..::Football IV::..

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'This has been my best season' - Neymar delighted with Barcelona impact

Neymar believes he has produced his best season in a Barcelona shirt after his hat-trick sealed an emphatic victory over Las Palmas.The Brazil international's first away hat-trick for Barca secured a 4-1 victory on Sunday that ensured La Liga's title race will go down to the final day of the season.

Neymar has scored 19 goals and contributed a further 20 assists for his club in 2016-17 and thinks this has been the best of his four campaigns at Camp Nou.
"This is a great season for me," Neymar said to France Football.

"I even think I have had my best season since I arrived here. I do not know if I have reached a new level, it is hard to have that judgement when you are on the pitch. "I have always had the same role from my arrival until today – it has not changed. I have always taken responsibility on this team and everyone knows their role."

Neymar hopes to become the world's best player and eventually win the Ballon d'Or, but insists he is happy working alongside the man he considers to be on top, Lionel Messi.

The 25-year-old continued: "All I want to do is play with the best players in the world – and the best of all is Leo Messi."I dream of becoming the best. I think I can do it, but calmly and quietly – I am not in a hurry."All the players dream of [the Ballon d'Or] – I hope to win it one day."

Neymar's best game of the season was when he inspired Barcelona's astonishing Champions League comeback in the last 16 against Paris Saint-Germain, a 4-0 first-leg loss recovered with a 6-1 win in the return leg - the biggest turnaround in the competition's history.

"This is one of the best memories of my career," he said. "I will remember it all my life. From the final whistle of the match in Paris, I knew we could get it back."

 

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Giggs: Man Utd need 'four or five' additions and should consider Alexis Sanchez

Ryan Giggs is expecting another busy summer of transfer activity at Manchester United, with Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez among those he believes Jose Mourinho should be looking at.

The Red Devils legend feels the current squad, when taking into account possible outgoings, is “four or five” bodies short of being where it needs to be.

United will be under pressure to mount a Premier League title challenge next season, having spent much of the current campaign focusing on cup competitions.
Big-money additions are expected to aid that cause, with Giggs of the opinion that Mourinho will have gaps to fill all over the field.

He said in The Express : “He needs to replace Michael Carrick.“[Zlatan] Ibrahimovic is going to be out for a year. I think he needs a centre forward.

“Don’t know what’s going to happen with Wayne [Rooney].“I think he probably needs four or five players.”With uncertainty shrouding the respective futures of frontmen Ibrahimovic and Rooney, United have been linked with several potential alternatives.

The likes of Antoine Griezmann, Andrea Belotti and Romelu Lukaku have generated the most speculation, but Giggs feels Mourinho should be looking to raid a top-four rival.With Sanchez about to enter the final 12 months of his current contract at Arsenal, the Chilean is considered to boast the qualities that could make a big impact at Old Trafford.

Giggs added: "Jose Mourinho bought [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic because he is a winner.
"He'd won everywhere he'd gone. Not only the effect on the pitch but off the pitch as well.

"You can just feel that Sanchez would give his team-mates a lift."Sanchez has netted 26 times in all competitions for Arsenal this season, with Ibrahimovic the only man to have bettered that return at Old Trafford.

 

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Hoda playersls 4k or 5k one nam thamai.Ath Sanchez nam ganna wena 1kak naha​

 

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Alexis & Aubameyang ‘welcome’ at PSG - Cavani

Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani has said that he would “welcome” Alexis Sanchez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the club if they were to arrive in the summer.

It is almost certain that PSG will be deposed as Ligue 1 champions, with Monaco needing only to avoid two record-breaking defeats to claim the crown, and as a result, a significant summer spend is forecast at Parc des Princes.Among those linked to the club are Arsenal attacker Alexis and Borussia Dortmund forward Aubameyang, and Cavani, who has scored 49 goals this season, would love to see them arrive.

“If they sign, they are welcome,” he told Canal +. “We are here for the team. Good players are here for the team.”Nevertheless, he believes that his side are much better than Monaco, regardless of summer additions.

“The final of the Coupe de la Ligue against Monaco was a good time,” he said of the 4-1 win in Lyon. “That day, we showed that we are far superior to them.”

Cavani has enjoyed a prolific campaign but insists his focus is on helping the team to succeed.

“Statistically, it’s my best season – that can’t be denied or its importance cannot be tested,” he confirmed. “But for me the most beautiful result is to lift trophies.”PSG can still complete a domestic cup double, with the Coupe de France final against Angers scheduled for the Stade de France a week on.

 

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Cavani and Mbappe win big at Ligue 1 awards

Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani has been named Ligue 1 Player of the Year for the first time, while Monaco sensation Kylian Mbappe is the best young player for 2016-17.

Cavani has scored 35 league goals in as many appearances in a stunning individual season, even though PSG are set to see their streak of four straight titles come to an end.

Their former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic had won the award in three of the past four seasons, with Eden Hazard, Alexandre Lacazette, Karim Benzema and Didier Drogba also among the previous winners.

Leonardo Jardim was named Coach of the Year at the National Union of Professional Football Players (UNFP) ceremony on Monday, having led Monaco to the brink of the title.

Mbappe, meanwhile, scooped the Young Player of the award after a season that saw him develop into Europe's most wanted prospect, with 14 league goals and 11 assists playing a huge part in Monaco's stunning campaign.The forward has been compared to Thierry Henry, who also scooped the young player award while at Monaco in 1997.

Danijel Subasic won the Goalkeeper of the Year award in another success for the Ligue 1 leaders.

And Chelsea star N'Golo Kante was recognised as the Best French player playing abroad, an accolade which Antoine Griezmann won in 2016.

 

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Congratulations for all Ligue 1 Winners!​

 

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Chelsea 4 Watford 3: Terry on target as champions march on

John Terry was on target in one of his last games for Chelsea as they recorded an entertaining 4-3 win over Watford thanks to a late winner from Cesc Fabregas.

The experienced defender was handed a rare start as Antonio Conte made nine changes compared to the team that clinched the Premier League title against West Brom on Friday and he enjoyed an eventful first half.

Terry opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a finish from close range, only to inadvertently set up Etienne Capoue for the equaliser with a poor clearance two minutes later.Cesar Azpilicueta and Michy Batshuayi then struck either side of half-time to hand Chelsea a two-goal lead, only for Daryl Janmaat to pull one back.

Substitute Stefano Okaka seemed to have a salvaged a draw for Watford with 16 minutes left, but it was Fabregas who had the final say, before Sebastian Prodl received his marching orders in added time.Chelsea are now on 90 points from 37 games ahead of their final game against Sunderland on Sunday, while Watford remain 16th on 40 points.

Both sides made a cautious start to the game, but the champions eventually went ahead midway through the first half via Terry. Kurt Zouma’s header from a corner somewhat fortuitously fell to his defensive partner and Terry was alert to poke the ball past Gomes from close range.

He undid all his good work 90 seconds later, however, sending a poor headed clearance straight toward Capoue, the Frenchman gratefully accepting the present to level the scoring with a header from 10 yards out.

Eden Hazard nearly restored Chelsea’s lead when he aimed inches wide after a fine long ball from Willian, before Azpilicueta did make it 2-1 in the 36th minute.The Watford defence failed to adequately deal with a corner from the left and the wing-back drilled a powerful shot past Gomes from just inside the area to put his side back ahead.

The newly crowned champions went in search of a third after the break and they got the goal they were after when Batshuayi - scorer of the goal that sealed the title - added his name to the score sheet with an easy finish after yet another corner, tapping the ball into the empty net after being set up by Nathan Ake.

Watford refused to throw in the towel, though, and Janmaat replied within two minutes, dancing past Ake before curling a low shot into the far corner to boost his side's hopes of getting a good result.And Okaka looked to have spoiled the party as he fired a low shot past Asmir Begovic in the 74th minute just moments after coming off the bench.

It was not meant to be for Watford, however, as Fabregas sealed the win for Antonio Conte's men with a sublime finish following an assist from Willian.And there was more bad news for the visitors in added time when Prodl received his second yellow after bringing down Pedro.

 

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Guardiola: Barca or Bayern would've sacked me by now

Pep Guardiola says he would have been sacked by Barcelona or Bayern Munich if he had delivered the kind of season he has had at Manchester City.

The Catalan has endured the first trophyless campaign of his managerial campaign and is focused on securing a third-placed finish by winning the club's two remaining fixtures.

City will give the 46-year-old time to implement his methods at the club and will back him in the transfer market this summer.But he says that is a "second chance" and that he would not have been so lucky at "a big club".

"I came here to try to win this year, but it was not possible," he told reporters. "I will try with the club, with the players, with the staff, with the chairman, with the sporting director, to do it. And after that and the results are not [good], if we are judged just for the results, we will be sacked and another one is coming here, and you will be here again with the new manager, and you will make the same questions, so that is what it is.

"I am not staying here because I am Pep or what I have done a long time ago, I know what the problem is. I am not going to be [wondering] all summer ‘Oh what will happen next season if I don’t win some titles’.

"Pressure is what I had when I arrived in Barcelona, when I had nothing to defend [myself with]. At that club if in six months you don’t win you are really out, like Barcelona or Bayern Munich, there you have to win by far.

"If not, they don’t give you a second chance. Here they gave me a second chance and we will try to do it. In my situation at a big club: I’m sacked. I’m out. Sure. Definitely. At the clubs I worked at before I am not here, but here we have a second chance and we will try to do it better than this season."

Guardiola has often discussed the expectation levels at the Etihad Stadium and has stressed on several occasions that his current employers do not have the same mentality as Europe's traditionally successful clubs.He has also insisted that it is his goal to raise those expectations, whether among the fans, players or the club hierarchy.

And he has suggested that the expectations of his first season at City were based on his success at clubs with a different standing in the European game, a hint that he always believed he would not be able to live up to the hype just yet.

"I said many times I have this expectation because of what I have done in the past," he said. "I arrived at this club and I tried to do my best, some managers will have that pressure so I have to handle that, if not I go home."

 

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Conte hails 'great man' Terry's positive influence

Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte has hailed John Terry's positive influence and stressed the centre-back has been key to their success this season.Terry has only featured sparingly this campaign, with Monday's 4-3 win over Watford just his eighth Premier League outing in 2016-17, but Conte is adamant the 36-year-old has been hugely helpful off the pitch.

"About John, first of all, I am looking forward to see him lift the trophy after the game against Sunderland on Sunday and I think all the players want to see this.This is the right final for John," Conte stated at a news conference."John helped me a lot in my first season, on and off the pitch. He always sends the right message to the players in every moment of the season.

"John took this decision to continue to play regularly and play every game, and for this reason he preferred to leave Chelsea and to play every game I do not know where. For sure, for us, this is a big loss next season.

"I think it is a pity for me, but I have to respect his decision because I think, when you arrive at this moment and your head and body tell you to continue to play, then it is right to carry on and continue to play, to try and play regularly every game."

Terry somewhat surprisingly suggested after the game against Watford that he could hang up his boots altogether at the end of the season, but Conte does not think the centre-back will retire just yet."No, he should absolutely not retire," Conte added.

"John wants to continue to play. I wish for him and his family the best."Chelsea will always be his home because John, first of all, is a great man and a great legend and player for Chelsea, and in future for the team he decides to play for."

 

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Houston to host first Manchester derby on foreign soil

The 2017-18 Premier League season kicks off in August, but Manchester United and Manchester City won't have to wait that long to renew hostilities.The rivals will meet at NRG Stadium in Houston as part of the International Champions Cup on July 20, the clubs announced Monday.

“The Manchester Derby is one of the world's most iconic games,” City chief executive Ferran Soriano said in a club release. “We are very excited to play it in front of our passionate American fans. There are so many great memories from this game in history and we can't wait to create some new ones in Houston."

United have previously played in what is now known as NRG Stadium, having defeated the MLS All-Stars 5-2 in 2010. That match featured a sell-out, something the clubs are hoping to re-create for July's contest.

"The game in Houston gives our large US family of fans another chance to see the team play live,” United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said. “The last time we played in Houston, over 70,000 packed the stadium and we are looking forward to entertaining them again.”

City also will face Tottenham at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, and Real Madrid at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum during the club's U.S. tour.


United, meanwhile, will take on the LA Galaxy at StubHub Center in Carson, California; Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah; Real Madrid at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California; and Barcelona at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.

 

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James can step out of Ronaldo and Bale shadows at Madrid to be a Galactico at Man Utd

Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Ronaldo (both of them), Kaka, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, just some of the greats to fall into the ‘Galacticos’ category at Real Madrid.

The recruitment model of Florentino Perez may not be to everyone’s taste, and results on an individual level and as a collective have been mixed down the years, but the sense of ambition at Santiago Bernabeu is to be applauded and continues to offer plenty of entertainment to the neutrals.

The revolving door policy in the Spanish capital is not restricted to high-profile additions either, with there as many prominent figures occupying seats in the departure lounge as there are in arrivals.

Comings and goings are to be expected again in the summer of 2017, with the Blancos free to trade once more after serving a transfer ban during the winter window.It could be that business is done with a familiar face looking to piece together his own version of the ‘Galacticos’ four years on from a spell at the Madrid helm.

Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United side are very much a work in progress, with the cracks that appeared at Old Trafford in the wake of Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure still being filled as scaffolding continues to support the playing staff at the Theatre of Dreams.

Big money has been thrown at quick fixes, though, and there is the promise of much more to come.

Paul Pogba’s record-breaking transfer from Juventus in 2016 eclipsed anything even Madrid have done in the past and it is fair to assume that those considered to figure prominently on an ever-lengthening list of targets will not come cheap.
Antoine Griezmann? £86 million. Andrea Belotti? £84m. Marquinhos? £59m . Kylian Mbappe? £93m.

Any number of the deals mentioned above could be done, with there countless other names to be thrown into the pot as United prepare to pursue further world-class talent that can help them back to the top of the tree both domestically in the Premier League and across Europe.

A raid on Mourinho’s former stomping ground in Spain cannot be ruled out, with there several stars in the Madrid galaxy that would likely appeal.Among those is James Rodriguez, who has been heavily linked with United for several years.

He was taken to Madrid in the summer of 2014 after catching the eye for Colombia at the World Cup finals in Brazil and seeing his profile rise to a level which made him both an attractive sporting and commercial proposition to the Blancos.

James, however, found himself joining a side that already boasted Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Isco on its books in terms of attacking playmakers and the likes of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos as more deep-lying options.Regular game time was always going to be difficult to come by, but James has set about tackling that challenge with grit and determination.

His numbers have dipped year on year in terms of appearances, while he has never looked close to matching the 17-goal haul from his debut campaign in the years which have followed, but his ability as a creative influence remains without question.

It is that part of his game which will be interesting Mourinho and leading him to put some probing questions to Ed Woodward and the Old Trafford money men regarding the funds required to net a player who is being valued at anywhere between £30m and £70m.

While there are never any guarantees in the recruitment game – with United having seen their fingers burned by the Angel Di Maria deal with Madrid in the not-too distant past – James could be considered an upgrade on the current crop of playmaking talent at Old Trafford.

He compares favourably with all of those already on Mourinho’s books, despite having seen less domestic playing time since joining Madrid than Anthony Martial, Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, Paul Pogba and Henrik Mkhitaryan – with Jesse Lingard the only man he trumps.

James has netted more goals over the course of the last three years than any of his potential new team-mates in Manchester, while also providing more assists, creating more chances, posting a better conversion rate and minutes per game ratio and impressing with his passing stats.

Those numbers can also be converted to the current campaign, where the 25-year-old has once again seen less football but still been able to deliver six assists, six goals – at a rate of 167.67 minutes per effort – created 40 chances and boasted a pass completion rate of 88.61.

He is a player of the right age, profile and ability for United and has shown in his outbursts when substituted this term and in comments made about his future that he could be lured away from Madrid by the right offer and opportunity.James said ahead of the winter window: “I can't assure I will stay at Real Madrid. I have offers. I am happy in Madrid, but I want to play more.”

Mourinho could offer him that game time, with there every reason to believe that a man who has been forced to operate in the shadow of the ‘Galacticos’ in Madrid could become one in his own right in Manchester.

 

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Man City to decide on future of outcast Nolito

Real Betis are one of a number of clubs interested in taking Nolito back to Spain, Goal understands.

Manchester City will have to decide whether to let Nolito leave the club this summer, less than a year after signing him from Celta Vigo for £13.8 million.The 30-year-old has started just one match so far in 2017 - at Huddersfield in the FA Cup - and is keen to return to La Liga.

Celta are interested in taking him back to Balaidos, though they have warned publicly that he would have to take a pay cut for that to happen.Sevilla and Betis are also in the hunt and the latter named have already held talks with Nolito's representatives.

They are exploring the possibility of a loan deal with a view to splitting the forward's salary of around £3.4m per year, plus bonuses.Nolito is thought to be keen to return to Spain with a view to earning a place in his country's squad for next summer's World Cup.

City, if they were to sell him outright, would struggle to recoup anything like the money they paid Celta last July given none of the clubs currently interested in his signature could afford his wages.

Nolito was one of six senior signings made by Pep Guardiola last summer and initially appeared to represent an astute purchase.

He scored four times in City's opening 11 games of the season and offered Guardiola a useful option from the bench.But he fell out of favour over the Christmas period, with Guardiola only admitting that he had made his decision based on what he had seen in training.


The former Barcelona man has missed out on seven Premier League squads since the New Year's Eve trip to Anfield and has failed to get off the bench in a further six matches.

 

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Pogba still unavailable but kids not an option for Man Utd boss Mourinho

Paul Pogba will not be back for Manchester United's Premier League contest against Southampton on Wednesday, but Jose Mourinho will resist the temptation to play the "kids".France midfielder Pogba did not travel with United for Sunday's 2-1 Premier League defeat at Tottenham due to the death of his father.

And Red Devils boss Mourinho says Pogba will not be back in time for Wednesday's trip to St Mary's Stadium as he will be attending the funeral.

"I don't think [he will be available]," he said. "I think that his dad's funeral has to be between Tuesday and Wednesday in France. "I don't think Paul has conditions to play, we let him be completely free when he's ready to be back."

Mourinho has made no secret of his frustration at United's congested fixture list, with the club still having two Premier League matches to fulfil before next Wednesday's Europa League final against Ajax, whose domestic season has already finished.

But despite the games coming thick and fast, Mourinho says it would be unwise to field so many inexperienced players in their remaining Premier League games."I have to build some teams with the minimum of conditions to fight for a result," he added.

"We lost against Arsenal 2-0, we fought for the result, we lost 2-1 [against Tottenham] and fought for the result. We want to fight for the result, I don't want to field a team where people think we are not fighting for the result. We are fighting for the result.

"So I am going to rotate people. [Daley] Blind will not play against Southampton, [Marouane] Fellaini will because he's not played the last three [league] matches [due to suspension].

"These are examples of trying not to accumulate but people have to play, we don't have other players. I cannot put four or five kids on together in the fire, I cannot do that to the kids."

United's last hope of qualifying for the Champions League is by winning their final against Ajax after a four-match winless league run has left them sixth and seven points adrift of Manchester City in fourth.

But Mourinho says that for the next two domestic matches it is more important to show a fighting spirit than to achieve a victory."What I want from the players is a good attitude, positive attitude, positive approach, team spirit, an understanding that some guys have to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others," he said.

"Blind played [against Tottenham] after 90 minutes on Thursday, of course Fellaini has to play the next because he is not playing now.

"[I want] team spirit, empathy and fantastic attitude that everybody has. It is not one more victory, one more point, one more defeat that will change anything. "A final is a final, we have to go to the final with everything like Ajax does because they finished the season and have no more football until the final."

 

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Ronaldo's away day rests over as Madrid plan to unleash forward on Celta Vigo

Having sat out Real Madrid's last four La Liga away games, Cristiano Ronaldo will be in the squad when they take on Celta Vigo at Balaidos on Wednesday.

Head coach Zinedine Zidane has employed a rotation policy in recent weeks to keep his star players fit for key matches in the Champions League and the La Liga title race.

Ronaldo was rested in away games against Leganes, Sporting Gijon and Granada around their European quarter-final and semi-final ties, while the 32-year-old also sat out the midweek trip to Deportivo La Coruna that preceded the Clasico against Barcelona.

However, Zidane says the Portuguese superstar will be available when Madrid look to take a three-point lead over Barca at the top of La Liga with their game in hand in Galicia.When asked if Ronaldo would be part of the squad or rested, Zidane told a pre-match news conference: "He will be with us."

Ronaldo, along with Isco and Lucas Vazquez, will be suspended for the final match of the domestic season at Malaga should he pick up a yellow card at Balaidos.

Despite the possibility of losing a key player for what will be a crunch match at La Rosaleda, Zidane is not concerned.He said: "Whatever happens, if they have to play, they play. The cards as always, they'll do everything they can not to get a yellow.

"I don't know how long those players have had four yellows, so we'll keep going. This is football, you know?"We're just keeping going until the last minute of the last game. We're not going to relax at all, I promise you that. Whatever happens, happens. We haven't won anything.

"We've just got two games left and that's it. I'm thinking positively about the game tomorrow."I'm not thinking about anything else, very positive, focusing 100 per cent on what's ahead of us. I'm just being positive."

 

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Arsenal target Lacazette waiting on 'club of his heart' to meet Lyon's demands

Lyon are prepared to let Alexandre Lacazette join “the club of his heart” for the right price, with the Arsenal and Liverpool-linked striker attracting interest once again.The France international has long been linked with a big-money transfer on the back of his prolific efforts in his homeland.The 25-year-old has been in sparking form again this season, netting 35 times in 44 appearances.

He has broken the 20-goal barrier in four successive campaigns and Lyon acknowledge that the time has come to let Lacazette move on if their demands are met.Owner Jean-Michel Aulas told reporters: "Alex had a good option with a club that is in his heart.

"If the club of his heart is able to match our demands then things will go well. Otherwise, it will depend on our other business."West Ham were in the market for Lacazette in 2016, but saw a reported £43 million bid turned down.

That price tag is likely to have increased as the goals have continued to flow, while the list of clubs keeping a close eye on the situation will continue to grow ahead of the summer window.

Arsenal have been linked with a move for Lacazette for a number of years, and will be looking to add on the back of their struggles this season, while Liverpool may be interested as they seek to add depth to a squad that will have European fixtures to contend with in 2017-18.

Atletico Madrid have been mooted as another potential landing spot, with the La Liga giants waiting to discover whether Antoine Griezmann will leave them with an attacking void to fill.

 

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Bartomeu defends Barcelona board of directors

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has hit back at criticism that the club's current board of directors are not staying true to their philosophy and is adamant they have no intention of stepping down.There has been criticism of the way Bartomeu and his colleagues have run the club since taking charge in 2014, with the Catalans caught up in a number of scandals.

Barcelona have been involved in court cases over irregularities surrounding the transfer of Neymar from Santos in 2013, while they also received a transfer ban from FIFA following the illegal signing of underage players.

Nevertheless, Bartomeu remains unperturbed by recent events and believes the board has done a fine job leading the club."From some sectors the ability of this board to run the club has been put into question," Bartomeu said during his speech in front of the Barcelona senate.

"We have been accused of not protecting the model and of only being administrators. We do not mind, though, given how football is now. Being considered good administrators is praise.

"We are not losing the essence of the Barca model. I would like, when we speak of the model, that it was done seriously and not just focused on a style of play, which we obviously want to maintain as it is part of our very essence."I would prefer that we talk about the model of the club, something that develops, improves and enriches itself every day.

"We are still in the winning era that began with Ronaldinho and that [Lionel] Messi has consolidated. We have overcome the departures of Pep Guardiola and Xavi, the death of Tito Vilanova and the FIFA sanction."I will not resign and neither will the rest of the board."

 

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Arsenal 2 Sunderland 0: Sanchez keeps top-four hopes alive

Alexis Sanchez netted twice in the final 20 minutes to help Arsenal to a 2-0 Premier League win over Sunderland and keep their top-four hopes alive.Arsene Wenger's men created numerous chances at Emirates Stadium, but initially struggled to find a way past the impressive Jordan Pickford.

The Sunderland goalkeeper was unable to prevent Sanchez from delivering Arsenal the win, though, as the Chilean was left with an easy finish by Mesut Ozil with 18 minutes left on the clock, before adding a second in the 81st minute.Arsenal find themselves trailing fourth-placed Liverpool by one point heading into their final game of the league season following Tuesday's win.

A win over Everton will be enough to secure Champions League football if Liverpool lose to Middlesbrough on Sunday, while a draw could still do the trick for Arsene Wenger's side.

Arsenal made an encouraging start and Sanchez thought he had opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a powerful shot from outside the area that took a deflection off Olivier Giroud's arm, only for referee Roger East to rightly disallow the goal.

The home side continued to push for the opener and Giroud was unfortunate to be denied by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford after a clever throughball from Aaron Ramsey, before Hector Bellerin curled a shot just over the crossbar.

Sunderland slowly grew into the game from there on and Didier Ndong and Jermain Defoe both got chances to break the deadlock late in the first half, goalkeeper Petr Cech pulling off two smart saves to keep things all square.

Bellerin then should have handed the hosts the lead in the 44th minute when sent clean through on goal by Ozil, but the right-back hesitated for too long and eventually only hit the side netting from a narrow angle.

Arsenal continued to dominate after the break and Giroud came within inches of handing the hosts the lead when he beat his marker to Rob Holding's cross from the right, seeing his header going just wide at the far post.Wenger then brought on Danny Welbeck and the former Manchester United man almost made an immediate impact, forcing Pickford into a smart save with his low strike from just inside the box.

There was nothing Pickford could do to deny Sanchez, however, the Chile international coolly slotting the ball into the empty net after being presented with a gilt-edged chance by Ozil.

The Sunderland shot stopper then pulled off a number of fine saves to keep his side's hopes of salvaging a draw alive, but he was eventually beaten a second time by Sanchez in the 81st minute, the forward again tapping home from just yards out to seal the win.

 

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Manchester City 3 West Brom 1: Champions League all-but secured as Etihad celebrates Zabaleta

Manchester City all-but secured a top-four spot in the Premier League with a stylish 3-1 win over West Brom as the Etihad Stadium faithful came out to honour departing club great Pablo Zabaleta.

City announced over the weekend that Zabaleta would end a nine-year spell in Manchester when his contract expires at the end of this season and Tuesday's final home match of the campaign was soundtracked by chants paying tribute to the Argentina international.

Manager Pep Guardiola did not stay entirely on message, naming the right-back among the substitutes, but a flowing first-half performance, featuring two goals in quick succession from Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne, headed off any potential discontent as Sergio Aguero led the line superbly.

Yaya Toure, another crowd favourite out of contract next month, got on the scoresheet before Zabaleta received a hero's welcome and another substitute, Hal Robson-Kanu, netted West Brom's consolation

Only defeat at Watford on the final day for third-placed City, along with Liverpool and Arsenal enjoying significant goal difference swings in victory, can now stop Guardiola's men from returning to the Champions League.

Songs in Zabaleta's honour began immediately from kick-off as the hosts confronted a predictably well-stocked West Brom defence.

Leroy Sane deftly nutmeged Allan Nyom and had penalty appeals dismissed when taking a tumble as the full-back looked to recover his ground, while Ben Foster was at full-stretch to keep out Aleksandar Kolarov's 30-yard free-kick.

Sane was heavily involved as City chased the breakthrough and the Germany international should have done better than dragging a bouncing shot wide when Aguero played him through in the 17th minute.

Aguero was artfully involved when City opened the scoring – cleverly backheeling Toure's drilled pass into De Bruyne's path and the Belgium star clipped across goal to leave Jesus with a simple finish.

It was two goals inside two minutes before the half hour when West Brom failed to clear their lines and De Bruyne expertly dispatched a bouncing ball from the edge of the box.

Aguero fired a half-volley at Foster from a similar position six minutes from half time and Sane crashed over, with City carving their opponents apart at will.
The West Brom goalkeeper palmed a dangerous De Bruyne ball out of his goalmouth early in the second period as a Zabaleta warm-up drew roars.

Albion substitute James McClean announced himself with an untidy challenge on Fernandinho inside the box that escaped punishment before another of City's long-serving stars put the result beyond doubt in the 57th minute.The driving runs of old are scarcely a feature for Toure nowadays but he strode regally forward to exchange passes with Aguero and slot in a low finish.

It was then time for Zabaleta to arrive to fervent acclaim that continued every time he touched the ball.

If Zabaleta is a symbol of City's fondly remembered recent past, Jesus is the man seen by many as their brightest hope for the immediate future. The 20-year-old Brazilian brilliantly danced away from three West Brom defenders and forced Foster to push over in the 68th minute.

Club captain Vincent Kompany, who also joined City in 2008, was replaced in the 77th minute and handed the armband to Zabaleta with a warm embrace, while Toure was also rapturously applauded late on as he made way on what might also be his curtain call.

Robson-Kanu tapped in Nyom's cross with three minutes to play before Zabaleta was symbolically announced as man-of-the-match at a stadium where he will be dearly missed.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Wenger retains top-four belief after Sunderland win

Arsene Wenger has not given up on a top-four finish in the Premier League after Arsenal moved past their points tally from last season with a 2-0 win over Sunderland on Tuesday.

The Gunners finished second in the table behind Leicester City in 2015-16, but are in danger of missing out on Champions League football this time around, sitting fifth ahead the final round of matches.

Wenger - who has yet to sign a new contract with the club - has received his fair share of criticism following their underwhelming results, but the Frenchman feels their potential failure to clinch a top-four finish is very much down their rivals' improvements rather than their own struggles.However, the Frenchman refuses to throw in the towel ahead of their clash with Everton on Sunday.

"We won 71 points last season and finished second. We now have 72 and want to go to 75. After that you deal with what happens," Wenger told BBC Sport."We have got in on the final day many times."We had a difficult patch after the Bayern [Munich] game because it was difficult to recover. On the other hand it was a good mental test and we responded in a strong way."

Arsenal initially struggled to find a way past Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, but two goals from Alexis Sanchez after the break eventually kept their top-four hopes alive.

"We had plenty of shots on goal but we needed to be patient. We were frustrated at half-time not to be leading," Wenger added."Sunderland fought and you want that in the Premier League, that is what you want from every team."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barclays Premier League Fixture 2017.05.17

Barclays Premier League Fixture 2017.05.17

Southampton Vs Manchester United

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