..::Football IV::..

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Zidane 'would leave tomorrow' if Real Madrid players lost faith in him


Zinedine Zidane insists he "would leave tomorrow" if he had seen any sign of Real Madrid players' faith in him being shaken following a dreadful run of form.Goal reported on Thursday that the Frenchman still had the support of the Madrid dressing room, despite being dumped out of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals by Leganes.

That result came as a bitter blow to Zidane, as many had suggested the Copa represented his side's most realistic opportunity for success this term, having fallen well adrift of Barcelona in La Liga and drawing free-scoring Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Madrid return to league action on Saturday, though their task involves trying to take three points from Mestalla against a Valencia team sat directly above them in the table.

Zidane's men go into the match 19 points behind pacesetters Barca, who have played a game more, but the head coach remains optimistic in the face of adversity, adamant he would simply leave if he felt there was no way of getting his messages across."No, if I thought that I would leave tomorrow," he told reporters at his pre-match news conference on Friday.

"These aren't excuses; it's part of football. Sometimes you need to go through lows to experience the highs. We need to keep going, dust ourselves off."Look at life; bad things happen. We just need to have that desire to change things. I feel strong and able – if I didn't, that'd be a problem.

"Nobody can take my motivation to keep going away from me, working until the last day."We take each day as it comes. I could sign a ten-year contract, but that doesn't mean anything – it's all about taking it one day at a time and the work you put in."I've been here two years and I still have the energy and drive. We'll see in June what happens."

It was put to Zidane that the club's pre-season planning in the transfer market is potentially the cause of Madrid's troubles, as they allowed strong rotation options such as Alvaro Morata, James Rodriguez, Danilo, Pepe and Mariano Diaz to leave.On top of that, the only players they spent money on – Theo Hernandez and Dani Ceballos – have made very little impact on the first-team, but Zidane insists he is happy with their transfer business.

"I wouldn't have changed a thing," he said. "I accept that whatever happened is done.

"We just have to turn things around here and when I signed before start of season I was very happy with the squad at my disposal."It's a younger squad with a bright future. They have to learn, but I'm here giving 100 per cent."

 

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Mourinho hails Sanchez's 'maturity' following Yeovil win


Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho hailed Alexis Sanchez for his "maturity" in attack following his successful debut in the 4-0 FA Cup win over Yeovil Town.The Chile international recovered from a shaky opening half-hour at Huish Park on Friday to play a part in both of United's opening goals, scored by Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera.

Jesse Lingard and Romelu Lukaku added late strikes to give Mourinho's side a comfortable victory and book their place in the fifth round of the competition.

The former Chelsea boss, who signed a contract extension until 2020 this week, hopes the likes of Rashford can learn from the killer instinct Sanchez displayed with the assist for Herrera's crucial second goal at the end of a slick counter-attack."[He's a] fantastic addition," he told BBC Sport. "Like Ander, everybody accepted that he comes here. He's a fantastic player for us.

"The question is always which one is going to be out, but it's not that for us. We have a fantastic group of attacking players, [now] we have one with a bit more experience. "His choice for the second goal is the kind of choice that a player like Marcus is still too nervous to make that kind of decision. He will bring us this extra maturity."

Yeovil, who are fighting for survival in League Two, delivered a largely combative and accomplished display and Mourinho was impressed with his side's professional approach.

"These matches are difficult if the attitude is not correct [and] even if it is correct," he said. "In the first half, they gave us a difficult time, pressing and aggressive on the ball and on the shin pads.

"I could listen to [Yeovil manager] Darren Way on the touchline and he knew what he was saying but we were professional and, winning 1-0, we had control of the game, we had possession, space for transitions and more quality and we killed the game."

Sanchez started on the left of United's attack but frequently drifted across the final third, and Herrera expects him to prove a menace wherever he plays.

"I think he can play everywhere," said the midfielder. "He's a fantastic player, the attitude he showed is amazing, he fights for every ball even when he doesn't lose the ball.

"We're going to enjoy him and the fans are going to enjoy him."It's not easy to come here. This kind of game can be tricky for us but we can be very happy."Lingard added: "We had to make sure the attitude was spot on. It was always going to be a tough game but everyone was ready to make an impact."

 

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Mourinho ge Birthday ekath Yesterday neh​

Happy Birthday Boss!

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Evans available at the right price, says Pardew


Arsenal's reported pursuit of Jonny Evans has been given a boost after West Brom boss Alan Pardew said the Northern Ireland international is available at the right price.

Evans has been long linked with a move away from The Hawthorns, with Manchester City, and more recently Arsenal, the names in the frame.The Gunners reportedly have emerged as the favourites to sign the defender after City turned their attentions to Athletic Bilbao's Aymeric Laporte.

Evans reportedly has a release clause of £3 million should West Brom be relegated from the Premier League, but the 30-year-old could be on the move before then.

"Jonny is still at the football club and we haven't had a bid put to us that is anywhere near acceptable," Pardew told a news conference on Friday. "Therefore he still remains a West Brom player."We've had a couple of enquiries of what we would be looking for, and the answer has been, 'We're not going to tell you'. You make a bid and you'll get some gauge.

"What I will confirm is what you already know, Jonny Evans is a target for other clubs, we might sell if the price is right, that's that deal. Everything else is pure speculation."

Some reports had suggested Arsenal would be willing to add Mathieu Debuchy to their bid to try and persuade the Baggies to sell, but Pardew was quick to dismiss that."That is not a deal we would be interested in and it's not a deal that's been put to us," he added.

"That's just paper talk. Actually, that might be unfair. Someone has released that and it's not true."Evans is expected to feature in West Brom's FA Cup fourth-round clash with Liverpool on Saturday, providing he does not contract the sickness bug that has ruled out a number of Pardew's squad.

"We've got a little bit of a flu bug in terms of a few players," said Pardew. "We'll have to see how we go overnight to really assess the team."[James] McClean, [Jay] Rodriguez, [Ben] Foster, [Ahmed] Hegazi and G-Mac [Gareth McAuley] — so there's a few [doubtful]."Jonny's due to start if he's not sick overnight. Hopefully he'll be okay."

 

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Liverpool unlikely to make further January signings – Klopp


Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted it was unlikely the Premier League club would make further signings in January.

Philippe Coutinho left Liverpool earlier this month in a reported €160 million move to Barcelona.While Klopp has added defender Virgil van Dijk to his squad, Liverpool continue to be linked to numerous other players.

"It's not really likely," Klopp told a news conference Friday."Should I say 100 per cent no? But that would kill all the rumours and I don't want to do that.

"Come on, we should enjoy it another five days."Liverpool, who are fourth in the Premier League, host West Brom in the FA Cup fourth round Saturday.Klopp said the club had planned for the entire season and had no reason to panic in January.

"I can't forget our needs. We have a lot of games to come," he said."What I don't like about the January transfer window, is that very often it feels like the season is over and we didn't use players in the first half of the season so why do you need them in the second part?"We have to plan a full year and that's what we did."

 

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FA Cup Fixtures 2018.01.27

FA Cup Fixtures 2018.01.27


Peterborough United Vs Leicester City

Huddersfield Vs Birmingham

Hull City Vs Nottingham

Middlesbrough Vs Brighton

Millwall Vs Rochdale

Milton Keynes Vs Coventry

Notts County Vs Swansea

Shffield Vs Preston

Southampton Vs Watford

Wigan Vs WestnHam

Newport County AFC Vs Tottenham

Liverpool Vs WBA​

 

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LA Liga Fixtures 2018.01.27

LA Liga Fixtures 2018.01.27

Deportivo Vs Levante

Valencia Vs Real Madrid

Malaga Vs Girona

Villareal Vs Real Sociedad​

 

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Serie A Fixtures 2018.01.27

Serie A Fixtures 2018.01.27

Sassuolo Vs Atalanta

Chievo Vs Juventus​

 

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Bundesliga Fixtures 2018.01.27

Bundesliga Fixtures 2018.01.27

Bayern Vs Hoffenheim

Dortmund Vs Freiburg

Cologne Vs Augsburg

Leipzig Vs Hamburg

Stuttgart Vs Schalke

Werder Bremen Vs Hertha Berlin​

 

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Yeovil Town vs Manchester United 0-4 - All Goals & Highlights - 26/01/2018 HD

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Chievo 0 Juventus 2: Khedira and Higuain punish ill-disciplined Chievo

Juventus leapfrogged Napoli at the summit of Serie A as they edged past nine-man Chievo 2-0 at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi on Saturday.

Massimiliano Allegri's side were some way from their best during an insipid first-half display, but received a boost ahead of the second period when Chievo's Samuel Bastien received a red card for two quick-fire bookings.Chievo's woes were then compounded after 60 minutes as Fabrizio Cacciatore received a straight red card for dissent.The defender's stupidity was duly punished just moments later as Sami Khedira broke the deadlock with his first goal since a hat-trick against Udinese in October.

Gonzalo Higuain ended his six-game goal drought to secure victory with two minutes to play, a triumph means that Juve have now won their last six Serie A games, conceding just one goal.That run means they now hold a two-point lead over Napoli, who can return to the top of the table on Sunday when they host Bologna.


Gianluigi Buffon, who celebrates his 40th birthday on Sunday, received an early present in the shape of a place on the substitutes' bench - his first involvement in a matchday squad since the 1-0 win over Napoli on December 1.

His presence did little to inspire Juve during a turgid opening half hour, though, with Douglas Costa producing their only effort of note – a whipped effort that flashed past Stefano Sorrentino's right-hand post.Higuain attempted to spark his side into life, but could only scuff an effort into the grasp of Sorrentino from the edge of the penalty area.

Chievo's hopes of securing anything from the game were dealt a significant blow 10 minutes before the interval when Bastien received his marching orders. The Belgian picked up two yellow cards in the space of just over two minutes, the second for an inexplicable tug of Kwadwo Asamoah's shirt.

The last action of a desperately poor first half was Khedira's low drive, which was comfortably gathered by Sorrentino.The expected Juve onslaught failed to materialise in the early stages of the second period, with the 10 men of Chievo holding them at bay with surprising ease.

The visitors did come close to breaking the deadlock in the 53rd minute as Mario Mandzukic clipped a first-time drive towards goal after smart play down the left by Costa, Sorrentino once again equal to the effort. Cacciatore's moment of madness on the hour then truly handed the impetus to Juve, who duly took the lead just six minutes later.

Substitute Federico Bernardeschi calmly pulled back into the path of Khedira, who drilled a superb half-volley past Sorrentino for his fourth league goal of the season.
Juve added something of a gloss to the scoreline with just two minutes remaining as an unmarked Higuain met Costa's cross to send a header into the bottom corner and his side to the top of the table – for one night at least.

 

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Liverpool 2 West Brom 3: Klopp's side dumped out amid more VAR drama

Liverpool have been dumped out of the FA Cup following a 3-2 fourth-round defeat to West Brom at Anfield, in which VAR played a central role.

Jurgen Klopp's side saw an early lead overturned in the first 11 minutes, with Jay Rodriguez scoring twice after Roberto Firmino's opener, and the visitors netted for a third time through Craig Dawson only for a referral to the video assistant referee to rule out the goal.

Liverpool were awarded a penalty after another VAR review three minutes later, but Firmino missed from the spot, and Joel Matip's own goal just before the interval ultimately proved decisive despite a second-half Mohamed Salah strike.




The Reds saw an 18-match unbeaten run in all competitions ended by Premier League bottom club Swansea City on Monday and they looked to be on track to make amends for that loss when Firmino broke the deadlock in style five minutes in.Rodriguez turned the game on its head with two quickfire finishes, though, before the frantic few minutes involving video technology resulted in West Brom hanging onto their lead.

Amid the delays in play which will no doubt prove a talking point, Liverpool were evidently well short of the form that saw them beat Manchester City two weeks ago, and Matip's unfortunate own goal came after more slack defending in front of the Kop.

Klopp's men had plenty of the ball in the second period and Salah gave them some hope 12 minutes from time, but West Brom held on for a first win in 10 against the Merseysiders and a place in round five.


Jonny Evans was perhaps a surprise starter given the speculation concerning Arsenal, and the uncertainty over his future seemed to impact his decision-making on the pitch early on.

The centre-back waited for Ben Foster to come out for a loose ball and Salah stole in front of him, and although Foster saved his effort, Firmino followed up with a sublime lob into the unguarded net.

Liverpool's lead lasted little more than a minute, though. Chris Brunt won back possession from Georginio Wijnaldum 30 yards from goal and found Rodriguez, who drove into space before lashing the ball into the top-right corner of Simon Mignolet's net.

With just over 10 minutes played, Rodriguez had his second. Grzegorz Krychowiak worked some space outside the Liverpool box and slipped the ball to Kieran Gibbs, and his low cross was side-footed home by the former Southampton man, with the home defenders static.

Then came the dramatic period involving VAR. First, Dawson's header from Brunt's corner was ruled out after a consultation with the video referee, who appeared to deem Gareth Barry was interfering with play from an offside position as he tried to help the ball into the net.

Liverpool were then given the chance to equalise from the spot when referee Craig Pawson penalised Jake Livermore for a tug on Salah's shirt after reviewing the footage, but Firmino crashed his effort off the crossbar.The Reds were undone by more slack defending in first-half stoppage time.Dawson collected the ball in behind the back four following a free-kick and scuffed a half-volley across goal that was inadvertently turned in by Matip.Pawson again reviewed the decision, seemingly to check for any offside, but replays showed the goal was fair and it was allowed to stand.

A buoyant West Brom threatened again early in the second half and Dawson once more nodded a loose ball into the net following a set-piece, although the officials rightly ruled it out for offside despite chants of 'VAR, VAR' from the nearby visiting fans.

Foster saved well from James Milner and Salah gave Liverpool some late hope with a cool finish from 12 yards after West Brom failed to clear, but the visitors held firm for a win that continues their improved form under Alan Pardew.

 

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Newport County 1 Tottenham 1: Kane spares Spurs FA Cup embarrassment

A late goal from Harry Kane spared Tottenham's blushes as they rescued a 1-1 draw at fourth-tier side Newport County in the FA Cup fourth round.

Padraig Amond's first-half header deservedly put Newport ahead and they went close to hanging on, but they were ultimately denied by Kane eight minutes from time to earn Spurs another bite of the cherry in a replay.Spurs showed precious little evidence of occupying a division three rungs higher in the English football pyramid, particularly in the first period when Newport started with great intent and looked far more threatening.




The visitors found themselves trailing seven minutes before the break, as Amond headed in a teasing right-wing delivery, sending the home fans into raptures.Spurs improved after the break, though a bad Kane miss just before the hour mark saw Mauricio Pochettino's men waste a rare opportunity.


Spurs' pressure towards the end became increasingly intense and, although Newport often found themselves with 11 men behind the ball, their desire failed to trump the visitors' desperation, as Kane tapped in to give the away side the opportunity to do it all over again at Wembley.

For all the quality in their starting XI, Spurs looked rattled early on and could count themselves lucky not to be behind in the fourth minute.Joss Labadie did well on the right flank and squeezed a low delivery into the penalty area which fell to the unmarked Frank Nouble, but the former West Ham forward inexplicably fired over from 12 yards.

Further chances fell to the home side, as Scot Bennett sliced wide a few minutes later and Kieran Trippier sent a glancing header into the side-netting of his own goal.Spurs appeared to get to grips with Newport as the half progressed and Kane forced Joe Day into a smart stop in the 32nd minute.

But Newport took advantage of slack defending soon after to take a deserved lead – Amond heading in at the back post after Trippier failed to deal with Robbie Willmott's cross.Spurs looked more focused after the restart and they should have levelled in the 58th minute, but Kane headed over from inside the six-yard box.

That ushered in a period of real dominance for Spurs, who withdrew the ineffective Fernando Llorente for Dele Alli with just over 20 minutes to go.And he nearly made an immediate impact, feeding Son Hueng-min into the left side of the area and he tested Day.But Day was beaten in the 82nd minute as Newport's defences were finally breached.

Son's corner delivery went all the way through to the back post where Kane was left unmarked to tap in one of the simplest finishes he is every likely to produce, saving Spurs from an embarrassing defeat.

 

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Paris Saint-Germain 4 Montpellier 0: Cavani breaks Ibrahimovic record in routine win

Edinson Cavani became Paris Saint-Germain's record goalscorer as the Parc des Princes was treated to another goal feast in Saturday's 4-0 win over Montpellier.

Cavani had drawn level with Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the 8-0 demolition of Dijon 10 days previously, but missed out on the record at the hands of the penalty-pinching Neymar in that game and also by dint of a wasteful outing against Guingamp in midweek.However, the Uruguayan did not have to wait long for PSG goal number 157, converting from close range in the 11th minute to supersede Ibrahimovic in the record books.




Neymar doubled the lead with a penalty that was much better received than his one against Dijon and Angel Di Maria brought a sedate second half to life with a fine goal.Cavani turned provider for Neymar to score the fourth, and the warm celebrations between the pair will hopefully put rumours of a rift between them to bed.


The game had kicked off as a battle of the league's best attack, PSG's 68-goal frontline, and its stingiest defence, but Montpellier's conceded column ticked from 15 to 19 during the game. Unai Emery's men now hold both benchmarks.

Indeed, a 0-0 draw between these sides in August remains the only game in which PSG have not scored this season, but they never looked like being shut out in this one and Julian Draxler dinked into the side-netting in the second minute as they found ways through the visitors' five-man defence.

Another route was found down the left in the 11th minute as Cavani's moment finally came.Neymar played a role in the record-breaker, working well with Adrien Rabiot to set-up a cross that left Cavani the simple task of clipping home from four yards.

There was a souvenir for a lucky home fan as Cavani threw his shirt into the crowd in celebration, although referee Frank Schneider was less impressed, showing a yellow card - but only after a smile and a congratulatory handshake.Neymar raised concerns as he left the field to receive treatment on his back, but his next contribution of note was to put PSG two goals to the good.

After Draxler's shot was handled and Schneider pointed to the spot, Neymar stepped up to take with the vocal backing of the Parc des Princes offering a stark contrast to his previous spot-kick and the €222million man duly sent Benjamin Lecomte the wrong way - Cavani the first team-mate to join him in celebration.A string of Junior Sambia long-range efforts at Alphonse Areola's goal made for a somewhat underwhelming start to the second half, but Javier Pastore's introduction livened up PSG's playmaking and produced a third goal in the 70th minute.

Pastore has been insistent that he does not want to be sold this month and he proved his talents with a brilliant ball to free Thomas Meunier on the right, with Cavani dragging Montpellier's defence to the near post, allowing Di Maria to ghost in at the back and convert the full-back's cross.



Neymar had the ball in the net again soon after, only to be denied by a questionable handball decision, but there was no denying him from inside the six-yard box after a surging Cavani run, adding a final flourish to a record-breaking day.

Neymar raised concerns as he left the field to receive treatment on his back, but his next contribution of note was to put PSG two goals to the good.

After Draxler's shot was handled and Schneider pointed to the spot, Neymar stepped up to take with the vocal backing of the Parc des Princes offering a stark contrast to his previous spot-kick and the €222million man duly sent Benjamin Lecomte the wrong way - Cavani the first team-mate to join him in celebration.A string of Junior Sambia long-range efforts at Alphonse Areola's goal made for a somewhat underwhelming start to the second half, but Javier Pastore's introduction livened up PSG's playmaking and produced a third goal in the 70th minute.

Pastore has been insistent that he does not want to be sold this month and he proved his talents with a brilliant ball to free Thomas Meunier on the right, with Cavani dragging Montpellier's defence to the near post, allowing Di Maria to ghost in at the back and convert the full-back's cross.



Neymar had the ball in the net again soon after, only to be denied by a questionable handball decision, but there was no denying him from inside the six-yard box after a surging Cavani run, adding a final flourish to a record-breaking day.

 

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Valencia 1 Real Madrid 4: Ronaldo penalty double eases pressure on Zidane

Two penalties from Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid to a 4-1 win at Valencia on Saturday and eased the pressure on head coach Zinedine Zidane.

The 32-year-old scored the 100th and 101st spot-kicks of his senior career to give the champions a first LaLiga win in four trips to Mestalla, with Santi Mina's second-half header proving to be just a consolation as Marcelo and Toni Kroos struck fine late goals.

The scrutiny on Zidane's position intensified this week when Madrid crashed out of the Copa del Rey with a 2-1 home defeat to Leganes, and he responded by naming a strong side to face Marcelino's men, which included the return of Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale to the starting line-up together for the first time since the 3-2 loss to Barcelona last April.




Ronaldo was scythed down by Martin Montoya 15 minutes in and promptly dispatched the resulting penalty, and another clumsy challenge from the former Barcelona full-back – this time on Benzema – allowed Ronaldo to double the lead before the break.

Valencia – who remain third in the table after the defeat, two points above Madrid having played a game more – got a goal back through Mina but were unable to find an equaliser despite controlling much of the second half, and Marcelo's excellent late goal made the points certain before Kroos completed the win with an exquisite fourth.The result moves Zidane's side four points clear of fifth-place Villarreal and takes them to within 16 of leaders Barcelona, who face Deportivo Alaves on Sunday.


Bale missed a good chance after Neto had dropped a cross and Rodrigo Moreno blasted narrowly over the bar during an open first 15 minutes.Madrid's opener came after a brilliant counter-attack following a Valencia corner, with Ronaldo starting the move in his own half before winning a penalty from Montoya's clumsy challenge, and he made no mistake from 12 yards.

The Portugal star spurned a good chance for a second, scuffing a shot straight at Neto after being picked out by Kroos, and Geoffrey Kondogbia should have equalised when, with the goal at his mercy, he sliced his effort into the ground and safely into the hands of Keylor Navas.

The miss was punished seven minutes before half-time when Ronaldo drilled home his second penalty of the match, after Benzema had been barged to ground by Montoya as he tried to jump for Dani Carvajal's cross.

The home fans were beginning to make their frustrations clear and there was a general cry of despair two minutes before the interval, when Rodrigo turned the ball over the bar from six yards out after Mina's run and shot had left the Madrid defence for dead.

Mina had a penalty claim waved away as Valencia sought a lifeline early in the second half, yet they were looking increasingly suspect whenever Madrid went forward on the break and Benzema could have done better than ripple the side-netting after being set up by Kroos.But in the 58th minute, the home side got themselves a foothold in the match, as Mina shrugged off the attentions of Nacho to meet Dani Parejo's corner and glance the ball past Navas.

The visitors suddenly looked jittery at the back and they needed Navas to deny Parejo an equaliser seven minutes later, the Costa Rica international sticking out a leg to save from the Valencia captain after an excellent passing move had split the Madrid defence.

Valencia continued to push forward but Marcelo made certain of three important points and a first away league win since October with six minutes left, playing a slick one-two with Marco Asensio before burying a low left-foot shot beneath Neto from the left of the area.

There was enough time for Kroos to complete the scoring with the goal of the game, the midfielder completing a flowing team move by placing a low shot past Neto from the edge of the area after being set up by Mateo Kovacic's backheel.

 

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Borussia Dortmund 2 Freiburg 2: Aubameyang jeered as Toljan rescues a point

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was jeered on his return to the Borussia Dortmund team as Jeremy Toljan rescued a point for Peter Stoger's men in a 2-2 Bundesliga draw with Freiburg.

Nils Petersen's double - including a superb 40-yard second - looked to have secured an away win for Freiburg at Signal Iduna Park as Arsenal target Aubameyang toiled.

Yet Toljan netted in the third minute of stoppage time to at least ensure Dortmund did not suffer a costly defeat.Aubameyang had not featured since before the league's mid-season break, but the forward was recalled after impressing coach Stoger with his application in training.

That was not enough to appease some home supporters, however, as Aubameyang emerged as the villain of the piece and remained on the periphery of the game - sporting director Michael Zorc having earlier confirmed that a transfer could happen if Arsenal up their bid.

A sour atmosphere was not improved when Dortmund headed into half-time all square after Petersen cancelled out Shinji Kagawa's opener.The home side never recovered their momentum and a brilliant Petersen effort from distance appeared set to prove the winner before Toljan's dramatic late leveller.

This result leaves Dortmund fifth - still outside the Champions League places - and they must now contemplate the very real possibility of a future without top scorer Aubameyang, as Wednesday's transfer deadline draws near.


"No player is bigger than the club," read a banner held aloft before kick-off by a section of Dortmund fans who then heckled Aubameyang's early touches, but their mood was momentarily lifted by a ninth-minute goal.The Freiburg defence failed to cut out a pass into the area and they were left scrambling as Lukasz Piszczek's blocked low strike popped up kindly for Kagawa to acrobatically slam a volley into the bottom-left corner.

Dortmund kept the pressure on and Rafal Gikiewicz turned away Jadon Sancho's curler, but the visitors soon levelled against the run of play.Janik Haberer reached a pass on the right flank just in time to keep the ball in play and centre for Petersen to finish high past Roman Burki from close range at the near post.

Aubameyang belatedly got involved and drew light applause as he rose to meet Gonzalo Castro's cross, directing a header just over.But Dortmund almost went into the break a goal down when Burki fumbled Lukas Kubler's volley and had to be alert to dive back and retrieve the spinning ball from the goal line.

The hosts lacked rhythm after the restart and Kagawa found only the side netting when he looked to beat Gikiewicz at his near right-hand post.Then, with just over 20 minutes remaining, Petersen struck again, stealing possession from Nuri Sahin in the midfield before executing a stunning lob that caught Burki off guard and picked out the top-left corner.

Dortmund found an urgency in the final stages that had previously been lacking, but it took them until the final seconds of stoppage time to restore parity. The last of a series of long balls launched into the Freiburg area dropped for Toljan and he hammered a finish hard and low past Gikiewicz to ease some of the pressure on his misfiring team-mates.

 

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Bayern Munich 5 Hoffenheim 2: Champions overturn Gnabry heroics in dominant win

Serge Gnabry gave Bayern Munich a glimpse of the skills they will enjoy next season before the Bundesliga champions stormed back to seal a stunning 5-2 victory over Hoffenheim.Germany forward Gnabry joined Bayern from Werder Bremen last June before being sent on loan to Hoffenheim and he won and missed a penalty – with Mark Uth netting from Sven Ulrich's save – before spectacularly giving the visitors a two-goal lead after just 12 minutes at the Allianz Arena.

Robert Lewandowski's 18th Bundesliga goal of the season reduced the arrears and Jerome Boateng ensured it was all square inside a breathless opening half hour.
Bayern took a firm grip on the contest from that point and quickfire second-half goals from Kingsley Coman and Arturo Vidal sealed the points before Sandro Wagner scrambled a fifth in the final minute to rub salt into the wounds of his former employers.Jupp Heynckes' side are a dominant 16 points clear at the summit, while counterpart Julian Nagelsmann – who enjoyed a mixed outing in terms of an audition for the top job at Bayern – and Hoffenheim lie ninth.

The visitors flew out of the blocks and raced into a two-goal lead, although there was the consolation for Bayern that they appear to have made an incredibly shrewd investment.

Joshua Kimmich gave referee Manuel Grafe little option but to point to the spot when he clumsily bundled into the back of Gnabry, whose penalty similarly left much to be desired but Uth was on hand to dispatch the rebound.Where he struggled from 12 yards, Gnabry then excelled from twice the distance, netting with a clattering right-footed drive after Boateng's interception from Lukas Rupp fell kindly.

Bayern's emergence from their slumber was as sudden as it was impressive, with Coman leading Hoffenheim wing-back Pavel Kaderabek a merry dance before crossing for Corentin Tolisso to touch into Kimmich's path. The full-back's effort from the edge of the box was not cleanly struck but Lewandowski got a telling touch to nutmeg goalkeeper Oliver Baumann.It was 2-2 in the 25th minute when Boateng was allowed ample room to convert Arjen Robben's corner.

The champions remained firmly in the ascendancy until the interval - David Alaba hooking a shot narrowly wide and Lewandowski blasting over on the angle at the end of a solo run - but Hoffenheim were able to remain on terms.

Baumann flapped unconvincingly at an Alaba cross to give Nagelsmann a fright after the restart, although the goalkeeper's efforts in getting behind a spectacular long-range volley from Vidal were far more impressive.Hoffenheim were offering more as an attacking force than they did during the closing stages of the first half, only for Bayern to hit the front after 63 minutes.

Ex-Hoffenheim man Sebastian Rudy and Lewandowski worked the ball swiftly through midfield for Coman to collect the ball in the area, cut in side and sweep a shot beyond Baumann.Poor set-piece defending allowed Bayern to make the points safe, even though there was plenty to admire in the precision of Vidal's looping header back across goal as technology confirmed the ball had crossed the line.



Revenge for a 2-0 defeat at Hoffenheim was assured and January signing Wagner was the latest man with ties to both clubs to make a mark on the contest, smuggling home to open his Bayern account after fellow substitutes Rafinha and Thomas Muller combined to create the opening.

Baumann flapped unconvincingly at an Alaba cross to give Nagelsmann a fright after the restart, although the goalkeeper's efforts in getting behind a spectacular long-range volley from Vidal were far more impressive.

Hoffenheim were offering more as an attacking force than they did during the closing stages of the first half, only for Bayern to hit the front after 63 minutes.Ex-Hoffenheim man Sebastian Rudy and Lewandowski worked the ball swiftly through midfield for Coman to collect the ball in the area, cut in side and sweep a shot beyond Baumann.

Poor set-piece defending allowed Bayern to make the points safe, even though there was plenty to admire in the precision of Vidal's looping header back across goal as technology confirmed the ball had crossed the line.



Revenge for a 2-0 defeat at Hoffenheim was assured and January signing Wagner was the latest man with ties to both clubs to make a mark on the contest, smuggling home to open his Bayern account after fellow substitutes Rafinha and Thomas Muller combined to create the opening.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Dortmund warn Arsenal: Meet our demands or we won't sell Aubameyang


Dortmund have told Arsenal that they must pay the fee they're demanding or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will not be moving to the Premier League.

Arsene Wenger has admitted that he would like the Gabon international attacker to fill the void left by Alexis Sanchez's departure although no deal has been agreed with the Bundesliga side thus far.

Aubameyang was included in the starting XI to face Freiburg on Saturday, his first appearance in 2018, despite the mounting speculation regarding his future.

And Dortmund are adamant that, despite having received offers from the Gunners, they will not allow their prized asset to leave for less than his asking price.Speaking to Sky Sports, the club's sporting director Michael Zorc said: "We have our position, just as we did last summer when Barcelona tried to sign him. We are willing to work on a transfer if certain criteria are met.

"Arsenal have tried several times but we have refused everything up until now. Either our demands will be fulfilled and there will be a transfer, or they won't be and Auba plays for Dortmund until the summer. "That's what we told the Aubameyang family and they accepted it."Arsenal have already agreed personal terms with the striker, but talks over a fee with Dortmund have proved unsuccessful so far.

Goal understands the north Londoners have previously had bids worth €50 million and €58m rebuffed, with the German side holding out for €70m, though they may well be prepared to sell at €65m.

The German side are becoming frustrated at Arsenal's refusal to meet their demands, although the Gunners remain hopeful of striking a deal before the January transfer window closes.Wenger, meanwhile, admitted to the media on Friday that talks are showing few signs of rapid progress and even remarked that it's possible his side will look at an alternative target.

Arsenal will be in action the day before transfer deadline day, when they tackle Swansea City in the Premier League, and it remains to be seen if Aubameyang will be signed before the window slams shut.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Sanchez is Man Utd's first defender' - Herrera hails Chilean's work ethic


Ander Herrera marvelled at Alexis Sanchez's tireless work-rate after the Chile forward made an impressive Manchester United debut on Friday.

Sanchez laid on two goals as Jose Mourinho's side eased to a 4-0 FA Cup win at Yeovil Town, including a reverse pass for Herrera to thrash in United's second.
However, it was another aspect of the former Arsenal favourite's game that caught the eye of his new team-mate.

Asked for his thoughts on Sanchez's display by MUTV, Herrera said: "Yeah, amazing. He has played very good, but what I really like from him is the way he fights when he loses the ball.

"He is always ready to be the first defender of the team. That's going to be very important for us."Of course, we know his quality. He is going to be amazing for us but the way his first, the way he defends I really like it."

Sanchez is in line to make his Premier League debut for United when they travel to face Tottenham at Wembley next Wednesday.He will also be available when the Red Devils return to Champions League action at the last-16 stage against Sevilla.

That competition provides Jose Mourinho's side with another possible route to silverware, with Herrera eager to point out that every trophy up for grabs will be fought for.

The Spanish midfielder added: "We have won the FA Cup two seasons ago and last season we won three trophies, so this club is about titles, and we are not going to give any competition away, we are going to fight for everything.

“Jesse Lingard [scored] again, Romelu [Lukaku] is also doing well this season and Juan Mata also has that quality to be in the right place in the box," said Ander.

"Alexis, we know, will score a lot of goals and we can add some goals from the midfield through [Marouane] Fellaini, Paul [Pogba] and [Nemanja] Matic who has a very good shot, as does Michael Carrick.

"I think we can be optimistic for the rest of the season. But we must know in the Premier League every team can beat you if you sleep for just one second so we have to be ready for the next game against Tottenham on Wednesday.”

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Anything can happen in football – Neymar to Madrid wouldn't shock Valverde


Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde would not be surprised if Neymar joined Real Madrid, suggesting "anything is possible in the world of football".Neymar left Barca for Paris Saint-Germain in August for a world-record €222million fee, with the Catalan giants left helpless because of his release clause.

It has been suggested that Neymar made the move in order to boost his Ballon d'Or chances by moving out of Lionel Messi's shadow, but ever since leaving Barca he has been linked with a future move to their bitter rivals.

Goal understands that PSG have promised Neymar that he will be allowed to join Real if they win the Champions League this season , and Valverde insists the move would not shock him."I don't know," he told reporters when asked about the potential move at a news conference ahead of Sunday's LaLiga clash with Alaves. "Who knows what can happen in football.

"But if there's a world where strange things can happen, it's the football world. But that's not something I'm worried about. I've enough to worry about here at Barca."
It is a common thought that Neymar's departure helped Barca's style of play become more disciplined.Valverde agrees that Barca would probably play differently had Neymar stayed, though he was eager to not downplay how sizeable a loss he has been.

"It would be difficult to work out what we'd be like with Neymar," Valverde added. "That would be a strange exercise."The loss of a player of Neymar's quality is always great, but we're still scoring goals. Perhaps there are certain players who are here now that wouldn't be if Neymar was still here.

"We've re-structured in defence too, but that goes through the team through to the attackers."That's the way we've done it. Perhaps if he'd still been here we would've done things differently."

One beneficiary of Neymar's exit is Philippe Coutinho and Valverde praised the former Liverpool star, while also suggesting he could potentially be paired with Andres Iniesta in midfield, rather than one or the other playing.

"Let's see [how we play Coutinho]," Valverde said. "We need to learn how he plays in our system and he needs to learn how to play with his team-mates. "He's different to any player we've got. Iniesta is perhaps more of a central midfielder, whereas Coutinho has maybe a better shot and plays further up.

"He has a certain elegance. I think we could play him in midfield. He doesn't need to change much to fit in."I think they [Coutinho and Iniesta] are different types of players, but also complimentary. They could play together perfectly well. They can play in the same position, but let's see how things develop."