are the lowest-ranking remaining sides in the competition as the six other teams remaining are all representing the Premier League.
Millwall, currently sitting 20th in the Championship, will play host to Brighton & Hove Albion after edging AFC Wimbledon in their fifth-round match. Brighton, meanwhile, held on for a tight 2-1 victory over Derby County in their last match.The final tie will pit two Premier League sides against one another as Watford are set to host Crystal Palace at Vicarage Road.
Watford currently sit eighth in the Premier League and are fresh off a 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers while Palace are 13th in the league with a 2-0 win over Doncaster Rovers pushing them to the quarter-final round.
FA Cup fifth round draw in full:
- Swansea vs. Manchester City
- Watford vs. Crystal Palace
- Wolves vs. Manchester United
- Millwall vs. Brighton
