..::Football IV::..

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I can't guarantee Munir will stay at Barcelona, admits agent

Munir El Haddadi could still leave Barcelona before the end of the transfer window, his agent Francesc Valdivieso has admitted.The young Spaniard impressed in the Supercopa victory over Sevilla and has been tipped as a potential internal answer to the club's desire to find a fourth forward.

And Valdivieso says that while Munir wants to stay at Barca and stake his claim for that role, he remains open to considering other offers if a new striker is signed instead."Barcelona told us their intention was to sign a new striker," the agent told Goal. "Munir has to understand that it could compromise his sporting chances and stack things against him.

"Munir's opinion hasn't changed: he wants to stay at Barcelona. He would accept a loan but based on the names appearing in the media, he feels he can beat all of [the competition] so he is also thinking of staying to show he is the best choice."He is ready to take decisions by thinking by himself. He is not scared of staying - he would choose to stay.

"I can't guarantee Munir will be a Barcelona player on September 1. Many lines are still open. Munir is brave and will take the best decision knowing some big European clubs, some of them playing in the Champions League this season, have real interest in him.

"These are very interesting proposals but we have to work with them a week before the market gets closed, not two days before it closes; it wouldn't be the best thing to wait until the last days of the market to decide the best option."Valdivieso admitted Munir was flattered by reported interest shown in him by French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

"It gives him more confidence in himself, of course," he said. "He is showing that confidence. A football player has to speak on the pitch and he is doing that. Munir knows what teams are really interested in him and he is very grateful.
"There were some conversations [with PSG] but no offer for now."

 

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Borussia Dortmund announce €376.3m record turnover

Borussia Dortmund have announced a record turnover of €376.3 million over the financial year between July 1 2015 and June 30 2016, an increase of 36.6 per cent compared to the previous year.

Chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke revealed at a news conference that revenue excluding transfer fees rose by 6.7 per cent to €281.3m, despite the club's absence from the Champions League. After tax the Bundesliga outfit recorded a profit of €29.4m..

"The increase in turnover is a clear sign of BVB's earnings power," Watzke stated.
"We can still grow in national and international TV marketing, but that always happens with our roots firmly in our mind. We will remain the club that we are.

"Ticket and catering prices will remain stable, they will only rise by the inflation rate at a maximum."Our next objective is to break the €400m mark. To achieve this, it is important to be one of the major players."Our sporting and financial footing is unparalleled in Borussia Dortmund's 107-year history."

Watzke also confirmed that while the departures of Ilkay Gundogan and Mats Hummels are taken into account, the sale of Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Manchester United was not included as the deal was not processed until after the July 1 deadline.

 

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Mourinho: Manchester United job is the top of my career

Jose Mourinho believes taking the Manchester United job proves that he has reached his peak, despite having already managed at some of the world's biggest clubs.

Two spells at Chelsea along with stints in charge of Real Madrid, Inter and Porto have seen the Portuguese win eight league titles and two Champions League crowns.

However, Mourinho feels the switch to Old Trafford is his biggest move yet as he prepares for his first competitive home match in charge when Southampton visit in the Premier League on Friday."I have been in some of the biggest clubs in the world," the 53-year-old told Sky Sports.

"This is like the top of my career, but it comes in the early stage of my career because as a manager I am really young, and I think I have the best years of my career to come up."I was not joking [when I say 15 more years] – 53 plus 15 is 68, so I would say 14, 15, 16 more years, but I don't see myself going home before 70."

Mourinho claims to have always enjoyed a positive bond with United supporters – even when in charge of opposing clubs – but looks forward to having them fully on his side in his new role.

He continued: "I've managed many, many times against Manchester United. I've enjoyed it. Even as an opponent I could create a good relationship with the fans, I never had problems, and I have not always behaved the best way.

"The first time I was running to celebrate a goal at touchline. Maybe it is Sir Alex Ferguson's doing, with the relationship we had, I always tried to be nice and have a relationship with the fans at Old Trafford.

"This time I go and for the first time I can do what I never did, which is ask for their support. I always play against them, and this time they are on my side."As a fan you can go to the stadium and watch the game, or you can go and play, and what I ask them to do is go to Old Trafford and play.

"If they play, it's 80,000 plus 11, versus 11, and the opposition has no chance. I give them that responsibility – if they are behind my players we have a big chance."

 

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Negredo looking good ahead of Sunderland clash, says Karanka

Aitor Karanka believes that Middlesbrough striker Alvaro Negredo is set for a prolific season in the Premier League.The former Manchester City man netted in newly promoted Boro's 1-1 draw with Stoke City and is expected to lead their attack in Sunday's derby against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Karanka insists that self-belief has been crucial for Negredo and is optimistic about the season that lies ahead for the Spaniard."It was really important for Alvaro to score in his first game," said Karanka."I have always said he is a top player and the only thing he needed was to recover his confidence.

"He feels confident on the pitch and with his team-mates so hopefully it continues.
"I knew a few players we brought here, their previous seasons weren't their best, but we are confident in them.

"Some of them played better than I thought in the game against Stoke. I know how good they are and how good they have been in the past, and this is why I wanted to work with them."Two of Boro's other summer signings also received praise from Karanka ahead of the game with Sunderland, which the Boro boss is approaching in a calm fashion.

He added: "I was very pleased with Antonio Barragan. He is going to be a very important player for us this season. "Gaston Ramirez was one of our first targets this summer. He is an amazing player and I hope he is going to be better every game.

"Since I arrived here I know how big this [match] is for everybody, but this is my first derby. For us, it is just another three points. It will be a difficult game but we have to think about it like this. We will be the same in the build-up to the game.
"Everybody is fit to play except for Grant Leadbitter and Marten de Roon."

 

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Hamsik: Beating Higuain's Juve would be a bonus

Napoli captain Marek Hamsik says it would be "a tasty bonus" to defeat Juventus on home soil following the transfer of Gonzalo Higuain.

The Argentina striker joined the reigning champions in a Serie A record deal worth €90million, after scoring 91 goals in 146 appearances in three years at the San Paolo.The move was the high point of a strong transfer window for Juve, in which they have offset the world-record sale of Paul Pogba to Manchester United with the signings of Higuain, Miralem Pjanic, Dani Alves, Medhi Benatia and Marko Pjaca.

Massimiliano Allegri's side are firm favourites to land a sixth league title in a row, but Hamsik insists that Napoli are ready to sustain a challenge this season, while he would consider a first victory at Juventus Stadium on October 30 a real highlight.

"I dream of winning the Scudetto with the captain's armband and hopefully I'll achieve that dream," he told Radio Kiss Kiss."I tell the fans that we are strong. I know that our supporters lost an idol in Higuain, but the team proved that it's still alive and kicking, it will give its best and play the same scintillating style of football as last year.

"I tell them not to worry, because Manolo Gabbiadini and Arek Milik are great players and we'll have a wonderful season. There are very high expectations. Napoli must always aim high and hope to improve on last year's position."Juventus haven't won the Scudetto yet. This will be a long marathon that begins on Sunday [at Pescara] and we want to get off to a stronger start than last season, when we dropped a few too many points.

"It would be fun to win for the first time at the Juventus Stadium, especially in front of Higuain. We can call that a tasty bonus."

 

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Allegri warns Juventus to expect 'difficult' four-team Scudetto race

Massimiliano Allegri urged Juventus not to believe they are in for an easy route to Serie A glory and thinks four teams will challenge for this season's Scudetto.Juve open their season at home to Fiorentina on Saturday as hot favourites to win the title for a sixth consecutive season.

Despite selling Paul Pogba in a world-record transfer to Manchester United, Allegri's men have added five impressive names in Dani Alves, Mehdi Benatia, Gonzalo Higuain, Marko Pjaca and Miralem Pjanic.

But Allegri does not think that transfer business makes Juve overwhelming frontrunners and expects Napoli, Roma and Inter – although not his former club AC Milan – to contest the title.

He said: "We know that our big rivalries this season will be with Inter, Napoli and Roma. They will all be in the Scudetto fight.

"The first overall objective is to get to March and be fighting for three competitions, to be fighting in the league, the last 16 of the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. From then on we'll play our season.

"It's definitely not easy, because in every year that passes - Juventus have won the Scudetto for five in a row - the level of difficulty gets higher and higher. The other teams become more aggressive, and as we saw at the beginning of last year, subconsciously there's a drop-off."Nothing is easy - especially in football. We know that winning the title is going to be very difficult.

"You can't necessarily say that because Juventus have made some good signings - Higuain, Pjanic, Benatia, Pjaca, Dani Alves - that it's a mathematical equation and we should win the Scudetto."To win the Scudetto you have to earn it on the pitch, like going forward in the Champions League. We'll take it a step at a time, which is the way it should be."

While not having the profile of Alves, Benatia, Higuain and Pjanic, Allegri tipped Pjaca – the 21-year-old winger brought in from Dinamo Zagreb – to be one of the stars of the Italian season.

He added: "Marko Pjaca is very good and interesting. He is talented - I think he could be the revelation of the season because he has physical and technical quality.
"At the moment, I think he is more suited to playing in a wider role but it depends on the system that we use as he is also effective as one of the two forwards."

 

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Man Utd 2-0 Southampton: Ibrahimovic puts Saints to the sword

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as Manchester United defeated Southampton 2-0 at Old Trafford on Friday.

Paul Pogba - who played the full 90 minutes - also impressed on his second debut for the club after completing his world record transfer move from Juventus and missing Sunday's 3-1 win at Bournemouth through suspension.Ibrahimovic put United into the lead after 36 minutes, the striker rising highest in the penalty area to thump in a header from Wayne Rooney's precise right wing cross.

After Dusan Tadic had a goal ruled out shortly after half-time, Ibrahimovic sealed the points from the penalty spot when Jordy Clasie brought down Luke Shaw in the box.

Anthony Martial missed a chance to pick out Ibrahimovic for his hat-trick, but Jose Mourinho's men closed out the match with ease in his first league home game.Southampton had won 1-0 on their two previous visits to Old Trafford but they rarely threatened the United goal and their seven-match Premier League unbeaten run came to an end as Claude Puel continues to await his first win.

It was Pogba who had the first sight of goal after 12 minutes, but his shot from the edge of the penalty area lacked power and was comfortably saved by Fraser Forster.

Southampton were looking threatening on the break and Nathan Redmond ran clear of Eric Bailly only to hit his cross over the unmarked Dusan Tadic at the back post.

Shane Long flashed a shot into the side netting after 25 minutes, then Ibrahimovic hooked a bicycle kick just wide of the far post after superb play by Pogba and Juan Mata.

Tadic seized on a loose United pass to free Long, but the striker snatched at his effort and David de Gea saved easily, before Rooney's long-range shot was dealt with by Forster.

United made Southampton pay for wasting their chances after 36 minutes, with Ibrahimovic scoring his third goal for United in three games.

Antonio Valencia slipped in Rooney down the right wing and the United captain's cross was perfectly placed for Ibrahimovic to climb above Jose Fonte and power in an unstoppable header.

Southampton thought they had equalised shortly after half-time when Tadic flicked home a header, but he was adjudged to have fouled Bailly, and United then doubled their lead.Clasie tripped Shaw in the box and Ibrahimovic stepped up to sweep the spot-kick home, sending Forster the wrong way.

Ibrahimovic then could have had his hat-trick but Martial failed to pick his fellow attacker out in the box, before the young France international wasted another presentable opening.

Despite failing to take advantage of a string of opportunities to add to the scoreline - including a late Pogba effort - Mourinho's men closed the match out with ease to extend their 100 per cent record.

 

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Conte: Chelsea will pay big money for the right player

Antonio Conte has issued a firm response to criticism of Chelsea's lack of transfer activity by insisting the club is ready spend big on the right players.

Chelsea have only managed to secure two targets for Conte so far in Michy Batshuayi and N'Golo Kante and have been outspent by rivals Manchester United and Manchester City.The 47-year-old has previously criticised the "crazy" transfer market but admitted on Friday that the Blues could splash out in order to improve their defence.

"No I am not uncomfortable [with spending large amounts of money]," Conte told the media at Cobham. "I don't like to pay a lot of money unless a player deserves [that you] pay the money, then it is right."I think it is right to pay the right price. Not £20 or 30 million more than the value because the money is not mine, I don’t think it is right. It is crazy because of the prices, you have seen that in this moment it is very difficult to buy.

"I think that also you could ask for a player and it is possible they could ask for £50m, £55m even. It is incredible and for this reason I said it is a crazy, crazy market. It is very difficult to move in this market with these prices and these conditions, very difficult."

Chelsea have been working to sign Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly all summer and Nikola Maksimovic and Ricardo Rodriguez have recently emerged as further defensive targets. They are also looking to sign a back-up goalkeeper and a striker.

Arsenal and Tottenham have also struggled to match the spending power of the Manchester clubs and Conte agreed that selling clubs are demanding higher fees from English sides as a result of the Premier League's record-breaking new television deal.

"We must be patient," he added. "Not only for Chelsea, but I have also seen that for the other clubs that it is a difficult market. But this is a real situation and we must handle this situation in a real way. If we can improve this squad then we will do."

 

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Pogba 'very happy' with second Manchester United debut

Paul Pogba described himself as "very happy" to make his second debut with Manchester United against Southampton on Friday night.

The Frenchman, making his first appearance after his world-record move from Juventus, helped the Red Devils to a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford thanks to two goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"It's great," he told Sky Sports. "My first debut and we win, so I’m very happy for that and for the team. I came back home and I’m happy for the win and I hope to carry on like this - getting better and better and just keep winning, that’s all we can do.

"I feel very good. At the end I missed a bit but I was OK, my legs feel good - I can carry on. The first 20 minutes we started very slowly, they attacked us, but after we started taking the ball and playing with our quality. We scored the one goal and after that it came easily. That’s what we can do."

Pogba did have to deflect the playful criticism of Ibrahimovic, however, for missing a chance towards the end of the game that the Swede claimed "he should have passed".

"That’s what [Ibrahimovic] said! I will have to see the replay again," he added. "Maybe I will see it again but the chances will come and I’m happy for the team - if we win, that’s the most important thing."

 

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Ibrahimovic: Man Utd need to get used to winning again

Zlatan Ibrahimovic saluted his team-mates after masterminding Manchester United's victory over Southampton and wants his new club to rediscover the winning habit that has previously made them so difficult to stop at Old Trafford.

The former Paris Saint-Germain striker scored both goals in the 2-0 victory on Friday night having already netted in both the Community Shield against Leicester City and the Premier League opener against Bournemouth.

"If the team does good, the individual does good, always," Ibrahimovic told Sky Sports. "I try to do what I’m best at, create chances, help my team-mates and then score goals.

"I’m happy for the team. Two games, two wins. We are becoming better and better and the first game at home, we win it. It’s a good start - we need to get used to winning because the mental part is important, not just the physical part, so we’re happy.

"We’re happy for the three points and the first game of Paul [Pogba] also, so he needs to settle in and the rest will come by itself."Despite the promising start made to the Jose Mourinho era, Ibrahimovic insisted that United remain a work in progress.

“I’m new in the team, I’m only here not even a month," he added. "Paul is back at his home but still not with this team so he needs also to get to know the players and I need to get to know everybody and the way we play, the simple things on and off the pitch."Eric Bailly and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are also new so we need to get used to the philosophy and the culture. Everything is new, it’s like a big parcel - we need to put the parcel together and then we’ll work through everything.

"It’s a different game here. You don’t get a lot of chances like I did in France which is normal because the game is tougher and you need to work through the game. It’s the beginning, we get to know each other and when the possibility comes we need to be focused.

"For me, if the goal is early or late, it’s the same thing - in the end it’s the three points that counts. If I score, Paul scores, whoever scores, for me it doesn’t matter."

 

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Man Utd play first home match in 29 years without Giggs

Manchester United's 2-0 victory over Southampton was the beginning of a new era at Old Trafford - and also marked the end of an old one.

The Red Devils' triumph, courtesy of two Zlatan Ibrahimovic goals, was the first home match the club has played in nearly 29 years without Ryan Giggs having an association with the club.

Giggs joined United on schoolboy terms on November 29, 1987, with the previous game at Old Trafford a 1-1 draw against Liverpool on November 15.

The Welshman made his first-team debut in 1991 and went on to become the most decorated player in English football history, winning 13 Premier League titles as well as numerous cups.

He then took up a coaching role under both David Moyes and Louis van Gaal before deciding to depart following the Dutchman's sacking at the end of last season.

Giggs was not totally absent, however - he watched world-record signing Paul Pogba make his debut as a television pundit on Sky Sports.

 

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Mourinho: The result could have been bigger

Jose Mourinho insists that Manchester United could have scored more goals in their 2-0 Premier League victory over Southampton on Friday.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice as United coasted to victory over the Saints, with Claude Puel's men rarely threatening the hosts following Dusan Tadic's disallowed first-half goal.

And Mourinho was pleased with his side's display, though he felt the victory could have been even more dominant."[We were] good enough to deserve the victory and to be in control," Mourinho told Sky Sports.

"I know that by the numbers they had moments of more possession but I knew that, the closed diamond is good to hide the ball from opponents but they didn't create danger and we were always in control. The result could be bigger.

"It's a natural evolution of things and it's impossible to be faster than what we are doing with the way we are playing football and the way that the team is defending because it's a different way to defend - zonal is much more difficult to defend than man to man."It is impossible to demand more from the boys, great spirit, everyone working hard, and I'm pleased."

Paul Pogba made his second United debut after completing a world-record move from Juventus and the France international impressed Mourinho."I think he was so good," Mourinho said. "Everything was so good, as an individual he was so good, collectively he is learning how to play with us, but I am really happy.

"We have to improve and one day we hope he can play more offensively but he needs the freedom that he had today. I couldn't be happier with him. "[Marouane] Fellaini was superb, [Ander] Herrera the same, I have a top quality squad."

 

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Man United vs Southampton //Extended Full HD// 2-0 Highlights 19/08/2016

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Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2016.08.20

Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2016.08.20

Stoke City Vs Manchester City

Burnley Vs Liverpool

Swansea Vs Hull

Tottenham Vs Crystal Palace

Watford Vs Chelsea

WBA Vs Everton

Leicester City Vs Arsenal

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LA Liga Opening Day Fixtures 2016.08.20

LA Liga Opening Day Fixtures 2016.08.20

Barcelona Vs Real Betis

Granada Vs Villareal

Sevilla Vs Espanyol
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Serie A Opening Day Fixtures 2016.08.20

Serie A Opening Day Fixtures 2016.08.20

Roma Vs Udinese

Juventus Vs Fiorentina
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Giggs: Pogba could become another Gerrard

Ryan Giggs has likened Paul Pogba to Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard after making his second debut for Manchester United in their 2-0 win over Southampton.Pogba played the full 90 minutes in his first United appearance since completing his £93.8 million world-record transfer from Juventus at Old Trafford on Friday.

Having left United to join Juve in 2012, Pogba did not disappoint on his return, coming close to grabbing a goal in what was an all-action display from the France star.And United icon Giggs, who left his role as the club's assistant manager in the summer, was impressed with what he saw from Pogba and compared his skill set to several Premier League midfield greats.

"He's a talent. You see the size of him and the physicality of the Premier League won't be a problem for him. It was interesting seeing that when Thierry asked him about his qualities and he doesn't actually know his best qualities," Giggs told Sky Sports.

"We've come away from the idea of having two in midfield and letting them do everything - one sit and one go forward and vice-versa - and I think he can do that for United. I think they could play with two, in the bigger games they may have to tweak it a little bit but he will bring physicality and he can score goals, run past the Ibra's and the Rooney's and he's grown up playing in England so it won't be a problem to him.

"He could be a Roy Keane, Bryan Robson or Steven Gerrard, someone who can do everything. We get too hung up on 'he's a sitting midfielder or he's an attacking midfielder' but why can't a midfielder do everything? That's what they're supposed to do.”

Giggs added: "Leicester did it last year and won the league. It's quite simple what they did. You need intelligent players around you and you need to get the balance right. Sometimes you need players to fill in for you but I don't see why he can't do that.

"I think the biggest compliment I can give him is that I was watching that game and watching Paul Pogba and I wasn't thinking of £89m. I was just thinking of a player enjoying himself and trying things and expressing himself and as the game went on, yes sometimes things won't come off, but he's trying things and he's releasing himself, he's all over the pitch, he wants to get on the ball and it was a brilliant, brilliant performance when you take into consideration he's only trained for a week, the price tag and he's still only 23.

"He's won the league for the last four years and he's been at a top club, let's not forget that. If he keeps playing like that, like I said the price tag won't be mentioned."

 

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OFFICIAL: Benteke secures record £32m move to Crystal Palace from Liverpool

Christian Benteke has completed his blockbuster £32 million transfer from Liverpool to Crystal Palace, inking a four-year deal at Selhurst Park.

The striker passed a medical on Friday before agreeing personal terms believed to be in the region of £120,000-a-week.

Benteke, who became the second-most expensive purchase for Reds when they recruited him from Aston Villa last summer, is now Palace's record signing.His fee of an initial £27m, plus another £5m in add-ons, dwarfs the £13m shelled out to Newcastle earlier in the window for winger Andros Townsend.

It also means that Liverpool have recouped the money spent on him a year ago, rendering their hardline stance over his valuation a triumph. They insisted that Benteke would not be sold on the cheap - as a "present" - despite his status as a fringe player.

The 25-year-old will bank the club their fourth-highest sum for an outgoing player when the extras come into effect.Only Raheem Sterling, Luis Suarez and Fernando Torres have commanded a bigger price when exiting Anfield.

From last summer to this one, Benteke has cost £64.5m in transfer fees, confirming the demand for proven goalscorer in the Premier League. Despite not stylistically fitting in at Anfield, the Belgium international managed 10 goals in 2015-16; a tally only bettered by Roberto Firmino (11), Philippe Coutinho (12) and Daniel Sturridge (13).

Benteke has netted 59 times in the past four seasons and Pardew hopes that the signing of the explosive forward will "provide a lift" to his squad, who have been in desperate need of a quality frontman to fire them on.

 

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Shaqiri: Guardiola won't tell you why you've been benched!

Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri has criticised Pep Guardiola's communication with his players, saying he will not explain why somebody has been dropped from the first team.

Manchester City boss Guardiola has come in for criticism for his treatment of Joe Hart, having said he will allow the goalkeeper to leave after he was benched for the opening two competitive games of the season.

Shaqiri played under Guardiola at Bayern Munich but was limited to few first-team opportunities before joining Inter in January 2015.And ahead of coming up against his old boss when Stoke face the Citizens in the Premier League on Saturday, the Switzerland international admits it can be tough to work under Guardiola given his reluctance to explain his selection policy.

"He is a very good coach in terms of what happens on the pitch but his communication was not so good with me," Shaqiri told the Daily Mail."Guardiola doesn't talk too much about this [leaving players out]. He doesn't say to the players why.

"Of course sometimes that's difficult for a player, especially when you are working well and training well. And especially when he speaks around the media and says 'He is good, he is good. He is the best player'.

"I see Hart on the bench. I don't know the real problem but in every club there will be new problems. New coaches and new staff want to work with new players. Maybe they don't like this player. This is what happens at all clubs. Look at Manchester United with [Bastian] Schweinsteiger."Shaqiri would nonetheless like to see Guardiola enjoy success with City but feels he faces a real battle to win the Premier League title.

"In the end we won the title [at Bayern] and I hope he can do it here with Man City, but it's a different league and a different team and this will be the hardest year ever in his career," he said. "You saw against Sunderland how difficult it will be for him.

"This league is more crazy than ever. The best players and the best coaches are all here now. It's amazing. This is a very tough league and we will see what happens for him."Shaqiri was a standout performer when Stoke beat City 2-0 last season, setting up both goals for team-mate Marko Arnautovic.

And the 24-year-old says he is determined to repay the faith shown in him by manager Mark Hughes, who signed him from Inter for £12.5million last year in what was then a record deal for the club.

"When I arrived at Milan there were thousands of fans at the airport," Shaqiri added. "When I arrived in England there were no fans but the coach came to pick me up himself. It had never happened before and it was great.

"That meant that the club were prepared to do everything for me. When a coach gives you something, it's important to give something back to him on the pitch."I want to be better every day and do my best for him. I am not his best friend. We don't go for dinner or anything. But I do my work on the pitch for him. That is why he wanted to bring me here."

 

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Zidane: Real Madrid will not sign anyone unless we sell someone first

Zinedine Zidane insists Real Madrid will not make any signings before the end of the transfer window unless they sell someone first.

The European champions have had a quiet off-season, although they did bring back Alvaro Morata from Juventus and saw Marco Asensio return from his loan spell with Espanyol.Zidane is adamant he is happy with the squad he has, though, and has all but ruled out any new arrivals.

"If nobody leaves, there will not be any new additions," Zidane said at a news conference."It is impossible. But the truth is that I am happy with the squad I have."

Madrid get their La Liga season underway on Sunday when they travel to Real Sociedad and Zidane expects a difficult match."We have had a good pre-season. All the players are keen to get started. It will be a difficult year, but we are ready to fight for it," he added."We know that it is important to start well. Real Sociedad will be a difficult opponent. We will see what happens.

"We all know the demands at this club are very high. I am happy with the players I have. We have a good squad and it's up to the players to show that time and time again."It will be a very demanding season. La Liga is our main goal, because that's where you have to be very consistent."