..::Football IV::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Messi link up down to Barca star being 'best player in history', says Jordi Alba


Jordi Alba admits to always looking for Lionel Messi at Barcelona because his team-mate is “the best player in the history of football”.The pair have struck up a productive partnership at the La Liga giants, with Ernesto Valverde’s side benefitting considerably from an almost telepathic understanding.

Alba has provided five assists for Messi in the Spanish top-flight this season, while also creating several opportunities for other grateful team-mates.
The flying full-back is proving to be a useful asset, but he concedes that his job is made easier by the presence of a global superstar alongside him.“Whenever I have the ball, I always look to see where Messi is,” Alba told reporters following a 2-0 victory over Villarreal in which the Argentine was once again among the goals.

“He scores so many times, he is a very important player in our team and he is the best player in the history of football.“This win was very important for us in our ambitions so we are extremely happy; we put a lot of work into this so the victory is pleasing.”Alba teed up two chances for Messi in his latest outing and despite both going begging, Barca boss Valverde was also quick to talk up the budding chemistry between the duo after the game.

He said: "Jordi Alba-Messi connections are life insurance for the team."It's one of our weapons and we use it very well. They understand each other well in attack and the arrival of Jordi Alba is so unexpected by the rival that it helps us a lot."

Barca remain unbeaten in La Liga competition this season, with a five-point lead held over the chasing pack after 15 games – with defending champions and arch-rivals Real Madrid eight points off the pace.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Mohamed Salah beats Victor Moses to BBC African Footballer of the Year award


Mohamed Salah has beaten off competition from the likes of Sadio Mane, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Victor Moses and Naby Keita to claim 2017 BBC African Footballer of the Year prize.

The 25-year-old, who joined Liverpool from AS Roma at the beginning of the season, has enjoyed arguably the most successful year of his illustrious career, playing in the final of the African Cup of Nations and helping the Pharaohs to qualify for their first Fifa World Cup since 1990.

In the English Premier League, he leads the top scorer chat with 13 goals, and boasts of five goals in this season’s Champions League."I am very happy to win this award," Salah told BBC Sport.

"It's always a special feeling when you win something. I feel like I had a great year, so I'm very happy.""I would like to thank my Liverpool team-mates and I also had a good season with Roma so I have to thank my team-mates there and my team-mates in the national team.”

His teammate at Anfield, Mane finished in second place while Gabon international Aubameyang and Nigeria’s Moses finished in third and fourth place respectively with Guinea’s Keita fending a distant fifth.Reacting to Salah’s feat, manager Jurgen Klopp says the award was a deserved one for the former Chelsea forward."It's well-deserved," he said.

"I am a really lucky person. I had the opportunity to work with a few outstanding players and I am happy that it is now with Mo."The good thing is that he is still young, there is a lot of space for improvement, a lot of potential still that we can work on, but that's how it should be. It's a big pleasure, to be honest, to work with him."With this achievement, Salah becomes the third Egyptian to wear this crown after Mohamed Barakat (2005) and Mohamed Aboutrika (2008).

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Manchester City new Champions League favourites after PSG draw Real Madrid


The draw for the first knockout round of the Champions League has been made at UEFA headquarters in Nyon and each of the remaining 16 teams now know their opponents for the next stage.

Paris Saint-Germain were 7/2 (4.50) favourites with dabblebet before they were drawn against reigning champions Real Madrid. The Ligue 1 side were beaten by Bayern Munich in their final Group B game but still topped the pile and amassed a record breaking 25 goals in the process. PSG are now rated as 4/1 (5.0) chances with the same firm.

Cristiano Ronaldo is odds on to be the leading scorer in this year's competition but Los Blancos could only finish second to Tottenham in their group, and as such the holders have a huge task on their hands against one of the most fancied sides in this season's tournament.



Usually Real Madrid and Barcelona lead the betting at this stage, but the La Liga pair are available at 8/1 (9.0) and 13/2 (7.50) respectively after their tricky ties were decided.

Barcelona have a commanding lead domestically but will line up against Chelsea in the next round, certainly one of the strongest runner up sides they could have been draw against and they've held firm in the outright betting.

Manchester City (11/4 from 9/2) are the new market principles, with Pep Guardiola's men now boasting an 11 point advantage in the Premier League and having been paired with Basel in the next round of this competition, the bookmakers expect them to be serious contenders after a kind draw under the stewardship of a man who already has two Champions League winners medals to his name as a manager.

Bayern Munich (9/2 from 7/1) drew Besiktas and have seen their odds cut accordingly, with Manchester United next at 14/1 (15.0), who will face Sevilla as they look to add another European crown to their trophy cabinet following last season's victory in the Europa League.

There are five English teams in the last 16 of the Champions League and with four of them topping their respective groups, there should be plenty of optimism about a Premier League side troubling the usual suspects in the knockout rounds of this season's competition.

Liverpool drew Porto and that has seen their outright price go from 18/1 to 12/1 (13.0) with dabblebet, one of the biggest moves of the day. Jurgen Klopp took Borussia Dortmund to the final in 2013 will be looking to go one better this time around with the Reds.

Tottenham drifted though, (25/1 from 14/1) despite some impressive performances in the group stages. With Mauricio Pochettino having already conceded the Premier League title to Manchester City, there are likely to be few doubts about Spurs' priorities in the first half of 2018 but they'll face Juventus, a formidable task considering the Italians have made the final twice in the past three years Chelsea (25/1 from 22/1) were the only English team not to win their group. That gave them very few options in the last 16 because of the rule that no two teams from the same country can play each other at this stage and subsequently the Blues will take on Barcelona as they look to replicate their 2012 victory over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Heynckes wary of Besiktas threat


Bayern Munich will have to be at their best for 180 minutes if they are to progress in the Champions League at Besiktas' expense, according to Jupp Heynckes.The Bundesliga leaders were drawn to play Besiktas in Monday's last-16 draw in Nyon, with the first leg at home in February before they travel to Turkey on March 14.

Bayern have never lost a competitive match against a Turkish side in European competition, but their veteran head coach warned that maintaining that record will be no easy task.
"They are a very good team," he said. "We need to bring our best performances to both games in order to progress."Since Heynckes returned for a fourth spell in charge of Bayern in September they have only lost once in all competitions, a run that has seen them return to the top of the table and progress in Europe.

And that upturn in form is something sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic believes gives them the edge against Besiktas."We know how strong Besiktas are," he told FCB.tv.

"We [have] followed their progress because they were in Leipzig's group. It's a difficult draw. We'll see what happens."There'll definitely be an exceptional atmosphere over there, but there will be here in Munich as well.

"We're looking forward to it. Obviously it's a disadvantage to play at home first, but we're good enough and accept it."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Mata: No time for Man Utd to mourn derby defeat


Manchester United have to quickly move on from their derby defeat to City if they are to keep their slim Premier League title hopes alive, says Juan Mata.United suffered their first Premier League defeat at home since City's last visit in September 2016, with Jose Mourinho's side beaten 2-1 on Sunday.

Goals from David Silva and Nicolas Otamendi secured all three points for City, a record 14th successive win in a single top-flight campaign, giving them an 11-point lead at the summit.
Despite the "painful" defeat, Mata says it is important United bounce back with games against Bournemouth and West Brom in the coming week.Writing in his personal blog, Mata said: "Unfortunately, we couldn't finish the week as we expected since the derby at Old Trafford didn't work out as we wanted.

"City took the lead, we tied the score before the break but, in the second half, we couldn't overcome their second goal. We were close, but in the chances we had, the ball just didn't go in.

"The truth is these are three points like in any other game, although the defeat is painful because it was a derby. We must carry on, knowing that there's still a long way to go.
"The calendar gives you no time for mourning and we have to focus on what's next.
"The list of fixtures is very demanding this month so it's important to get to each game in the best condition possible."I think we have the ability to do it, even though we know these are the toughest weeks of the season. We are Manchester United and we have experience in playing every few days."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Real Madrid like big challenges' - Zidane's side will relish PSG test, says Xabi Alonso


Two-time Champions League winner Xabi Alonso believes Real Madrid will enjoy the chance to take on Paris Saint-Germain in a blockbuster last-16 tie.The reigning champions were drawn against Neymar's men on Monday after their second-placed finish in Group H denied them a seeded berth.

Madrid comfortably accounted for Borussia Dortmund and APOEL home and away, but managed only a point from their two meetings with Tottenham.

And despite them sitting fourth in La Liga – eight points off leaders Barcelona – former Los Blancos favourite Alonso insists his old club will not take a backward step."Madrid like big challenges and they got just that. It will be a wonderful challenge against Paris," Alonso told UEFA.com.

"It is one of those games that you really like, and that those who go to the Bernabeu like to see."It is tough to say who might be favourites, even though that means nothing at the end of the day. I am backing Madrid."

Emilio Butragueno, another ex-Madrid star and the club's current director of institutional relations, described PSG as having the potential to go all the way.
"This game could well have been the final such is the power of both sides," said the former Spain striker."A draw at this stage is like that, though, and one of the two sides will be knocked out."Paris are getting stronger year on year. They played an impeccable group stage and have huge potential."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Conte urges Chelsea to be 'positive' after landing Messi and Barcelona in Champions League


Antonio Conte says Chelsea must embrace the challenge of being handed a daunting Champions League tie against Barcelona.Chelsea were pitted with the leaders of La Liga when the draw for the last 16 took place in Nyon on Monday.

"Our reaction must be positive," said head coach Conte in a news conference ahead of Tuesday's Premier League meeting with Huddersfield Town.
"As we know very well, when you are in this stage you must be ready to face every team. In this case we must be ready to face Barcelona."When you play Barcelona, you must put in 120 per cent at home and away if you want to hope to go to the next round."

The two teams have met on five previous occasions in the Champions League knockout stages, but Conte added: "The past is the past. Now it's the present, another story. It's totally different."I think this type of game is a good chance for every player to show the right value. Every player has to play in the right way."Ahead of the first leg against Barca on February 20, the Italian is focused on ensuring Chelsea's domestic form improves.

The reigning Premier League champions sit 14 points behind leaders Manchester City after suffering a fourth defeat of the top-flight season at West Ham on Saturday."I think our priority must be the league, must be to try to stay up and try to fight for a Champions League place. That must be our priority in this moment," said Conte.

"Then when it will be the moment to play against Barcelona we will start to think of the game against Barcelona."We must be very realistic to understand that this league is very dangerous. We have to go game by game."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Valverde singles out Hazard & Morata as chief Chelsea threats


Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde singled out Eden Hazard and former Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata as Chelsea's biggest threats after being drawn against the Blues in the Champions League knockout phase.

Valverde's Barca cruised through the group stage, going unbeaten with 14 points from six games to finish ahead of Juventus, whereas the reigning Premier League champions made harder work of their passage and came second to Roma.Chelsea were arguably one of the tougher sides Barca could have been paired with, but Valverde feels it is a tie which will excite supporters.

And he will likely be paying particular attention to Morata and Hazard in Chelsea's attack."Tactically, they're very good and also very physical," Valverde told Barca TV.
"With Morata, they have speed in attack and Hazard is very good between the lines.They're a strong team."It's a hard draw for us, but we knew that nothing was going to be easy because there were very good teams in the draw."Chelsea are the champions of the Premier League, but we will play with enthusiasm because, although it will be difficult, it's a very nice tie for us and for the supporters. In that aspect, it's easy to motivate the players."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Inter 0 Pordenone 0 (AET, 5-4 on penalties): Nagatomo spares Serie A leaders' blushes

Daniele Padelli and Yuto Nagatomo proved the penalty shoot-out heroes as Inter narrowly avoided a shock Coppa Italia last-16 loss to third-tier Pordenone following a 0-0 draw.

Wholesale changes from Luciano Spalletti backfired at San Siro – Serie C minnows Pordenone well worthy of taking the game to extra time after a laboured Inter squandered a glut of chances.

Indeed, it could have been better for the visitors had stand-in goalkeeper Padelli not managed to turn Simone Magnaghi's rasping first-half strike onto the woodwork.Substitutes Marcelo Brozovic and Ivan Perisic injected intensity into Inter's play, though both spurned golden opportunities to beat the superb Simone Perilli.

Mauro Icardi was introduced as Spalletti's final roll of the dice, but even Inter's free-scoring captain could not correct their profligacy in front of goal as Pordenone held firm to reach spot-kicks.

However, the fairy tale ended there as – despite the best attempts of Perilli – Nagatomo stepped up to convert the winning penalty after Padelli had denied Giulio Parodi in sudden death.

Pordenone had to ride their luck at times and, having already kept out Eder Martin's stinging drive, Perilli came to his side's rescue again with just over 20 minutes played, rushing out to thwart Yann Karamoh.

Inter's failure to convert their early dominance into a goal almost proved costly on the half-hour mark as, moments after Giovanni Formiconi just failed to round off a well-worked set-piece routine, Padelli tipped Magnaghi's thunderous strike onto the upright.

While Luca Lulli also went close for Pordenone, Inter should have been ahead on the stroke of half-time, but Karamoh could only lash over when one-on-one with Perilli.

Spalletti had seen enough, Andrea Pinamonti making way for first-team mainstay Brozovic at the restart – and the playmaker should have done better when teed up by Karamoh.Pordenone were quick to remind Inter of their threat as Miguel Maza went close with a strike that deflected agonisingly wide off Roberto Gagliardini.

Perisic was Spalletti's next change but he, like Brozovic, passed up an immediate chance to put Inter ahead when he nudged wide from Joao Cancelo's cross.Inter finally looked set to take the lead in the 86th minute, but Icardi – Spalletti's final substitute – could not head home to avoid the additional 30 minutes.

Icardi got through again in the early stages of extra time, only to shoot wide under pressure from Perilli.Pordenone's goalkeeper was finally beaten in the 104th minute, but Icardi's header, which looked destined for the bottom-left corner, crashed off the post.

Perisic wasted the chance to atone for his earlier miss when he got through just after the restart, thumping a venomous effort into the side-netting as Pordenone survived to take it to penalties.But Pordenone's dreams came to an end in a dramatic shoot-out as, in spite of two excellent saves from Perilli, it was his counterpart Padelli who did the damage.



Inter's goalkeeper brilliantly kept out Parodi's attempt and defender Nagatomo maintained his cool to send Spalletti's side into the last eight, with the relief evident.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Huddersfield Town 1 Chelsea 3: Willian sparkles as Conte's side return to winning ways

A superb display from Willian helped Chelsea cruise to a 3-1 win over Huddersfield Town at the John Smith's Stadium.

The Brazilian – who has been on the substitutes' bench for his side's last two Premier League games – scored one and made two others as Antonio Conte's men bounced back in style from their surprise weekend defeat to West Ham.

His first contribution was to play in Tiemoue Bakayoko for the opener after 23 minutes before getting on the end of Marcos Alonso's cross just before half-time to score just his second league goal of the season.He turned provider again after 50 minutes to tee up Pedro for Chelsea's third and cap an impressive individual display.

Huddersfield, who had won three of their previous four home games, offered little in the way of attacking threat until Laurent Depoitre nodded in a 92nd-minute header and David Wagner now needs to pick his side up for a difficult trip to Watford on Saturday.

Chelsea, meanwhile, go level on points with Manchester United in second and will be full of confidence ahead of the weekend visit of Southampton - a game that Willian will surely be guaranteed of a starting berth in.


Chelsea, who started with Eden Hazard up front in the absence of Alvaro Morata, dominated possession in the early stages and saw a fifth-minute Pedro effort ruled out for offside.

Despite controlling the game, it took until midway through the first half for them to carve out a clear opening, which duly resulted in the opening goal.Jonas Lossl slipped while attempting a long ball downfield, which was clinically punished by the visitors.

Victor Moses headed the skewed clearance into Hazard, whose backheel fed Willian on the edge of the penalty area. The Brazilian then spotted the marauding Bakayoko and played it into the Frenchman's path for him to clip an immaculate finish over the red-faced Terriers goalkeeper.N'Golo Kante then thrashed over from the edge of the area and Bakayoko headed wide before Willian grabbed a deserved second two minutes before the interval.

Alonso collected Cesar Azpilicueta's raking cross-field pass and whipped in a teasing cross to the back post, which was coolly headed past Lossl by the 29-year-old.

Any faint hopes Wagner's side had of clawing their way back into the game were vanquished five minutes after the restart as Willian teed up Pedro to whip a fine finish into the top corner from 15 yards.Lossl then saved well from Hazard to deny Chelsea a fourth before Tom Ince, who has still yet to score for Town, saw his effort clip Thibaut Courtois and dribble away to safety.

Pedro came close to a second late on when he whipped wide. The final say was Huddersfield's, however, as Depoitre rose highest to head home fellow substitute Florent Hadergjonaj's teasing cross with what was the last meaningful action of the match.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Mainz 0 Borussia Dortmund 2: Stoger's tenure begins with much-needed victory

Borussia Dortmund started life under Peter Stoger with a 2-0 win at Mainz on Tuesday as they broke an eight-game winless run in the Bundesliga.

In his maiden match at the helm since replacing the sacked Peter Bosz, Stoger made an excellent start as second-half goals from Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Shinji Kagawa second half secured a first victory over top-flight opposition since September.

The Austrian, himself only dismissed by bottom-placed Cologne this month, was immediately appointed by BVB to lead a turnaround and received a glimpse of the work ahead during a laboured first half.




But where they have folded under pressure time and again in recent months, Dortmund persevered through a difficult opening and reaped the rewards.Sokratis provided the initial relief, bundling home a rebound through a throng of bodies for his second and most important league goal of the campaign.

And Shinji Kagawa, having spurned one clear opportunity, buried the second late in proceedings to sweep Dortmund into a much more palatable fourth after 16 games.


Despite making three changes and shifting from a three-man defence to a back four, Stoger's tenure began much the way his predecessor's ended as the away side came under early pressure.

Suat Serdar crashed a swerving effort off the top of the crossbar in the sixth minute and followed that by firing wastefully high with time and space inside the area.Abdou Diallo next nodded over from a good position as Mainz settled quickest during the opening exchanges, albeit without making their opportunities count.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, having earlier turned a difficult shot around the upright, should have done better with his first real sight of goal five minutes from the interval, only to hastily poke wide of the same right-hand post after Julian Weigl dropped a pass over the hosts' defence.

Raphael Guerreiro did draw Robin Zentner into the first save for either goalkeeper late in the half, but that was the only shot on target of an otherwise muted first 45 minutes.After Christian Pulisic failed to hit the target soon after the restart, it was left to a defender to provide the crucial composure in front of goal.

Omer Toprak's close-range header from Kagawa's free-kick came back off the near post and fell for Sokratis to drive in the opener.The visitors' goal was reward for their increasing command of possession, although Roman Burki still needed to be alert to hold an Alexander Hack header.



Diallo then sliced the wrong side of the near post when presented with another chance as the away side's response to adversity began to be tested.Kagawa, creator of the first, should have buried the match from Andriy Yarmolenko's cut-back but his finish was straight at Zenter.

However, he made no mistake from a second chance to safeguard a morale-boosting three points, the Japan international tucking home at point-blank range after Aubameyang unselfishly looked for his team-mate following a counter-attack.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Pochettino: Alderweireld out until February


Toby Alderweireld will not be ready to make his Tottenham comeback until February, while manager Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed there has been no progress on the defender's contract talks.Alderweireld injured a hamstring on November 1 in the Champions League defeat of Real Madrid at Wembley and has not played since.

The Belgian has been linked with a move to clubs including Chelsea, with his deal set to expire at the end of next season, but Pochettino shrugged off the 28-year-old being 18 months away from becoming a free agent.
"Of course we cannot change the reality of his injury, he cannot play until February," said Pochettino, whose side face Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday.

"With him or without him we win and lose. Of course the manager always wants all the players to be fit to play like [Victor] Wanyama, Danny Rose or [Erik] Lamela before."Always you are going to miss the players that are not fit but that is normal. But for me football is about the team, it is not about individual players.

"Of course some players have more influence on the team but I think we have a good enough squad and players that can play, and win or lose it is about the quality of performance if we miss one or another player."

Of Alderweireld's contract, Pochettino added: "Of course it is his decision, it's our decision, he still has two years on his contract, and we are looking forward to him playing and to him staying here. "The players are showing their commitment. I am so calm how [chairman] Daniel Levy drives everything and manages the contracts of the players and yes I am not worried or concerned about this."

While Alderweireld remains some time away from returning to action, Lamela is in line to make his first Premier League start since October 2016 against Brighton."Maybe, maybe [Lamela will start]," said Pochettino. "I still haven't decided. He has a chance to play from the start."

Spurs topped Group H ahead of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, earning a last-16 Champions League meeting with Serie A winners Juventus, and Pochettino expects his side to face a tough test in February.

"I think it’s of course not an easy opponent in the Champions League at this stage, but we are so excited to play against Juventus," said Pochettino."Juventus are a great team, the best team in Italy. Of course, always in recent years they have been involved in semi-finals or finals. To have the possibility to play against them is so exciting for us, our fans and everyone. It will be very tough because they have a very good team."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ibrahimovic brands Guardiola ‘most immature’ coach he’s ever had


Zlatan Ibrahimovic has called Pep Guardiola the most immature manager he has worked under for benching him during his one-year stint at Barcelona.The big Swedish striker joined Barcelona from Inter Milan in the 2009-10 season after a successful three-year stint with the Serie A giants.

Ibrahimovic had success to begin his Barcelona career, and ended up finishing his one-year run with the club scoring 16 goals in 29 games, 23 of those starts.
On the surface, it seemed like a match made in heaven, teaming up with the likes of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Thierry Henry, but a falling out with then-manager Pep Guardiola spoiled the party for Ibrahimovic.

Speaking this week with Sky Sports Italia after Ibrahimovic and Manchester United lost 2-1 to Guardiola and Manchester City, the striker said: “I’d scored a lot of goals in my first six months and we won two Super Cups. The first six months were perfect.”

The catalyst, Ibrahimovic claims, was his decision to confront Guardiola for a change in tactics which lessened the roles of other players in favor of expanding Messi’s.

“After that, we changed system and tactics, and it wasn’t good for me, so the club told me to talk to Guardiola.“And I told Guardiola that he’d sacrificed the other players for Messi. He told me he understood me.

“After that, he put me on the bench for the next game, the one after that and the one after that.“And I thought, ‘he’s solved the problem very well I see!’ After that, he didn’t talk to me or even look at me.

“I’d walk into a room and he’d walk out. I’d go to meet him and he’d go somewhere else. I understood that there was something beyond football.”However, Ibrahimovic believes while that may have been the final straw, there were issues between him and Guardiola from the beginning.

“But the problem was his, it was he who hadn’t solved the problem with me. I remember on my first day, he told me that the Barcelona players didn’t turn up to training in Ferraris or Porsches.

“He’d already judged me then, but if you don’t know a person then you can’t judge them. I had my experience with him, I don’t know about others.“But I read the same thing had happened to Mandzukic and Eto’o. He wasn’t the worst coach I’d worked under, but he was certainly the most immature because a man solves his problems.”

Ibrahimovic would move on to Inter’s rivals, AC Milan, after his one year at Barcelona. He would later spend four seasons with Paris Saint-Germain before joining up with Manchester United.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Klopp: Liverpool need Lallana back for busy festive period


Adam Lallana is closing in on a return to action for Liverpool and it will come at an important time, with Jurgen Klopp adamant they need him over the hectic Christmas period.

The England international has played just one minute of senior football this season, appearing as a late substitute against Chelsea in November.Lallana has had to contend with a persistent thigh problem and, although he has been in training for over a month, he is still a little off the pace.

But Klopp predicts an important role for the 29-year-old in the coming weeks, with the Reds facing the prospect of seven matches inside the next month."Adam is back training completely normally," Klopp told reporters ahead of Wednesday's visit of West Brom.

"But, of course, he needs to build up [match fitness] again. That's how it is. "But he is good. He trains completely normally. We have to see what we do with him because we need him for the next few weeks, 100 per cent.

"We should not need him for tomorrow [Wednesday] but then, step by step, we need to see how we can bring him into shape. That's it. We have to see, but he is in a good way."Alberto Moreno still looks set to be out for another few weeks due to an ankle problem, with Klopp revealing the club have sought a second opinion on his injury.

"He's not ready [for West Brom], that's for sure," Klopp said.
"We've sent him to different doctors just to be sure. It's possible he's not out that long, but we've not decided so far. We have to see."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Chelsea interested in hijacking deal for Liverpool and Arsenal target Lemar


Chelsea are the latest club to show an interest in Monaco's Thomas Lemar, but they will have to battle Liverpool and Arsenal who see him as a long-term target.Arsenal and Liverpool both tried and failed in an effort to secure Lemar over summer, with Arsene Wenger's side making a deadline day attempt to bring him in for £92 million to replace Alexis Sanchez. Liverpool also made two bids for Lemar just days before the transfer window closed.

Monaco will likely demand at least the £92m that Arsenal offered on August 31 for Lemar, who initially rejected the move to the Emirates as Wenger's side were mulling over an offer from Manchester City for Sanchez.
Monaco were happy with the offers they received in the summer but Lemar decided to stay as he targets a spot in France's World Cup team for Russia 2018.
Lemar's contract runs out in 2020 and it is likely that he will wait until the summer to move despite Monaco having dropped out of the Champions League and looking highly unlikely to defend their Ligue 1 title against a powerful Paris Saint-Germain side.

Goal understands Chelsea are interested in adding depth to their forward line in January after missing out on Fernando Llorente over the summer, who chose to move from Swansea City to Tottenham for £15 million. Juventus's Alex Sandro and Everton's Ross Barkley are other targets that Chelsea missed out on but retain an interest in.

The 22-year-old's fee will likely represent a transfer record for all three clubs holding an interest in him.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

No ultimatum as Arsenal's Ozil and Alexis contract talks rumble on


Arsenal have not issued a contract ultimatum to Mesut Ozil or Alexis Sanchez.Talk over the future of the two attacking stars, whose deals run out at the end of this season, has dominated the agenda at Emirates Stadium for months.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday's Premier League trip to West Ham, Wenger responded to reports Ozil has been given a bumper final offer of £275,000 per week by confirming talks are ongoing with both players.
"The conversations are, as always, going on with everybody. Our door is always open. I cannot tell you much more," said the Arsenal boss."I have said many times we want to keep them and, at the moment, that's all we can say. The best way to deal with these kind of things is to keep it as discreet as possible."

Asked whether a "take-it-or-leave-it" offer had been made, Wenger replied: "No."
While Arsenal remain in discussions with Ozil and Sanchez regarding fresh terms, both men continue to generate intense transfer speculation ahead of the January window.

Manchester City are reported to still be keen on Sanchez, having missed out on his signature over the summer, while World Cup winner Ozil is apparently wanted by his former Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho at Manchester United.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Bull****' to suggest Chelsea can catch Man City – Conte


Antonio Conte hit out at "bull****" negativity surrounding Chelsea's fading Premier League title defence, insisting his side must be realistic when it comes to trying to overhaul runaway leaders Manchester City.

Chelsea accounted for Huddersfield Town 3-1 on Tuesday, though the reigning champions remain 11 points adrift of unbeaten City, who are due to play on Wednesday.That gap could widen to 14 points following City's trip to Swansea City midweek after just 17 matches of the Premier League season.

Conte conceded that Chelsea's hopes of retaining the title were "impossible" after last week's 1-0 loss at West Ham and the Italian head coach offered no apologies for writing off the club's Premier League challenge.

"I think when you tell the truth, this is the truth," Conte told reporters."Now we have 14 points less than Manchester City. They have won 15 games and drew one. Instead in 17 games we lost four games.

"When you have a competitor like Manchester City that every game they are winning it is very difficult to think you can fight for the title. Because, 'you are negative, positive, you think negative', it's bull****, bull****.

"You must be realistic, we must be realistic. I would rather tell the truth, than a good lie. I am this way. Sometimes I can be too honest, but I like to speak very honest with my players with our fans also.

"It doesn't mean that we don't try to catch them. But we have to hope we have a big, big slip and then for us to win every game in this league. This league is very difficult and every game you have to put 120 per cent of yourself, otherwise you risk to lose or draw and to drop points."

Conte, who saw Tiemoue Bakayoko, Willian and Pedro score on Tuesday, added: "In your league when you have a team that have 16 games and 15 wins and draw one game it is not simple to think in a positive way.
"In the last nine games we won seven games, drew against Liverpool and lost one game, but despite this we are now 11 points and they play tomorrow, so the distance might be the same, 14 points."They are having a fantastic path, but at the same time we must go game by game and get three points for our table. This league is very difficult, there are six teams to fight for the title and the Champions League and the Europa League.

"We have to look at our ourselves and to improve and have this type of game, because I enjoyed to watch my players play this football."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Willian: Chelsea will keep fighting for Premier League title


Willian said defending champions Chelsea will continue to battle for the Premier League title after moving 11 points behind leaders Manchester City by beating Huddersfield Town.The Brazilian was instrumental in Tuesday's 3-1 away win, producing a goal and two assists as Chelsea bounced back from Saturday's shock 1-0 loss at West Ham.

Although Chelsea's results have been inconsistent, while City have won 14 successive league games to establish a dominant cushion, Willian believes the Blues will continue to push hard to defend their crown.

"I think we had a great game, we had possession and tried to play the ball," Willian told BT Sport. "We created a lot of chances and we have to carry on."Always when I play I want to play well and make a difference. Of course I want to play every game, but only 11 can start. "We know it’s difficult [to win the title], but we have to fight until the end. We are Chelsea, we are a big club — we have to fight."

Eden Hazard accepted it was necessary for Chelsea to show a reaction after going down 1-0 at the London Stadium last time out. "We had a bad game against West Ham — when things like this happen we need to bounce back," Hazard told BT Sport.

"We did well today, the fans are happy, we are happy — let’s move forward for the game against Southampton. We’ll be ready and will fight to the end. "When we play like this it is easy to play — good movement, the manager wanted us to move a lot and not always stay in the same position. "We have a lot of games in a short period of time, but since I came to Chelsea it’s always been the same."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Zidane focused on Club World Cup despite looming Clasico


Zinedine Zidane insists the Club World Cup is Real Madrid's primary focus despite a looming Clasico clash with Barcelona.

Madrid's participation in the tournament begins against Al Jazira in Wednesday's semi-final, just 10 days prior to the first LaLiga Clasico of the season.However, Zidane remains determined to retain his side's world crown, even though any red card suspensions would carry over to the crucial league fixture.

"It's a competition where we're going to do our best to win," he said of the Club World Cup at a pre-match news conference. "It's not going to be easy."But first we have to go through to the final. We just think about winning the World Cup [not the Clasico].

"[The suspensions] are one thing that can happen, that the players could have in their heads. It's a bit strange that the red cards in this World Cup affect LaLiga but, since I am positive, I know that nothing will happen.
"Against Barcelona, we will all be available. It's strange, but we accept it."
Success in this competition would secure a fifth trophy of the year for Madrid - following LaLiga, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Supercopa de Espana - but Zidane played down talk of this being the club's greatest 12 months.

"I do not think it's the best year in the history of Madrid, because Madrid is always Madrid," he added. "But it does motivate us to win the title."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2017.12.13

Barclays Premier League Fixtures 2017.12.13

Newcastle Vs Everton

Southampton Vs Leicester City

Swansea Vs Manchester CIty

Liverpool Vs WBA

Manchester United Vs Bournemouth

Tottenham Vs Brighton

West Ham Vs Arsenal

​