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Southampton 1-0 Liverpool: Redmond goal gives Saints the advantage
Southampton held a stuttering Liverpool at arm's length to secure a 1-0 lead in their EFL Cup semi-final first leg through Nathan Redmond's fine strike.
Liverpool had demolished Southampton 6-1 in the quarter-finals of this competition last season at St Mary's Stadium, but a repeat meeting came in sharp contrast as the hosts defending superbly throughout.
Virgil van Dijk again displayed his class with a strong, composed performance and how Jurgen Klopp will have wished for such a resolute presence in his own defence when Ragnar Klavan's error allowed Redmond to grab a potentially precious goal.
And as ex-Red Luis Suarez was scoring his 100th goal in 120 Barcelona games since leaving Anfield, Klopp's attack also came up short - a half-paced Daniel Sturridge failing to impress on a rare start that is unlikely to be repeated on this evidence.
Philippe Coutinho emerging from the bench just past the hour after almost two months out with an ankle injury will have warmed visiting hearts as Klopp prepares to unleash the Brazilian at Manchester United in Sunday's return to Premier League action.
That trip to Old Trafford becomes a key fixture for Liverpool, who have fallen into a mini stumble after being held 0-0 by Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup on Sunday.
The Saints had scored first before being demolished in last season's quarter-final tie and they again struck first, despite Liverpool dominating possession.
Redmond came into the game without a goal in 15 outings and nerves were evident when he took a touch from Cedric Soares' cross, allowing the returning Loris Karius time to smother his shot, but the England Under-21 man atoned a minute later.Klavan miscued when attempting to cut out Dusan Tadic's pass to Jay Rodriguez, who squared for Redmond to calmly finish across Karius and into the net.
Fraser Forster had earlier been called into action by Roberto Firmino's snapshot, but that was as much as the Reds mustered in 45 minutes, with Coutinho sent to warm up before half-time - perhaps a threat to those on the pitch from Klopp if nothing else - with Karius' razor-sharp reflexes denying Redmond a second and keeping the visitors in it just before the break.
Former Saint Sadio Mane appears to be a sore loss from Liverpool's front line, which lacked its usual zip without the Senegalese on Africa Cup of Nations duty, though Coutinho embarked on a couple of mazy runs after he replaced Georginio Wijnaldum.
As Liverpool's stodgy play continued to let them down, Southampton ought to have doubled their lead when Redmond led a lightning-quick counter-attack from a visiting corner, only for Cedric to slash wide from 12 yards when Rodriguez was supporting him infield.
On another day, Redmond would have single-handedly ended the tie inside 90 minutes and he clipped the crossbar with a late chip - his three misses something to pore over if Liverpool do turn the tables at Anfield in two weeks' time.
Southampton held a stuttering Liverpool at arm's length to secure a 1-0 lead in their EFL Cup semi-final first leg through Nathan Redmond's fine strike.
Liverpool had demolished Southampton 6-1 in the quarter-finals of this competition last season at St Mary's Stadium, but a repeat meeting came in sharp contrast as the hosts defending superbly throughout.
Virgil van Dijk again displayed his class with a strong, composed performance and how Jurgen Klopp will have wished for such a resolute presence in his own defence when Ragnar Klavan's error allowed Redmond to grab a potentially precious goal.
And as ex-Red Luis Suarez was scoring his 100th goal in 120 Barcelona games since leaving Anfield, Klopp's attack also came up short - a half-paced Daniel Sturridge failing to impress on a rare start that is unlikely to be repeated on this evidence.
Philippe Coutinho emerging from the bench just past the hour after almost two months out with an ankle injury will have warmed visiting hearts as Klopp prepares to unleash the Brazilian at Manchester United in Sunday's return to Premier League action.
That trip to Old Trafford becomes a key fixture for Liverpool, who have fallen into a mini stumble after being held 0-0 by Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup on Sunday.
The Saints had scored first before being demolished in last season's quarter-final tie and they again struck first, despite Liverpool dominating possession.
Redmond came into the game without a goal in 15 outings and nerves were evident when he took a touch from Cedric Soares' cross, allowing the returning Loris Karius time to smother his shot, but the England Under-21 man atoned a minute later.Klavan miscued when attempting to cut out Dusan Tadic's pass to Jay Rodriguez, who squared for Redmond to calmly finish across Karius and into the net.
Fraser Forster had earlier been called into action by Roberto Firmino's snapshot, but that was as much as the Reds mustered in 45 minutes, with Coutinho sent to warm up before half-time - perhaps a threat to those on the pitch from Klopp if nothing else - with Karius' razor-sharp reflexes denying Redmond a second and keeping the visitors in it just before the break.
Former Saint Sadio Mane appears to be a sore loss from Liverpool's front line, which lacked its usual zip without the Senegalese on Africa Cup of Nations duty, though Coutinho embarked on a couple of mazy runs after he replaced Georginio Wijnaldum.
As Liverpool's stodgy play continued to let them down, Southampton ought to have doubled their lead when Redmond led a lightning-quick counter-attack from a visiting corner, only for Cedric to slash wide from 12 yards when Rodriguez was supporting him infield.
On another day, Redmond would have single-handedly ended the tie inside 90 minutes and he clipped the crossbar with a late chip - his three misses something to pore over if Liverpool do turn the tables at Anfield in two weeks' time.
Juventus 3-2 Atalanta: Dybala, Mandzukic & Pjanic fire Old Lady to Coppa victoria
Juventus are on course for a record-breaking third consecutive Coppa Italia title after beating Atalanta 3-2 in the competition's round of 16.
Paulo Dybala's stunning volley put the Serie A leaders in front after 22 minutes at Juventus Stadium, and he played in Mario Mandzukic for the home side's second 12 minutes later.
Gian Piero Gasperini's spirited Atalanta side rallied late in the game with goals from substitutes Abdoulay Konko and Emmanuel Latte Lath, but Miralem Pjanic's penalty booked Massimiliano Allegri's men a clash with either Milan or Torino in the quarter-finals.
Atalanta have been the surprise package of Serie A this season and they arrived in Turin hoping to improve on the 3-1 league defeat they suffered at the same ground in December.
But they came up against a supremely confident Juventus attack despite Allegri's decision to rest star striker Gonzalo Higuain, and the Bianconeri hung on for the win at the end.
Atalanta's Alberto Grassi tested Juventus goalkeeper Neto with a low drive in the opening 30 seconds of a lively start to the match as the Serie A champions went toe-to-toe with one of this season's brightest teams.
Juve steadied themselves and should have taken the lead when Stephan Lichtsteiner's cross found Mandzukic unmarked, but the ball hit the Croatian striker's body before striking the post on its way wide.
The visitors' bright start seemed to work against them as a galvanised Juventus poured forward, and the opening goal was a delight to watch as Mandzukic headed a cross back to Dybala, who struck the sweetest of volleys to leave goalkeeper Etrit Berisha with no chance.
There was no let up from Juve's front pair and after 33 minutes Dybala played Mandzukic into the area and the 30-year-old side-footed his sixth goal of the season in at the far post, before missing a golden chance to make it 3-0 just before half-time.Atalanta made a more cautious start to the second half than they had the first, but even sitting deep they struggled to contain the tireless Juventus attack.
Sloppy play at the back by Konko allowed Stefano Sturaro to cross for Mandzukic, whose header looped dangerously back across the face of goal before Andrea Masiello acrobatically cleared the danger.
With a trip to Fiorentina awaiting his side at the weekend, Allegri replaced Dybala with Marko Pjaca after an hour and moments later Tomas Rincon, making his full Juventus debut, was denied his first goal for the club when Berisha tipped his rising shot over the crossbar.
Atalanta's travelling support were finally given something to cheer when Andrea Petagna squared the ball to Konko and the full-back hit an instinctive half-volley that bounced in off the post.
Juventus' two-goal lead was restored just three minutes later when Marco D'Alessandro tripped Lichtsteiner in the box and Pjanic made no mistake from the penalty spot, but Atalanta hit back again to ensure a tense finish to the game.
Andrea Conti got in behind the Juventus defence and crossed for Latte Lath to nip in ahead of his marker and squeeze the ball between Neto and the post, but there was to be no dramatic equaliser for Gasperini's men.
Juventus are on course for a record-breaking third consecutive Coppa Italia title after beating Atalanta 3-2 in the competition's round of 16.
Paulo Dybala's stunning volley put the Serie A leaders in front after 22 minutes at Juventus Stadium, and he played in Mario Mandzukic for the home side's second 12 minutes later.
Gian Piero Gasperini's spirited Atalanta side rallied late in the game with goals from substitutes Abdoulay Konko and Emmanuel Latte Lath, but Miralem Pjanic's penalty booked Massimiliano Allegri's men a clash with either Milan or Torino in the quarter-finals.
Atalanta have been the surprise package of Serie A this season and they arrived in Turin hoping to improve on the 3-1 league defeat they suffered at the same ground in December.
But they came up against a supremely confident Juventus attack despite Allegri's decision to rest star striker Gonzalo Higuain, and the Bianconeri hung on for the win at the end.
Atalanta's Alberto Grassi tested Juventus goalkeeper Neto with a low drive in the opening 30 seconds of a lively start to the match as the Serie A champions went toe-to-toe with one of this season's brightest teams.
Juve steadied themselves and should have taken the lead when Stephan Lichtsteiner's cross found Mandzukic unmarked, but the ball hit the Croatian striker's body before striking the post on its way wide.
The visitors' bright start seemed to work against them as a galvanised Juventus poured forward, and the opening goal was a delight to watch as Mandzukic headed a cross back to Dybala, who struck the sweetest of volleys to leave goalkeeper Etrit Berisha with no chance.
There was no let up from Juve's front pair and after 33 minutes Dybala played Mandzukic into the area and the 30-year-old side-footed his sixth goal of the season in at the far post, before missing a golden chance to make it 3-0 just before half-time.Atalanta made a more cautious start to the second half than they had the first, but even sitting deep they struggled to contain the tireless Juventus attack.
Sloppy play at the back by Konko allowed Stefano Sturaro to cross for Mandzukic, whose header looped dangerously back across the face of goal before Andrea Masiello acrobatically cleared the danger.
With a trip to Fiorentina awaiting his side at the weekend, Allegri replaced Dybala with Marko Pjaca after an hour and moments later Tomas Rincon, making his full Juventus debut, was denied his first goal for the club when Berisha tipped his rising shot over the crossbar.
Atalanta's travelling support were finally given something to cheer when Andrea Petagna squared the ball to Konko and the full-back hit an instinctive half-volley that bounced in off the post.
Juventus' two-goal lead was restored just three minutes later when Marco D'Alessandro tripped Lichtsteiner in the box and Pjanic made no mistake from the penalty spot, but Atalanta hit back again to ensure a tense finish to the game.
Andrea Conti got in behind the Juventus defence and crossed for Latte Lath to nip in ahead of his marker and squeeze the ball between Neto and the post, but there was to be no dramatic equaliser for Gasperini's men.
Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Metz: Thiago Silva sends champions through
Holders Paris Saint-Germain eased into the semi-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue with a 2-0 win over Metz thanks to a pair of headers from Thiago Silva.
The pressure on coach Unai Emery has been eased by an emphatic 5-0 victory over Lorient before the mid-season break and a 7-0 Coupe de France rout of Bastia at the weekend.
Though the margin of victory was not as emphatic this time around, PSG produced another dominant performance to suggest they are finding their rhythm ahead of the resumption of a Ligue 1 campaign that sees them surprisingly five points adrift of leaders Nice.
And it was captain Silva who proved the difference maker in Wednesday's contest at the Parc des Princes, the Brazil defender the only player able to beat David Oberhauser in the Metz goal.
Silva made it 1-0 in the 27th minute by turning home an Angel Di Maria corner, and the same formula paid dividends 18 minutes from time as PSG joined Monaco, Bordeaux and Nancy in the last four.
PSG dominated from the start and Edinson Cavani spurned a decent opening as he headed wide before Thomas Meunier hit the near post from a Di Maria corner.
And only the marvellous reflexes of Oberhauser prevented PSG from breaking the deadlock in the 17th minute.
Marco Verratti's exquisite diagonal ball was met by Christopher Nkunku, whose first-time cross found Cavani, only for the Uruguay striker to be denied by a fantastic reaction point-blank save from Oberhauser.
But Oberhauser could not prevent the hosts from opening the scoring 10 minutes later, Metz paying the price for some very poor marking.Silva was afforded far too much space in the area and had the simplest of tasks to power another Di Maria delivery into the bottom-right corner.
An intricately worked move by PSG ended with Nkunku being denied at the near post by Oberhauser as Emery's men looked to put the tie to bed.Oberhauser thwarted Jonathan Ikone a minute into the second half, and Metz continued to live extremely dangerously at the back.
Cavani's frustration was evident after he headed over a cross from Di Maria, who then became the latest player to see an effort kept out as he had a strike cleared off the line.Metz improved after those scares and did threaten Alphonse Areola's goal, Habib Diallo curling narrowly over after an error from Presnel Kimpembe.
A busy night for Oberhauser continued, though, a wonderful passage of play between Adrien Rabiot and Di Maria going unrewarded as the latter saw his effort saved. Hatem Ben Arfa laid the rebound off to Cavani, whose attempt was kept out by the legs of Oberhauser.
But PSG did eventually double their lead as Silva's run again went untracked and he made no mistake in putting the game beyond doubt.
Former PSG striker Mevlut Erdinc went close to pulling one back and Cavani blazed over an acrobatic volley at the other end, but Emery and his players should go into Saturday's league meeting with Rennes in good spirits after 14 goals in their last three games.
Holders Paris Saint-Germain eased into the semi-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue with a 2-0 win over Metz thanks to a pair of headers from Thiago Silva.
The pressure on coach Unai Emery has been eased by an emphatic 5-0 victory over Lorient before the mid-season break and a 7-0 Coupe de France rout of Bastia at the weekend.
Though the margin of victory was not as emphatic this time around, PSG produced another dominant performance to suggest they are finding their rhythm ahead of the resumption of a Ligue 1 campaign that sees them surprisingly five points adrift of leaders Nice.
And it was captain Silva who proved the difference maker in Wednesday's contest at the Parc des Princes, the Brazil defender the only player able to beat David Oberhauser in the Metz goal.
Silva made it 1-0 in the 27th minute by turning home an Angel Di Maria corner, and the same formula paid dividends 18 minutes from time as PSG joined Monaco, Bordeaux and Nancy in the last four.
PSG dominated from the start and Edinson Cavani spurned a decent opening as he headed wide before Thomas Meunier hit the near post from a Di Maria corner.
And only the marvellous reflexes of Oberhauser prevented PSG from breaking the deadlock in the 17th minute.
Marco Verratti's exquisite diagonal ball was met by Christopher Nkunku, whose first-time cross found Cavani, only for the Uruguay striker to be denied by a fantastic reaction point-blank save from Oberhauser.
But Oberhauser could not prevent the hosts from opening the scoring 10 minutes later, Metz paying the price for some very poor marking.Silva was afforded far too much space in the area and had the simplest of tasks to power another Di Maria delivery into the bottom-right corner.
An intricately worked move by PSG ended with Nkunku being denied at the near post by Oberhauser as Emery's men looked to put the tie to bed.Oberhauser thwarted Jonathan Ikone a minute into the second half, and Metz continued to live extremely dangerously at the back.
Cavani's frustration was evident after he headed over a cross from Di Maria, who then became the latest player to see an effort kept out as he had a strike cleared off the line.Metz improved after those scares and did threaten Alphonse Areola's goal, Habib Diallo curling narrowly over after an error from Presnel Kimpembe.
A busy night for Oberhauser continued, though, a wonderful passage of play between Adrien Rabiot and Di Maria going unrewarded as the latter saw his effort saved. Hatem Ben Arfa laid the rebound off to Cavani, whose attempt was kept out by the legs of Oberhauser.
But PSG did eventually double their lead as Silva's run again went untracked and he made no mistake in putting the game beyond doubt.
Former PSG striker Mevlut Erdinc went close to pulling one back and Cavani blazed over an acrobatic volley at the other end, but Emery and his players should go into Saturday's league meeting with Rennes in good spirits after 14 goals in their last three games.
Barcelona 3-1 Athletic (agg. 4-3): Marvellous Messi comes to Catalans' rescue
Lionel Messi was Barcelona's free-kick hero once more as the holders sunk Athletic Bilbao 3-1 to claim a rousing 4-3 aggregate triumph in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey.
Trailing following a contentious 2-1 defeat in Bilbao last week, Barca had to wait for their breakthrough before it arrived in landmark fashion 10 minutes from half-time.
Luis Suarez volleyed his 100th goal for the club on the end of a move that fittingly featured Messi and Neymar – it was the 300th goal for MSN since the awesome forward trio began playing together in 2014.
Neymar won and converted a penalty early in the second period, but Athletic hit back through wideman Enric Saborit, a Barcelona-born product of the Espanyol youth system.But Barcelona, looking for a win at their third attempt in 2017, were not discouraged and a familiar hero stepped forward.
Having arrowed a set-piece into the top left corner to snatch a 1-1 draw at Villarreal on Sunday, Messi deftly whipped an effort from similar range across the Bilbao wall and in off the right-hand post to stylishly book a quarter-final spot.
The first leg at San Mames prompted Gerard Pique's week-long critique of Spanish officials and controversy arrived again after 26 keenly fought minutes, when Barcelona briefly though they were level on aggregate.
Neymar squared for Suarez to slot in a routine finish, but the Brazil captain had been incorrectly flagged offside when Andres Iniesta threaded a wonderful throughball Athletic were forced into a change before the half-hour mark, with defender Xabier Etxeita coming off worse after hacking down Neymar.
Presented with a free-kick opportunity in a similar position to his last-gasp equaliser versus Villarreal on Sunday, Messi curled an attempt over, with Neymar having come in for more robust attention.
The visitors' concerns over the damage Neymar might cause proved well-founded in the 35th minute when he collected Messi's pass and floated a cross from the left channel for Suarez to gleefully smash home on the volley and bring up his landmark.
MSN's collective triple century became 301 three minutes into the second half, with the latest foul on Neymar coming when Athletic right-back Eneko Boveda went to ground as his man burst into the left-hand side of the area.The 24-year-old picked himself up and, following a prolonged stuttering run-up, he sent Gorka Iraizoz the wrong way.
But any sense of Barca having completed a turnaround proved short-lived when first-leg goalscorer Inaki Williams – passed fit to play despite a bout of illness - crossed from the right for Saborit to head back across goal and beyond Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Suarez stabbed an effort the wrong side of the post after Messi sublimely scooted around Aymeric Laporte, while left-back Jordi Alba surged on to a trademark Iniesta pass but shot too close to Iraizoz.
Alba's give-and-go with Neymar presented with Suarez with a 68th-minute chance that the usually masterful marksman slashed wide.Messi did not lack for precision when the Uruguay striker was felled by Benat Etxebarria 13 minutes from time, sending Camp Nou into raptures.
Ivan Rakitic, reportedly unsettled and the subject of transfer interest from Manchester City, was rapturously welcomed by the home faithful when he appeared as a late substitute.
Nevertheless, the focus at full-time rightly remained on Barca's mercurial front three at full-time - 302 not out.
Lionel Messi was Barcelona's free-kick hero once more as the holders sunk Athletic Bilbao 3-1 to claim a rousing 4-3 aggregate triumph in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey.
Trailing following a contentious 2-1 defeat in Bilbao last week, Barca had to wait for their breakthrough before it arrived in landmark fashion 10 minutes from half-time.
Luis Suarez volleyed his 100th goal for the club on the end of a move that fittingly featured Messi and Neymar – it was the 300th goal for MSN since the awesome forward trio began playing together in 2014.
Neymar won and converted a penalty early in the second period, but Athletic hit back through wideman Enric Saborit, a Barcelona-born product of the Espanyol youth system.But Barcelona, looking for a win at their third attempt in 2017, were not discouraged and a familiar hero stepped forward.
Having arrowed a set-piece into the top left corner to snatch a 1-1 draw at Villarreal on Sunday, Messi deftly whipped an effort from similar range across the Bilbao wall and in off the right-hand post to stylishly book a quarter-final spot.
The first leg at San Mames prompted Gerard Pique's week-long critique of Spanish officials and controversy arrived again after 26 keenly fought minutes, when Barcelona briefly though they were level on aggregate.
Neymar squared for Suarez to slot in a routine finish, but the Brazil captain had been incorrectly flagged offside when Andres Iniesta threaded a wonderful throughball Athletic were forced into a change before the half-hour mark, with defender Xabier Etxeita coming off worse after hacking down Neymar.
Presented with a free-kick opportunity in a similar position to his last-gasp equaliser versus Villarreal on Sunday, Messi curled an attempt over, with Neymar having come in for more robust attention.
The visitors' concerns over the damage Neymar might cause proved well-founded in the 35th minute when he collected Messi's pass and floated a cross from the left channel for Suarez to gleefully smash home on the volley and bring up his landmark.
MSN's collective triple century became 301 three minutes into the second half, with the latest foul on Neymar coming when Athletic right-back Eneko Boveda went to ground as his man burst into the left-hand side of the area.The 24-year-old picked himself up and, following a prolonged stuttering run-up, he sent Gorka Iraizoz the wrong way.
But any sense of Barca having completed a turnaround proved short-lived when first-leg goalscorer Inaki Williams – passed fit to play despite a bout of illness - crossed from the right for Saborit to head back across goal and beyond Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Suarez stabbed an effort the wrong side of the post after Messi sublimely scooted around Aymeric Laporte, while left-back Jordi Alba surged on to a trademark Iniesta pass but shot too close to Iraizoz.
Alba's give-and-go with Neymar presented with Suarez with a 68th-minute chance that the usually masterful marksman slashed wide.Messi did not lack for precision when the Uruguay striker was felled by Benat Etxebarria 13 minutes from time, sending Camp Nou into raptures.
Ivan Rakitic, reportedly unsettled and the subject of transfer interest from Manchester City, was rapturously welcomed by the home faithful when he appeared as a late substitute.
Nevertheless, the focus at full-time rightly remained on Barca's mercurial front three at full-time - 302 not out.
'I'm fine at Juventus' - Dybala shrugs off Real Madrid and Barcelona talk
Juventus star Paulo Dybala is happy to shun interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona to sign a contract extension with the Serie A champions.
The Argentina international has struggled to recapture his stellar debut-season form in his second campaign, but he scored one and set up another to help Juve into the Coppa Italia quarter-finals with a 3-2 win over Atalanta.
Dybala is reportedly on the radar of La Liga's giant duo, but Giuseppe Marotta recently said he expects the 23-year-old to remain and sign a new deal which the club have offered him.
Dybala reiterated that no news of a potential move to Spain has reached him and he is ready to go along with negotiations.
"Barcelona or Real Madrid? There's no offers, for me there are no problems for the renewal," Dybala told reporters on Wednesday."I'm fine at Juventus, my agent will be in Turin in the coming days for the renewal."I'm thinking only about Juventus."Dybala has scored five goals in 17 games in all competition for Juventus, who take on Fiorentina in Serie A on Sunday.
Juventus star Paulo Dybala is happy to shun interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona to sign a contract extension with the Serie A champions.
The Argentina international has struggled to recapture his stellar debut-season form in his second campaign, but he scored one and set up another to help Juve into the Coppa Italia quarter-finals with a 3-2 win over Atalanta.
Dybala is reportedly on the radar of La Liga's giant duo, but Giuseppe Marotta recently said he expects the 23-year-old to remain and sign a new deal which the club have offered him.
Dybala reiterated that no news of a potential move to Spain has reached him and he is ready to go along with negotiations.
"Barcelona or Real Madrid? There's no offers, for me there are no problems for the renewal," Dybala told reporters on Wednesday."I'm fine at Juventus, my agent will be in Turin in the coming days for the renewal."I'm thinking only about Juventus."Dybala has scored five goals in 17 games in all competition for Juventus, who take on Fiorentina in Serie A on Sunday.
Copa del Rey 2nd Leg Fixtures 2017.01.12
Copa del Rey 2nd Leg Fixtures 2017.01.12
Celta Vigo Vs Valencia
Eibar Vs Osasuna
Sevilla Vs Real Madrid
Wantaway Payet refusing to play for West Ham, reveals Bilic
West Ham midfielder Dimitri Payet is refusing to play for the club as he tries to force a move, manager Slaven Bilic has revealed.
The 29-year-old was on the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year award in 2016 after a sensational first season in English football, also helping France to the final of Euro 2016.Speculation has linked him with an exit ever since and, earlier in January, Payet liked a Tweet suggesting that he could return to his previous club, Marseille.
Bilic is adamant that his star man, who signed a new contract in February lasting until 2021, will not be allowed an exit but confirmed that he will not train with the first team nor play any part against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
"Let's get serious," the Croatian told reporters. "I have a situation with a player. It is Dimitri Payet. He wants to leave."This team, the staff, we gave him everything, we were always there for him. I feel let down. I feel angry."We have said we don't want to sell our best players but [Payet] does not want to play for us. We are not going to sell him.
"I spoke to the chairman and this is not a money issue. We gave him a long contract because we want him to stay."I am concentrated on the game and don't want to talk about transfers. There are still over two weeks to go.
"I expect from him to come back and to show commitment and determination to the team like the team has shown to him."The Frenchman has scored two goals and registered six assists in the Premier League this term, with West Ham sitting in 13th place in the table.
Arsenal and Manchester United have both been linked with January bids for Payet, while Marseille are also said to be willing to offer up to €40 million (£34.7m) to recapture their former player.
West Ham midfielder Dimitri Payet is refusing to play for the club as he tries to force a move, manager Slaven Bilic has revealed.
The 29-year-old was on the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year award in 2016 after a sensational first season in English football, also helping France to the final of Euro 2016.Speculation has linked him with an exit ever since and, earlier in January, Payet liked a Tweet suggesting that he could return to his previous club, Marseille.
Bilic is adamant that his star man, who signed a new contract in February lasting until 2021, will not be allowed an exit but confirmed that he will not train with the first team nor play any part against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
"Let's get serious," the Croatian told reporters. "I have a situation with a player. It is Dimitri Payet. He wants to leave."This team, the staff, we gave him everything, we were always there for him. I feel let down. I feel angry."We have said we don't want to sell our best players but [Payet] does not want to play for us. We are not going to sell him.
"I spoke to the chairman and this is not a money issue. We gave him a long contract because we want him to stay."I am concentrated on the game and don't want to talk about transfers. There are still over two weeks to go.
"I expect from him to come back and to show commitment and determination to the team like the team has shown to him."The Frenchman has scored two goals and registered six assists in the Premier League this term, with West Ham sitting in 13th place in the table.
Arsenal and Manchester United have both been linked with January bids for Payet, while Marseille are also said to be willing to offer up to €40 million (£34.7m) to recapture their former player.
Enough is enough: West Ham MUST sell petulant Payet
As far as bombshells go, this one will have left a huge crater around the London Stadium. Slaven Bilic gave a press conference on Thursday morning ahead of a somewhat nondescript London derby against Crystal Palace, and ended it with a Hammer blow to the hearts of the majority of West Ham fans; Dimitri Payet wants to leave and, worst of all, is outright refusing to play for the club.
We’ve been here before, of course, with the age of the mega-money transfer leading many players to force moves elsewhere, but it is rare that the totem of a club, the leading light, the one most adored, seeks a move in acrimonious circumstances.
Payet has long been considered too good for West Ham but, like all of the best players, he made them better. Signed for a mere £10 million in 2015, Payet took the Hammers to within an inch of the Champions League, his skill and poise drawing comparisons with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp. He scored nine goals and had 12 assists in 30 league games. Bilic’s men ultimately finished seventh but they were only four points behind Manchester City in fourth.
Yet, conversely, West Ham also launched Payet into the stratosphere. Links with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United came about not just because of his performances, but because he was given a platform on which to truly shine.
There is, as ever, an argument of Payet being the biggest fish in a small pond, a la Memphis Depay at PSV Eindhoven, and the proof will be in the pudding should the Hammers decide to cash in on their prized asset.
The facts must remain that no player is bigger than the club, and the evidence can be found across London at Tottenham. While the experiment of buying numerous foreign players in the wake of Gareth Bale’s departure did not immediately pay off, Spurs now look to be a more rounded unit than at any time in Premier League history. Shorn of their star they have rallied to become one of the best-drilled teams in the division.
West Ham must learn a lesson from their bitter rivals, then, and they must sell up. Of course, Bilic has claimed that the club wishes to keep Payet, as evidenced by their willingness to give him a huge pay rise in February, but the club will be mindful of him throwing his toys further out of the pram.
The Hammers are currently 13th and appear to have risen above the grim spectre of relegation; they are seven points clear of beleaguered Sunderland. Efforts are being made to strengthen the squad and while their transfer strategy is slapdash at best, the potential signings of Jermain Defoe and Robert Snodgrass would improve the squad and inject some much-needed energy into a somewhat lethargic season thus far.
Furthermore it is imperative that West Ham drive a hard bargain whenever potential suitors – and it is not hard to imagine that there will be many – come knocking. The club valued Payet at £60 million before Euro 2016, amid fears that Real would pursue the player as a potential “Galactico” addition.
No bids were forthcoming then, but the trend of Chinese clubs spending huge fees to sign Premier League stars shows no signs of slowing down, and the Hammers would not be able to resist a lucrative approach were it forthcoming.Wherever Payet ends up, he has let both himself and the club down in going about his potential exit in such a way. It cannot be forgotten that while West Ham would have been considerably worse off without Payet last season, the same can be said in reverse.
Payet owes West Ham a debt of gratitude for allowing him to attract the interest of elite European teams, and the fact that he has effectively gone on strike is nothing more than a slap in the face to both the club and their fans.With the January transfer window open, West Ham should sell fast, and wash their hands of a player behaving like a petulant child.
As far as bombshells go, this one will have left a huge crater around the London Stadium. Slaven Bilic gave a press conference on Thursday morning ahead of a somewhat nondescript London derby against Crystal Palace, and ended it with a Hammer blow to the hearts of the majority of West Ham fans; Dimitri Payet wants to leave and, worst of all, is outright refusing to play for the club.
We’ve been here before, of course, with the age of the mega-money transfer leading many players to force moves elsewhere, but it is rare that the totem of a club, the leading light, the one most adored, seeks a move in acrimonious circumstances.
Payet has long been considered too good for West Ham but, like all of the best players, he made them better. Signed for a mere £10 million in 2015, Payet took the Hammers to within an inch of the Champions League, his skill and poise drawing comparisons with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp. He scored nine goals and had 12 assists in 30 league games. Bilic’s men ultimately finished seventh but they were only four points behind Manchester City in fourth.
Yet, conversely, West Ham also launched Payet into the stratosphere. Links with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United came about not just because of his performances, but because he was given a platform on which to truly shine.
There is, as ever, an argument of Payet being the biggest fish in a small pond, a la Memphis Depay at PSV Eindhoven, and the proof will be in the pudding should the Hammers decide to cash in on their prized asset.
The facts must remain that no player is bigger than the club, and the evidence can be found across London at Tottenham. While the experiment of buying numerous foreign players in the wake of Gareth Bale’s departure did not immediately pay off, Spurs now look to be a more rounded unit than at any time in Premier League history. Shorn of their star they have rallied to become one of the best-drilled teams in the division.
West Ham must learn a lesson from their bitter rivals, then, and they must sell up. Of course, Bilic has claimed that the club wishes to keep Payet, as evidenced by their willingness to give him a huge pay rise in February, but the club will be mindful of him throwing his toys further out of the pram.
The Hammers are currently 13th and appear to have risen above the grim spectre of relegation; they are seven points clear of beleaguered Sunderland. Efforts are being made to strengthen the squad and while their transfer strategy is slapdash at best, the potential signings of Jermain Defoe and Robert Snodgrass would improve the squad and inject some much-needed energy into a somewhat lethargic season thus far.
Furthermore it is imperative that West Ham drive a hard bargain whenever potential suitors – and it is not hard to imagine that there will be many – come knocking. The club valued Payet at £60 million before Euro 2016, amid fears that Real would pursue the player as a potential “Galactico” addition.
No bids were forthcoming then, but the trend of Chinese clubs spending huge fees to sign Premier League stars shows no signs of slowing down, and the Hammers would not be able to resist a lucrative approach were it forthcoming.Wherever Payet ends up, he has let both himself and the club down in going about his potential exit in such a way. It cannot be forgotten that while West Ham would have been considerably worse off without Payet last season, the same can be said in reverse.
Payet owes West Ham a debt of gratitude for allowing him to attract the interest of elite European teams, and the fact that he has effectively gone on strike is nothing more than a slap in the face to both the club and their fans.With the January transfer window open, West Ham should sell fast, and wash their hands of a player behaving like a petulant child.
West Ham reject £20m Payet bid from Marseille
West Ham have rejected a £20 million bid from Marseille for want-away Dimitri Payet, despite the player going on strike, Goal understands.
Manager Slaven Bilic confirmed on Thursday that Payet has told the club that he wishes to leave and it is understood that an offer was subsequently tabled by his former club.
Sources have confirmed that the bid from Marseille was made in recent days and was quickly rejected, with the fee deemed to be too low by the Hammers. It is understood that the bid included a bonus of £2.5m if they qualified for the Champions League.
Nevertheless, the 29-year-old will not be a part of the matchday squad for Saturday's encounter with Crystal Palace and Payet has informed the club that he does not wish to play for them again.West Ham had reportedly promised to sell the Frenchman in the summer but it is understood that he wishes to leave this month.The Hammers valued Payet at £60m in the summer amid fears of an influx of offers from elite clubs and their current stance is that they will not sell their prized asset.
Payet left Lille to join Marseille in 2013 and spent two years at the club prior to his £10m switch to the Hammers, though the player suggested in October of 2015 that he was "forced" to leave the club.
Despite links with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona during Euro 2016, where Payet shined, no bid has been forthcoming from a European giant and he has now set his heart on a return to Stade Velodrome.
Marseille are now bankrolled by American billionaire Frank McCourt and it is unclear if a second bid will be tabled, as the transfer saga threatens to run until deadline day.
Since moving to England, Payet has scored 18 goals and produced 25 assists in only 66 outings with West Ham and Bilic did not attempt to hide his disappointment at developments on Thursday.
"We have said we don't want to sell our best players but Dimitri Payet does not want to play for us," the manager told reporters. "We are not going to sell him."I spoke to the chairman and this is not a money issue. We gave him a long contract because we want him to stay.
"He is refusing to play for us. I have a team to manage. He's probably been tapped up. Until he changes his attitude and shows the commitment the club have shown him he is out of the team."We had a conversation a couple of days ago but this began 10 days or so ago when the window opens.
"I feel angry. We gave him everything. I feel let down, angry, disappointed. I understand the players now are being tapped up. The team gave him everything."
West Ham have rejected a £20 million bid from Marseille for want-away Dimitri Payet, despite the player going on strike, Goal understands.
Manager Slaven Bilic confirmed on Thursday that Payet has told the club that he wishes to leave and it is understood that an offer was subsequently tabled by his former club.
Sources have confirmed that the bid from Marseille was made in recent days and was quickly rejected, with the fee deemed to be too low by the Hammers. It is understood that the bid included a bonus of £2.5m if they qualified for the Champions League.
Nevertheless, the 29-year-old will not be a part of the matchday squad for Saturday's encounter with Crystal Palace and Payet has informed the club that he does not wish to play for them again.West Ham had reportedly promised to sell the Frenchman in the summer but it is understood that he wishes to leave this month.The Hammers valued Payet at £60m in the summer amid fears of an influx of offers from elite clubs and their current stance is that they will not sell their prized asset.
Payet left Lille to join Marseille in 2013 and spent two years at the club prior to his £10m switch to the Hammers, though the player suggested in October of 2015 that he was "forced" to leave the club.
Despite links with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona during Euro 2016, where Payet shined, no bid has been forthcoming from a European giant and he has now set his heart on a return to Stade Velodrome.
Marseille are now bankrolled by American billionaire Frank McCourt and it is unclear if a second bid will be tabled, as the transfer saga threatens to run until deadline day.
Since moving to England, Payet has scored 18 goals and produced 25 assists in only 66 outings with West Ham and Bilic did not attempt to hide his disappointment at developments on Thursday.
"We have said we don't want to sell our best players but Dimitri Payet does not want to play for us," the manager told reporters. "We are not going to sell him."I spoke to the chairman and this is not a money issue. We gave him a long contract because we want him to stay.
"He is refusing to play for us. I have a team to manage. He's probably been tapped up. Until he changes his attitude and shows the commitment the club have shown him he is out of the team."We had a conversation a couple of days ago but this began 10 days or so ago when the window opens.
"I feel angry. We gave him everything. I feel let down, angry, disappointed. I understand the players now are being tapped up. The team gave him everything."
'He is happy' - Pochettino shrugs off Alli links to Barcelona and Real Madrid
Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham cannot give Dele Alli a new contract every time there are rumours over his future amid speculation linking him with Barcelona and Real Madrid.Reports suggested Spurs were ready to hand in-form Alli a new deal worth in excess of £100,000-per-week due to interest from the two La Liga giants.
But the 20-year-old signed new contracts twice in 2016, the most recent coming in September - tying him to Spurs until 2022 – and Pochettino does not think his contract can be extended every time there is interest.
"It is not the moment to talk about that - he is happy," Pochettino said ahead of Spurs' home match against West Brom on Saturday."I don't like to talk about rumours but the most important thing is he is happy, natural and performing well.
"It is not a question of improving his contract and salary every few months. He is performing well, scoring a lot of goals and helping the team achieve their objectives."People have been talking about him a lot in the last few weeks and that is fair because his performances have been fantastic."
Pochettino will only be without Erik Lamela against West Brom.The winger has not played for 11 weeks due to a hip injury suffered in training, but is closing in on a comeback."Erik is doing well but is still away for another week to finish his recovery," said Pochettino.
"It's important he feels well and recovers. Everyone else is fit and we will arrive on Saturday in good condition."
Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham cannot give Dele Alli a new contract every time there are rumours over his future amid speculation linking him with Barcelona and Real Madrid.Reports suggested Spurs were ready to hand in-form Alli a new deal worth in excess of £100,000-per-week due to interest from the two La Liga giants.
But the 20-year-old signed new contracts twice in 2016, the most recent coming in September - tying him to Spurs until 2022 – and Pochettino does not think his contract can be extended every time there is interest.
"It is not the moment to talk about that - he is happy," Pochettino said ahead of Spurs' home match against West Brom on Saturday."I don't like to talk about rumours but the most important thing is he is happy, natural and performing well.
"It is not a question of improving his contract and salary every few months. He is performing well, scoring a lot of goals and helping the team achieve their objectives."People have been talking about him a lot in the last few weeks and that is fair because his performances have been fantastic."
Pochettino will only be without Erik Lamela against West Brom.The winger has not played for 11 weeks due to a hip injury suffered in training, but is closing in on a comeback."Erik is doing well but is still away for another week to finish his recovery," said Pochettino.
"It's important he feels well and recovers. Everyone else is fit and we will arrive on Saturday in good condition."
OFFICIAL: Schneiderlin escapes Man Utd with £24m Everton switch
Morgan Schneiderlin has ended his Manchester United exile by sealing a £24million switch to Premier League rivals Everton.
France midfielder Schneiderlin was unable to break into Jose Mourinho's first-team plans at Old Trafford, playing just 11 minutes in the Premier League across three last-gasp substitute appearances.
Signed from Southampton in July 2015, United have allowed Schneiderlin to leave for an initial £20million, with Everton signing the 27-year-old to a four-and-a-half-year deal.
He is the second player to join the Toffees this month, following former Charlton youngster Ademola Lookman in moving to Goodison Park, and links up with Ronald Koeman again after the pair previously worked together at Southampton.
Mourinho said of his impending exit this week: "I'm sad and I'm happy. I'm sad because I like him and he could be an option for us in a long season. I'm happy because this is what he wants, he wants to play every game and wants to be an important player in the team."If this is what he wants I'm happy for a very good professional and someone that I can only say good things about."
Schneiderlin told Everton's official website: "Everton is a big club in the history of English football. I've always loved the atmosphere in the stadium. "I've always liked playing here. I can't wait to play and to represent this great club.
"There is a manager in place here that I know, I know he can get the best out of me, I know his style and how he likes to play football. He was very good with me from the start and I enjoyed playing football under him.
"When I spoke with the manager and the people in place at Everton I understood immediately that they have a very good plan for the future of the football club. "I just want to play football. I want to put my print on this club and do everything to get Everton where it belongs."
Morgan Schneiderlin has ended his Manchester United exile by sealing a £24million switch to Premier League rivals Everton.
France midfielder Schneiderlin was unable to break into Jose Mourinho's first-team plans at Old Trafford, playing just 11 minutes in the Premier League across three last-gasp substitute appearances.
Signed from Southampton in July 2015, United have allowed Schneiderlin to leave for an initial £20million, with Everton signing the 27-year-old to a four-and-a-half-year deal.
He is the second player to join the Toffees this month, following former Charlton youngster Ademola Lookman in moving to Goodison Park, and links up with Ronald Koeman again after the pair previously worked together at Southampton.
Mourinho said of his impending exit this week: "I'm sad and I'm happy. I'm sad because I like him and he could be an option for us in a long season. I'm happy because this is what he wants, he wants to play every game and wants to be an important player in the team."If this is what he wants I'm happy for a very good professional and someone that I can only say good things about."
Schneiderlin told Everton's official website: "Everton is a big club in the history of English football. I've always loved the atmosphere in the stadium. "I've always liked playing here. I can't wait to play and to represent this great club.
"There is a manager in place here that I know, I know he can get the best out of me, I know his style and how he likes to play football. He was very good with me from the start and I enjoyed playing football under him.
"When I spoke with the manager and the people in place at Everton I understood immediately that they have a very good plan for the future of the football club. "I just want to play football. I want to put my print on this club and do everything to get Everton where it belongs."
Barca, United and Dortmund lead the way as European attendances soar
Barcelona and Manchester United boasted the highest total attendance in Europe last season, while the number of fans attending matches went up across the continent.According to UEFA's Club Licensing Benchmarking Report, Barca's cumulative attendance in 2015-16 was 1.5million, besting United's 1.43m.
Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund outstrip both in terms of average attendance, with 81,178 at their Signal Iduna Park home, although Germany's top flight being an 18 as opposed to a 20-team competition contributed to their overall attendance coming in third at 1.38m.
All three sides enjoyed better attendances than Real Madrid, who attracted an average of 71,280 to the Santiago Bernabeu and 1.35m in a season that concluded with them being crowned European champions for an 11th time.Dortmund's bitter domestic rivals Bayern Munich rounded out the top five with 75,000 fans on average and 1.275m visitors to the Allianz Arena overall.
Manchester City's redevelopment of their Etihad Stadium helped the Premier League side to record the biggest increase in average club attendance in Europe, with a rise to 54,041 from 45,365 in the 2014-15 campaign.
City's total attendance breached the one-million mark, leaving them eighth overall, one place above Newcastle United.Newcastle's relegation from the Premier League last term is likely to further boost figures for the second-tier Championship, which was the fourth-best attended league in Europe behind the Premier League, Bundesliga and LaLiga, while sitting above Serie A.
In total, more than 170m fans went to European league matches in 2015-16, with 55 million in England and Germany alone. This marked an increase of 2.6m on last season as 14 leagues achieved their best attendance figures for more than a decade.
The Bundesliga, Premier League and La Liga are listed in the top 20 average attendances for all sporting events across the globe. The World Cup is football's highest entry in third, behind rugby union's 6 Nations and the NFL.
AC Milan 2-1 Torino: Belotti strike not enough as Rossoneri fight back for Coppa victory
AC Milan scored twice inside three second-half minutes to beat Torino 2-1 in the Coppa Italia round of 16 and set up a repeat of last season's final against Juventus.
Former Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic saw his Torino side take a deserved first-half lead when Andrea Belotti fired the visitors ahead, but the in-form Rossoneri burst into life after the interval.
Club legend Arrigo Sacchi said before the game that Vincenzo Montella was "painting a masterpiece" at Milan, and the guile and menace with which they broke Torino down after an hour at San Siro suggested the praise was justified.
Spanish midfielder Suso emerged as the architect of the victory, launching an attack that saw Juraj Kucka lash home a 61st-minute equaliser and then delivering a pinpoint pass that Giacomo Bonaventura volleyed home to give Milan the lead.
Torino, who had Antonio Barreca sent off in the dying minutes, matched their hosts for long periods of the game but ultimately lacked the cutting edge that should give Montella's men a chance of revenge when they meet champions Juve in the quarter-finals.
The visitors launched into attack from the kick-off and soon won a free-kick that Adem Ljajic sent narrowly over, before he produced a cross that sat up nicely for Marco Benassi, but Milan's Gustavo Gomez made an important block.
Belotti was a tightly marked man and Gabriel Paletta left him requiring a new boot after a particularly tough challenge, while at the other end Barreca gave the ball away sloppily to Bonaventura but sprinted back to recover the ball and clear his lines.
Having pressed and harried their hosts for 27 minutes, Torino deservedly took the lead when Benassi broke away with only two Milan defenders ahead of him and slotted a throughball to Belotti, who applied a simple finish.Despite being given ample space and possession in Torino's half, Milan failed to break Mihajlovic's side down and Kucka's volleyed effort from 20 yards was the closest they came to a first-half equaliser.
Shortly after the restart Torino goalkeeper Joe Hart suffered a head injury after claiming the ball at the feet of Gianluca Lapadula and getting caught by the Italian's studs, but the Manchester City loanee played on with a bandage around his head while Lapadula received a yellow card.Jose Sosa sent a header just wide before Suso danced through the Torino defence and fired a shot that Hart could only parry, allowing Bonaventura to send over a cross for Kucka to slam high into the net and restore parity.
And the turnaround was soon completed as Suso again split the Torino defence, this time with a delicately chipped ball that Bonaventura met with a deft volley, which Hart could only watch flash past him into the net.
Milan had Gianluigi Donnarumma to thank for preserving their lead when his lightning reflexes prevented Belotti from beating him with a low drive, but Torino ran out of steam and their evening was spoiled further shortly before full-time when Barreca was shown a second yellow card for a cynical challenge on Suso.
AC Milan scored twice inside three second-half minutes to beat Torino 2-1 in the Coppa Italia round of 16 and set up a repeat of last season's final against Juventus.
Former Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic saw his Torino side take a deserved first-half lead when Andrea Belotti fired the visitors ahead, but the in-form Rossoneri burst into life after the interval.
Club legend Arrigo Sacchi said before the game that Vincenzo Montella was "painting a masterpiece" at Milan, and the guile and menace with which they broke Torino down after an hour at San Siro suggested the praise was justified.
Spanish midfielder Suso emerged as the architect of the victory, launching an attack that saw Juraj Kucka lash home a 61st-minute equaliser and then delivering a pinpoint pass that Giacomo Bonaventura volleyed home to give Milan the lead.
Torino, who had Antonio Barreca sent off in the dying minutes, matched their hosts for long periods of the game but ultimately lacked the cutting edge that should give Montella's men a chance of revenge when they meet champions Juve in the quarter-finals.
The visitors launched into attack from the kick-off and soon won a free-kick that Adem Ljajic sent narrowly over, before he produced a cross that sat up nicely for Marco Benassi, but Milan's Gustavo Gomez made an important block.
Belotti was a tightly marked man and Gabriel Paletta left him requiring a new boot after a particularly tough challenge, while at the other end Barreca gave the ball away sloppily to Bonaventura but sprinted back to recover the ball and clear his lines.
Having pressed and harried their hosts for 27 minutes, Torino deservedly took the lead when Benassi broke away with only two Milan defenders ahead of him and slotted a throughball to Belotti, who applied a simple finish.Despite being given ample space and possession in Torino's half, Milan failed to break Mihajlovic's side down and Kucka's volleyed effort from 20 yards was the closest they came to a first-half equaliser.
Shortly after the restart Torino goalkeeper Joe Hart suffered a head injury after claiming the ball at the feet of Gianluca Lapadula and getting caught by the Italian's studs, but the Manchester City loanee played on with a bandage around his head while Lapadula received a yellow card.Jose Sosa sent a header just wide before Suso danced through the Torino defence and fired a shot that Hart could only parry, allowing Bonaventura to send over a cross for Kucka to slam high into the net and restore parity.
And the turnaround was soon completed as Suso again split the Torino defence, this time with a delicately chipped ball that Bonaventura met with a deft volley, which Hart could only watch flash past him into the net.
Milan had Gianluigi Donnarumma to thank for preserving their lead when his lightning reflexes prevented Belotti from beating him with a low drive, but Torino ran out of steam and their evening was spoiled further shortly before full-time when Barreca was shown a second yellow card for a cynical challenge on Suso.
Sevilla 3-3 Real Madrid (agg. 3-6): Benzema strikes late to set new record
Real Madrid made Spanish football history as they drew 3-3 in a thrilling Copa del Rey clash with Sevilla that sends them into the quarter-finals with a 6-3 aggregate win.
Karim Benzema equalised with the last kick of the match to book their place in the last eight and set a record of 40 games without defeat, surpassing the tally set by Luis Enrique's Barcelona.
Madrid were without Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric as Zidane appeared to put faith in the 3-0 lead built up in the first leg, only to see his side fall behind nine minutes in through a Danilo own goal.
Sevilla attacked relentlessly and fully deserved their half-time advantage, although Wissam Ben Yedder in particular wasted glorious chances to build a bigger lead that could have made Madrid more nervous.
Marco Asensio levelled after the break, racing from his own half to slot home in a style reminiscent of Gareth Bale's final-winning strike from 2014, but debutant Stevan Jovetic volleyed Sevilla back in front moments later.
Jorge Sampaoli's side continued to press while Madrid wasted good openings on the counter-attack, and Vicente Iborra turned in with 13 minutes left to leave the visitors fearing a late collapse.
But a penalty from Sergio Ramos and a deflected shot following a fine run from Benzema ensured Madrid progress with their remarkable unbeaten run intact.Kiko Casilla, who kept his place in the side following the first leg, had to beat a Sergio Escudero effort away after only 30 seconds as Sevilla set about giving themselves hope of a shock comeback.
Joaquin Correa had the keeper at full stretch as the Sevilla pressure grew and Madrid soon handed them a lifeline. Danilo stretched to meet Pablo Sarabia's swerving cross from the right but contrived only to head into his own net.
Asensio brought a fine save from David Soria with a dipping shot from distance as Madrid began to settle, before Mariano - starting in place of Ronaldo - almost blocked a Soria kick into the back of the Sevilla net.Casilla twice denied Ben Yedder in quick succession and Toni Kroos fired inches wide at the other end as the half continued at a frenetic pace.
Sevilla stepped up the pressure early in the second half but they were hit by a superb sucker punch from Asensio just three minutes after the restart. The 20-year-old collected Casilla's clearance from a corner, surged into Sevilla's half and away from Luciano Vietto before slotting with composure through the legs of Soria and into the bottom corner.
If the home fans inside the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan were deflated, that feeling lasted only five minutes. Escudero found space down the left and curled a cross towards the unmarked Jovetic, who volleyed expertly past Casilla from six yards out.
Jovetic was denied a second by a low stop from Casilla before Ben Yedder glanced a promising header wide as Sevilla continued to believe in a miraculous comeback, although Alvaro Morata blazed over when played clean through by Danilo.
Iborra pounced on Casilla's fumbled effort to parry a low cross from the right to give the home side renewed hope but, after Casemiro was bundled over by Matias Kranevitter, Ramos chipped the ball confidently into the net before celebrating pointedly in front of his old supporters.
And with seconds remaining Benzema danced his way through the heart of the Sevilla defence and hit a deflected effort that wrong-footed Soria and sent the Madrid bench into raptures.
Sevilla were hugely disappointed at full-time but will have the chance to take revenge on Sunday, when LaLiga's top two face off at the same venue.
Real Madrid made Spanish football history as they drew 3-3 in a thrilling Copa del Rey clash with Sevilla that sends them into the quarter-finals with a 6-3 aggregate win.
Karim Benzema equalised with the last kick of the match to book their place in the last eight and set a record of 40 games without defeat, surpassing the tally set by Luis Enrique's Barcelona.
Madrid were without Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric as Zidane appeared to put faith in the 3-0 lead built up in the first leg, only to see his side fall behind nine minutes in through a Danilo own goal.
Sevilla attacked relentlessly and fully deserved their half-time advantage, although Wissam Ben Yedder in particular wasted glorious chances to build a bigger lead that could have made Madrid more nervous.
Marco Asensio levelled after the break, racing from his own half to slot home in a style reminiscent of Gareth Bale's final-winning strike from 2014, but debutant Stevan Jovetic volleyed Sevilla back in front moments later.
Jorge Sampaoli's side continued to press while Madrid wasted good openings on the counter-attack, and Vicente Iborra turned in with 13 minutes left to leave the visitors fearing a late collapse.
But a penalty from Sergio Ramos and a deflected shot following a fine run from Benzema ensured Madrid progress with their remarkable unbeaten run intact.Kiko Casilla, who kept his place in the side following the first leg, had to beat a Sergio Escudero effort away after only 30 seconds as Sevilla set about giving themselves hope of a shock comeback.
Joaquin Correa had the keeper at full stretch as the Sevilla pressure grew and Madrid soon handed them a lifeline. Danilo stretched to meet Pablo Sarabia's swerving cross from the right but contrived only to head into his own net.
Asensio brought a fine save from David Soria with a dipping shot from distance as Madrid began to settle, before Mariano - starting in place of Ronaldo - almost blocked a Soria kick into the back of the Sevilla net.Casilla twice denied Ben Yedder in quick succession and Toni Kroos fired inches wide at the other end as the half continued at a frenetic pace.
Sevilla stepped up the pressure early in the second half but they were hit by a superb sucker punch from Asensio just three minutes after the restart. The 20-year-old collected Casilla's clearance from a corner, surged into Sevilla's half and away from Luciano Vietto before slotting with composure through the legs of Soria and into the bottom corner.
If the home fans inside the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan were deflated, that feeling lasted only five minutes. Escudero found space down the left and curled a cross towards the unmarked Jovetic, who volleyed expertly past Casilla from six yards out.
Jovetic was denied a second by a low stop from Casilla before Ben Yedder glanced a promising header wide as Sevilla continued to believe in a miraculous comeback, although Alvaro Morata blazed over when played clean through by Danilo.
Iborra pounced on Casilla's fumbled effort to parry a low cross from the right to give the home side renewed hope but, after Casemiro was bundled over by Matias Kranevitter, Ramos chipped the ball confidently into the net before celebrating pointedly in front of his old supporters.
And with seconds remaining Benzema danced his way through the heart of the Sevilla defence and hit a deflected effort that wrong-footed Soria and sent the Madrid bench into raptures.
Sevilla were hugely disappointed at full-time but will have the chance to take revenge on Sunday, when LaLiga's top two face off at the same venue.
Cantona: Zlatan is my natural heir at Manchester United
Eric Cantona considers Zlatan Ibrahimovic to be his “natural heir” at Manchester United, with the pair sharing many character traits.It is on the personality front that the enigmatic Frenchman sees the charismatic Swede enhancing his legacy at Old Trafford.
On the field, there is plenty to suggest that Ibrahimovic will one day be held in the same regard as an iconic predecessor at the Theatre of Dreams.He announced as much upon his arrival, as he boldly claimed that he would become the God to Cantona’s king.
The 35-year-old has been able to back up such a statement, with 18 goals and six assists to his name from 28 outings this season.
"In 2017, and after a long reign, I finally give up my honorific title of most offensive player with journalists," Cantona said in his role as the self-proclaimed Football Commissioner for Eurosport."Zlatan is my natural heir and he will now carry on the legacy."I gave them a lot of s*** but he made them 'eat their balls!' Respect!"
Ibrahimovic has had plenty to say since then as well, with an interview he gave to United’s official website seeing him reiterate a belief that he can dominate English football."I have no individual targets because that I did already," he said."I have conquered England - it took three months."
United will be looking for another talismanic display from the 35-year-old frontman on Sunday when they welcome Liverpool to Old Trafford, with Jose Mourinho’s side looking to cut the gap to their arch-rivals to just two points in the Premier League standings.
Eric Cantona considers Zlatan Ibrahimovic to be his “natural heir” at Manchester United, with the pair sharing many character traits.It is on the personality front that the enigmatic Frenchman sees the charismatic Swede enhancing his legacy at Old Trafford.
On the field, there is plenty to suggest that Ibrahimovic will one day be held in the same regard as an iconic predecessor at the Theatre of Dreams.He announced as much upon his arrival, as he boldly claimed that he would become the God to Cantona’s king.
The 35-year-old has been able to back up such a statement, with 18 goals and six assists to his name from 28 outings this season.
"In 2017, and after a long reign, I finally give up my honorific title of most offensive player with journalists," Cantona said in his role as the self-proclaimed Football Commissioner for Eurosport."Zlatan is my natural heir and he will now carry on the legacy."I gave them a lot of s*** but he made them 'eat their balls!' Respect!"
Ibrahimovic has had plenty to say since then as well, with an interview he gave to United’s official website seeing him reiterate a belief that he can dominate English football."I have no individual targets because that I did already," he said."I have conquered England - it took three months."
United will be looking for another talismanic display from the 35-year-old frontman on Sunday when they welcome Liverpool to Old Trafford, with Jose Mourinho’s side looking to cut the gap to their arch-rivals to just two points in the Premier League standings.
Drogba agrees $150,000-per-month contract with Corinthians
Didier Drogba has agreed to a 12-month contract with Brazilian side Corinthians, Goal understands.It is believed that the Ivorian frontman will earn $150,000-per-month over the course of a one-year deal.
Drogba is now 38 years of age, but has already stated his intention to prolong a distinguished playing career after parting company with MLS side Montreal Impact at the end of the 2016 season."I want to play," Drogba told Canal+."I still have my legs and I'm still like a kid with the ball. My knee got a bit annoyed [last season] but I feel good.”
The Chelsea legend has admitted that he would welcome the opportunity to return to Marseille – the club that helped to propel him to superstardom.Goal, though, revealed earlier on Thursday that Drogba was open to the idea of taking on a new challenge in South America.
Corinthians pieced together a proposal, which was sent to his representatives, and the terms have been accepted.A deal will only be pushed through, however, once club president Roberto de Andrade has got the approval of his board.
Discussions are scheduled to take place on Friday, with some members concerned as to Drogba’s physical state after a period without competitive action.If the green light is given then club officials, with the financial support of partners found by the club’s marketing team, will travel to England to complete the deal.
If a move is made, then Drogba will be given the opportunity to tread a similar path to another iconic striker of the modern era.
World Cup winner and three-time World Player of the Year Ronaldo brought the curtain down on his career with Corinthians, netting 35 times in 69 appearances before heading into retirement in 2011.
Didier Drogba has agreed to a 12-month contract with Brazilian side Corinthians, Goal understands.It is believed that the Ivorian frontman will earn $150,000-per-month over the course of a one-year deal.
Drogba is now 38 years of age, but has already stated his intention to prolong a distinguished playing career after parting company with MLS side Montreal Impact at the end of the 2016 season."I want to play," Drogba told Canal+."I still have my legs and I'm still like a kid with the ball. My knee got a bit annoyed [last season] but I feel good.”
The Chelsea legend has admitted that he would welcome the opportunity to return to Marseille – the club that helped to propel him to superstardom.Goal, though, revealed earlier on Thursday that Drogba was open to the idea of taking on a new challenge in South America.
Corinthians pieced together a proposal, which was sent to his representatives, and the terms have been accepted.A deal will only be pushed through, however, once club president Roberto de Andrade has got the approval of his board.
Discussions are scheduled to take place on Friday, with some members concerned as to Drogba’s physical state after a period without competitive action.If the green light is given then club officials, with the financial support of partners found by the club’s marketing team, will travel to England to complete the deal.
If a move is made, then Drogba will be given the opportunity to tread a similar path to another iconic striker of the modern era.
World Cup winner and three-time World Player of the Year Ronaldo brought the curtain down on his career with Corinthians, netting 35 times in 69 appearances before heading into retirement in 2011.
Pogba: Liverpool clash bigger than Manchester derby
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is bracing himself for Sunday's blockbuster showdown against Liverpool, a game he labelled bigger than the Manchester derby.United welcome rivals Liverpool to Old Trafford with both teams in fine form in the Premier League, particularly Pogba and Co.
A resurgence under manager Jose Mourinho has seen United go 15 matches unbeaten in all competitions and 11 in the Premier League to sit sixth in the standings and five points adrift of second-placed Liverpool.And world-record signing Pogba is aware of the significance of the clash, putting it ahead of the Manchester City fixture.
"The history of fixture is well known. It is a big derby, more so than Manchester City," Pogba told BBC's The Premier League Show.
"The atmosphere is always very special."You want three points against any team, but it is more special when it comes against Liverpool."
United head into the match on the back of a 2-0 win over Hull City in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-finals midweek, while Liverpool suffered a 1-0 loss to Southampton in the same competition.
