..::Football IV::..

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Lukaku refuses to rule out Chelsea return

Romelu Lukaku has refused to rule out a return to Chelsea after confirming he has made up his mind on whether he will leave Everton before next season.

The striker, who hit 25 goals in 46 appearances for Everton despite the club having a disappointing campaign, has been linked with some of Europe's biggest clubs.
Lukaku's father Roger recently said he believes Bayern Munich would be a good fit for his son, but the 23-year-old would not be drawn on his decision.

"There are a number of clubs that have shown an interest in signing me," Lukaku, who left Chelsea for Goodison Park on a permanent basis in 2014, told HLN."I have already made a decision for myself, but I will keep it to myself at this stage."

Lukaku, who has been named in Belgium's squad for the upcoming Euro 2016 tournament, added that staying in the Premier League would suit his style of play."Will I return to Chelsea? We'll see," Lukaku said. "There is no denying that the English league is perfect for me, but there are nice clubs elsewhere, too."

 

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Van Gaal's Man Utd legacy secured by Lingard's Wembley stunner


When Jesse Lingard looks back on his football career in decades to come, it will be Louis van Gaal he will identify as the man who gave him his first big break in the Manchester United first team.

And whether Van Gaal eventually remembers his spell at Old Trafford with fondness or with regret, he will always thank Lingard for the stunning goal against Crystal Palace which settled the FA Cup in United’s favour.

Lingard’s emergence in the autumn was the first lasting sign that Van Gaal was prepared to give youth a chance. He had flirted with the use of younger players in times of adversity during his first campaign, but when Lingard got a decent run in the United first XI earlier this term it suggested the Dutchman really wanted him around for keeps.

Lately, of course, it has been Marcus Rashford creating the headlines, but even during a relatively quiet spell for Lingard his manager has persevered with him in the squad. If this is to be Van Gaal’s only piece of silverware before making way for a new boss, he can at least say he had a massive say in earning it.

The Jose Mourinho rumours will remain until United finally make a decision either way what they are likely to do, but if Van Gaal is asked to meet with the decision-makers at Old Trafford in the days to come he will have more than just semantics in his favour.

There was a rumour before Saturday’s game that United would appoint the Portuguese on Monday regardless of the result, but it would be a shock if a club which prides itself on its PR was to immediately follow a cup triumph with talk of regime change.In many ways, their victory was typical of their season. A high rate of possession, a low shot rate but an ability to pull off a result just when they looked down and out.

Referee Mark Clattenburg had stolen the attention in the first half, twice halting promising Palace attacks in order to call back play and award the Eagles free-kicks instead. If Alan Pardew’s side felt aggrieved by half-time, they will have soon been feeling fortunate after watching Marouane Fellaini and Anthony Martial find the woodwork from decent efforts.

There was nothing lucky about Jason Puncheon’s wonderful strike which put Palace ahead with just 12 minutes remaining, but within three minutes they had been pegged back after falling asleep at the far post and allowing Juan Mata to steer home Fellaini’s knock-down after great work by Wayne Rooney.

After Chris Smalling saw red on the stroke of the turnaround in extra-time, United were back up against it again but came up with the perfect response for a second time. When Antonio Valencia’s low cross was half-cleared, the volleyed response from Lingard was as emphatic as it was clinical.A classic cup final it had not been, but one of the great FA Cup winners had brought a glorious climax to United’s season all the same.

The 2-1 victory was followed by the usual celebrations, with the trophy being passed along the line to glorious cheers but Van Gaal got a noticeably mixed response when the silverware reached him. United fans want a change of style but want the club to retain their faith in youngsters.

‘Youth, Courage, Success’ boasted a flag passed over the United end before kick-off. A youngster brought them success today, but what form the boardroom’s courage will now take is anybody’s guess.

 

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West Ham qualify for Europa League with Manchester United FA Cup win

Manchester United's FA Cup win has secured a place in the Europa League for West Ham.

Jesse Lingard's extra-time strike saw the Red Devils beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Wembley on Saturday, denying Alan Pardew's men a place in Europe next season.

Having finished fifth in the league, United have already booked a spot in the continental competition next season, meaning the Europa League qualification spot up for grabs in Saturday's final drops to the next unqualified team in the English top flight.

As a result, Slaven Bilic's Hammers, who finished seventh in the table, will now have a chance to play in the competition as they will feature in the qualifying round next term, while Southampton, who were sixth, are now sure of a place in the group stage of the tournament, having initially booked a spot in the qualifiers.

The east London side failed to make it to the group stage this season after they made it to the final qualifying round but crashed out against Astra with a 4-3 aggregate defeat.

 

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Van Gaal refuses to address Mourinho to Man Utd reports

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has refused to discuss his future amid numerous reports suggesting he will leave the club and be replaced by Jose Mourinho.

Fresh rumours in the media on Saturday have suggested Van Gaal will be replaced by the former Chelsea boss in the coming days, and that the club's 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final at Wembley will not change the club's stance on the Dutchman's future.

When asked whether the win over Palace will be his final match in charge, he told a press conference: "I show you the cup. I don't discuss it with my friends in the media who already sack me for six months."I do not want to talk about leaving."But Van Gaal was in bullish mood when asked about the potential for his FA Cup triumph to act as a platform for future success.

"Of course, I have said when I started as the manager that we are in a process of transition," he added. "I have had to refresh my squad, and I have done it and in spite of the many injuries we have had this season we have lifted the cup."I am very proud to be the first manager since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson [to win a major trophy], and I have made a picture with him because that is history."

Jesse Lingard netted the winning goal for United in extra time after Juan Mata had cancelled out Jason Puncheon's opener, and Van Gaal was pleased that his decision-making worked to his club's advantage on the day."I am happy with every goal. I made the decision to leave Jesse out of the team, but I also made the decision to replace Mata despite him scoring the goal," he added.

"Some of my friends in the media say Memphis Depay was not here but that is not true, he was here on the pitch. Of course it is tough that he was outside the squad for a cup final, but the circumstances are different now and Ashley Young has shown it. He has played in the striker's position, in the winger's position and in the left-back position."

 

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Rooney revels in 'special moment' of ending FA Cup wait

Wayne Rooney led Manchester United to FA Cup glory at Wembley and was delighted to ease the pain of two previous final defeats.

A stunning extra-time winner from substitute Jesse Lingard handed United a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace after Juan Mata had cancelled out Jason Puncheon's opener on Saturday.

The result was secured despite Chris Smalling's dismissal before the end of the first additional period, with United winning the competition for the first time since 2004 to give boss Louis van Gaal silverware in what could prove to be his last game in charge.

"Credit to Crystal Palace, they've had a tough end to the season, but we worked really hard and our determination has got us through," Rooney told BBC Sport.

"I'm delighted. It's a special moment. It's a competition I have loved watching as a fan growing up. I've been to two finals and lost, so I will enjoy it for sure. "Look at the fans, winning trophies lifts football clubs. The fans have had a tough two years, but hopefully they will enjoy."Goalscorer Mata added: "It's been a tough season, but we finish with good news for the fans.

"It was a great goal from Jesse. It is a day to enjoy, especially for the fans as they have had a difficult year."

 

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Bayern Munich 0-0 Borussia Dortmund (aet, 4-3 pens): Douglas Costa secures cup for Bayern

Pep Guardiola's last match as Bayern Munich boss ended in a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Borussia Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal final on Saturday.

A 0-0 draw after extra-time ensured the contest was decided by spot-kicks, Bayern winning 4-3 as Manuel Neuer's save from Sven Bender and Sokratis' strike against the post proved decisive, meaning Joshua Kimmich's miss went unpunished.

The victory ensures Bayern win a record 18th Pokal trophy as Guardiola finishes his three years in charge with an impressive double prior to joining Manchester City.

Dortmund are now without a major trophy for four seasons. They have lost three consecutive Pokal finals, the 2013 Champions League final and finished runners-up in the Bundesliga three times in the last four years.

Douglas Costa forced Roman Burki into a save with a left-footed drive and Aubameyang was off-target at the other end after his pace created an opening on the break as both sides struggled to threaten in a quiet first half.Tempers flared near the dugouts shortly before half-time, with Gonzalo Castro and Ribery both booked for going head-to-head, but the Bayern winger was lucky to avoid a stricter punishment having appeared to gouge the eye of his opponent.

Both sides missed good chances early in the second half, with Robert Lewandowski stretching to divert Ribery's cross just wide and Aubameyang shooting over from a presentable opening after being found by Marco Reus.

Another effort from Lewandowski was too high when he collected possession following Muller's purposeful run, while Burki impressively saved a deflected Ribery strike.

Mats Hummels' last appearance for Dortmund before joining Bayern ended through injury and he was replaced by Matthias Ginter after 78 minutes, before Tuchel's men missed a golden opportunity to snatch a late winner.

It was again Aubameyang who had the chance, but he failed to adjust quickly enough to convert Lukasz Piszczek's cross and struck wide.Guardiola and Tuchel urged their sides on prior to extra-time, with Erik Durm making a crucial block on Lewandowski as he prepared to pull the trigger and Henrikh Mkhitaryan dragging an effort wide in the best openings of the added period.

Penalties saw Bender thwarted by Neuer and Sokratis strike the foot of the post as Dortmund missed two of their first three efforts, but Burki's save from Kimmich gave them hope.

Thomas Muller and Douglas Costa converted for Bayern, however, to seal a 4-3 victory on spot-kicks, reducing Guardiola to tears.

 

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Marseille 2-4 PSG: Ibrahimovic nets brace in cup triumph

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a brace on his last appearance for Paris Saint-Germain as Laurent Blanc's side completed a second successive domestic treble with a 4-2 victory against Marseille in the final of the Coupe de France.

Blaise Matuidi put PSG in front in the third minute, timing his run into the box perfectly to finish off a low cross by Angel Di Maria, but Marseille were level within 10 minutes at the Stade de France when Florian Thauvin rifled into the near post from 20 yards.

Ibrahimovic, a free agent when his contract expires, restored PSG's lead within two minutes of the restart, converting a penalty after Matuidi was brought down in the box, the striker scoring his 50th goal of the season for club and country.

Edinson Cavani then finished off a precise Ibrahimovic pass to add a third, and Ibrahimovic himself added the fourth, running on to a Matuidi pass to leave the club on a typically glorious high, after scoring 156 goals in 180 PSG games.Michy Batshuayi pulled a late consolation back for Marseille, but PSG's 10th Coupe de France title brings them level with Marseille as the most successful club in the competition's history.

Marseille almost got off to a dream start in the opening minute, Abdel Barrada fizzing an effort just wide, before Matuidi shot straight at Steve Mandanda as the game began at a frantic pace.

Matuidi was not to be denied moments later, though, the midfielder speeding into the box to finish off Di Maria's low cross, the Argentina international superbly whipping the ball into his team-mate's path with the outside of his right foot.

PSG's lead did not last long, however, Thauvin collecting Mauricio Isla's pass just outside the box and firing a low shot inside Salvatore Sirigu's bottom-left corner.
Sirigu easily saved Thauvin's attempted lob after 18 minutes, before Cavani's shot was deflected over the crossbar.

PSG's superiority was starting to show and Ibrahimovic had a shot blocked on the line by Thauvin's arm, then tested Mandanda with a fiercely struck 20-yard shot.

And the Sweden international restored PSG's lead from the penalty spot immediately after the interval when Matuidi was fouled by Nicolas Nkoulou, the striker slotting home easily to beat Mandanda.

Steven Fletcher placed a shot just wide after 50 minutes, but PSG then took a significant step towards defending their Coupe de France title when Cavani extended their lead.

Marseille, who lost on penalties in the 2007 final, gave up possession in midfield and found themselves rapidly overrun, Ibrahimovic slipping the ball through for Cavani to complete a simple near-post finish.

Michy Batshuayi and Remy Cabella had shots blocked as Marseille tried to get back in the game, before Ibrahimovic was denied a penalty when he tumbled over Mandanda in the box.

Ibrahimovic then raced clear to slot in his 50th PSG goal of the season, although Batshuayi knocked in a consolation for his side in the dying minutes, converting the rebound after Sirigu could only palm a shot into the danger zone.

Substitute Lucas Moura should have made the scoreline even more emphatic deep in injury time, but he lost his balance after rounding Mandanda and missed an open goal.

 

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Milan 0-1 Juventus (AET): Morata grabs extra-time winner to seal another double

Alvaro Morata came off the bench in extra time to score the winning goal as Juventus saw off AC Milan in a disappointing Coppa Italia final to secure a second consecutive domestic double.

There was no splitting the sides during regulation time at Stadio Olimpico, but substitute Morata broke Milan hearts in the 110th minute with the crucial strike.Victory means Juve enter the record books as the first team to complete a Serie A and Coppa Italia double in back-to-back seasons.

It could so easily have been a different story for a Milan side that created the better chances during 90 minutes with Giacomo Bonaventura and Andrea Poli missing their best opportunities.

And that was ultimately punished as Morata swept home Juan Cuadrado's cross deep into extra-time within two minutes of his introduction despite suspicions of offside to secure another major honour for ex-Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri.Milan, who had late penalty calls turned down, now miss out on Europe for a third straight season, with Sassuolo qualifying for the Europa League.

And head coach Cristian Brocchi - who replaced Sinisa Mihajlovic until the end of the campaign in April - faces an uncertain future with rumours of a Chinese consortium taking over continuing to gather pace.

Brocchi, a victor with Milan the last time they won the Coppa in 2003, would have been happy with Milan's aggressive start, but Juve were perhaps unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Paul Pogba was clipped by Davide Calabria in the area.
Calabria was involved at the other end in the 13th minute when his teasing cross was prodded just wide of the right-hand post by Bonaventura.

Bonaventura again troubled the Juventus defence by cutting in from the left and angling a low strike that was deflected to force Neto into a smart reaction save with the ball squirming towards goal.

Allegri's men were handed a huge reprieve when Juraj Kucka picked up a wayward pass in the middle and launched a lightning counter-attack that ended with Poli wastefully side-footing over from Keisuke Honda's cut-back.Milan were wayward again shortly after the restart as this time Kucka dragged wide when unmarked 20 yards from goal.

That failure to score was almost punished in the 69th minute when Pogba found space in the area and his shot was brilliantly saved low to the right by Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was wrong-footed by a big deflection. Milan pushed in the closing stages, but a goal was not forthcoming and the match headed for extra-time.

Juve had the first opportunity of the additional time with Pogba bringing the best out of Donnarumma with a 25-yard drive, while Carlos Bacca saw an acrobatic effort go narrowly over the crossbar.

But with the clock winding down Juve grabbed a dramatic winner, Cuadrado centred from the right and Morata - who has been linked with a close-season exit - swept home first time.

Milan's calls for offside went unheard and they were further aggrieved when Honda went down, only to see his penalty appeals against Giorgio Chiellini waved away.

 

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Congratulations for Bayern/PSG & Juventus!

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Morata proves his worth as Juventus pull off historic double

Cup finals can be low-scoring, closely matched affairs and still provide plenty of intrigue and suspense. This was not one of those cup finals.

Juventus’ 1-0 victory over AC Milan to win the Coppa Italia in extra time on Saturday night was a stinker, with the Italian champions well below par in the absence of a number of important players. Their opponents were spirited and well prepared but, ultimately, limited and failed to capitalise in a more even contest than anyone expected.

With Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio and Leonardo Bonucci among those unavailable, Massimiliano Allegri was frustratingly defensive in his outlook. The Bianconeri can be dangerous in a 3-5-2 formation but not when Bonucci’s passing from the back is missing, Mario Lemina and Hernanes play with Paul Pogba in midfield and Juan Cuadrado and Alex Sandro are only used from the bench as wing-backs.Most puzzling of all of Allegri’s decisions on the night, however, was the non-involvement of Alvaro Morata through 108 minutes of play.

Milan really should have been there for the taking. This is the seventh-placed side that had completed a remarkable late-season treble of failing to beat all three of the division’s relegated teams in consecutive matches, drawing with Carpi and Frosinone and losing to Hellas Verona.

Instead, through 30 minutes Milan had taken the match’s first five shots and had 60 per cent of the ball. They were struggling to penetrate Juve’s three-man defence to truly test goalkeeper Neto but the way the unit of Daniele Rugani, Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini retreated gave them an opportunity to grow into the game and gain confidence.Juve offered little even on the counter-attack and at half-time, Riccardo Montolivo gestured to the Milan fans as if to say: “We’re in this.”

They were, and the second half was only marginally better from Allegri’s point of view. Both Alex Sandro and Cuadrado were introduced to patrol the flanks and inject more attacking impetus. A couple of speculative efforts from distance aside, Pogba had a frustrating evening as a result of some close marking. Paulo Dybala was far and away Juve’s most dangerous player, sending the Milan defence into a panicked retreat every time he had the space to turn and dash towards the opposition goal.

Mario Mandzukic had toiled alongside Dybala and finally, in the second period of extra time, Morata was introduced to partner him in place of Hernanes.The effect was almost immediate. Cuadrado broke into space down the right, Mandzukic’s decoy run took Cristian Zapata away from the ball and waiting behind them was the Spaniard, who swept home a first-time finish on his right foot.

Things have not always gone Morata’s way this season. He has not yet hit a real purple patch in a Juventus shirt, with his winner at the Stadio Olimpico his 12th goal of the season. But that is due in part to the way he has been rotated in and out of the side - his minutes per goal rate is about the same as Mandzukic’s - and in big moments he has consistently delivered, particularly in the Champions League.

Morata has been good enough to draw plenty of admirers at other clubs and could be at the centre of one of the summer's biggest transfer sagas. The clause allowing Real Madrid to bring the 23-year-old back to Spain effectively puts him up for sale - if any club, with Arsenal and Chelsea both said to be interested, is willing to pay more it costs Madrid to exercise that option, they are able to turn an effortless profit.

The only potential way out for Juventus is to attempt to buy the clause out of Morata's contract, with reports in Italy suggesting that would mean paying the €20 million they splashed out to sign the 23-year-old in 2014 once again. With every major goal like this one, Morata is strengthening the argument that he is worth it.

 

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Mourinho unfazed by Man Utd rumours as he attends David Haye fight

While Manchester United fans were sent into a frenzy following reports that the club is set to confirm Jose Mourinho as their manager ahead of next season, the former Chelsea coach showed no signs of stress as he took in the David Haye fight at the O2 Arena on Saturday night.

Just after the Red Devils beat Crystal Palace 2-1 after extra-time to win the FA Cup at Wembley, reports circulated that the club had reached an agreement with the Portuguese manager to replace Louis van Gaal this summer.

While Van Gaal refused to address the speculation and maintained he will remain in charge, the rumours continued to grow, but Mourinho showed no signs of stress or excitement in the wake of the reports.

The 53-year-old looked perfectly relaxed as the guest of honour at David Haye's fight with Arnold Gjergjaj, which the Englishman won in the second round.

 

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Hummels: I hope I made right choice with Bayern move

Mats Hummels says only time will tell if he has made the right decision by leaving Borussia Dortmund for Bayern Munich.

The Germany international defender saw his new side beat his current club 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out to win the DFB-Pokal final and complete a Bundesliga and cup double in Pep Guardiola's farewell match, prior to his move to Manchester City, on Saturday.Hummels, who failed to complete the match in Berlin due to injury and was replaced by Matthias Ginter, came through the youth teams at Bayern and will re-join on a five-year deal from next season.

The 27-year-old was disappointed his farewell Dortmund appearance ended in defeat, and admits he does not yet know if he has made the correct call in deciding to return to Bavaria.

"It's a very tough evening for us. It's one game and you give it everything you have but it wasn't enough for us," he told ARD."Every one of us was pretty much exhausted during the game. It's my last game. I've been able to celebrate a lot of success with the team and the fans in the last few years.

"I hope I've made the right decision – we'll see in the next few years."We performed well, we fought well. Maybe Bayern earned it, but we definitely thought we did too."

 

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Match-winner Morata not thinking about Juventus future

Alvaro Morata was thrilled to score the extra-time winner in the Coppa Italia final, but he insists he is not thinking about his Juventus future.

The 23-year-old Spain international netted in the 110th minute to seal a 1-0 win over AC Milan in the Rome showpiece on Saturday, making Massimiliano Allegri's men the first Italian team to win back-to-back domestic doubles.

It may have been Morata's last match for Juventus, with reports suggesting Real Madrid will activate their buy-back option before selling the striker on at a profit, with a number of Europe's top clubs, including Chelsea, said to be interested.

But Morata chose to discuss the victory over Milan and his upcoming involvement at Euro 2016 rather than his immediate future after the match."I am very happy with this match, it is another trophy for Juventus," he said to Rai."This was a good day.

"My friends said that I would come off the bench and score, so they were right. My father and friends were in the stands. Since I met my girlfriend, I have been a different player on the pitch too.

"It's not my last game of the season as I have to play in the Euros. I have to make the most of my current form and not even think about the future."We have to compliment Milan, as they put in a fine performance and made it really difficult for us, but it’s the result that counts."

Morata's goal was his 11th of the season in all competitions from a total of 46 appearances, 26 of which were starts.

 

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Allegri salutes players after Juve clinch double

Massimiliano Allegri heaped praised on his players after Juventus claimed an historic Coppa Italia victory, though he was quick to congratulate fallen opponents AC Milan.Milan huffed and puffed but ultimately were unable to make the breakthrough as Juve broke their hearts with a 1-0 victory after extra time in Saturday's final.

Substitute Alvaro Morata was the hero in Rome, netting the 110th-minute winner to help Juve become the first team to complete a Serie A and Coppa Italia double in back-to-back seasons.Speaking afterwards, Allegri said: "First of all I want to thank my players. Winning on Saturday was not easy and so the club and fans also deserve some of the kudos.

Massimiliano Allegri heaped praised on his players after Juventus claimed an historic Coppa Italia victory, though he was quick to congratulate fallen opponents AC Milan.Milan huffed and puffed but ultimately were unable to make the breakthrough as Juve broke their hearts with a 1-0 victory after extra time in Saturday's final.

Substitute Alvaro Morata was the hero in Rome, netting the 110th-minute winner to help Juve become the first team to complete a Serie A and Coppa Italia double in back-to-back seasons.

Speaking afterwards, Allegri said: "First of all I want to thank my players. Winning on Saturday was not easy and so the club and fans also deserve some of the kudos.

 

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FA Cup Final 2016 in Pictures

FA Cup Final 2016 in Pictures

Crystal Palace Vs Manchester United

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Copa Del Rey Final 2016.05.22

Copa Del Rey Final 2016.05.22

Barcelona Vs Sevilla