..::Football IV::..

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AC Milan 2 Bologna 1: Bonaventura brace breaks Gattuso's duck

Giacomo Bonaventura was AC Milan's hero as they claimed their first win under Gennaro Gattuso at the third time of asking with a 2-1 triumph over Bologna at San Siro.

Gattuso, whose reign began with a 2-2 draw against minnows Benevento and a Europa League loss to Rijeka, saw his side start strongly on Sunday and claim a deserved lead through Bonaventura in the 10th minute.

However, former Milan youth product Simone Verdi pulled Bologna level midway through the first half and it looked as though the Rossoneri would have to settle for a share of the spoils as they faded in the second period.




Bonaventura ultimately came to his side's rescue, timing his run and jump perfectly to meet an inviting cross from Fabio Borini and head home the winning goal with 14 minutes remaining.


Milan rode their luck to hold on thereafter and climb to seventh in the table, albeit still a whopping 16 points behind rivals and league leaders Inter.While Gattuso's men had some good fortune in the closing stages, as a deflected effort from Adam Masina struck the bar, they thoroughly deserved their 10th-minute opener, which came courtesy of a simple move.Nikola Kalinic rose impressively to head the ball into the path of Bonaventura and his side-footed shot took a slight deflection off Giancarlo Gonzalez to beat Bologna goalkeeper Antonio Mirante.

The hosts initially looked highly likely to pull further clear, but were given a warning when Mattia Destro pulled the trigger eight yards out, only to be denied by a tremendous Riccardo Montolivo block.After Suso had followed up a tremendous mazy run with a poor final ball inside the Bologna box, Destro then turned provider to set up his side's equaliser.

Mateo Musacchio was beaten all too easily and Destro then cut the ball back for Verdi, who took a somewhat clumsy first touch but nevertheless finished emphatically into the top-right corner.

Bologna were perhaps slightly fortunate to be level at half-time, but certainly looked capable of going on to win the game as the action switched from end to end after the interval.

Both sides let themselves down in the final third, though, with a host of promising positions wasted through a disappointing final ball or poor decision-making.When a third goal did arrive, it came out of nowhere, Borini putting in a sumptuous delivery from the right that Bonaventura met with a firm downward header back across goal.

Saphir Taider and Erick Pulgar went close either side of Masina's effort looping over Gianluigi Donnarumma and on to the top of the crossbar, but Milan were not to be denied a much-needed triumph, only their third in 11 Serie A matches.

 

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Liverpool 1 Everton 1: Late Rooney penalty secures unlikely derby draw

Wayne Rooney scored a late penalty as Everton claimed an unlikely 1-1 draw against a dominant Liverpool at Anfield in the Merseyside derby on Sunday.

Everton had offered next to no attacking threat in a game they were second best in for large periods but Rooney slammed home from the spot with 14 minutes left after Dejan Lovren had bundled Dominic Calvert-Lewin over in the box, a decision furiously protested by the Liverpool defender.Mohamed Salah had earlier given Jurgen Klopp's side a deserved lead to continue his sensational season.




The winger curled home a wonderful effort from 15 yards in the 42nd minute to take him above Harry Kane as the Premier League's outright top scorer this season.

The goal was no more than Liverpool deserved in a completely one-sided first half in which Jordan Henderson completed more passes than then entire Everton side combined.

But Salah missed a golden opportunity to put the game to bed with a back-post header shortly after the break and the Toffees took full advantage of that reprieve to maintain Sam Allardyce's unbeaten start to life at the club.

Klopp made the surprise decision to name Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho on the substitutes' bench, but the Brazilian duo's absence was hardly felt in the early stages with Sadio Mane, James Milner and Salah all seeing shots deflected or blocked by a stretched Everton backline.Allardyce's side soon found their defensive shape, however, and largely reduced the Reds to efforts from distance as the first half wore on.

Salah had been well shackled by Cuco Martina in a strangely subdued appearance, but he spectacularly got the better of the Toffees left-back as the interval approached.

The Egypt international showed superb strength to shrug off Martina before waltzing past the challenge of Idrissa Gueye and curling in a wonderful strike into Jordan Pickford's top right-hand corner for his 13th league goal of the season.


Klopp's side should then have had a second in first-half injury time, but Mane dragged his shot wide when a pass across goal would have presented any one of three of his team-mates with a simple tap-in.

Allardyce hauled off Tom Davies and Oumar Niasse for Morgan Schneiderlin and Aaron Lennon at the break as Everton attempted to claw their way back into game.Normal service was resumed just a few minutes later, though, as Salah met Milner's teasing cross at the back post, only to head agonisingly wide of Pickford's far post.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's whipped cross midway through the half was just inches away from being converted by Mane as Liverpool continued to look like the only side capable of scoring.

But Liverpool were made to pay for their profligacy when Lovren inexplicably pushed Calvert-Lewin over in the area, with referee Craig Pawson pointing to the spot despite the Croatia international's complaints.And Rooney thrashed the resulting spot-kick past Simon Mignolet for his fifth goal in his last six Premier League starts against the Reds.

Coutinho and Firmino both came on in the second period, but neither were able to find a winner as Everton held on for a point that scarcely looked likely until Lovren's moment of madness, while Liverpool missed the chance to go above third-placed Chelsea, despite their unbeaten derby run reaching 15 games.

 

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Southampton 1 Arsenal 1: Super-sub Giroud rescues last-gasp point

Olivier Giroud proved to be Arsenal's super-sub once again as he rescued a 1-1 draw two minutes from time at Southampton.

Charlie Austin fired an early opener for Mauricio Pellegrino's hosts – his fifth in three Premier League starts this season – and the striker was unlucky not to have more to show for the palpable sense of panic he and the Southampton attack injected into a shambling Arsenal backline.Arsene Wenger's men recovered their poise and some swashbuckling attacking play as they sought an equaliser before half time made for a captivating contest.




But France striker Alexandre Lacazette could not claim the goal his endeavours deserved and it was left to his compatriot Giroud – a man, like Austin, not too well-versed in starting games this term – to avert a sixth Premier League loss of the season.

There was a certain inevitability as the 31-year-old rose to expertly direct Alexis Sanchez's floated cross beyond Fraser Forster for a seventh goal in all competitions this term.

Giroud now has 17 Premier League substitute goals to his name, the same number as similarly famed game-changers Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Nwankwo Kanu. Only Jermain Defoe has more.


There were plenty of empty seats in evidence at St Mary's after some supporters fought a losing battle with the snow that swept the south of England on Sunday and Arsenal were caught cold inside three minutes.

Per Mertesacker, making only his fourth Premier League start of the season, cleared the ball straight to Dusan Tadic and his slip when trying to remedy the situation allowed Austin space to control the Serbia playmaker's chipped pass and steer an unerring finish past Petr Cech.

Veteran goalkeeper Cech stood firm when Austin got in behind Nacho Monreal two minutes later and, although an offside flag was raised when the ex-Burnley man headed against the post in the seventh minute, it was further evidence of a wretched defensive start from the visitors.

It was left to Lacazette to spark Arsenal as an attacking force, spinning to craft a chance on the end of Aaron Ramsey's looping header but scuffing a shot too close to Forster in the Southampton goal.Lacazette and Mesut Ozil were guilty over overplaying their hand with a one-two at the end of a lightning break, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg scrambling back to avert the danger.

Forster got down to his left superbly to deny Ramsey from Ozil's cutback to the edge of the area, while Lacazette shanked wildly over towards the end of a breathless first half.

A combination of Jack Stephens and James Ward-Prowse were required to halt the rampaging Sead Kolasinac early in the second half as Southampton's defending took on an increasingly desperate feel.

Nathan Redmond tested Cech from long range but that foray allowed the Gunners to counter, with Lacazette's outstretched boot just missing contact on a low Ramsey shot which flashed across goal.

As the hour passed there was a sense Saints had weathered a storm and Oriol Romeu almost doubled their lead spectacularly – cracking a long-range effort against the crossbar that Cech helplessly waved on its way.Lacazette made way for Giroud who was bafflingly starved of service before his deft late intervention.



The result meant Arsenal missed out on the opportunity to replace Liverpool in the top four before Sunday's Merseyside derby, while Southampton would have been glad of a greater cushion between themselves and the bottom three than the five points they now enjoy.

 

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Real Betis 0 Atletico Madrid 1: Rojiblancos make history to assuage Champions League pain

Atletico Madrid bounced back from their midweek disappointment in Europe by setting a club record in a 1-0 win at an out-of-form Real Betis on Sunday.

Saul Niguez scored the only goal in the first half to make up for their group-stage exit from the Champions League and extend the Rojiblancos' unbeaten run in LaLiga to a history-making 19th match.

Antoine Griezmann suffered a hamstring strain the midweek draw with Chelsea and was forced to sit out the trip to the Benito Villamarin, while Fernando Torres was relegated to the bench.




The pair's presence would likely have made little difference to a one-sided start to proceedings as mid-table Betis, now winless in six LaLiga matches, dominated the early possession and territory.But midfielder Saul poked home with his side's first chance to calm the nerves and put the visitors on course for a third consecutive league victory.

Diego Simeone's men were content to repel Betis' occasional incursions after the restart in climbing back into third, two points ahead of rivals Real Madrid.Simeone's four changes included recalls for Diego Godin and Sime Vrsaljko to a defence that was spared by a tame Ryad Boudebouz finish in the third minute.


Betis kept the pressure on over the opening 25 minutes and saw Joaquin's free-kick flash dangerously across the face of Jan Oblak's goal.Having survived that examination, the visitors needed only one chance to take the lead against the run of play just before the half-hour mark.

Vrsaljko received Godin's raking pass out to the right and whipped an enticing ball across the face that somehow evaded an initial clutch of players. An untracked Saul was the beneficiary, stretching to tap in at the far post.

And they might have doubled the advantage almost instantly, but Angel Correa passed up better options in shooting straight at Antonio Adan.Unbroken by Atletico's first half sucker-punch, Betis threatened again after the break as Sergio Leon fired off target from a narrow angle.Cristian Tello went closer with a stinging drive soon after, only for Oblak to spectacularly claw it away from the top-right corner.

That superb save proved to be the Slovenia goalkeeper's last real test of a largely untroubled second half, the away side shutting the gate as they have done numerous times throughout their impressive unbeaten run in the league.

 

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'Shouldn't I play in Spain?' - Courtois drops strong Real Madrid hint


Thibaut Courtois has dealt a blow to Chelsea over their prospects of tying the goalkeeper down to a contract extension, admitting that his heart lies in Spain.The Belgium international goalkeeper remains secured to the Blues until 2019 but is yet to agree to fresh terms at Stamford Bridge.

Speculation regarding his future has been sparked as a result, with Courtois doing little to curb the rumours with updates on discussions and an admission that he intends to return to Spain at some stage.
The 25-year-old previously spent three years on loan at Atletico Madrid, with his children now being raised in the Spanish capital, and admits that being apart from his family is testing - though he did not close the door on a future with the Blues.

Courtois told Belgian television show Stadion on VTM: "It [private situation] is not always easy, but I'd also seen this coming. I knew that she [former girlfriend] would return to Madrid, so that has its influence too. I love my children to death.

"When you miss them, you are sometimes wondering: 'Shouldn't I play in Spain in the next few years?' That's why I want to take my time to make a decision on that contract extension.

"In the media they're always talking about money. I'm not denying that it plays a role, but everything has to be in its right place."If I sign a new contract, I will want to say to Chelsea: 'Look, I am happy here. I like playing for the club, I like London. My private situation is always gnawing a little bit, but for the rest I'm feeling very good at Chelsea.'"I don't see any reason why I won't sign a new deal. I just want to consider all options. Everything has to be right.

"It's not the right moment to make hasty decisions. Not for Chelsea, not for me. Within a couple of months we will sit around the table again and talk openly. There's no pressure.. The clubs knows that too. Basically I want an agreement before the end of the season."

Antonio Conte will be pleased to hear that Courtois wants to bring an end to future talks before the end of the 2017-18 campaign.The Italian has called on his board to get the relevant paperwork signed, with Chelsea reluctant to see a key performer with many years at the top ahead of him link up with a European rival.

They may, however, have to work a little harder to convince Courtois that Stamford Bridge remains the right place for him after seeing a 1-0 defeat to London rivals West Ham in their latest outing leave them a long way adrift in the defence of their Premier League title.

 

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'I only want to speak to people who understand football' - Klopp furious after derby draw


Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was left fuming with referee Craig Pawson after a late penalty helped Everton secure an unlikely 1-1 draw at Anfield on Sunday.

The Reds had dominated the Merseyside derby from the outset and took a deserved lead three minutes before the break through Mohamed Salah's 13th Premier League goal of the season.

Liverpool squandered a number of good opportunities in the second period and were made to pay for their profligacy when Wayne Rooney lashed home from the spot after Dejan Lovren bundled Dominic Calvert-Lewin over in the area.
Klopp was in a combative mood after the match, taking aim at the referee and what he considered to be a negative and overly aggressive approach from Sam Allardyce's side."Lovren doesn't make a challenge," he fired at Sky Sports when it was suggested that the penalty decision was correct. "Calvert-Lewin makes a step. The hand is on the back. If you think it is a penalty say so. Does my opinion change anything?

"I only want to speak to people with a little bit of understanding about football. I am sorry, I am wrong and you are right. Obviously I am not in the mood to answer questions."Our performance was good. I saw only one team playing. I can't believe the situation with all the challenges. We were clean and didn't make any fouls.

"There is always one nasty one – [Gylfi] Sigurdsson made that. A clear red card.You see the picture of the penalty. Calvert-Lewin is smart but it is nothing. But it is a penalty and one team can celebrate and we can't.

"I don't understand why the ref is doing that [giving the penalty]. I didn't use one swear word. Only one team is trying over 95 minutes to win it. The other team are not in our box and didn't have a shot on target bar the penalty."

Klopp had earlier made the surprise decision to name Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino on the substitutes' bench and then took Salah off with more than 20 minutes remaining.The bullish German added: "That is my job. I make decisions that I think are right. It is your job to say afterwards if it is right.

"We lived more or less in their box. We could have scored earlier. I have to live with that."

 

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'Two assists for Manchester City!' - Lukaku ridiculed after derby mistakes


Romelu Lukaku found himself in the firing line in Sunday's Manchester derby after inadvertently contributing to two Manchester City goals at Old Trafford.

The Belgium international has found the net regularly since joining Manchester United from Everton, but still faces doubt over whether he can produce the goods in big games.

He was definitely a threat in the area on Sunday, but unfortunately for the hosts mostly in his own area.
Lukaku was at fault for both City goals after giving the ball away in dangerous areas, and he was forced to face the wrath of Twitter users as the derby continued...

 

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'Two assists for Manchester City!' - Lukaku ridiculed after derby mistakes

mistakes onama kenekge athin wenne puluwaneka normal deyak.​

Karanna thiyenne wechcha mistakes hadagena ayeth ewage dewal wenne nathi wenna wada karana ekai​

 

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Manchester City set Premier League record after derby victory


Sunday's Manchester derby win saw Manchester City set a new Premier League record as they extended their lead to 11 points. Goals from David Silva and Nicolas Otamendi were enough to seal a 2-1 victory over rivals United, with Marcus Rashford briefly levelling for the hosts at Old Trafford.

With fellow Premier League titles hopefuls Chelsea also dropping points, it capped a perfect weekend for Pep Guardiola's charges.

The victory was also enough to set a new milestone in consecutive wins in the competition.The victory was also enough to set a new milestone in consecutive wins in the competition.

No other team has managed 14 straight triumphs in a single Premier League season, the mark reached by City on Sunday.They share the overall record with Arsenal, although the Gunners managed their 14 wins over two campaigns.

The last time Pep saw his side drop points was on August 21 in a 1-1 draw at home to Everton. And, since that point, they have been near-invincible, netting 45 times and conceding just eight.

City can go on to claim the record outright on Wednesday if they take a 15th consecutive win away to Swansea.

 

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Lukaku needs to believe amid Manchester United struggles, says Neville


Romelu Lukaku needs to believe he deserves to be at Manchester United after struggling during Sunday's derby, says former captain and full-back Gary Neville.

Lukaku's woes continued as he had a hand in Manchester City's 2-1 Premier League victory at Old Trafford — a result which left United 11 points off the pace through 16 fixtures.

The Belgium international striker failed to clear the ball as David Silva and Nicolas Otamendi scored from set-pieces, while he was denied by City goalkeeper Ederson from close range late in the Manchester blockbuster.

Lukaku — a £75million signing from Everton — has now scored just two goals in his past 14 matches in all competitions, and ex-United star Neville is concerned.
"You look at him today and he struggled," Neville told Sky Sports.

"I'm not just talking about struggling in terms of missing a chance, he struggled at being in the game and being confident in the game."He's got to get over that quickly as he's Manchester United's centre-forward."He's a young lad but he needs to get to the point where he believes he should be out there — it's like he doesn't believe it in this period."

 

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Gattuso: I'm even tense playing football with my son!


AC Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso revealed he is tense even when playing football with his son as he celebrated his first win in charge of the Serie A giants.

Giacomo Bonaventura scored either side of Simone Verdi's 23rd-minute goal to guide Milan past Bologna 2-1 in Serie A on Sunday.It marked a first win at the helm for club great Gattuso, who replaced Vincenzo Montella late last month.

The former defensive midfielder said there was still a lot of work to do for his seventh-placed team as he explained the tension he felt on the bench."I'm always tense, even when I play football with my son, but certainly on this bench it's even more exciting," Gattuso told Mediaset Premium."Milan is my second skin."

He added: "We still have to improve, especially on the defensive aspect, because Bologna have put us in trouble on more than one occasion."But I have to thank the guys for the victory, for the mentality and the sacrifice they made on the field."I keep the performance and the result, but we must bear in mind the road is still long."

Bonaventura's 76th-minute goal was decisive for Milan, who ended a three-game winless run in the league.

Gattuso hailed the Italy international, labelling the 28-year-old one of the best midfielders in Serie A."He can play everywhere. He has great quality, he knows how to score," he said."I think he is one of the best midfield players in Italy. He still has to improve a little bit from a physical point of view because he had a lot of injuries at the start of the season."

 

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Man Utd 'far more boring' under Mourinho - Van Gaal


Louis van Gaal says Manchester United are “far more boring” under Jose Mourinho's guidance than they were under him.

Mourinho's United were beaten 2-1 by rivals Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, falling 11 points behind Pep Guardiola's side in the process.The Portuguese has regularly been accused of deploying defensive tactics in big games since replacing Van Gaal at Old Trafford in 2016.




Van Gaal was also heavily criticised for a perceived negative style of play during his spell in charge of United but the Dutchman insists his old side are more dull under Mourinho than they were under him.

Speaking to Fox Sports Netherlands, Van Gaal said: “If you ask me how did I do at United, I will say it was my best year ever, given the circumstances I was working under.“We played football that was quite alright. But it's not football that is appreciated in England.

“And yet, right now, looking at United, I have to conclude Mourinho is not being criticized while it's far more boring football.

“What United produce now is defensive football. I always played attacking football. The proof is that the opposition were always parking the bus.“They don’t do that now because Jose Mourinho plays so defensive."Mourinho worked as Van Gaal's assistant at Barcelona from 1996 to 2000, with Guardiola the club's captain at the time.

Now Mourinho and Guardiola are leading both Manchester clubs as managers and Van Gaal is adamant the latter's side are a much better watch than the former's.
He added: “I would rather watch City play than United.“You need quality in a squad and it's clear City have a better squad.”

 

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Man Utd 'far more boring' under Mourinho - Van Gaal

Apo ow egana nam katha karala wadak nahaMr.Philosophy api hoda place ekakata genawane​

 

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Zidane: Real Madrid won't win Club World Cup on reputation


Zinedine Zidane said Real Madrid want to add the Club World Cup to the trophy cabinet before fighting to retain their La Liga and Champions League crowns, emphasising his side won't claim the title on reputation alone.Two-time champions Madrid will face Emirati outfit Al Jazira in Wednesday's semi-final at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

And Madrid are keen to secure their third title of the season, having already claimed the UEFA Super Cup and Supercopa de Espana."It will not be easy and last year we had a lot of problems before we managed to win it," Zidane said.

"There will not be easy games and for just being Real Madrid we are not going to win. We have time to prepare for the game and there are no excuses."This is the calendar and whoever we face we need to look at doing what we have to do well.

"It is normal that during the season you have ups and downs, but what we have done so far is very positive. We have won two titles and we are trying to win a third.

"After this we will have six months to fight for La Liga, the Champions League and the cup."
Madrid are fourth in La Liga after 15 games, eight points adrift of rivals and leaders Barcelona, while the Spanish capital club are set to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16.

 

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‘I want to be the best Egyptian ever’ - Mohamed Salah


Mohamed Salah has said that his goal to become ‘the best Egyptian ever’ makes him work hard.

The Liverpool forward was rewarded for an incredible 2017 as he clinched the BBC Player of the Year award beating club teammate, Sadio Mane, Borussia Dortmund and Gabon attacker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nigeria and Chelsea's wing-back Victor Moses and RP Leipzig and Guinea's midfielder Naby Keita.Salah was made the Kops’ record signing after a laudable 2016-17 season at Italian outfit, Roma where he scored 19 goals 39 games across all competitions.

His first Merseyside derby goal in Saturday's 1-1 stalemate with Everton saw him match last campaign's tally in just 24 games, and barely half a season into his Anfield career.

Also, he played an integral role in helping to return Egypt to the World Cup after a 28-year hiatus. The former Chelsea flop had a hand in all of their seven goals - scoring five times and providing two assists - in the qualifying series, including a last-gasp penalty against Congo in the final and crucial game.

And Salah has revealed his aim to be the best player to come out of the north African country."I want to be the best Egyptian ever so I work hard," Salah said after receiving his award," Salah told BBC."I always follow my own way and I want everyone in Egypt to follow my way."

Salah will hope his recent individual accolade propel him to dish out more breath-taking, consistent performance for the Reds and the Pharaoahs at the Russia 2018 World Cup.

On Wednesday, Liverpool will be turning to him, again, for inspiration as they seek victory over struggling West Bromwich Albion in Wednesday’s English Premier League encounter.

 

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Champions League last 16 draw: Man Utd vs Sevilla, Real Madrid vs PSG, Barcelona vs Chelsea

Manchester United have been drawn against Sevilla in the last 16 of the Champions League, while Real Madrid must overcome Paris Saint-Germain if they are to defend their title.As group winners, both United and PSG will be away in the first-leg matches, which are due to be played in February and they will host the second-leg games in March.

The draw, which took place at UEFA headquarters on Monday, also paired Liverpool with Porto and Manchester City with Basel.Tottenham must travel to Italy after being drawn against Juventus, while Roma face Shakhtar Donetsk.

Chelsea, meanwhile, face a daunting task after they were handed a tie against Barcelona. Bayern Munich, meanwhile, will take on Turkish giants Besiktas.Champions League last 16 games are provisionally scheduled to take place in February and March 2018.

The first legs will be contested on February 13/14/20/21 and the second legs will be played on March 6/7/13/14.All seeded group winners will play away in the first legs before hosting the second legs at home.

Tottenham take on Juventus in Turin and Basel host Manchester City in the first of the last-16 first-leg games on February 13, with the second legs scheduled for March 7.On Valentine's Day, Porto host Liverpool and Real Madrid welcome PSG to the Bernabeu, with the second legs set for March 6.The second batch of last-16 first-legs gets under way on February 20, with Chelsea taking on familiar foes Barca at Stamford Bridge, while Bayern host Besiktas in Munich. The second legs for those ties take place on March 14.

Man United travel to Spain to play Sevilla on February 21, while Roma make the trip to Ukraine to face Shakhtar. The return legs will then be played on March 13.

 

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Pattama draw ekakhama match ekakama wage hoda fight ekak yai

Good Luck Manchester United!​

 

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Europa League draw: Arsenal vs Ostersund, Celtic vs Zenit, AC Milan vs Ludogorets & last 32 in full

Arsenal have been paired with Ostersund, while Celtic face a daunting trip to Zenit in the Europa League last 32.Since they were seeded, the Gunners, will play away first in Sweden before hosting the second leg at the Emirates, while the Hoops will host the first leg against Zenit since they were unseeded.

The draw, which took place immediately after its Champions League counterpart in Switzerland on Monday, also sees Borussia Dortmund take on Serie A side Atalanta, while Atletico Madrid face Copenhagen.
Napoli have been drawn against fellow Champions League transfer team RB Leipzig and AC Milan take on Ludogorets, while Mario Balotelli's Nice must travel to Russia where they will play Lokomotiv Moscow.
The games are scheduled to take place in February 2018, with the first leg coming on February 15 and the second leg set for a week later on February 22.
Seeded teams will have the second leg of the tie at home.

 

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Conte backing Chelsea to bounce back despite title concession


Antonio Conte is confident his Chelsea players have the character to bounce back from their miserable defeat to West Ham when they face Huddersfield Town on Tuesday.The reigning Premier League champions were beaten by Marko Arnautovic's early goal at London Stadium last weekend and sit 14 points adrift of runaway leaders Manchester City.

After the loss to West Ham, Conte conceded Chelsea's hopes of retaining their title were now over, yet he is nevertheless backing his players to respond positively at Huddersfield.
"Against Newcastle we went 1-0 down and then we won 3-1. Against Atletico Madrid we were 1-0 down and then we drew and created chances to score. I think this team has character to find the right strength and then to come back if the result is not positive," the Italian told a news conference.

"The first thing for us is to change the final result. We lost the game against West Ham despite dominating the game, controlling the game. We shot 19 times. We created many chances to score. At the end we lost the game."

Chelsea were handed a tough tie with La Liga leaders Barcelona in Monday's Champions League last-16 draw and Conte is focused on ensuring his team plays in Europe's premier club competition next term. "My experience tells me it's impossible to win the title," Conte added after his comments following the West Ham game were brought up."Now we must be focused in the league to go game by game, to do our best. This league is not simple.

"We have to fight to find a place in the Champions League. There are a lot of targets this season."Chelsea's starting line-up at Huddersfield will predictably feature changes given the quick turnaround following Saturday's match."In this case it's right to make rotations. I can do this," Conte confirmed. "My task is to find the best solution, [but] at the same time not lose our balance."

 

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Atletico Madrid favourites to win Europa League ahead of Arsenal


Atletico Madrid have been installed as favourites to win the Europa League after the Round of 32 draw pitted them against FC Copenhagen.

The La Liga side could only muster a third-place finish in their Champions League group, which saw AS Roma and Chelsea advance to the knockout stages, dropped into the second-tier competition but were a seeded side for the draw so were always likely to get a favourable tie.As such, dabblebet make Atleti 4/1 (5.0) favourites to win this tournament for a third time, whilst Arsenal are 11/2 (6.50) after the draw was kind to them, too.

The Gunners will face Swedish debutants FK Ostersunds, who finished second in a tough group that also included Athletic Bilbao and Hertha Berlin, and should have no problem reaching the last 16.

Coming in at 9/1 (10.0) are Borussia Dortmund and Napoli, who were both handed tricky draws by UEFA; the Bundesliga side play Everton-conquerors Atalanta, whilst the Serie A outfit will have to overcome fellow Champions League dropouts RB Leipzig.

A pair of Italian sides are available at 12/1 (13.0) in Lazio and AC Milan. The former face Steaua Bucharest, meanwhile the Rossoneri will hope their season is back on track by February and that they can navigate past Ludogorets.

Leipzig can be backed at a tempting 14/1 (15.0), which could hold plenty of value as the Germans will hope to send the departing Naby Keita out on a high before his transfer to Liverpool next summer.

At 16/1 (17.0) are Villarreal, but a far more tempting shot is Lyon at 20/1 (21.0).These two sides play each other in one of the most mouth-watering ties of the round, but the latter are currently second in Ligue 1 behind runaway leaders Paris Saint-Germain and have the players to land a first major trophy since 2012.Zenit St Petersburg play Scottish champions Celtic and are 22/1 (23.0), whilst the Hoops are out at a whopping 100/1 (101.0) after doing well to avoid coming bottom of their Champions League group.