..::Football IV::..

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Arsenal hit with FA charge from Leicester loss


Arsenal have been charged with failing to control their players during Wednesday's 3-1 Premier League defeat at Leicester City, the Football Association (FA) has announced.The charge relates to how Arsenal reacted to referee Graham Scott after Henrikh Mkhitaryan was adjudged to have brought down Demarai Gray in the penalty area.

At the time, scoreline was 1-1 after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had brought the 10-man Gunners back following Kelechi Iheanacho's opener and Konstantinos Mavropanos' 15th-minute red card.

England striker Jamie Vardy converted from the spot to break a 1-1 tie in the 76th minute and provide Leicester with a lead they would not relinquish.Riyad Mahrez's late goal sealed the points for the Foxes, who can finish as high as eighth in the league depending on results in the final day of the season.

"Arsenal have been charged with failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion," an FA statement read. "The incident occurred in the 75th minute of Wednesday's game against Leicester City.

"Arsenal have until 6pm on Wednesday [16 May, 2018] to respond to the charge."The Gunners will take on Huddersfield Town away Sunday in Arsene Wenger's final game in charge of the club after a 22-year reign.Arsenal are locked into sixth place in the table and a place in next year's Europa League.

 

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Blow for Brazil as Dani Alves ruled out of World Cup


Brazil have been dealt a further injury blow ahead of the World Cup following news that defender Dani Alves will miss the tournament in Russia.

The Paris Saint-Germain full-back limped out of Tuesday's Coupe de France final with a knee injury.Original assessments suggested that though the injury would end Alves' domestic season he would be ready for the World Cup.

"Following Daniel Alves' right knee injury, which occurred yesterday during the French Cup final, the tests performed today showed a high detachment of the anterior cruciate ligament with posterolateral sprain," a spokesperson for the player said on Wednesday.And the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed on Friday that following further tests by the Brazil national team's doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, it has been determined the former Barcelona star will not recover in time to represent the Selecao this summer.

"Close examinations confirmed the initial diagnosis of an anterior cruciate ligament injury, requiring surgical treatment," a statement read. "Considering the alternative recovery options within the timeframe, it confirmed the impossibility of calling Daniel Alves up for the period of preparation, friendlies and the World Cup."

Alves has been a key figure for Brazil for over a decade and was set to start for Tite's side as they looked to secure a sixth world title.He becomes the second Brazil defender to suffer an serious injury in the build-up to the tournament, with Filipe Luis suffering a broken leg while playing for Atletico Madrid back in March.

Tite is likely to be able to call on Neymar, however, with the PSG forward having returned to France in recent weeks as he steps up his recovery from a broken foot.

 

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Conte: Missing Champions League may not hurt Chelsea


Antonio Conte is not convinced that missing out on Champions League football will hinder Chelsea next season, the coach offering a reminder they won the title in 2016-17 after finishing 10th.

Chelsea go into their final match of the Premier League campaign two points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool in the final Champions League qualification spot, meaning they are in danger of missing out.Liverpool host Brighton, while Chelsea travel to Newcastle as the English top flight draws to a close on Sunday.

The Reds also have the advantage of a goal difference which is 15 better than Chelsea's, essentially requiring Jurgen Klopp's men to lose for their rivals to stand a chance.

But Conte suggested a top-four spot is not quite as important as some claim, particularly from a recruitment perspective."If you remember, last season after [finishing] 10th place, we won [the Premier League]," Conte told reporters at his pre-match news conference on Friday.

"It was different, but we worked hard and won. Now probably we can finish fifth thinking you have an advantage than [if you were] finishing tenth."I think we must be focused on this season and then it will be the right moment for the people to understand the situation and find the best solution in the best possible way.

"You must know there is this possibility [of not finishing in the top four]. You play in [a] strong league."You have to prepare in right way. Six top teams at the start of season are ready to fight for places in the Champions League.

"It [missing out on Champions League football] can happen. In the past it has happened the same."Don't forget two years ago they finish the season tenth, not in any finals and were eliminated in the last 16 [of the Champions League] against Paris Saint-Germain – it can happen."

Chelsea's woes this season have led to Conte being strongly tipped to leave the club, but he insists their struggles have not impacted his opinion of English football negatively.

"[It's been] a fantastic experience for me," Conte said. "No, [it hasn't put him off English football] absolutely not. Why?"This is the best league in the world and to compete with so many teams and clubs that are very strong, it is always a great chance that you have.

"I am very happy for last season and this season and don't forget, if you're clever, you learn and you continue to learn and improve yourself and try to be better in the future."One boost for Conte ahead of the trip to Newcastle is the return of Thibaut Courtois to selection contention after recovering from a back injury."Today [Friday] Courtois trained. He will be in contention for Newcastle," Conte said.

 

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Lukaku fitness race leaves him facing FA Cup final bench duty with Man Utd


Romelu Lukaku could be restricted to a place on the bench when Manchester United face Chelsea in the FA Cup final next weekend.

Belgium striker Lukaku suffered an ankle injury during last month's 2-1 win over Arsenal and has sat out United's past two Premier League matches.Mourinho's men failed to score on either of their trips to Brighton and Hove Albion and West Ham, underlining the 24-year-old's importance to the cause following 27 goals across all competitions in his first season at Old Trafford.

"We hope he can play in the final,” Mourinho told reporters, with Lukaku certain to miss Sunday's Premier League curtain call versus Watford."He is in Belgium, having his treatment with communication between the doctors in Belgium and our medical department."We are just waiting to see if it's possible for him to be involved in the final. If not starting, then at least on the bench."

Michael Carrick will start as captain against Watford in his final appearance for United before joining Mourinho's backroom team for next season."Carrick had already been decided," the Portuguese added. "He's going to start the match as a captain and he's not going to end the match because I want him to leave the pitch alone and I want him to feel what the United supporters feel in relation to him.

"I am not so sad as I normally am when my players end their career because he is going to be with us. He is going to be even closer to me than he was as a player so it is just an emotional moment because it is the end of a career of a fantastic player."

 

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Neuer backed for World Cup role despite Bayern absence


Manuel Neuer has not played since September but Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes believes the goalkeeper can be ready to go to the World Cup with Germany.Neuer is still recovering from a foot injury that has left him unable to add to the three Bundesliga appearances he recorded at the start of the season.

Deputy Sven Ulreich has excelled in Neuer's absence, barring a costly error against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals, with other options available to Germany coach Joachim Low including Barcelona number one Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Neuer was in goal as Germany won the last World Cup in Brazil four years ago and Heynckes believes the 32-year-old can return to keep his place for Russia 2018."Kingsley Coman is making huge progress," Heynckes said at a news conference ahead of his final Bundesliga game in charge, against Stuttgart on Saturday.

"Things are also looking good for Manuel Neuer. He was in goal during attacking drills yesterday and is doing everything in training that a modern goalkeeper needs to be able to do. "I'm very optimistic that Manuel Neuer will make Germany's training camp. We'll know next week whether or not he will be in the squad for Berlin. But, from what I've seen today, I'm confident he will be an option."

Should Neuer be unavailable, Low could also turn to Bayer Leverkusen's Bernd Leno, Timo Horn of Cologne or Kevin Trapp, although the latter goalkeeper has lost his place at Paris Saint-Germain.

 

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'Neymar and Ronaldo are compatible' - Real Madrid boss Zidane drops transfer hint


Zinedine Zidane has no doubt Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo would be able to play together in the same team but refused to be drawn on whether Real Madrid will table a bid for the Brazil superstar.Neymar left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in a world-record €222 million (£196m/$266m) switch last August.

Although he proved a big hit in the French capital before a broken metatarsal at the end of February curtailed his season, the 26-year-old has been persistently linked with another blockbuster switch to Madrid.

A report by Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo on Thursday claimed Neymar had told his PSG team-mates he intends to leave at the end of the season, but Zidane was keen not to stoke further speculation at a pre-match news conference for Saturday's LaLiga game against Celta Vigo.

"At the moment, all I can tell you is I'm worried about what's coming up," said the French coach, who will look to win a third consecutive Champions League title against Liverpool at the end of this month."After the final we'll talk with the club about next year and what changes will be made. But I can't talk about anything like that [Neymar] at the moment."

However, recalling a link-up with fellow France star Youri Djorkaeff during his own playing career, Zidane rejected suggestions Neymar's arrival would represent bad news for Madrid's all-time record goalscorer Ronaldo."Good player are always compatible," he said. "I remember one year they said I wasn't compatible to play with Djorkaeff. We won the World Cup together.

"So good players can always play together. On the pitch there is a chemistry."Zidane added: "I don't know if we are negotiating for Neymar. What's worrying us is what is going on at the moment."I haven't asked Neymar personally because I don't get involved in these things. We have to finish this season, the rest will come after."

Defeat to Liverpool on the back of Barcelona's procession to La Liga glory could mean Madrid planning for the future without Zidane, irrespective of whether Neymar is on the way.

Well-versed in how matters play out in the Santiago Bernabeu's corridors of power, the 45-year-old is typically relaxed about his situation."I don't have to say yes or no," Zidane replied when asked about whether he expected to stay. "What happens will happen.

"As you all know here, I'm always positive. I always think about one thing, which is doing everything possible to win."What happens, will happen. Here, what counts are the results. That's all."The rest, well… we can talk a lot about the rest."

 

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Chelsea unveil new home kit for the 2018-19 season

Chelsea have unveiled their new home kit for the 2018-19 season, which they plan to wear for the first time this Sunday.The new design is slightly riskier than this season's effort, which was ultimately a simple, yet elegant, blue design.

In 2018-19 Chelsea will remain in royal blue, but flourishes of red and white half-stripes have been added. Blue shorts and white socks, with a blue and red trim, complete the kit. The shirt is inspired by kits from the 1980s and 1990s.

Nike claim that the Vapor kit "combines breathability with mobility", while the raglan sleeves "allow a natural range of motion".Chelsea will wear the kit for the first time this weekend, as they face Newcastle United in their final Premier League fixture of the 2017-18 season. Antonio Conte's men are currently fifth and know that they must win, and hope Liverpool lose to Brighton, if they are to finish in the top four.

How can I buy the new Chelsea kit?

The kit comes with two purchase options. Fans can buy a vapor kit, priced at £89.95, which is worn by the players on the pitch. The "Stadium" home kit is a replica, and costs £64.95 for an adult male shirt, £51.95 for a child's shirt and £39.95 for a baby kit.Chelsea's 2018-19 kits are available from the Nike Store, which offers worldwide shipping.

 

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'Lewandowski an egotist but won't leave' - Hitzfeld expects Real Madrid target to remain at Bayern


Robert Lewandowski has been branded “an egotist” by former Bayern Munich manager Ottmar Hitzfeld, but the prolific striker is still expected to remain at the Allianz Arena.

Amid much talk of a summer move elsewhere, with Real Madrid having long been linked with an approach for the Poland international, the 29-year-old has fanned the transfer flames with his petulant antics.Lewandowski refused to shake hands with Jupp Heynckes after being replaced by Sandro Wagner 13 minutes from the end of a 3-1 victory over Cologne on Saturday.

Hitzfeld was left less than impressed by the lack of respect shown by a seasoned performer to his legendary manager, with the Bundesliga champions needing everybody to accept their role in a much bigger picture.

A man who oversaw five title triumphs and a Champions League win during two successful spells at the Bayern helm told Sport1: “I was disappointed when I saw the TV pictures. This is of course a no-go. How he behaved towards a respected person like Jupp Heynckes is wrong. “When a coach substitutes a player, it is the most normal thing in the world. Then the player has to go off, clap the new player coming in and wish him good luck. It's not just about respect for coach Heynckes, but also about respect for Wagner.”

Hitzfeld added: “Every striker is a bit of an egotist. He has to score goals and is measured on goals. That's his job. “But it is important that the team works. Lewandowski has shot himself in the foot with these actions because they will be criticised not only within the club, but also within the team.”

While condemning Lewandowski for failing to be a team player, Hitzfeld believes that a proven performer will remain at Bayern for the 2018-19 campaign.Real are already reported to have shifted their attention elsewhere in pursuit of a new frontman, while those in Bavaria have no need to sanction the sale of a prized asset.

“Bayern do not need money, they do not have to take millions to sign a new player,” added Hitzfeld.“Bayern Munich are very healthy and stable, a leading club which everyone has respect for.

“I believe that Lewandowski has a new advisor who wants to offer the player everywhere, of course, who wants to push the price up a bit and maybe even raise his own salary. But it's ultimately about Lewandowski - and I'm very angry about his latest performance. That's not Bayern Munich-like.”

 

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LA Liga Fixtures 2018.05.12

LA Liga Fixtures 2018.05.12​

Real Sociedad Vs Leganes

Alaves Vs Athletic Bilabo

Deportivo Vs Villareal

Eibar Vs Las Palmas

Getafe Vs Atletico Madrid

Girona Vs Valencia

Real Betis Vs Sevilla

Real Madrid Vs Celta Vigo​

 

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Serie A Fixtures 2018.05.12

Serie A Fixtures 2018.05.12

Benevento Vs Genoa

Inter Vs Sassuolo​

 

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Bundesliga Fixtures 2018.05.12

Bundesliga Fixtures 2018.05.12


Leverkusen Vs Hannover

Bayern Vs Stuttgart

Hamburg Vs Monchengladbach

Hertha Berlin Vs Leipzig

Hoffenheim Vs Dortmund

Mainz Vs Werder Bremen

Freiburg Vs Augsburg

Schalke Vs Frankfurt

Wolfsburg Vs Cologne​

 

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Marcelo: I'd love to play with Neymar at Madrid


Real Madrid full-back Marcelo would love to play with Neymar at the European giants.

Neymar, 26, has been strongly linked with a move to Madrid in the off-season, although Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi insisted Saturday the Brazil international was going nowhere.Marcelo would welcome his international team-mate to the Santiago Bernabeu, but said he was not trying to talk Neymar into a move.

"The best come to Madrid and I would love to play with Neymar," he said after playing his 450th game for the club in a 6-0 thrashing of Celta Vigo ."When I talk to Neymar, I'm not talking about Real Madrid or leaving PSG."Marcelo and Neymar are set to combine for Brazil at the World Cup, with the nation drawn with Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia in Group E in Russia.

However, Marcelo – who celebrated his 30th birthday Saturday – insisted their focus would be on the showpiece event, not transfer talk."We will be in Russia to play something very important," he said."We will not be talking about signings. We will be representing our country."

 

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'Neymar 2000% staying at PSG' - Al-Khelaifi dismisses Real Madrid talk


Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is "2000 per cent" sure Neymar will not leave the club in the next transfer window.

The Brazil star continues to be linked to Real Madrid, less than one year after his world record €222 million (£201m/$264m) move to the French capital from Barcelona.Contracted to PSG for another four years and focusing on his return from injury ahead of the World Cup, Neymar has stayed quiet on a potential move.

And his club's chief insists there is no chance of the 26-year-old leaving any time soon, insisting the talk has been a fabrication from the media.

"Who says he can not stay here? Did anyone say that? No one," he said to reporters. "He has a contract with us, and he will stay, 2000%."Spanish media are still working for Spanish clubs and against the frenc clubs. And the french media I don't know who they are working for." The rumours linking Neymar to the Santiago Bernabeu picked up this week when Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said he and Cristiano Ronaldo would be compatible.

He has also been urged to make the switch by compatriot Vinicius Junior, who will soon arrive at Madrid, and Brazil legend Rivaldo, who believes it is his only path to becoming the best in the world.Previously, outgoing PSG boss Unai Emery suggested the former Santos hero is not entirely happy in France, saying: "He goes to his house and shuts himself off.

"He's not there every day, but he's not yet immersed himself 100% in Paris, the French league, the difficulties, the different football."However, the coach has previously maintained that, while he may be on the way out this summer, Neymar is not.

Neymar has been out of action since the end of February with a foot injury but scored 19 goals in 20 appearances in Ligue 1.

 

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Paris Saint-Germain 0 Rennes 2: Trophy presentation spoiled by rare home defeat

Paris Saint-Germain's 41-match league unbeaten run at Parc des Princes came to a disappointing end as Rennes secured a shock 2-0 win on Saturday.

Billed as a celebration of the retiring Thiago Motta, the midfielder partly had himself to blame for the tainted farewell as he gave away the penalty that Benjamin Bourigeaud converted for the opener soon after half-time.Adrien Hunou was the man to have been felled for the spot-kick and the forward capped the upset by latching on to a long ball with 19 minutes remaining, bringing an end to PSG's hopes of surpassing their own Ligue 1 record of 96 points.




Unai Emery, who is due to follow Motta out of the exit door at the end of the season, made four changes to the team that beat Les Herbiers in the Coupe de France final in midweek and was served a sluggish performance.

He could have done with the attacking spark of Neymar, who watched from the stands and later joined his team-mates for the trophy presentation ahead of a return to training with the ball on Sunday.

While that alone is cause for celebration among Brazil fans hopeful of his World Cup fitness, there was less reason to be cheery among PSG supporters as the final home match of a season in which they have completed a treble marked something of a low note.


Emery's decision to rest Edinson Cavani saw Christopher Nkunku join Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria in a rejigged front three and the latter almost broke the deadlock in the 10th minute, his thumping strike from just outside the area coming back off the underside of the crossbar.Rennes, aside from that early scare, appeared more comfortable during the opening exchanges than they had in shipping 13 goals across the teams' previous three competitive meetings this term.

They still might have fallen behind midway through a scoreless first half had the unmarked Nkunku not scuffed a finish that was tipped over by Tomas Koubek, while Mbappe also offered a reprieve by slicing harmlessly high from Di Maria's cut-back.Instead, it was the visitors who took a shock lead from the the penalty spot in the 52nd minute, Bourigeaud converting low into the bottom right corner after Hunou had been dragged to the ground by Motta.

PSG set about finding an equaliser and their desperation to restore parity was evident in a Di Maria dive on the hour for which the Argentina international was fortunate to escape a booking.Giovani Lo Celso had slightly more convincing appeals for a penalty waved away soon after, but the hosts would only find themselves further behind with just under 20 minutes remaining.

Hunou outpaced Presnel Kimpembe to reach Jeremy Gelin's ball over the top and clinically volley first-time past Kevin Trapp.Rennes held on amid occasional late pressure and are now assured of a Europa League berth regardless of their final day result against Montpellier, while PSG will look to snap what is now a three-match Ligue 1 winless run in their trip to Caen.

 

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Inter 1 Sassuolo 2: Nerazzurri's Champions League aspirations dealt serious blow

Matteo Politano's free-kick and Domenico Berardi's wonder strike left Inter's Champions League aspirations hanging by a thread after they fell to a 2-1 home defeat against Sassuolo.

Luciano Spalletti's men were left to rue their profligacy in front of goal as Giuseppe Iachini's side secured a domestic double over the Nerazzurri, whose top-four hopes in Serie A may have taken a potentially fatal blow.Politano's 25th-minute free-kick left the hosts stunned and Berardi's brilliant top-corner finish looked to have put the game to bed in the second half.




Rafinha's well-taken strike 11 minutes from time set up a frantic finish from the hosts as they desperately tried to salvage an equaliser at San Siro, but Sassuolo held out for the win.Inter now rely on rivals Lazio, who are two points ahead with a game in hand, failing to defeat already-relegated Crotone on Sunday to keep their chances alive.

The pair then meet on the final weekend in a match where Inter will hope they can still seal a return to Europe's premier club competition for the first time since 2012.The hosts started with plenty of intent but, aside from Marcelo Brozovic's left-footed strike from outside the penalty area, Inter seldom troubled the opposition.


Sassuolo initially defended deep but soon put a stamp on the game and were rewarded in the 25th minute when Politano blindsided Samir Handanovic by slotting a 20-yard free-kick beneath a fragmented Inter defensive wall.The Nerazzurri sought to recover their early spark and Brozovic saw a close-range strike disallowed for offside three minutes before the break.

Shortly after, Sassuolo goalkeeper Andrea Consigli made a stunning save by diving across goal to deny Mauro Icardi after initially being caught out by Ivan Perisic's cross into the box.Inter pressed for an equaliser after the interval, with Rafinha twice foiled at close range by Consigli.

But it was the visitors who extended their lead in some style when Berardi collected a pass deep in opposition territory, stepped past Milan Skriniar and curled a beautiful effort into the top-left corner.That looked to have wrapped things up but, eight minutes later, Rafinha drilled an Ivan Perisic pass through a crowded box with the ball striking the far-right post and nestling in the goal.

It set up a hectic finale where Inter threw everything they had at their opponents, but they were unable to rescue a point and head into next week knowing they need snookers to make the top four.

 

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Real Madrid 6 Celta Vigo 0: Brilliant Bale inspires rout

Gareth Bale continued a fine run of recent form to further press his claims for a starting place against Liverpool in the Champions League final with a brace in Real Madrid's 6-0 thrashing of Celta Vigo.Bale was confined to the Madrid bench in every Champions League knockout match this season with the exception of the home quarter-final against Juventus, where he was substituted at half-time.

But the Wales star has put injury woes behind him to enter LaLiga's final straight with a flourish and Sunday's brilliant double - on the back of a fine equaliser in last weekend's 2-2 Clasico draw at Barcelona - took him on to 18 goals for the season in all competitions.




A majestic third from Isco put the result beyond any doubt and teenage full-back Achraf Hakimi piled on further misery for Celta boss and former Barca assistant Juan Carlos Unzue, who saw defender Sergi Gomez put through his own goal 16 minutes from time.

Toni Kroos - the creative force behind many of Madrid's best moments - completed the scoring as Los Blancos bid for a third consecutive European crown in Kiev nears.Before that, Zinedine Zidane's men could still pip Atletico Madrid to second behind Barcelona on LaLiga's final weekend if they win at Villarreal and their neighbours - Europa League finalists this Wednesday - lose to Eibar.


Luka Modric's exquisite 13th-minute througball gave Bale the edge on the Celta defence to clip in a finish via the inside of the right post.

Some comical Madrid defending briefly looked to have brought Celta level but Daniel Wass was in an offside position when he cut back for Maxi Gomez to finish, although Casemiro was fortunate not to be punished for bundling Brais Mendez to the floor before the ball fell to Wass.Achraf should have done better than a tame shot across goal after Kroos became the latest Madrid midfielder to exploit the space in behind Celta left-back Jonny, who was then embarrassed by Bale's sublime second.

Isco floated a pass deep into Celta's problem left channel, where a rampant Bale cut inside by nutmegging Jonny and lashed into the top corner from a narrow angle.It was swiftly three by the 32nd minute, Isco unfurling a glorious strike to equal Bale's moments earlier that arced over a helpless Sergio Alvarez into the top right corner.

Keylor Navas reacted sharply to keep out Wass' 40th-minute header, by which point Madrid were already operating at cruise control.Achraf gained reward for his relentless raids forward seven minutes into the second half as he gathered Karim Benzema's neat lay-off and fired through Alvarez's legs.The Celta goalkeeper kept out a header before the hour to deny Bale his hat-trick and the officials erred in disallowing Benzema's follow-up for offside.

Bale fired too close to Alvarez before the unfortunate Sergi Gomez slid a cross from Madrid substitute Marco Asensio into his own net.Alvarez emerged from a chastening outing with credit and denied Asensio's fellow replacement Borja Mayoral at close quarters before Kroos coolly found the corner.

 

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Valverde challenges Barcelona to make La Liga history


Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde insists the prospect of an undefeated La Liga campaign is driving his champions on towards the season finishing line.

Expectations were kept in check at Camp Nou when Valverde's arrival as Luis Enrique's successor was followed by Neymar's shock departure to Paris Saint-Germain, a frantic transfer market response and a Supercopa de Espana thumping at the hands of Real Madrid.But Barca's bitter rivals Madrid have been emphatically deposed as champions by Lionel Messi and his colleagues.

Victory at Deportivo La Coruna last month sealed the title with four games to spare and an action-packed Clasico draw on home turf was followed by a 5-1 midweek demolition of Europa League hopefuls Villarreal.Speaking ahead of Sunday's trip to Levante, Valverde confirmed it is the prospect of being the first La Liga "invincibles" since it was an 18-game competition in the 1930s is fuelling a squad beginning to cast glances towards the 2018 World Cup.

"In principle, this is never a goal of a season [to remain undefeated] but now that we've won the league we need motivations and this is a very, very clear one," the 54-year-old told a news conference. "You have to remember it's a very, very long time since a team went unbeaten through a league season."Our main objectives for the season are already completed, so now let's see if we can make some history."

Providing Levante are kept at bay, Valverde's quest for sporting immortality will have to negotiate an unusual twist after a friendly match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Barcelona was confirmed for next Wednesday in South Africa, as part of celebrations to mark Nelson Mandela's centenary.

"It's certainly not a normal situation but it's something that we will do as well as we can," the head coach explained, with a home match to come against Real Sociedad on La Liga's final day."Let's hope it causes no problems as far as the players are concerned, but it is an honour to be able to go and play in this game.

"We take this a as training session, a strange one. The idea is to take two teams and not take too many risks."It’s a nice thing to do on the back of winning the league championship. We'll try to do this so it is positive and do things as well as we can."

 

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Getafe 0 Atletico Madrid 1: Koke strike settles ill-tempered clash

Atletico Madrid all but secured second place in LaLiga with a 1-0 win over Getafe in a combative clash at Coliseum Alfonso Perez.

Koke's early strike settled the contest and effectively made certain that Atletico cannot be caught by third-place Real Madrid in the table, with Jan Oblak making a crucial second-half penalty save to preserve the win.

Getafe's defeat, combined with Sevilla's draw with Real Betis in the derby, means Jose Bordalas' side now cannot finish in the top seven and earn a Europa League place.




Diego Simeone surprisingly named a full-strength starting line-up for the game, despite having the Europa League final just four days away, but Atleti made the most of some early dominance through a fine Koke finish.Chances were otherwise limited in a fiercely-fought contest, although Faycal Fajr, who was lucky not to be sent off in the first half for a crude challenge, saw a spot-kick brilliantly kept out by Oblak.

Diego Costa, Antoine Griezmann and Koke were all wisely taken off in the second half to spare them any injury worries ahead of the trip to Lyon, where Atletico will look to end their season on a high against Marseille.


Atleti wasted little time in taking control of their Madrid neighbours, as Koke collected Griezmann's pass to rifle home across Vicente Guaita's goal to secure the lead eight minutes in. Costa, without a LaLiga goal since February, shot straight at Guaita when through one-on-one but was spared his blushes by the offside flag, before Griezmann nearly caught out the Getafe keeper with a looping free-kick.

The half ended in scrappy fashion and there were concerns for Atleti when Juanfran required treatment to his foot after a poor challenge from Fajr, while Gabi was lucky to escape at least a booking for a lunge on Loic Remy.Ex-Arsenal man Mathieu Flamini was another to benefit from the leniency of referee Javier Alberola Rojas, receiving only a booking for scything down Filipe Luis from behind, as tempers on the pitch remained frayed in the second half.



Simeone promptly took off Griezmann and Costa for Fernando Torres and Kevin Gamiero, his first-choice strikers having survived just over an hour of a bruising encounter.Getafe were given the chance to snatch a point when Angel Rodriguez went to ground under minimal contact from Diego Godin, but Oblak proved to be Atleti's hero, leaping low to his right to tip away Fajr's effort from 12 yards.

Torres blasted a volley high and wide from a good position and Gameiro was denied by Guaita, before Oblak tipped over a looping header from Angel in the 90th minute, as Atletico survived the closing stages to move within a point of claiming their highest finish in LaLiga since they won the title in 2013-14.

 

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Hoffenheim 3 Borussia Dortmund 1: Both sides edge out Leverkusen in thrilling top-four race

An entertaining encounter saw Hoffenheim edge Borussia Dortmund 3-1 on Saturday - a result which proved just enough for both sides to secure Champions League qualification.

With two of the top-four spots still to play for heading into a thrilling final round of Bundesliga action, these two sides were locked in a four-way tussle with Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig to see who would join Bayern Munich and Schalke as Germany's representatives at European football's top table for 2018-19.

Although Leipzig won handsomely at Hertha Berlin, other results did not go their way while Leverkusen's 3-2 success against Hannover saw them finish tied on 55 points with both of these teams, ultimately undone by a final goal difference inferior to Hoffenheim's and Dortmund's by just four and three respectively.Roman Burki's mistake gifted Andrej Kramaric the opener midway through the first half, but that lead was cancelled out by Marco Reus in the 58th minute.

Adam Szalai soon restored Hoffenheim's advantage, however, and Pavel Kaderabek's scrambled effort saw Hoffenheim leapfrog their opponents into third, leaving Dortmund in a perilous position just above Leverkusen.That left Leverkusen still needing a two-goal swing in their favour, but in chasing a fourth Heiko Herrlich's side conceded twice on the counter in the final minutes, effectively putting an end to their hopes and calming the frayed nerves of Dortmund.


Despite needing only a draw to achieve their objective, Dortmund gave little thought to taking a passive approach as Raphael Guerreiro forced Oliver Baumann into two strong saves inside 18 minutes.

Burki was similarly impressive in keeping out Kramaric's fierce drive shortly afterwards but the Dortmund goalkeeper's dreadful error allowed Hoffenheim to forge ahead in the 26th minute.Having got himself in a tangle after mis-controlling a simple backpass, Burki was harried by Mark Uth and his rushed clearance fell straight to the feet of Kramaric, who placed his shot into the bottom-left corner from the edge of the box.

Burki went some way to redeeming himself by thwarting Szalai from close range as Dortmund struggled to recover from falling behind, although they ought to have been level when Andre Schurrle fired wide after Reus sent him clean through on the break.

Hoffenheim began the second half brightly as Burki denied Szalai with his feet but somewhat against the run of play Dortmund equalised shortly before the hour.Guerreiro did superbly to get in down the left and he slipped in a ball for Reus, who was perhaps fortunate to take the pass in his stride before stabbing past Baumann from four yards.

Parity lasted only five minutes, however, as a fine team moved resulted in Kramaric playing in Szalai, who dinked the ball delightfully over the onrushing Burki.The hosts were celebrating again with 17 minutes to go following a mad scramble which saw Manuel Akanji clear brilliantly off the line and Burki deny Ermin Bicakcic's header, only for Kaderabek to volley in.

As news of Hannover's late goals began to filter through, both sides knew a top-four finish was assured and the last act of the match saw Dortmund send on veteran goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller in place of Burki for his final appearance before retirement.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Bayern Munich 1 Stuttgart 4: Champions stunned in Heynckes' farewell match

Bayern Munich finished the Bundesliga season with a shock 4-1 home defeat to Stuttgart, as the final league game of Jupp Heynckes' second spell in charge ended in disappointment.The champions were blown away by the visitors' slick counter-attack, as Anastasios Donis, Chadrac Akolo and a double from Daniel Ginczek ended their 38-match unbeaten run at home in the top flight.

The loss, only their fourth under Heynckes this season, somewhat soured the title celebrations at the Allianz Area, as Bayern got their hands on the trophy for the sixth season in a row while saying goodbye to their coach.




Heynckes – who will step down after the DFB-Pokal final – and former Bayern defender Holger Badstuber were given special tributes before kick-off, but Stuttgart looked determine to spoil the party and snatched the lead through Ginczek after only five minutes.

Corentin Tolisso equalised but Donis scored a brilliant second for Stuttgart just before half-time, and two goals in three minutes after the restart from Akolo and Ginczek again left the hosts stunned.

Bayern still celebrated their title win with gusto after full-time, while Stuttgart, who have taken 31 points since Tayfun Korkut took over in January, can now still qualify for the Europa League if Heynckes' side win the DFB-Pokal final against Eintracht Frankfurt.


The lively atmosphere was soon dampened when Ginczek tapped home at the far post after Donis burst easily past Rafinha and Mats Hummels to the right of the Bayern area.

Donis unluckily helped Bayern level the scores 21 minutes in, though. His deflection sent the ball to Robert Lewandowski, who dribbled his way into the box and was brought down by Ron-Robert Zieler, allowing Tolisso to side-foot into an empty net.

Zieler denied Lewandowski's point-blank header and clawed away a Tolisso strike from 12 yards, but Bayern were hit by another sucker punch on the counter before the interval. Donis stole the ball off the feet of Thiago Alcantara on halfway, left Hummels for dead and slotted a fine finish past Sven Ulreich.



Six minutes after the restart, the visitors stunned the Allianz with another sublime break. Ginczek combined with Emiliano Insua to carve open Bayern's right flank, and the full-back's first-time cross was nodded into the roof of the net via the turf by Akolo.

Bayern's remarkably lacklustre approach was punished further barely three minutes later. Erik Thommy's free header 12 yards out was well saved by Ulreich, but Ginczek poked in the rebound under no pressure from the watching defenders, as Stuttgart became only the second visiting team to score four times at the Allianz in a league match.

Thiago wasted a good chance to get a goal back in a quiet last half-hour, leaving Bayern to reflect on a first home league defeat since Mainz won 2-1 in March 2016, while Stuttgart must now hope for a favour in the cup final to seal a European spot.