..::Football IV::..

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Serie A Fixtures 2017.02.12

Serie A Fixtures 2017.02.12

Crotone Vs Roma

Inter Vs Empoli

Palermo Vs Atalanta

Sassuolo Vs Chievo

Torino Vs Pescara

Sampdoria Vs Bologna

Cagliari Vs Juventus​

 

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Bundesliga Fixtures 2017.02.17

Bundesliga Fixtures 2017.02.17

Wolfsburg Vs Hoffenheim

Freiburg Vs Cologne​

 

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Burnley 1-1 Chelsea: Premier League leaders pegged back by Brady stunner

Chelsea missed the chance to move 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League as Robbie Brady's stunning free-kick earned a 1-1 draw for Burnley at Turf Moor.

With Tottenham losing 2-0 at Liverpool on Saturday, the door was left open for runaway leaders Chelsea to extend their advantage.And Antonio Conte's men were fast out of the blocks, with Pedro applying the finish to a lightning counter-attack in just the seventh minute.

However, 28 of Burnley's 29 points prior to the match had come at home this season and Sean Dyche's men put in a typically full-blooded display that yielded an equaliser through Brady's exquisite free-kick on his first start for the club.

Chelsea peppered the Burnley box, but the Blues failed to break down a stubborn home defence and Burnley arguably had the better chances to win the game, with Matt Lowton and Andre Gray missing fine opportunities.

Despite the draw, Chelsea are now 10 points clear of Arsenal and Spurs, while Burnley are rewarded for their endeavour by moving up a place to 12th.

Chelsea threatened early when Eden Hazard raced onto Diego Costa's sublime throughball before shooting tamely at Tom Heaton.Burnley failed to heed the warning, though. Hazard launched a counter to Victor Moses on the right and he finished a mazy run with a deflected pass that found Pedro, who took a touch and coolly slotted into the bottom left-hand corner.

The match was being played at a quick tempo, but Chelsea had been largely untroubled until Nemanja Matic fouled Joey Barton 25 yards from goal.
Brady lined up the resulting free-kick and curled a stunning effort into the top-left corner of the Chelsea goal.

The Blues continued to enjoy a near monopoly on possession without troubling Burnley's goal and Courtois had to make a smart stop with his legs at the other end after Barton slipped in Lowton.Some uncharacteristically slack Chelsea defending led to a gilt-edge Burnley chance early in the second half.

Gary Cahill - making his 150th league appearance for Chelsea - was beaten to Matic's poor header by Ashley Barnes before David Luiz failed to cut out his weak pass, but Gray shot tamely at Courtois when one-on-one.

Ben Mee was fortunate that his dawdling on the ball did not lead to a clear shot for Costa, but in general Burnley were superb in defence against relentless pressure and, aside from a long-range Cesar Azpilicueta effort that just cleared the crossbar, Chelsea had little to show for their labours.As the clock wound down, Conte threw on Willian and Cesc Fabregas and switched from his favoured 3-4-3 to a 4-4-2 formation.

The Blues continued to attack in numbers and Pedro perhaps should have done better with a bending shot from the left of the area.No winner was forthcoming, though, as Burnley claimed a hard-fought point with just their third draw of the season.

 

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Ibrahimovic sets sights on lifting 'two or three trophies' with Man Utd this season

Zlatan Ibrahimovic accepts the Premier League title is likely beyond Manchester United, but thinks they are on course for a better season than the majority of their rivals.

Leaders Chelsea are hot favourites to be crowned champions, but Ibrahimovic feels United - who are already in the EFL Cup final - have the potential to win three trophies, while tipping the other sides chasing the Blues to end up empty handed.

The striker played as United defeated Watford 2-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday to move within two points of second-placed Tottenham, despite remaining sixth in the table."We just need to keep going," Ibrahimovic told reporters."From five trophies this season, we have won one [the Community Shield] and we are still in four.

"From the teams in front, only one will become champions. The rest will not get a trophy, but we have one and we can get our second one [the EFL Cup] and we are still in the Europa League and FA Cup.

"So if we don't become champions in the Premier League, at least we can try and win two or three trophies."We know where we are and that we have been stuck in the same position for many months. We know what we need to do. We need to keep winning to climb in the table and hope the others lose points and we can go past them."

United's Europa League campaign resumes on Thursday with the home first leg of their last-32 tie against Ligue 1 team Saint-Etienne."We want to go through the Europa League and we have a good game at home against Saint-Etienne," added Ibrahimovic.


"It is two games, two finals. It doesn't matter if we get a good result on Thursday - we need to have good results in both legs."

 

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Inter 2-0 Empoli: Nerazzurri cruise to two-goal victory

Inter returned to winning ways in Serie A as goals from Eder and Antonio Candreva earned them a deserved 2-0 victory over strugglers Empoli.

After suffering successive defeats to Lazio in the Coppa Italia and Juventus in Serie A, Inter produced a committed display, despite lacking some of their brightest attacking talents.

Ivan Perisic and Mauro Icardi were both suspended after the tempestuous 1-0 defeat to Juventus the previous week, but Stefano Pioli's combination of Joao Mario, Rodrigo Palacio and Eder in attack quickly paid off when the Italy striker put his side ahead after 14 minutes.

Eder turned provider for Antonio Candreva for Inter's second, and Pioli will have been encouraged by the way his players applied themselves in a tricky fixture against well-organised opponents as victory maintained their place within six points of third-placed Napoli.

Empoli, still eight points above the drop zone, showed themselves capable of competing with the league's top sides when it comes to possession in midfield, but their reliance on veteran striker Massimo Maccarone in attack was not enough to threaten Inter's defence.

In the absence of the suspended Icardi, Pioli started with Palacio as the spearhead of his attack and the veteran striker was denied the opening goal when his header was saved acrobatically by Lukasz Skorupski in the Empoli goal after 10 minutes.

Inter cranked up the pressure on the Empoli goal and it paid off after just 14 minutes when Candreva's deflected cross looped up in the air and Palacio headed it across the face of goal for Eder to bundle the ball home with his chest.

Omar El Kaddouri curled a shot towards goal as Empoli's neat passing in midfield yielded a chance for the visitors but Samir Handanovic parried it away, and at the other end Roberto Gagliardini was denied his first goal in Serie A when Skorupski turned his powerful close-range drive over the crossbar.

Having worked hard to stay in the game in the first half, Empoli should have drawn level early in the second when Rade Krunic went through on goal and only a good one-handed save by Handanovic kept his shot out.That miss proved crucial, as seconds later Inter doubled their lead when Eder's sublime cross found Candreva at the far post and he instinctively fired a first-time shot into the net to make it 2-0.

Maccarone went one-on-one with Handanovic but failed in his attempt to chip the goalkeeper, and Pioli sent on Gabriel Barbosa for the final 20 minutes as Inter sought to wrap up the victory.

Daniele Croce tried a spectacular volley that Handanovic parried away as Empoli refused to lie down, while Pioli used the last 10 minutes of the game to hand a Serie A debut to 17-year-old striker Andrea Pinamonti, who tested Skorupski from range before ending his first appearance on a winning team.

 

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Atletico Madrid 3-2 Celta Vigo: Griezmann grabs dramatic winner

Atletico Madrid twice came from behind as Yannick Carrasco and Antoine Griezmann inspired a last-gasp show to secure a thrilling 3-2 win over Celta Vigo on Sunday.

Diego Simeone's men appeared to have lost all belief when John Guidetti netted 12 minutes from time to punish Fernando Torres' first-half penalty miss, but Carrasco hit a sweet volley and then the previously anonymous Griezmann was decisive when it really mattered, as Atletico bounced back from their Copa del Rey semi-final defeat to Barcelona to jump back into the top four in LaLiga.

Proceedings were frantic throughout the first half and both sides scored early on – Celta taking the lead as Gustavo Cabral pounced on a goalkeeping error, before an acrobatic Torres levelled with one of the goals of the season.

Atletico should have scored a second from the spot, only for Torres to join Griezmann and Kevin Gameiro in missing from 12 yards inside the last week.The second half was more fraught and Atletico appeared to have been made to rue Torres' penalty failure when Guidetti capped off a devastating Celta breakaway, but the hosts came up trumps.

Carrasco levelled in style and then Griezmann finished off a brilliant move - scoring with his one and only touch in the Celta box - in the 88th minute to stun the visitors and rescue victory from the jaws of defeat.

The match was only six minutes old when Celta opened the scoring with a little help from Miguel Angel Moya, who punched a left-wing corner straight to Cabral and he headed in.But Atletico swiftly responded in style.

Torres' first touch saw the ball sit up nicely after receiving a pass in the area and, with his back to goal, he looped an audacious half-volley over his head and into the top-right corner.Referee Jose Hernandez failed to award a penalty for Facundo Roncaglia's rash tackle on Torres, but was more obliging just before the half-hour mark as Carrasco went down under minimal contact.

However, Torres smashed the resulting spot-kick against the crossbar in the hosts' latest blunder from 12 yards.

A hamstring injury forced Simeone into replacing Juanfran with Sime Vrsaljko at half-time.Celta's willingness to sit back more after the break meant the Croatian was rarely tested, though, as Atletico did all of the attacking, without creating anything clear cut.

The away side gradually began to look more and more lively on the break and Guidetti blazed a fine chance over the bar before making no mistake with his next opportunity a minute later, tucking into the bottom-left corner from the edge of the box after Daniel Wass' squared pass.With 12 minutes to find a response, Atletico's was extraordinary.

Carrasco restored parity in the 86th minute with a wonderful 25-yard volley after Celta cleared a corner and then Griezmann completed a remarkable turnaround a few moments later - emphatically finding the net from close range after Gameiro nodded a cross down to his compatriot.


Gameiro should have scored himself in the second minute of stoppage time when hitting the frame of the goal from close range, but little did it matter, as Atletico held on to regain fourth place at Real Sociedad's expense.

 

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Cagliari 0-2 Juventus: Higuain double punishes 10-man hosts

Juventus maintained their seven-point lead at the top of Serie A as Gonzalo Higuain struck a brace in a 2-0 win at Cagliari on Sunday.

In Massimiliano Allegri's 100th league game in charge of the club - at the home of the coach's former side - Higuain's ruthless finishing proved the difference for Juve.
This was a second away victory of the week for the reigning champions, having scored twice in the second half to beat Crotone on Wednesday, and they again recovered from a slow start in this match.

Cagliari matched the Bianconeri's effort throughout, but allowed Higuain two clear opportunities and the Argentina international took them both.If the opener, late in the first half, had dampened Sardinian spirits, a second strike just after the interval seemingly put the result beyond doubt.

Nicolo Barella was then dismissed for the home side for two bookable offences, and Allegri's men ended the game hunting a third goal, with the crossbar the only thing preventing Mario Mandzukic from providing it.

Giorgio Chiellini was withdrawn with a knock in a scrappy opening period, but Juventus took their first chance when it finally arrived after 37 minutes.

Claudio Marchisio threaded a pass through the Cagliari defence and Higuain, previously marshalled so well, was away to lift a delicate finish over the advancing Rafael.Then, with just two minutes of the second half played, Higuain doubled his tally.Juan Cuadrado led a counter on the right flank, pushing the ball inside for Paulo Dybala, who in turn picked out Higuain to calmly prod into the bottom-left corner.

A half-chance for the hosts saw Marco Borriello lash high and wide from the left side of the area, while Mauricio Isla's drive from distance also missed the target.
Any dwindling hopes of a comeback were then put to bed, though, as Barella, already booked for a challenge on Cuadrado, clattered into Miralem Pjanic and received his marching orders.

Gianluigi Buffon was still required to make a fine save at full stretch from Fabio Pisacane, before Mandzukic nodded wide on the break at the other end.
Higuain volleyed over on the turn, while Bruno Alves whipped a free-kick past Buffon's left-hand post, before Juventus came agonisngly close to a third goal.

​Mandzukic's looping header bounced back out off the bar, with Rafael brilliantly parrying Dybala's rebound, but it mattered little as the Bianconeri secured a third consecutive away win for the first time in the league this season.

 

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Man Utd & Chelsea target Dembele has potential of Coutinho & Sterling, says Rodgers

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers believes in-demand striker Moussa Dembele boasts potential similar to that he has previously seen in Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling.Rodgers worked with that pair at Liverpool, introducing both into the first team fold at Anfield while still in their teens.

Sterling was promoted out of the youth ranks, while Coutinho was acquired from Inter Milan.Both men flourished at Anfield, with the former now at Manchester City and the latter considered to be a key man in Jurgen Klopp’s future plans.

Rodgers believes a forward currently at his disposal is capable of emulating their achievements, with Dembele having drawn admiring glances from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United on the back of his efforts at Parkhead."He’s got huge potential,” the Hoops boss said in the Evening Times."He’s just turned 20 years of age. I’ve worked with some really top young talents.I took Coutinho from Inter Milan at 19, Sterling at 17, Suso I put in the team and he’s at AC Milan now.

"He’s certainly up there with the big talents. He has a fantastic mentality which helps him. He has talent but he’s also very focused on being a footballer."Dembele has netted back-to-back hat-tricks for Celtic in his last two outings to take his tally for the season in all competitions to 26.

Rodgers believes the 20-year-old is destined for big things and has tipped him to become a star turn for club and country.He added: "There’s no doubt in the next decade he’ll be leading France and being a real reference for the full national team.

"If he keeps the mentality that he has now, which is to work, to improve and be better, then he can achieve what he wants to achieve."He has all the qualities and he’s a good guy as well.”

 

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Mata was never 'in trouble' at Man Utd - Mourinho insists Spaniard was always part of his plans

Jose Mourinho maintains that Juan Mata was never “in trouble” following his arrival as Manchester United manager in the summer.Speculation regarding the Spain international’s future at Old Trafford surfaced once it was announced that Mourinho would be inheriting the managerial reins.

The Portuguese sold Mata to United during his time in charge at Chelsea, with that deal reported to have been sanctioned as the talented playmaker did not fit the right mould.

Mourinho concedes that a deal was done as the World Cup winner was not part of his plans at that time, but insists that he has always been a fan of the 28-year-old’s talents.

He has looked to embrace them with the Red Devils, with Mata having silenced the transfer talk with a number of impressive outings and a nine-goal return across all competitions."When I come here people thought that Mata was in trouble," Mourinho said in the Manchester Evening News.

"I knew that he wouldn't be in trouble because one thing is the football I wanted my Chelsea to play and another thing is the football I want my Manchester United to play and Mata is adapted to the football we want to play.

"So I knew it since the beginning he would be an important player and I think he feels that confidence in me and he feels that confidence in the game we want to try to play, so he's happy and he's happy on the pitch and you can see that the way he plays."

Mata has formed part of a more attack-minded approach at Old Trafford, with Mourinho reiterating his stance regarding the supposed defensive mindset adopted by a number of his Premier League rivals.

"That was the past and it's not a problem for me," Mourinho said of criticism he has faced for taking a dogged approach to generating results "Especially because I have the trophies at home and it's more important to have the trophies at home than to have the praise.

"What I think you are forgetting this season is to say this is the most defensive Premier League that I have ever known, and it's not because of my team. Many, many, many defensive teams in the Premier League. More than ever."Less English managers and it's probably my seventh or eighth year in the Premier League, it's the most defensive that I have ever had."

 

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Ronaldinho backs Gabriel Jesus to emulate Messi and become world's best

Ronaldinho has backed Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus to tread a similar path to Lionel Messi and Neymar and become the world’s best player.The former Barcelona star acknowledges that a man currently gracing Camp Nou is the finest on the planet.

He considers Argentine talisman Messi to be the greatest performer of his generation and believes that baton will eventually be handed to club colleague Neymar.Ronaldinho is, however, convinced that City’s latest teenage starlet boasts the potential to grace the very top of the game.

Gabriel Jesus has enjoyed a dazzling start to his Premier League career, netting three goals in his last two appearances.“Manchester City have a very special player with Gabriel Jesus,” two-time World Player of the Year Ronaldinho said in The Sun.

“Maybe even, in the future, the best player in the world.“At the moment it is Messi. I have always said I think one day it will be Neymar. But at 19, in the future, it can be Gabriel. He has all the abilities to make that happen.”

Ronaldinho believes City have also taken the right approach by throwing Gabriel Jesus in at the deep end following his winter arrival and resisted the urge to keep him out of the limelight.

“I don’t always agree that players should always be eased in — it depends on the type of player,” said the 2002 World Cup winner.“You look at Gabriel Jesus and he has no fear at all. He just wants to play and show what he can do. He will put in big ­performances against Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and all the other top teams in England.

“I’m pleased he has been named in the Champions League squad and I think he should play, he is full of confidence.“Ronaldo, Kaka, myself and, more recently, Neymar were playing at the highest level at a young age. Gabriel is in that ­category.”

 

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'I have to score 100 goals!' - Ibrahimovic says no clause in Man Utd deal triggered yet

Zlatan Ibrahimovic insists his Manchester United future is yet to be decided, with the striker's contract due to expire at the end of the season.The Swedish veteran has been in fine form in his first Premier League season, scoring 20 goals in all competitions for United, and manager Jose Mourinho is keen for Ibrahimovic to stay for another year.

But despite reports that a clause in Ibrahimovic's current deal regarding goals or appearances could trigger an automatic 12-month extension, the 35-year-old says his future remains up in the air.

"Something like that. I have to score 100 goals!" Ibrahimovic said after United's 2-0 Premier League win at home to Watford on Saturday."The option is already fulfilled. But there's nothing done yet. From my side? We'll wait and see. Let's see what happens."

With Ibrahimovic not on target against Watford it was Anthony Martial who stole the spotlight with a goal and an assist, with the Swede explaining how he has been giving the young Frenchman advice over breakfast.

"When he plays, he is playing well," Ibrahimovic said. "He isn't a guy that speaks a lot; he is quiet and very professional. He always tries to do his best, trains hard and that is paying off, just like in this match.

"I think it depends on every individual and what kind of person they are and their approach, how open he is. It is different for every person. He is not going around with his head down. He is training hard, he gives a lot of energy and he wants to play, which is normal.

"When we eat breakfast and he is beside me or if he passes me, we talk. I think everyone talks to everyone. It is not like you try to cheer him up; it is a good atmosphere and the guys are all good guys, very professional.

"He was creating good chances. I felt he tired in the second half because he was running a lot and he hasn't played every game, but he played well. He scored a nice goal and it's good for him and his confidence and the team."

 

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Misfiring Ozil needs to regain his confidence, admits Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger has called on Mesut Ozil to start scoring goals again and believes his German playmaker is currently lacking confidence.

The 28-year-old has gone off the boil in recent weeks and was largely anonymous in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Hull on Saturday, with some reports suggesting his manager is ready to drop him to the bench for the Champions League match with Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Speaking to the media post-match, Wenger acknowledged Ozil currently isn’t playing to his full potential."It's time for him to score again," Wenger said after Alexis Sanchez netted both goals in a 2-0 win over Hull."Maybe he will find confidence back as well, because he misses chances. He has chances and he misses the chances that don't look not feasible for him.

"I felt he did not feel confident (against Hull). It's always a problem because you think he can deliver something special but it's true that technically he missed things that he is not used to."

Wenger admits he is dumbfounded by Ozil’s poor performances but says he has talked to him about the situation.

"I don't know - it can happen,” he said. “I don't know any specific reason. I had a chat with him (on Friday)."Having lost two of their previous three matches, Wenger knows the pressure will only increase if his side are defeated by Carlo Ancelotti's Bayern in mid-week but the Frenchman insists he is looking forward to the game."You have to enjoy football," Wenger added.


"At the end of the day you have to keep that as well. It's true that it's not always easy but it's important that you feel happy. So what we want is to do well and qualify against Bayern Munich."

 

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'Fabinho in talks with Arsenal & Barca but likes Manchester'

Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Barcelona have all been in contact with Monaco defender Fabinho, according to his father.

The Brazilian has long been linked to a move to Old Trafford, though the Ligue 1 side were said to be demanding upwards of €40 million for him.

The 23-year-old remains at Monaco, but he continues to attract some top names and his father suggested Manchester could be his destination, but whether he fancies the red or blue side remains uncertain.

"We have been in talks with Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and approached by Barcelona," his father, Joao, told French TV show J+1.

"We like Manchester United and Mourinho’s work, but we have a soft spot for Manchester City."Fabinho joined Monaco from Rio Ave in July 2015. He spent his first season playing predominantly as a right-back, though he was utilised as a defensive midfielder. This campaign, he has been used almost entirely as a holding midfielder.

 

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Cavani: I am not PSG's saviour

Edinson Cavani has stressed he is not Paris Saint-Germain's saviour as the Ligue 1 champions prepare to take on Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16.

The Uruguay international has developed into PSG's undisputed star striker following the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Manchester United during the close-season and has already netted 31 goals in 30 appearances in all competitions this term.

Heading into the clash with Barca on Tuesday he has scored nine times in his last seven games, but the striker is adamant PSG are not overly reliant on him."I do not see myself as the saviour," Cavani said at a news conference."It is the entire team that has to work together. Football is a team game. We all have to give our all."I have to work hard, just like any other player.

"I am feeling relaxed and calm. I am happy to be part of such a great team."PSG have been eliminated from the Champions League by Barcelona twice in the past four seasons, but Cavani is hopeful they can do better this time around."We all want to win. It is a game of football and everything is possible. We are convinced that we can get a result. We definitely have a chance against Barcelona," he added.

"PSG have plenty of experience in the Champions League, which is important. We have to fight to progress. "We are a very strong team at the moment that is getting closer to reaching its objectives. A win in the first leg would move us one step closer to our goal. We would like to reach the final."

 

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Lazio 1-1 AC Milan: Suso earns point for Rossoneri

Suso's late strike salvaged a 1-1 draw for AC Milan against Lazio, who missed out on the opportunity to go fourth in Serie A.

A victory would have lifted Simone Inzaghi's side above Atalanta and Inter to within five points of Napoli, who occupy the final Champions League qualification berth, but Suso's 85th-minute goal earned Milan a share of the spoils.

Milan had ended a run of four straight defeats in all competitions with a 1-0 win at Bologna last time out - despite having two men sent off - and although they kept their full allocation on the field at Stadio Olimpico, they created little to trouble the hosts for much of this encounter.

Lazio took the lead in first-half stoppage time when Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma needlessly felled Ciro Immobile inside the area and Lucas Biglia smashed in the resulting spot-kick to Donnarumma's right.

The home side lost keeper Federico Marchetti to a reported knee injury in the warm-up and back-up Thomas Strakosha, having had little to do, was beaten late in the piece as Suso weaved between three Lazio defenders inside the box and placed a shot into the bottom-left corner.

Vincenzo Montella's side remain seventh, four points adrift of the Europa League places and one point ahead of Fiorentina, whom they host on Sunday.Monday's outing began positively enough for Milan, who forced a succession of corners in the opening 10 minutes, but it was Lazio who threatened first - Biglia stinging the palms of Donnarumma before Immobile headed wide from Marco Parolo's cross.

The hosts maintained the pressure and Balde Keita twice brought comfortable saves out of Donnarumma either side of calls for a penalty when Immobile went down under a challenge from Gustavo Gomez.

Wesley Hoedt was next to go close for Lazio as he volleyed straight at Donnarumma from close range following a corner, Gomez relieved to see the ball trickle wide after smashing his subsequent clearance into the chest of the Dutchman.

Lazio could not afford to be complacent, though, and Lucas Ocampos provided a reminder of Milan's threat with a low shot on the break that was saved by Strakosha.

That was a rare foray forward, though, and the visitors were behind in first-half stoppage time as Biglia thumped home his penalty following Donnarumma's foul on Immobile.Felipe Anderson fired narrowly wide in the 54th minute and Milan felt they should have had a penalty of their own midway through the second half when Ignazio Abate was bundled over by substitute Senad Lulic.


Montella opted not to bring top scorer Carlos Bacca off the bench but it was another substitute, Jose Sosa, who won the ball back and provided Suso with the chance to make his mark and earn Milan a point.

 

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Bournemouth 0-2 Manchester City: Pep's men prevail after Jesus injury

Gabriel Jesus had his storming start to life in the Premier League checked by injury but Manchester City were able to chalk up a 2-0 win at Bournemouth to go second in the table.Pep Guardiola's side cut Chelsea's healthy advantage to eight points and took a 29th-minute lead on the south coast through Raheem Sterling.

The opener arrived after teenage sensation Jesus, fresh from three goals in his first two top flight starts, departed with a foot problem.Sergio Aguero has been consigned to the bench by the Brazil international, with speculation over his long-term future at City an inevitable by-product of his demotion.

City's top scorer was denied a 19th goal this season when Tyrone Mings was ruled to have got the more decisive touch to Sterling's 69th-minute cutback but the Argentina star could now have a prolonged opportunity to regain his position as the club's first-choice striker.

Bournemouth remain without a win in 2017 and, having lost Jack Wilshere to injury, boss Eddie Howe will view the six-point gap between his side and the relegation zone with increasing trepidation.

The latest twist in the Jesus-Aguero narrative came inside the first 15 minutes as the Brazil star landed awkwardly when attacking a cross from the right.He removed his boot to receive treatment on the field before hobbling off, with Aguero afforded a hero's welcome from the travelling supporters.

City goalkeeper Willy Caballero was off his line quickly to make a vital sliding block on Jordon Ibe, a scare that prompted Guardiola's men to shift through the gears.Sterling saw his 26th-minute shot spin off a sprawled Steve Cook and against the post, with Charlie Daniels blocking Kevin De Bruyne's follow-up.

Yaya Toure then curled a left-footed effort narrowly wide from 25 yards and the pressure told before the half-hour – a Cook deflection from David Silva's low cross this time working in Sterling's favour to leave the England man with a simple finish.

Bournemouth thought they had an instant equaliser but Josh King was correctly penalised for pulling back John Stones before converting.City were unable to double their advantage before the break as Aguero blazed wastefully over from Bacary Sagna's right-wing centre and a hefty casualty count climbed further in first-half stoppage time.

Having already sent on Mings in place of Simon Francis, Howe faced the worrying sight of Jack Wilshere failing to shake off the effects of a challenge on the excellent Silva.

Benik Afobe came on in Wilshere's place and the home supporters were furious when the already booked Toure brought down the substitute.

Guardiola's men were forced to ride out some early second-half pressure before City got back on the front foot – left-winger Leroy Sane ensuring a thorough working over for Adam Smith was not consigned to the first period.

But the open nature of the contest remained to Bournemouth's liking and Caballero was down sharply to his right to keep out Harry Arter's rasping left-footer.The sense of City requiring a second was palpable and Aguero was to the fore when it arrived.

The final touch came off the Mings as both men lunged at a Sterling's cutback, the opening goalscorer having danced around an increasingly beleaguered Smith.
Six minutes from time a mistake by Mings allowed Sane to beat Cook and thrash goalwards, but the crossbar denied him the goal his effort deserved.

 

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Manchester City boss Guardiola to pray for injured Jesus

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will find out the full extent of Gabriel Jesus's foot injury on Tuesday after the teenager's thrilling introduction to Premier League football was checked early on in the 2-0 win at Bournemouth.The Brazil striker removed his right boot and received treatment on the field before making way for Sergio Aguero at the Vitality Stadium.

Raheem Sterling opened the scoring before the half hour and the England winger turned provider in the 69th minute, with Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings putting through his own net under pressure from Aguero.City moved up to second in the table, within eight points of leaders Chelsea, but the post-match focus understandably turned towards Jesus.

"Tomorrow [Tuesday] morning we will know exactly," Guardiola told Sky Sports. "He was so, so unfortunate."Hopefully – I'm am going to pray tonight – it is not going to be a big issue."The 19-year-old's injury gave Aguero a chance to impress after two weeks where his emergence cast doubt on the long-term future of City's top scorer.

Guardiola was unaware his team's second goal was credited to Mings but he also praised Aguero's all-round contribution – an area where he has previously suggested the Argentina international falls short.

"He played good, real good. He fought and he scored a goal. His confidence, for us, is so important. I'm so happy for him," the former Barcelona boss said."He was important before the game and is now. It is so important, when you play in a lot of competitions like the Champions League you need all the players."

Despite City now sitting at the front of a congested chasing pack, Guardiola still feels a making a genuine challenge to Chelsea in the title race is a fanciful prospect."The gap is still so long. You expect that they are going to lose games, but it is so, so difficult [for City] to win all the games," he added, having been impressed by Antonio Conte's men in their 1-1 draw at Burnley on Sunday."The gap is too big. Yesterday they didn't win but they played so solid. It is so difficult to create chances against them.

"We must focus game by game and improve our performances. My feeling is that in the last games our performances are much, much, much better."The only regret is we created so many chances and did not score more but I am so, so happy for the performance."

Jesus was not the only casualty of a pulsating contest on England's south coast, with Bournemouth captain Simon Francis and on-loan Arsenal midfelder Jack Wilshere also making way before the interval."We were hampered by our injuries in the first half," manager Eddie Howe told Sky Sports.

"Losing both players was a real blow. We reorganised and had a go but ultimately they were too good."Simon felt his hamstring and Jack had a pain in his ankle. Hopefully nothing serious."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Martial relishing Man United clash with 'rivals' Saint-Etienne

Manchester United forward Anthony Martial is desperate to strike against Saint-Etienne, a side he has always seen as a rival, in the Europa League.Martial started his club career at Lyon, with whom Saint-Etienne play the fiercely-contested Rhone-Alpes derby.

The France international did not get the chance to play in one of those games, but did strike against Thursday's opponents while at former club Monaco.

United are at home for the first leg of the last-32 tie and Martial, who netted in the Premier League win over Watford on Saturday, is eager to haunt Saint-Etienne again."There was a huge rivalry while I was still at Lyon," Martial said to United's official website.

"It was always a highly charged atmosphere and they were usually massive games, the kind all players love to play in."So there will be that added competitive edge whenever I play against them."We know it will be a difficult match but if we play with all our quality, I think we can do good things.

"Of course, it would be great if I could score against them again, but I hope we can win the game because that is the most important thing. Then it would be a bonus if I managed to grab a goal."

The second leg will see United having to contend with a vociferous home support at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, according to Martial.He continued: "They have a tremendous following and I'm sure it will be lively, even more so as they are not used to playing against big clubs like United."There is always a great atmosphere there even against the smaller teams, so I can't imagine what it will be like against us. It will be up to us to put it out of our minds."

The tie will also see Paul Pogba do battle against his brother Florentin, who has played for Saint-Etienne since 2012."They are well known for being big jokers and mickey-takers," said Martial."But, once they are on the field, it will be like two warriors who are going all out to win the game.


"If one beats the other, he will immediately start giving out loads of stick so they will be desperate to do all they can to win!"

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Isco contract talks with Real Madrid pushed back to end of season

While Isco's negotiations for a new Real Madrid deal remain on stand-by, the playmaker sent a message to the club with a goal that broke Osasuna's resolve and helped deliver three valuable points at the weekend. Along with Keylor Navas the ex-Malaga man has seen his future thrust in the public spotlight, but both men gave fine performances to show they are doubtlessly Madrid material.

Goal understands that Isco's contract talks are merely delayed, and not bogged down. Isco's deal is up in June 2018, less than 18 months from now, and preliminary discussions over a renewal started last fall.

Ultimately, however, both parties decided to suspend talks until the upcoming summer, when the Liga season comes to an end. There is no sinister motive behind the postponement; the club would simply rather evaluate its playing staff and make final decisions once the FIFA transfer ban comes to an end at the start of the next window.

That gives Zinedine Zidane and his team ample time to decide whether Isco will continue to be a part of his plans, or whether the performances of the likes of Marco Asensio and James Rodriguez mean there is sufficient cover for the role.Only when the club has that full information on hand will they sit down for renewal talks.

This temporary break from off-field matters may also suit the player himself down to the ground. In 2017 he has started three of the eight games Madrid have played, even with a short injury absence, and netted three goals. "Isco is a key player, he works hard and I am a big fan," Zidane told reporters in Friday's news conference, and there is no reason to doubt the Frenchman's sincerity.

The No. 22 is busy repaying his coach's confidence, and if he keeps coming up with vital goals like the one that downed Osasuna, he should not have any concerns when it comes to hammering out a new deal at the Santiago Bernabeu.

 

[Alucard_SxE]

LOL Barca

4-0

Barca's domination has come to an end. Only messi is keeping them alive. And if he doesn't perform, then they are dead ​