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..::Football IV::..
- Thread starter Wolverine GTR
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Bologna 0-1 AC Milan: Bacca penalty keeps visitors' European hopes alive
AC Milan moved back into Serie A's top six as Carlos Bacca's first-half penalty secured a 1-0 victory at 10-man Bologna on Saturday.
A run of just one win in their last nine league games had seen the visitors slip out of the Europa League places ahead of their trip to the Stadio Renato Dell'Ara.But helped by the hosts losing Amadou Diawara to a red card after just 12 minutes, they ground out their sixth away win of the league campaign to move two points above Sassuolo, who visit struggling Frosinone on Sunday.
Cristian Brocchi's men can also secure a Europa League berth by beating Juventus in the Coppa Italia final later this month, but given the champions' remarkable form a sixth-placed finish would appear to be a more likely proposition, even though they host in-form Roma in their final game of the season.
Bologna, meanwhile, showed plenty of heart in their last home fixture of the campaign, but never really looked like ending their 14-year wait for a home league win against Milan once Diawara saw red for the second time this season.
Former Milan favourite Roberto Donadoni could hardly conceal his frustration in the home dugout - Adam Masina correctly denied an equaliser by the offside flag a minute from time - as his side's miserable recent record was extended to just one win from 12 outings.
In a feisty opening to the game, Bologna had strong appeals for a penalty waved away after Alessio Romagnoli appeared to wrestle Sergio Floccari to the ground, before finding themselves reduced to 10 men inside quarter of an hour.
Diawara had already been booked following an altercation with Jose Mauri close to halfway and when the teenage midfielder then lunged in at Riccardo Montolivo moments later, the red card was inevitable.
The hosts had looked the more likely up until that point, but Milan swiftly brought their numerical superiority to bear as they piled on the pressure.
Mauri failed to hit the target with the visitors' first real opportunity, firing wide from the edge of the box on 29 minutes, before a heavy final touch from Bacca prevented him from breaking the deadlock shortly afterwards.
Bacca was not to be denied five minutes before the break, however, rifling home his 17th league goal of the season from the spot after Luiz Adriano had been upended in the box by home goalkeeper Angelo Da Costa.
Adriano came close to making it 2-0 early in the second half when he glanced a header narrowly wide, while in a rare Bologna attacking foray on the hour-mark, Daniele Gastaldello saw his close-range effort flash past the post with Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma beaten.
Bacca and Adriano were both foiled late on as Brocchi's side finished the stronger, but a combination of desperate defending and fine goalkeeping from Da Costa kept the gutsy hosts in the contest right to the final whistle.
And to complete Bologna's misery, they thought they had salvaged a point in the dying moments, only for Masina's close-range effort to be correctly ruled out for offside.
AC Milan moved back into Serie A's top six as Carlos Bacca's first-half penalty secured a 1-0 victory at 10-man Bologna on Saturday.
A run of just one win in their last nine league games had seen the visitors slip out of the Europa League places ahead of their trip to the Stadio Renato Dell'Ara.But helped by the hosts losing Amadou Diawara to a red card after just 12 minutes, they ground out their sixth away win of the league campaign to move two points above Sassuolo, who visit struggling Frosinone on Sunday.
Cristian Brocchi's men can also secure a Europa League berth by beating Juventus in the Coppa Italia final later this month, but given the champions' remarkable form a sixth-placed finish would appear to be a more likely proposition, even though they host in-form Roma in their final game of the season.
Bologna, meanwhile, showed plenty of heart in their last home fixture of the campaign, but never really looked like ending their 14-year wait for a home league win against Milan once Diawara saw red for the second time this season.
Former Milan favourite Roberto Donadoni could hardly conceal his frustration in the home dugout - Adam Masina correctly denied an equaliser by the offside flag a minute from time - as his side's miserable recent record was extended to just one win from 12 outings.
In a feisty opening to the game, Bologna had strong appeals for a penalty waved away after Alessio Romagnoli appeared to wrestle Sergio Floccari to the ground, before finding themselves reduced to 10 men inside quarter of an hour.
Diawara had already been booked following an altercation with Jose Mauri close to halfway and when the teenage midfielder then lunged in at Riccardo Montolivo moments later, the red card was inevitable.
The hosts had looked the more likely up until that point, but Milan swiftly brought their numerical superiority to bear as they piled on the pressure.
Mauri failed to hit the target with the visitors' first real opportunity, firing wide from the edge of the box on 29 minutes, before a heavy final touch from Bacca prevented him from breaking the deadlock shortly afterwards.
Bacca was not to be denied five minutes before the break, however, rifling home his 17th league goal of the season from the spot after Luiz Adriano had been upended in the box by home goalkeeper Angelo Da Costa.
Adriano came close to making it 2-0 early in the second half when he glanced a header narrowly wide, while in a rare Bologna attacking foray on the hour-mark, Daniele Gastaldello saw his close-range effort flash past the post with Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma beaten.
Bacca and Adriano were both foiled late on as Brocchi's side finished the stronger, but a combination of desperate defending and fine goalkeeping from Da Costa kept the gutsy hosts in the contest right to the final whistle.
And to complete Bologna's misery, they thought they had salvaged a point in the dying moments, only for Masina's close-range effort to be correctly ruled out for offside.
Gazelec Ajaccio 0-4 Paris Saint-Germain: Cavani hat-trick sees champions ease to victory
Edinson Cavani scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain broke the Ligue 1 points record with a 4-0 win at Gazelec Ajaccio.PSG had already equalled the previous record of 89, set by themselves in 2013-14, but Cavani's treble moved them onto 92 points with two games left to play.
Cavani scored the only goal of a low-key first half but doubled his tally four minutes into the second, with Angel Di Maria providing the assist for both.
A third followed two minutes short of the hour mark before Zlatan Ibrahimovic got in on the act with a late fourth.
The result, combined with Toulouse's 1-0 victory over the already-relegated Troyes, sees Gazelec drop into the relegation zone, although Reims' defeat by the same scoreline in Marseille ensures just one point separates the three sides heading into a crucial final round of fixtures.
Both sides made a slow start at the tiny Stade Ange Casanova, but it was predictably PSG who made the breakthrough after 13 minutes.Goalkeeper Clement Maury rushed off his line to meet a Di Maria cross from the right, getting nowhere near the ball and allowing Cavani to head home.
Di Maria looked hurt after going down under the challenge of Kader Mangane but was able to carry on, and Gazelec had to wait until the 24th minute for their first sight of goal, Roderic Filippi heading wide of the right-hand post.
Di Maria was central to much of PSG's play in the first half and almost added his name to the scoresheet with an audacious, perhaps inadvertent, free-kick attempt that sailed over a backtracking Maury and bounced behind off the top of the crossbar.
Mangane drew the ire of PSG once again when he clashed with Cavani in the box and referee Mikael Lesage waved play on, but the Uruguayan would add to his tally early in the second period.Di Maria was again the provider and Cavani beat defender Alassane Toure with his first touch before slotting past Maury.
Ibrahimovic had a quiet first half but felt he should have had a penalty when stopped in his tracks by an uncompromising Issiaga Sylla challenge shortly after Cavani’s second, and almost added a third after teeing himself up for a header that went just wide.
Cavani's hat-trick was complete when he was allowed to wander unmarked into the Gazelec penalty area and head in a Layvin Kurzawa cross, before being immediately withdrawn by coach Laurent Blanc - a solid return for an hour's work.
Gazelec, who now need a result from their season-closing trip to Lorient, saw a Khalid Boutaib effort headed off the line by a stooping Thiago Silva late on, before Ibrahimovic rounded off the scoring with his 35th Ligue 1 goal of the season.
Edinson Cavani scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain broke the Ligue 1 points record with a 4-0 win at Gazelec Ajaccio.PSG had already equalled the previous record of 89, set by themselves in 2013-14, but Cavani's treble moved them onto 92 points with two games left to play.
Cavani scored the only goal of a low-key first half but doubled his tally four minutes into the second, with Angel Di Maria providing the assist for both.
A third followed two minutes short of the hour mark before Zlatan Ibrahimovic got in on the act with a late fourth.
The result, combined with Toulouse's 1-0 victory over the already-relegated Troyes, sees Gazelec drop into the relegation zone, although Reims' defeat by the same scoreline in Marseille ensures just one point separates the three sides heading into a crucial final round of fixtures.
Both sides made a slow start at the tiny Stade Ange Casanova, but it was predictably PSG who made the breakthrough after 13 minutes.Goalkeeper Clement Maury rushed off his line to meet a Di Maria cross from the right, getting nowhere near the ball and allowing Cavani to head home.
Di Maria looked hurt after going down under the challenge of Kader Mangane but was able to carry on, and Gazelec had to wait until the 24th minute for their first sight of goal, Roderic Filippi heading wide of the right-hand post.
Di Maria was central to much of PSG's play in the first half and almost added his name to the scoresheet with an audacious, perhaps inadvertent, free-kick attempt that sailed over a backtracking Maury and bounced behind off the top of the crossbar.
Mangane drew the ire of PSG once again when he clashed with Cavani in the box and referee Mikael Lesage waved play on, but the Uruguayan would add to his tally early in the second period.Di Maria was again the provider and Cavani beat defender Alassane Toure with his first touch before slotting past Maury.
Ibrahimovic had a quiet first half but felt he should have had a penalty when stopped in his tracks by an uncompromising Issiaga Sylla challenge shortly after Cavani’s second, and almost added a third after teeing himself up for a header that went just wide.
Cavani's hat-trick was complete when he was allowed to wander unmarked into the Gazelec penalty area and head in a Layvin Kurzawa cross, before being immediately withdrawn by coach Laurent Blanc - a solid return for an hour's work.
Gazelec, who now need a result from their season-closing trip to Lorient, saw a Khalid Boutaib effort headed off the line by a stooping Thiago Silva late on, before Ibrahimovic rounded off the scoring with his 35th Ligue 1 goal of the season.
No positives for Everton - Martinez
Under-pressure Everton manager Roberto Martinez admitted there were no positives to take from his side's 3-1 defeat at newly-crowned Premier League champions Leicester City.
Leicester celebrated their title in style on Saturday, as Jamie Vardy's double and an Andy King goal put Claudio Ranieri's team firmly in command at the King Power Stadium, before Kevin Mirallas snatched a consolation late on.
The rampant hosts could easily have scored more than three, though, had Vardy converted his second penalty of the game. Meanwhile, Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles made several good saves.And Martinez was left downcast after the match."I don't think there were any positives to take from today. Not at all," the Spaniard said.
"While this is a day for Leicester City and to celebrate them - they have achieved an incredible feat in winning the Premier League and deservedly so - from our point of view it was very disappointing.
"We never turned up and we never understood what was needed. I think we thought we were part of a celebration and that it was a footballing occasion that you could just concentrate about what we were doing on the ball.
"We looked like a group of individuals and I thought, off the ball, we didn't have any intensity or concentration and when you do that against any team you'll get punished, but especially against Leicester, who have won the league on the basis of being very intense.
"In any team you have to have aspects that will allow you to grow in a performance and get a win. We had that last week against Bournemouth and this week we looked like a different side."
Under-pressure Everton manager Roberto Martinez admitted there were no positives to take from his side's 3-1 defeat at newly-crowned Premier League champions Leicester City.
Leicester celebrated their title in style on Saturday, as Jamie Vardy's double and an Andy King goal put Claudio Ranieri's team firmly in command at the King Power Stadium, before Kevin Mirallas snatched a consolation late on.
The rampant hosts could easily have scored more than three, though, had Vardy converted his second penalty of the game. Meanwhile, Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles made several good saves.And Martinez was left downcast after the match."I don't think there were any positives to take from today. Not at all," the Spaniard said.
"While this is a day for Leicester City and to celebrate them - they have achieved an incredible feat in winning the Premier League and deservedly so - from our point of view it was very disappointing.
"We never turned up and we never understood what was needed. I think we thought we were part of a celebration and that it was a footballing occasion that you could just concentrate about what we were doing on the ball.
"We looked like a group of individuals and I thought, off the ball, we didn't have any intensity or concentration and when you do that against any team you'll get punished, but especially against Leicester, who have won the league on the basis of being very intense.
"In any team you have to have aspects that will allow you to grow in a performance and get a win. We had that last week against Bournemouth and this week we looked like a different side."
Leicester always believed in Premier League title, says Morgan
Leicester City captain Wes Morgan insists the team always believed in their chances of completing their astounding Premier League title triumph.
Claudio Ranieri's side lifted the trophy after a 3-1 win over Everton on Saturday, ending a week of celebrations in suitable style in front of a packed King Power Stadium.
The manager claimed afterwards that he felt as though they had a real chance of winning the title after their 3-1 win over Manchester City and narrow 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in February, a game in which they played the majority of the second half with 10 men.Morgan, however, says the players never allowed thoughts of a possible collapse to enter their minds.
"I'm emotionally drained, it's an unbelievable feeling," he told Sky Sports after lifting the trophy. "I had to hold back the tears walking to the podium. It's the best feeling in the world."Everyone's been going on about how I'm going to lift it, is it heavy, will I drop it - it's put a bit of pressure on me, to be honest!
"It's unbelievable, it's hard to describe. It's like a dream, but now a reality. We've always believed, it's the people around us who didn't. But we knew we were as good if not better than all the others on our day. It's about concentrating, ignoring what's around us."We're such a tight bunch of guys, we do everything together, there's no egos among us.
"It's a big, big season next season but right now we just want to enjoy the moment. I don't know what the Champions League feels like but I'll enjoy every minute of it."Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel exchanged heated words with his defenders after Kevin Mirallas scored a late consolation in Saturday's victory over a disappointing Everton.
And the 29-year-old, who celebrated the title win with father Peter - a five-time champion with Manchester United - believes that level of determination has set Leicester apart throughout the season.
"I can't quite believe I'm standing here, it's absolutely amazing," he said. "This is what dreams are made of. It's hard to put into words."It's a beautiful trophy. It was a tough game today, knowing we'd be presented with it, we had to focus and I thought we played absolutely fantastically, it's a testament to our character.
"We were disappointed today because we conceded a goal and missed a lot of chances. but that's the type of group we are. We were raging when we let the goal in, all the defenders were screaming.
"You can see everywhere we go, we've had a fantastic response, we've had standing ovations at numerous grounds - that brings you goose bumps."
Leicester City captain Wes Morgan insists the team always believed in their chances of completing their astounding Premier League title triumph.
Claudio Ranieri's side lifted the trophy after a 3-1 win over Everton on Saturday, ending a week of celebrations in suitable style in front of a packed King Power Stadium.
The manager claimed afterwards that he felt as though they had a real chance of winning the title after their 3-1 win over Manchester City and narrow 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in February, a game in which they played the majority of the second half with 10 men.Morgan, however, says the players never allowed thoughts of a possible collapse to enter their minds.
"I'm emotionally drained, it's an unbelievable feeling," he told Sky Sports after lifting the trophy. "I had to hold back the tears walking to the podium. It's the best feeling in the world."Everyone's been going on about how I'm going to lift it, is it heavy, will I drop it - it's put a bit of pressure on me, to be honest!
"It's unbelievable, it's hard to describe. It's like a dream, but now a reality. We've always believed, it's the people around us who didn't. But we knew we were as good if not better than all the others on our day. It's about concentrating, ignoring what's around us."We're such a tight bunch of guys, we do everything together, there's no egos among us.
"It's a big, big season next season but right now we just want to enjoy the moment. I don't know what the Champions League feels like but I'll enjoy every minute of it."Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel exchanged heated words with his defenders after Kevin Mirallas scored a late consolation in Saturday's victory over a disappointing Everton.
And the 29-year-old, who celebrated the title win with father Peter - a five-time champion with Manchester United - believes that level of determination has set Leicester apart throughout the season.
"I can't quite believe I'm standing here, it's absolutely amazing," he said. "This is what dreams are made of. It's hard to put into words."It's a beautiful trophy. It was a tough game today, knowing we'd be presented with it, we had to focus and I thought we played absolutely fantastically, it's a testament to our character.
"We were disappointed today because we conceded a goal and missed a lot of chances. but that's the type of group we are. We were raging when we let the goal in, all the defenders were screaming.
"You can see everywhere we go, we've had a fantastic response, we've had standing ovations at numerous grounds - that brings you goose bumps."
Mancini promises improvement from Inter
Roberto Mancini promised there is more to come from Inter next season as the penultimate game of another frustrating Serie A campaign ended in a 2-1 victory over Empoli on Saturday.
First-half goals from Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic - either side of a Manuel Pucciarelli equaliser - was enough for Inter to secure the points, and a fourth-placed finish, in their last match at San Siro this season.
Inter were top of the table by the mid-season break, but a disappointing second half of the campaign saw their title hopes fade and they also fell away from contention for the Champions League.
Head coach Mancini is adamant Inter have made clear progress this term, but accepts there is plenty of work to do to return Inter to the top domestically and in Europe.
"We would not have finished fourth if we did everything right. The position is what we deserve, because we threw away what we had done for the first six months," Mancini told Tuttomercatoweb."In Italy we are quick to criticise all aspects of a team, but instead you have to see the good things that a team does, and we have made progress.
"We will seek to strengthen the team, but this is still the best season of the last five years."We thank the fans who came to San Siro, we hope next year to be able to give them some extra satisfaction."
Mancini believes the victory at Empoli shows the manner in which Inter must close out matches if they are to reduce the gulf in class between themselves and champions Juventus."We have to improve many things, the technical quality, the desire to fight and we must learn not to give anything away in times of difficulty, like how Juve do," he added.
"Surely we have to improve our quality, this is crucial. The gap between Juve and the other teams is huge."
Roberto Mancini promised there is more to come from Inter next season as the penultimate game of another frustrating Serie A campaign ended in a 2-1 victory over Empoli on Saturday.
First-half goals from Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic - either side of a Manuel Pucciarelli equaliser - was enough for Inter to secure the points, and a fourth-placed finish, in their last match at San Siro this season.
Inter were top of the table by the mid-season break, but a disappointing second half of the campaign saw their title hopes fade and they also fell away from contention for the Champions League.
Head coach Mancini is adamant Inter have made clear progress this term, but accepts there is plenty of work to do to return Inter to the top domestically and in Europe.
"We would not have finished fourth if we did everything right. The position is what we deserve, because we threw away what we had done for the first six months," Mancini told Tuttomercatoweb."In Italy we are quick to criticise all aspects of a team, but instead you have to see the good things that a team does, and we have made progress.
"We will seek to strengthen the team, but this is still the best season of the last five years."We thank the fans who came to San Siro, we hope next year to be able to give them some extra satisfaction."
Mancini believes the victory at Empoli shows the manner in which Inter must close out matches if they are to reduce the gulf in class between themselves and champions Juventus."We have to improve many things, the technical quality, the desire to fight and we must learn not to give anything away in times of difficulty, like how Juve do," he added.
"Surely we have to improve our quality, this is crucial. The gap between Juve and the other teams is huge."
Pochettino can do something special with Tottenham, says Fonte
Tottenham's Premier League title challenge may have come up short, but Jose Fonte has backed his former coach Mauricio Pochettino to guide the club to success in the near future.Spurs saw their title aspirations come to an end on Monday after surrendering a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The result meant Leicester City were crowned top-flight champions for the first time in their 132-year history, with Tottenham still searching for their first title in 55 years.However Fonte, who played under Pochettino when the Argentine was in charge of Southampton, believes Tottenham are not far off creating history.
"I've been managed by Mauricio at Southampton and he's up there with the best managers I've ever had. Him and Ronald Koeman are probably the best," the Southampton skipper said.
"What he's done at Tottenham doesn't surprise me."I know how hard they work, so what he has done with this young squad is amazing and he deserves all of the credit he gets.
"If they sign a new contract with Mauricio and if they manage to keep everyone together, I think they have a good chance to do something special next year."They have a young squad full of talent and a great manager. If they can add one or two more players, they will again be competing next year."
Tottenham's Premier League title challenge may have come up short, but Jose Fonte has backed his former coach Mauricio Pochettino to guide the club to success in the near future.Spurs saw their title aspirations come to an end on Monday after surrendering a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The result meant Leicester City were crowned top-flight champions for the first time in their 132-year history, with Tottenham still searching for their first title in 55 years.However Fonte, who played under Pochettino when the Argentine was in charge of Southampton, believes Tottenham are not far off creating history.
"I've been managed by Mauricio at Southampton and he's up there with the best managers I've ever had. Him and Ronald Koeman are probably the best," the Southampton skipper said.
"What he's done at Tottenham doesn't surprise me."I know how hard they work, so what he has done with this young squad is amazing and he deserves all of the credit he gets.
"If they sign a new contract with Mauricio and if they manage to keep everyone together, I think they have a good chance to do something special next year."They have a young squad full of talent and a great manager. If they can add one or two more players, they will again be competing next year."
Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2016.05.08
Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2016.05.08
Tottenham Vs Southampton
Liverpool Vs Watford
Manchester City Vs Arsenal
LA Liga Fixtures 2016.05.08
LA Liga Fixtures 2016.05.08
Barcelona Vs Espanyol
Celta Vigo Vs Malaga
Eibar Vs Real Betis
Getafe Vs Sporting Gijon
Las Palmas Vs Athletic Bilbao
Levante Vs Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid Vs Valencia
Real Sociedad Vs Rayo Vallecano
Sevilla Vs Granada
Villareal Vs Deportivo
Barcelona Vs Espanyol
Celta Vigo Vs Malaga
Eibar Vs Real Betis
Getafe Vs Sporting Gijon
Las Palmas Vs Athletic Bilbao
Levante Vs Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid Vs Valencia
Real Sociedad Vs Rayo Vallecano
Sevilla Vs Granada
Villareal Vs Deportivo
Serie A Fixtures 2016.05.08
Serie A Fixtures 2016.05.08
Roma Vs Chievo
Atalanta Vs Udinese
Carpi Vs Lazio
Fiorentina Vs Palermo
Frosione Vs Sassuolo
Sampdoria Vs Genoa
Hellas Verona Vs Juventus
Torino Vs Napoli
Roma Vs Chievo
Atalanta Vs Udinese
Carpi Vs Lazio
Fiorentina Vs Palermo
Frosione Vs Sassuolo
Sampdoria Vs Genoa
Hellas Verona Vs Juventus
Torino Vs Napoli
De Boer interested in Everton and Valencia - agent
Frank De Boer would be interested in swapping Ajax for Valencia or Everton next season should the opportunity arise, according to his agent.
The former Netherlands international has been linked with a host of clubs around Europe after impressing with Ajax - the 45-year-old winning four Eredivisie titles since taking charge in 2010.
De Boer has another year remaining on his contract at the Amsterdam ArenA but speculation about his future has already begun, with the Premier League and La Liga touted as potential destinations.
And De Boer's representative Guido Albers has confirmed the Ajax boss would be tempted were offers to come his way at the end of the 2015-16 campaign, but insists talks have yet to take place."He'd love to join a club like Everton or Valencia," Albers told NOS. "It's all about the right philosophy and how they play football. That is what Frank is looking for.
"I have told Ajax that there is no other club and I have not held discussions with anyone. Frank says he now needs his focus on becoming champions, so I do not trouble him."
Frank De Boer would be interested in swapping Ajax for Valencia or Everton next season should the opportunity arise, according to his agent.
The former Netherlands international has been linked with a host of clubs around Europe after impressing with Ajax - the 45-year-old winning four Eredivisie titles since taking charge in 2010.
De Boer has another year remaining on his contract at the Amsterdam ArenA but speculation about his future has already begun, with the Premier League and La Liga touted as potential destinations.
And De Boer's representative Guido Albers has confirmed the Ajax boss would be tempted were offers to come his way at the end of the 2015-16 campaign, but insists talks have yet to take place."He'd love to join a club like Everton or Valencia," Albers told NOS. "It's all about the right philosophy and how they play football. That is what Frank is looking for.
"I have told Ajax that there is no other club and I have not held discussions with anyone. Frank says he now needs his focus on becoming champions, so I do not trouble him."
Southgate: Middlesbrough have every chance of success in Premier League
Former Middlesbrough player and manager Gareth Southgate is confident they will succeed in the Premier League after winning promotion as Championship runners-up.
Boro's seven-year absence from the top flight was brought to an end on Saturday as they drew 1-1 at home with 10-man Brighton and Hove Albion to take second spot ahead of their visitors.Southgate played for Boro between 2001 and 2006 before going to manage the Teesiders until 2009 when he was sacked with the club fourth in the second tier.
And he was quick to praise the job done by boss Aitor Karanka, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's fantastic closure for them. Aitor's done a fantastic job, they've recruited really well and that's key – we've seen that with [Premier League champions] Leicester.
"I think there will be a momentum with Middlesbrough. I think for the next couple of years, maintaining that status will be seen as a positive."The expectations will be a bit lower, but the energy in the stadium will give the team every chance of success."
The Teesiders were relegated in 19th place in 2009 after winning just one of their final 11 league fixtures, finishing three points off safety.
Former Middlesbrough player and manager Gareth Southgate is confident they will succeed in the Premier League after winning promotion as Championship runners-up.
Boro's seven-year absence from the top flight was brought to an end on Saturday as they drew 1-1 at home with 10-man Brighton and Hove Albion to take second spot ahead of their visitors.Southgate played for Boro between 2001 and 2006 before going to manage the Teesiders until 2009 when he was sacked with the club fourth in the second tier.
And he was quick to praise the job done by boss Aitor Karanka, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's fantastic closure for them. Aitor's done a fantastic job, they've recruited really well and that's key – we've seen that with [Premier League champions] Leicester.
"I think there will be a momentum with Middlesbrough. I think for the next couple of years, maintaining that status will be seen as a positive."The expectations will be a bit lower, but the energy in the stadium will give the team every chance of success."
The Teesiders were relegated in 19th place in 2009 after winning just one of their final 11 league fixtures, finishing three points off safety.
Tottenham 1-2 Southampton: Davis scores twice as Saints stage comeback
Southampton came from behind to beat Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday, thanks to two goals from Steven Davis.
The Northern Ireland international produced a fine winning goal in the closing 20 minutes to seal all three points and move Ronald Koeman's side above West Ham and into the final Europa League place.
Spurs – who are in danger of losing their grip on second spot – went into the game having seen their title aspirations ended by Chelsea last time out, but they started well and were ahead early on through Son Heung-min.
Davis pegged them back with a simple finish that Hugo Lloris should have done better with, while Shane Long missed an early second-half chance to put the visitors ahead.
It mattered little, though, as Davis placed a low effort beyond Lloris to complete their comeback and deliver another blow to Spurs' chances of surpassing their best Premier League points total of 72.
Defeat means Mauricio Pochettino's side need to beat Newcastle United on the final day to move on to 73 points and guarantee their place in the top three, without having to rely on other results.
With plenty on the line for both sides the game began at a frantic pace and the impressive Christian Eriksen was immediately to the fore, the Denmark international testing Fraser Forster in the fifth minute.
Having soaked up the early Spurs pressure, Southampton – unchanged from their win over Manchester City – enjoyed success on the counter-attack, with Dusan Tadic and Ryan Bertrand flashing low crosses across Lloris' goal.
It was the hosts who broke the deadlock, though, as Son collected Eriksen's pass before dancing around Forster and two defenders to tap into an unguarded goal in the 16th minute for Spurs' 68th of the season – their most in a single Premier League season.
Harry Kane and Eriksen both wasted chances to double Spurs' advantage and they were made to pay as Davis levelled just after the half hour, the midfielder converting Tadic's pass from close range.
The home side – who recalled Ryan Mason for the suspended Mousa Dembele – should have been back in front by the break, but Forster was on hand to deny Kane in stoppage time.Long was presented with a glorious chance from Tadic's pinpoint cross nine minutes after the restart as the Republic of Ireland international rose above Danny Rose, but failed to get enough on his header.
After a water break in the 69th minute due to the soaring temperatures, Southampton caught their hosts napping with the winning goal.Davis exchanged passes with Tadic on the edge of the Tottenham penalty area, jinked away from one defender and found the bottom corner with a precise finish.
Pochettino's men pushed for an equaliser in the closing minutes, but Kane and Erik Lamela were wasteful and Nacer Chadli was brilliantly denied by Forster as Southampton clung on for the win, moving them onto 60 points – equalling their club record set last season.
Southampton came from behind to beat Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday, thanks to two goals from Steven Davis.
The Northern Ireland international produced a fine winning goal in the closing 20 minutes to seal all three points and move Ronald Koeman's side above West Ham and into the final Europa League place.
Spurs – who are in danger of losing their grip on second spot – went into the game having seen their title aspirations ended by Chelsea last time out, but they started well and were ahead early on through Son Heung-min.
Davis pegged them back with a simple finish that Hugo Lloris should have done better with, while Shane Long missed an early second-half chance to put the visitors ahead.
It mattered little, though, as Davis placed a low effort beyond Lloris to complete their comeback and deliver another blow to Spurs' chances of surpassing their best Premier League points total of 72.
Defeat means Mauricio Pochettino's side need to beat Newcastle United on the final day to move on to 73 points and guarantee their place in the top three, without having to rely on other results.
With plenty on the line for both sides the game began at a frantic pace and the impressive Christian Eriksen was immediately to the fore, the Denmark international testing Fraser Forster in the fifth minute.
Having soaked up the early Spurs pressure, Southampton – unchanged from their win over Manchester City – enjoyed success on the counter-attack, with Dusan Tadic and Ryan Bertrand flashing low crosses across Lloris' goal.
It was the hosts who broke the deadlock, though, as Son collected Eriksen's pass before dancing around Forster and two defenders to tap into an unguarded goal in the 16th minute for Spurs' 68th of the season – their most in a single Premier League season.
Harry Kane and Eriksen both wasted chances to double Spurs' advantage and they were made to pay as Davis levelled just after the half hour, the midfielder converting Tadic's pass from close range.
The home side – who recalled Ryan Mason for the suspended Mousa Dembele – should have been back in front by the break, but Forster was on hand to deny Kane in stoppage time.Long was presented with a glorious chance from Tadic's pinpoint cross nine minutes after the restart as the Republic of Ireland international rose above Danny Rose, but failed to get enough on his header.
After a water break in the 69th minute due to the soaring temperatures, Southampton caught their hosts napping with the winning goal.Davis exchanged passes with Tadic on the edge of the Tottenham penalty area, jinked away from one defender and found the bottom corner with a precise finish.
Pochettino's men pushed for an equaliser in the closing minutes, but Kane and Erik Lamela were wasteful and Nacer Chadli was brilliantly denied by Forster as Southampton clung on for the win, moving them onto 60 points – equalling their club record set last season.
Celtic 3-2 Aberdeen: Roberts double seals Scottish Premiership title
Celtic sealed the Scottish Premiership title with an enthralling 3-2 home victory over nearest challengers Aberdeen on Sunday.
Aberdeen had inflicted two of Celtic's three league defeats this season and needed another victory to prevent the hosts from officially securing the title prior to the final day of the season.
But that did not look likely when Patrick Roberts' impressive double had Ronny Deila's men two goals up in the early stages at Celtic Park.
Mikael Lustig made it three in the second half before the visitors threatened a comeback with goals from Niall McGinn and Andrew Considine, but the hosts held on to win a fifth consecutive title and their 47th overall.Celtic are now 12 points clear of Aberdeen - who are certain to finish second - at the top with only two matches remaining.
Roberts' first goal was the pick of the match as the on-loan Manchester City attacker cut inside from the right wing and fended off Graeme Shinnie's challenge before smashing in a powerful left-footed strike from 25 yards.
The hosts were two up inside 20 minutes when Roberts ran onto a Leigh Griffiths throughball and swept home with a cool first-time finish.Celtic struck again early in the second half. Callum McGregor made superb ground down the right before cutting back for defender Lustig to finish emphatically.
At the other end, Craig Gordon saved well from Jonny Hayes after the winger pounced on a mistake from substitute Efe Ambrose, before Aberdeen did get a goal back.A quick break resulted in Hayes feeding McGinn and the Northern Ireland international diverted his finish beyond Gordon.
The visitors threatened a shock comeback when Considine headed home from McGinn's free-kick, but Celtic held on to ensure the departing Deila will leave with a second Premiership medal.
Celtic sealed the Scottish Premiership title with an enthralling 3-2 home victory over nearest challengers Aberdeen on Sunday.
Aberdeen had inflicted two of Celtic's three league defeats this season and needed another victory to prevent the hosts from officially securing the title prior to the final day of the season.
But that did not look likely when Patrick Roberts' impressive double had Ronny Deila's men two goals up in the early stages at Celtic Park.
Mikael Lustig made it three in the second half before the visitors threatened a comeback with goals from Niall McGinn and Andrew Considine, but the hosts held on to win a fifth consecutive title and their 47th overall.Celtic are now 12 points clear of Aberdeen - who are certain to finish second - at the top with only two matches remaining.
Roberts' first goal was the pick of the match as the on-loan Manchester City attacker cut inside from the right wing and fended off Graeme Shinnie's challenge before smashing in a powerful left-footed strike from 25 yards.
The hosts were two up inside 20 minutes when Roberts ran onto a Leigh Griffiths throughball and swept home with a cool first-time finish.Celtic struck again early in the second half. Callum McGregor made superb ground down the right before cutting back for defender Lustig to finish emphatically.
At the other end, Craig Gordon saved well from Jonny Hayes after the winger pounced on a mistake from substitute Efe Ambrose, before Aberdeen did get a goal back.A quick break resulted in Hayes feeding McGinn and the Northern Ireland international diverted his finish beyond Gordon.
The visitors threatened a shock comeback when Considine headed home from McGinn's free-kick, but Celtic held on to ensure the departing Deila will leave with a second Premiership medal.
Casillas: I was a puppet at Real Madrid
Iker Casillas has revealed he felt like a "puppet" during his final years at Real Madrid and has promised to disclose the reasons behind his departure when the time is right.
The Spain international made over 700 appearances in all competitions for Madrid between 1999 and 2015, before leaving the club for Porto following a number of difficult seasons.
"I had to decide between staying and being the puppet that people liked playing with," Casillas told XL Semanal magazine. "I looked out for the interests of Real Madrid every single day.
"If I'd have looked after my own interests more we would've had a circus every day, especially in my final season."Someday I will tell you why I had to leave and when I write a book in 15 years, I will tell you."
Casillas' poor relationship with former coach Jose Mourinho was one of the main reasons behind his Santiago Bernabeu exit, and he has admitted it was not easy to work with the Portuguese coach after they fell out.
"That bad relationship [with Mourinho] divided people," he added. "It was very uncomfortable because in the dressing room there were two people whose relationship was deteriorating."
Iker Casillas has revealed he felt like a "puppet" during his final years at Real Madrid and has promised to disclose the reasons behind his departure when the time is right.
The Spain international made over 700 appearances in all competitions for Madrid between 1999 and 2015, before leaving the club for Porto following a number of difficult seasons.
"I had to decide between staying and being the puppet that people liked playing with," Casillas told XL Semanal magazine. "I looked out for the interests of Real Madrid every single day.
"If I'd have looked after my own interests more we would've had a circus every day, especially in my final season."Someday I will tell you why I had to leave and when I write a book in 15 years, I will tell you."
Casillas' poor relationship with former coach Jose Mourinho was one of the main reasons behind his Santiago Bernabeu exit, and he has admitted it was not easy to work with the Portuguese coach after they fell out.
"That bad relationship [with Mourinho] divided people," he added. "It was very uncomfortable because in the dressing room there were two people whose relationship was deteriorating."
Del Bosque still believes in Spain's veterans
Vicente del Bosque plans to keep faith with Spain's veteran stars for Euro 2016 despite their group-stage exit at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Defending world champions Spain went out at the first hurdle following defeats to Netherlands and Chile, with David Villa, Xabi Alonso and Xavi among those to quit international football in the aftermath.
But coach Del Bosque has resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes to Spain's line-up as they eased through qualifying for Euro 2016, finishing top of their group, with the likes of Iker Casillas, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Ramos still key players for the double-defending European champions.
"I really believe in the veterans who have spent a long time with us and we trust the newcomers who give the squad an impulse and fresh blood," he told reporters.
"Our objective is to think further than the two European Championships we've won, because people are only going to value what we do in the next one.
"I really believe in the veterans who have spent a long time with us and we trust the newcomers who give the squad an impulse and fresh blood," he told reporters."Our objective is to think further than the two European Championships we've won, because people are only going to value what we do in the next one.
"For some it will be their last big tournament and for others the first and to get that mix you can't look back nor forward. We have to live in the immediate present."
Diego Costa is among the established players whose place is under threat, with young stars such as Alvaro Morata and Paco Alcacer breaking through, while experienced pair Fernando Torres and Aritz Aduriz have enjoyed stellar seasons.
"Diego can be judged on whether he plays well or not but he hasn't committed any crime - his conduct with us has always been correct," Del Bosque said.
"There have been some episodes which haven't been edifying, but he has always shown a great attitude with us and we appreciate that."
Vicente del Bosque plans to keep faith with Spain's veteran stars for Euro 2016 despite their group-stage exit at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Defending world champions Spain went out at the first hurdle following defeats to Netherlands and Chile, with David Villa, Xabi Alonso and Xavi among those to quit international football in the aftermath.
But coach Del Bosque has resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes to Spain's line-up as they eased through qualifying for Euro 2016, finishing top of their group, with the likes of Iker Casillas, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Ramos still key players for the double-defending European champions.
"I really believe in the veterans who have spent a long time with us and we trust the newcomers who give the squad an impulse and fresh blood," he told reporters.
"Our objective is to think further than the two European Championships we've won, because people are only going to value what we do in the next one.
"I really believe in the veterans who have spent a long time with us and we trust the newcomers who give the squad an impulse and fresh blood," he told reporters."Our objective is to think further than the two European Championships we've won, because people are only going to value what we do in the next one.
"For some it will be their last big tournament and for others the first and to get that mix you can't look back nor forward. We have to live in the immediate present."
Diego Costa is among the established players whose place is under threat, with young stars such as Alvaro Morata and Paco Alcacer breaking through, while experienced pair Fernando Torres and Aritz Aduriz have enjoyed stellar seasons.
"Diego can be judged on whether he plays well or not but he hasn't committed any crime - his conduct with us has always been correct," Del Bosque said.
"There have been some episodes which haven't been edifying, but he has always shown a great attitude with us and we appreciate that."
