..::Football IV::..

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Ronaldo and Saha the only players I told Man Utd to sign - Neville

Gary Neville says Cristiano Ronaldo and Louis Saha were the only opponents that he willed Manchester United to sign.

There were not too many forwards that troubled the Red Devils enough to force them into a panic during their heyday, with the English game dominated by Sir Alex Ferguson’s troops.

Neville, though, admits that he found a particular pairing impressive and difficult to handle, and was delighted to see both end up as team-mates at Old Trafford.Ronaldo was the first to catch his eye, with United having wasted little time in getting a deal in place for the Portuguese youngster following a friendly date with Sporting.

Neville was an interested spectator during that contest, but was among those to air their admiration for the talented youngster afterwards – unaware at the time that talks were being held to bring him to England.Ronaldo would, of course, go on to enjoy a trophy-laden spell at Old Trafford, with his standing in the global game growing with each passing year.

Saha also enjoyed success with United – both domestically and in Europe – but injury troubles prevented him from making the impact he would have hoped for at the Theatre of Dreams.Neville, though, was just happy to see the Frenchman in the same squad as him, having been ‘destroyed’ by the lively frontman during his time at Fulham.

On Ronaldo, Neville wrote in a column for Sky Sports: “After the match [against Sporting] I remember sending a text to my brother, saying 'we need to sign him' and apparently there was a lot of talk about him on the coach after the game.

“Obviously players should never be involved in signings, but he certainly made everyone sit up and take notice. I'd never heard of him and I'd never seen him before that night, but there was a huge excitement among the players afterwards.”

He added on Saha: “The only other opposition player I've felt like that about was Louis Saha. I remember playing against im as a centre-back when he was at Fulham and he destroyed me three seasons on the bounce. I was devastated when I had to play against him and I thought 'we've got to sign him'.

“He was clearly a different type of player to Cristiano, but we spoke about him in the dressing room in the same way. After that game against Sporting Lisbon, there was a great admiration and there was no doubt the players were all talking about Cristiano."

 

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SAF & C.Ronaldo​

 

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Ronaldo hails Zidane after 'beautiful' year

Cristiano Ronaldo has spoken of his "special affection" for Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane after signing a five-year contract extension with the European champions.

The three-time Ballon d'Or winner put pen to paper on his new deal at Santiago Bernabeu on Monday, one that will take him past his 36th birthday, but he insisted it would not be his last at the club.

Zidane's presence could be viewed as an important factor in this, as Ronaldo was linked with a move away from the Spanish capital during the doomed tenure of his immediate predecessor Rafael Benitez.

The former Madrid and France midfielder's appointment sparked an upturn in fortunes that ended with Ronaldo netting the winning penalty to sink rivals Atletico in May's Champions League final.

"He is a player in the history of Real Madrid and is now the coach of the first team," the Portugal captain told Real Madrid TV."I admired him as a player and now I admire him as a person and as a coach. I have a special affection.

"It was his first year [last season] and winning the Champions League was spectacular for him on a personal level, a dream realised."After winning the Champions League we talked and they were special and funny moments, after winning a match with as much emotion as that final. The two of us were very excited."

Euro 2016 glory with Portugal followed that sweet success at San Siro and Ronaldo feels the past year is unmatched in his stellar career."After making the most beautiful year of my career, with the Champions League, Euro and the renewal… it has been a perfect year," he said.

"Now I want to keep winning – La Liga, the Champions League, the Club World Cup. I want to win trophies and continue at this club to win."Ronaldo said earlier this week that he felt he could perform for 10 more years and he underlined his desire to close out his playing days in Madrid.

"It is a very important moment in my professional life," he added. "Extending five years with the best club in the world is a unique moment."The club is in my heart and, as I said, I want to finish here. There is no better club to continue playing for."

 

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30 years of Sir Alex - The numbers behind Ferguson's Man Utd miracle run

You may think that Manchester United are underachieving right now as they sit in sixth place in the Premier League, eight points behind leaders Liverpool. But on this very day 30 years ago they travelled to play Oxford United at the Manor Ground with a new manager looking to drag them out of a funk which saw them in 19th spot and trailing table toppers Nottingham Forest by 13 points.That manager was named Alex Ferguson, and what he was about to achieve has gone down in history.

Since that day in Oxfordshire, which ended in a 2-0 defeat, Sir Alex has gone on to become known as perhaps the best manager of all time. His record bares comparison with the most storied leaders in the history of football, and United are still feeling the effect of his absence following his 2013 retirement. But then he did set a very high bar.

Over his 26-and-a-half years in charge, Ferguson oversaw the progression and purchases of some of the modern game's greatest players. He was the man behind the growth of a youth academy and scouting system which would produce the most successful group of stars English football has known in years, the so-called Class of 92, but he also wasn't scared of spending big on those who had already begun to make a name for themselves elsewhere and in whom he trusted to take United to another level.

Indeed, the XI below reflects the players in each position who played the most games under Sir Alex during his spell as Manchester United manager, with players from both categories featuring heavily.

Of course, seven of those players were prevalant in the run which saw Ferguson's United reach their zenith in 1999. After winning the Premier League ahead of Arsenal and beating Newcastle United in the FA Cup final to clinch a record third domestic double, the Red Devils completed a never-to-be-forgotten 10-day spell with a dramatic Champions League triumph in Barcelona.

By the time he retired in the summer of 2013, he had rattled up 528 Premier League wins since the competition's inaugural campaign in 1992-93. That is a tally which will likely never be beaten, with even long-serving Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger still finding himself 87 wins short of Ferguson's figure despite approaching a similar service time in the revised league.

All in all, Ferguson took charge of a phenomenal 1500 competitive fixtures, with mind-boggling numbers being racked up in that time.

More than anything, Ferguson will be remembered for his success in turning good teams into great teams. His 38 trophies are testament to the fact he turned Manchester United into a winning machine, with his pre-1990 struggles now a long-forgotten blip.

 

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Bale crowned Wales' Player of the Year

Gareth Bale has continued his domination of Wales' Player of the Year by winning the top gong for a fourth successive time.

For the sixth time in seven years, Real Madrid star Bale received the honour following a ceremony at the Football Association of Wales (FAW) awards on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old starred during Wales' memorable run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals, scoring three goals in the group stage, while he won a second Champions League title with Madrid.

With 64 caps to his name, Bale - who signed a new Madrid deal recently - is also on track to become the country's all-time leading goalscorer as he is only three shy of equalling Ian Rush's 28-goal record.
Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen walked away with two awards - the Players' and Fans' Player of the Year.
As for manager Chris Coleman, he won the FAW Special Award after guiding Wales to the semi-finals of the European Championships.It was Wales' first appearance at a major tournament since 1958.

 

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Congratulations Bale!​

 

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Rooney rejected summer move to Chinese Super League

Wayne Rooney rejected a move to Chinese Super League outfit Beijing Guoan during the summer, the club's honorary chairman has revealed.

The Manchester United captain lost his starting berth in Jose Mourinho's first team this season following a string of below-par performances but returned for the 3-1 win over Swansea City on Sunday in which he notched two assists.Beijing Guoan approached Rooney - who reportedly earns in excess of £300,000 a week on a contract which runs until 2019 - before the start of the new campaign, only to be swiftly rejected.

The 31-year-old aims to continue playing in England's top flight for the foreseeable future, with Mourinho recently ruling out an Old Trafford exit for his skipper, and now Luo Ning of Beijing Guoan has confirmed a summer move was dismissed.

"We indeed made an approach for Rooney at the beginning of the season but he's informed us that he wants to stay in Manchester United," Luo Ning told a Bejing sports radio show.

"Rooney says he'll keep playing in the Premier League as long as his health allows. We even met with his agent [Paul Stratford]."

Rooney is currently on international duty with England, where he is expected to captain his country in Friday's World Cup qualifier against Scotland.

 

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Barcelona set to move for Cedric as Bellerin prepares to sign new Arsenal deal

News of Hector Bellerin’s imminent contract renewal with Arsenal has not gone down well in Barcelona. The 21-year-old was the top choice of the Catalans to step into the shoes of Dani Alves, who has not been adequately replaced since he departed for Juventus on a free transfer last summer.

Head coach Luis Enrique still does not trust Aleix Vidal, while Sergi Roberto’s long-term future does not seem to lie in that area of the field. As Bellerin does not wish to return to Barca, Goal understands they have activated Plan B, with Cedric Soares the man anointed to join the Camp Nou club.

Like Bellerin, he plays in England, though under the orders of Southampton, who bought him from Sporting CP for €6.5 million two summers ago. He is a player who has long been monitored by Barca, yet they opted for Vidal as it appeared he had fully adapted to the right-back role during his time with Sevilla.

Meanwhile, Soares settled at Southampton, where he has gone on to establish himself as an international player with Portugal, despite being born in Germany. Now Barca are ready to make an assault for the 25-year-old this January.

“Barcelona are always open to improving the squad in each window if the price is right,” Luis Enrique mentioned on Saturday, all but confirming that his club will dip into the transfer market. Aware that Bellerin in no longer an option, Barca are seeking a player who is capable of starting.

Options such as Dario Srna and Stephan Lichtsteiner have been ruled out, and while Juan Cuadrado and Joao Cancelo are still considered, it is Soares who is increasingly the favourite due to his potential and price.

Meanwhile, Vidal will be allowed to leave Barcelona should they receive a satisfactory offer, though he will not be released given that they paid €18m for him less than 18 months ago.

Luis Enrique is aware that the right-back area is a potential Achilles heel of his Barcelona. Roberto is a midfielder and in the last few games Raheem Sterling and Vitolo have made it abundantly clear of the fact he is not a specialist.

The team needs competition to reach its maximum potential. Lucas Digne arrived last summer to stimulate Jordi Alba. By contrast, the right side of the defence is a work in progress, although they hope it will be closer to completion in the next couple of months.

 

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Lahm hints at 2017 retirement

Bayern Munich captain Philipp Lahm has suggested he could retire from professional football at the end of the season.

Lahm, who turns 33 on Friday, previously announced his intention to hang up his boots when his contract expires in 2018.However, the eight-time Bundesliga champion and World Cup winner has reiterated musings about leaving the game prematurely if he feels his body can no longer cope with the rigours of playing at the highest level.

"Of course, retiring at the end of this season is something you can ponder. I cannot rule that out," Lahm told Sport Bild."I already said nine months ago that I could retire in 2017 and this has not changed.

"The season still has seven months or so to go and a lot can happen in that time. My future does not depend on how many titles we win, it depends on how my body feels, and then I will make a decision on my future.

"I want to be able to keep acting at the highest level and recognise when the time has come to retire. But I still have a contract until 2018, so I am in no rush to make a decision."

Lahm has been at Bayern for almost 22 years and is in his 12th season as a first-team regular for the club, having made 12 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring two goals.

 

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Mourinho slammed for Shaw & Smalling treatment by PFA chief

Jose Mourinho's treatment of Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling has been slammed by PFA chief Gordon Taylor.

The pair were absent from Sunday's 3-1 win over Swansea City, with Mourinho telling MUTV before the game that both informed him they were not fit enough to play, before adding afterwards that his squad must "put their bodies on the line".

Taylor is unimpressed by Mourinho's public, albeit indirect, criticism of the pair, and warned the Manchester United manager that such remarks could lead to dangerous consequences, mentioning the tragic suicide of former Wales head coach Gary Speed.

"I was disappointed by that because, knowing the individuals, they are both highly thought of," said Taylor, speaking at the VSI Sporting Directors governance dinner.

"They've got personal problems which I don't need to relay, but sometimes a manager needs to be a psychologist as well, and also to be a counselor because you can't treat everybody in the team [the same], every manager must know that. Every player in a team is different.

"When you see what happened with Welsh football and Gary Speed, that brings it home to you that somebody can look on top of the world, with no problems, but [in reality] it's quite different and that's why we have a 24-hour counseling service.
"We get some 200 calls a year to those lines because a player could be out of the team, he could be injured. It's a short-term career and we're all human beings."

 

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Bayern Munich will not return Coman to Juventus, insists Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti is adamant that Bayern Munich will not send Kingsley Coman back to Juventus at the end of the season.

The France international joined Bayern from the Bianconeri on a two-year loan deal in August 2015 for an initial fee of €7 million (£6.2m), with the Bundesliga champions having an option to make his stay at the Allianz Arena permanent for €21m (£18.7m).

The Bavarians seemed ready to trigger their right to buy Coman after his impressive 2015-16 campaign but doubts have arisen over the 20-year-old's future after an underwhelming start to this season.

After scoring six times and supplying 11 assists in 35 outings last term, the former Paris Saint-Germain player is yet to find the net or set up a team-mate under Ancelotti.

Nevertheless, the Italian has moved to end speculation about the youngster's future by insisting that Bayern will not let him return to the Serie A champions.

"Kingsley is staying at Bayern. We are counting on him," Ancelotti told Tuttosport.
"There is absolutely no way that he will return to Juventus."

 

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Netherlands 1-1 Belgium: Carrasco on target to deny Oranje victory

Neighbours Netherlands and Belgium played out a 1-1 draw in Amsterdam which will have done little to further endear club coaches to the merits of international friendlies.

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany's injury nightmare apparently continued, this time in national-team colours as he was named in Belgium's starting XI but failed to line up for kick-off.

Once the 126th edition of this derby fixture was underway, it was Netherlands whose players encountered fitness woes either side of Ajax's Davy Klaassen emphatically dispatching a 38th-minute penalty on home turf.

Stijn Schaars and Vincent Janssen had already limped out and Jeremain Lens, who won the penalty following some clumsy work from Janssen's Tottenham team-mate Jan Vertonghen, pulled up lame in the second period.

Belgium appeared the most likely side as the game reached its conclusion and their reward came in fortuitous fashion, as Atletico Madrid's Yannick Carrasco saw his speculative attempt spin home off Joel Veltman eight minutes from time
Debutant Christian Kabasele came into Roberto Martinez's defence in place of Kompany, where 12th-minute confusion between Laurent Ciman and goalkeeper Simon Mignolet almost let in Janssen to open the scoring.

Netherlands boss Danny Blind was forced into an early reshuffle when Schaars hobbled away from the action to herald Jordy Clasie's arrival, while Janssen came off worse challenging for a cross with Mignolet and followed his colleague down the tunnel, with Bas Dost introduced.

Belgium's fluid forward line without a recognised centre-forward struggled for clear-cut chances until Dries Mertens headed over from Kevin De Bruyne's measured right-wing cross.

Martinez's back three did not appear such an enticing proposition and Vertonghen pulled down Lens in the area, leaving Klaassen to rifle home from the spot.

The visitors were a fraction from having penalty of their own as the hour approached, with Veltman scything down Carrasco on the left-hand edge of the area.De Bruyne's resulting strike was pushed behind at his near post by Maarten Stekelenburg.

The parade of walking wounded continued as Lens suffered a hamstring strain and made way for Manchester United outcast Memphis Depay.

PSV right-back Joshua Brenet enjoyed the distinction of being brought on solely at coach Blind's behest and the 22-year-old almost marked his maiden cap with a stunning solo goal, as he coolly sauntered through limp Belgium defending before slotting narrowly wide in the 74th minute.

Martinez had revamped his attack with Thorgan Hazard and Romelu Lukaku by this stage and the duo combined with 12 minutes to play, only for in-form striker to turn an inviting cross over.

Veltman's backside was then the unlikely source of the equaliser and Netherlands were forced to hang on, with Lukaku again going close before linking in slick fashion with Chelsea's Eden Hazard, who found Stekelenburg to be a more robust barrier than he had been at club level for Everton this weekend.

Blind's now depleted squad take on Luxembourg in World Cup qualification on Sunday, while Belgium face Estonia with Kompany under an all-too-familiar cloud.

 

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Fresh concerns over Kompany fitness following Belgium set-back

Vincent Kompany sparked fresh concerns about his fitness on Wednesday night by pulling out of Belgium’s starting line-up at the eleventh hour.

Kompany was named in Roberto Martinez’s starting XI for the game against the Netherlands in Amsterdam but was withdrawn shortly before kick-off after alerting medical staff that he had felt some discomfort during the warm-up.It is believed the City defender has suffered a minor muscle problem and will miss the World Cup qualifier against Estonia on Sunday.

It represents yet another set-back for the injury-plagued centre-back who has struggled to break into Pep Guardiola's team this season.Kompany started the current campaign on the sidelines thanks to a groin injury he sustained during May’s Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

That was the fourth time during the 2014-15 season that he limped out of a match, and the third time he was forced off having only just returned from the previous complaint.

There was further cause for concern in September when the 30-year-old walked off the pitch during his latest comeback attempt - the EFL Cup third-round win at Swansea City.

City sent him for treatment at a Barcelona clinic and although he was fit enough to start matches against Southampton in the Premier League and Manchester United in the EFL Cup in October, he was taken off after 78 minutes against the Saints and could only manage the first half at Old Trafford three days later.

Pep Guardiola revealed the centre-back was too tired to continue against United but he has not played since, although he has been named on the bench on three occasions.

Guardiola also gave his blessing to Kompany’s international call-up for Wednesday’s friendly against the Netherlands and the qualifier against Estonia.

“He is available to play,” the City boss said on Sunday. “It will be good for him to get minutes and hopefully he will come back fit.”Kompany has promised to be “more honest” with City’s medical department.

The 30-year-old had been in line to start City's Champions League game against Barcelona at Camp Nou on October 19, but admitted to club staff that he did not feel 100 per cent.

He is now likely to travel back to Manchester where he will be assessed over the coming days to reveal the full extent of the latest injury.

 

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Jose Mourinho exasperated by Man Utd dressing room

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly planning a root-and-branch overhaul of the club after becoming exasperated at what he has seen so far, especially in the dressing room.

The Portuguese boss has seen his team stagnate after a positive start to the season, and they currently lie eight points off the Premier League summit. And according to a BBC report, he is less than happy with attitudes around Old Trafford.

Defenders Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling found themselves the targets of public criticism at the weekend, with Mourinho suggesting their late withdrawals through injury against Swansea betrayed a "lack of fight."

"There is a difference between the brave, who want to play at any cost, and the ones for whom a little pain can make a difference," he told reporters, while exhorting his players to "do anything" for the team.

Pre-season planning and fitness are apparently the two areas Mourinho is keen on improving, although he is considering a thorough investigation into "all aspects of the first team," according to the report.

An abortive tour of China before the campaign kicked off left the ex-Real Madrid and Chelsea man furious, while he has taken steps to revamp the club's fitness regime which may be taken further.In turn the boss has found himself in the spotlight already this season for mostly negative reasons.

His treatment of Bastian Schweinsteiger, who had been banished from the first team, and under-used new signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan has raised eyebrows, while he was forced to watch United's 3-1 win over Swansea from the stands after a touchline bust-up with Mark Clattenburg the previous week.

 

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Janssen lost 20 minutes of his memory with concussion

Vincent Janssen lost 20 minutes of his memory after a heavy collision with Simon Mignolet in Netherlands' 1-1 draw against Belgium on Wednesday.

Davy Klaassen gave Danny Blind's team a 38th-minute lead from the penalty spot in Amsterdam, by which time Stijn Schaars and Janssen had already been forced out of the action.

Jeremain Lens suffered a pulled hamstring before Yannick Carrasco hit a deflected equaliser eight minutes from time, but it was the injury to Tottenham striker Janssen that caused the most concern to Blind ahead of Sunday's World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg.

"Vincent Janssen is going to be a very difficult story," he told reporters. "The physician told me it is a concussion. He lost 20 minutes of his memory, and doesn't know what happened.

"We have to be careful with that and talk it through."Wesley Sneijder captained the Netherlands on his 125th international appearance, leaving him second only to Edwin van der Sar's 130 caps on the all-time list.

"Until we conceded a goal, we didn't give away chances," Sneijder said. "The organisation was good, but lacked in creativity.


"We should be more confident with the ball, and play more efficiently. All in all it's a deserved draw."

 

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Mkhitaryan: I'll fight to achieve my Man Utd dream

Henrikh Mkhitaryan insists he will fight for his future at Manchester United despite a lack of playing time under Jose Mourinho.

The Armenia star, who was signed from Borussia Dortmund in July for a reported fee of £26.3 million, has not featured in a Premier League game since being withdrawn at half-time of the defeat to Manchester City in September, his only start in the league so far.

Mkhitaryan was used as a second-half substitute in the 2-1 Europa League defeat to Fenerbahce but was left out of the squad altogether for the victory over Swansea on Sunday.

Speculation has persisted that the 27-year-old could be allowed to leave Old Trafford as early as January, but Mkhitaryan is adamant that he does not want to leave."It's true that I've not had much time on the pitch so far. But I will not give up," he was quoted as saying by Sport Bild after his appointment as a UNICEF ambassador.

"I worked hard in my career and it was a long journey to play for Manchester United. I will continue to fight to make my dream come true at United."I will not give up and I'll find the strength to achieve that goal."Mourinho insisted last week that Mkhitaryan must prove himself at Old Trafford before he will be trusted with a first-team role.

"I'm not thinking about sending him off, but he has to do more - it's as simple as that," Mourinho said."We have big expectations at this club, we have lots of players for this position and he has to play better than [Juan] Mata, [Jesse] Lingard and [Anthony] Martial - he has to play better than them and it's as simple as that.

"Every manager in the world wants to win matches, every manager wants to play the players that he thinks can help the team more and I am not different."

Mourinho's decision to leave him out of the squad has irritated many United fans recently, but the attacking midfielder faces a tough task in getting out of a tough situation on the sidelines.

 

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'I miss knowing that we were going to win' - Sneijder admits Netherlands' glory days are over

Wesley Sneijder has admitted Netherlands are no longer the major force in international football they once were.

The Dutch made it to the final at the 2010 World Cup, while reaching the semi-finals in Brazil four years later.They failed to qualify for Euro 2016, though, and have struggled in the early stages of the 2018 World Cup qualification, too.

And Sneijder feels that their dismal situation has become the new normal for the national team, alluding to an uncertainty and lack of confidence among the team."We are no longer driving toward the stadium knowing that we will win and that we are just wondering by what margin we will win," Sneijder told Metro.

"Those days are over and I miss that feeling. "I hope that we can create a similar era in the future, even if I will not be part of it. This group of players has the potential and quality to reach that same level."

Netherlands had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Sweden in their Group A opener, before beating Belarus 4-1 and then losing 1-0 at home to France in October.
They subsequently occupy third place in the table heading into their November internationals, but Sneijder feels they have just been unlucky."We deserved three points against Sweden and I think a draw would have been a fair result against France," he added.

"I really think we did not do a bad job."With 126 caps to his name, Sneijder is four short of equalling Edwin van der Sar's record as the nation's most capped player, and the team's coach, Danny Blind, believes he can surpass the former Manchester United shot stopper.

"Of course Sneijder wants to beat that record," he told reporters. "I asked him if he's fit and if he is then he should play. Of course, the record is less important in relation to the World Cup qualifiers."

Netherlands take on Belgium in a friendly on Wednesday, before facing Luxembourg on Sunday in their fourth World Cup qualifying match.

 

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Aguero plays down Guardiola rift rumours & rules out Real Madrid move

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has dismissed talk of a rift with manager Pep Guardiola.

Aguero has been left out of the City side in recent weeks - most notably against Barcelona at Camp Nou - as Guardiola continues to demand various improvements in his game.

It has even been suggested that the Argentine could leave the club in the summer, and while Goal understands that is unlikely, there are several issues which do suggest all is not as it should be behind the scenes.But Aguero insists there have never been any problems between the two of them, and reiterated his stance that he will return straight to boyhood club Independiente when he eventually leaves City.

“I never had problems with Guardiola, nor him with me,” he told ESPN Radio FC. “He always helped me and gave me advice.“For now I'm fine at Manchester City, and the day I leave it will be to return to Independiente.

“How long have there been rumours about Real Madrid? I'm very happy at City and more so now with Pep.”Guardiola has taken several opportunities to point out that he wants Aguero to do more for the team so far this season.

That includes a need to press opposition defenders more readily, make better movements while City’s midfielders are in possession, and to “realise his importance to the club”.Aguero was kept out of games against Everton and Barcelona in October after receiving criticism in Argentina for a poor performance for his country against Paraguay.

And he admits that while he has struggled over recent weeks, Guardiola was right to keep him out of the side and is helping him to focus on his own game.“Guardiola tells me to try not to pay so much attention to what is said. He makes me focus on winning.

“This month I've been thinking very positively. In the last few weeks my head has changed a lot.“After the game with Paraguay, I was emotionally very bad. Guardiola helped me a lot."

 

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Neville tells Shaw what he MUST do to survive at Man Utd

Gary Neville has told Luke Shaw that he must "mature physically and mentally" to have a future at Manchester United under Jose Mourinho.

Shaw and defensive partner Chris Smalling were absent from Sunday's 3-1 win over Swansea City, with both informing Mourinho they were not fit enough to play and their manager added afterward that his squad must "put their bodies on the line".

Mourinho's singling out of his players has drawn criticism, most recently from PFA chief Gordon Taylor, and now Neville has warned Shaw that he must be ready to deal with expectations and earn his manager's trust.

"I think Luke is a complex character. He is young, has moved away from Southampton, and he needs to mature physically and mentally."He is such a huge talent but obviously has had injury problems and is not over them from a mental point of view and he needs to work on that.

"He is a young person with big expectation, but he is now in the spotlight at a big club, and Manchester United doesn’t take prisoners."

 

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Shaw hodata play karanawa.Mourinho ithin karanne moral bassana 1kane​