..::Football IV::..

[Wolverine GTR]

'Mad' Pogba calls on Man Utd to 'wake up'


Paul Pogba admits everybody connected with Manchester United “should be mad” at their performance against Brighton, with the Red Devils urged to “wake up”.

Jose Mourinho's side headed to the Amex Stadium on Sunday buoyed by a narrow victory over Leicester on the opening weekend.They never looked like building on that success, with an error-strewn display seeing them suffer a 3-2 defeat on the south coast – with Pogba’s late penalty adding some respectability to the scoreline.

A marked improvement is now being demanded, with United’s stand-in captain hoping to see the pain of a setback against the Seagulls spark a positive response against Tottenham next Monday.Pogba told MUTV: "We always play for the shirt and the fans, this is not the result we or they wanted.

"They should be very mad. We should be mad. Everybody is mad. We are mad."The next game we want to change this. We want to be happy at the end of the game, with smiles on their faces and give the fans a nice weekend afterwards.

"We definitely don't want to lose two games in a row, so we're going to have to get ready and play much, much better than [on Sunday]."We're not here just to play games and be in the Premier League, we are here to win, we are Manchester United, and that's what we do.

"We want to win trophies, that's the mentality and the culture of the club. We didn't do it and we are very disappointed."There's lots of games still and we have to stay positive, and by staying positive is how we will fight for a good result against Tottenham."

Pogba has questioned United’s attitude and preparation against Brighton, with there no excuse for such a disjointed showing having produced similar during a 1-0 defeat to the same opposition back in May.

"That's two times in a row we have lost against them here," added the World Cup winner."I think that shouldn't happen. Last year we had almost maybe the same attitude [as Sunday], and it's not right.

"Myself first, should have done much better, less mistakes, control more the game.

"This was a bad performance for all of us. It's wrong we dropped points.
"You have to wake up for the next game and definitely not play like we did [against Brighton]."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

You can't leave a house three-quarters built – Neville urges United to back Mourinho


Gary Neville has called on Manchester United to support manager Jose Mourinho in the transfer market, insisting you "cannot leave a house three-quarters built" after Sunday's shock loss at Brighton.

Mourinho was left frustrated by a lack of transfer activity before the Premier League deadline after only Fred and Diogo Dalot arrived, and his concerns were laid bare as United crashed to a 3-2 defeat.

A new centre-back was Mourinho's top priority amid links with Tottenham star Toby Alderweireld and Leicester City's Harry Maguire but neither were signed, and United's partnership of Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof were exposed at The Amex as defensive errors contributied to the Red Devils' first loss of the season.

Dissecting United's result on the road, former captain Neville said Ed Woodward and the club's hierarchy must back Mourinho financially if they are to make up for the mistakes of the past following Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013.

"He is in his third season and I think he will feel extremely disappointed that he wasn't supported in the transfer market," Neville said on Sky Sports. "You can't leave a house three-quarters built. You have to finish it and complete the build. Then you can think about selling it or renting it because nobody is going to pick it up off you half-built.

"Manchester United have had a problem since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in the transfer market with David Moyes and then Louis van Gaal.

"You could argue £350 million to £400m of the £700m that has been spent has not been wasted, but it's not value for money."He needs further investment. It's obvious that he does and the club should support him in that because you can't withdraw part way through a process. They have to go for it.

"It will get better and Manchester United will get stronger and won't be easy to play against. I do think they will finish in the top four, but the top four historically has never been the benchmark of what Manchester United are. They have always judged themselves by Premier League titles.

"At this moment in time, that looks unlikely. Obviously it is still early in the season, but it does look unlikely that Manchester United are anywhere near good enough, as we sit here today."Forget everything else, that back four is not good enough to win a Premier League title. Let's start and finish with that.

"The goalkeeper is the best in the world, the midfield is strong with Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Fred and up front there is Romelu Lukaku, Anthony Martial, Alexis Sanchez, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and a lot of good players. But that back four looks like it will always cause problems and always concede goals. It doesn't have authority and that is a problem."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Real Madrid 2 Getafe 0: Bale gives Lopetegui first LaLiga win

Real Madrid begun their first LaLiga campaign under Julen Lopetegui with a 2-0 win over Getafe at the Santiago Bernabeu.

In the first league game since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to Juventus, Gareth Bale seized his chance to impress, setting up Dani Carvajal for the opening goal before scoring the second himself after the break.

Lopetegui suffered a 4-2 defeat to rivals Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup in his first competitive game in charge, but a 10th league win in a row over Getafe looked likely once Carvajal broke the deadlock.

Madrid, who started Keylor Navas over Thibaut Courtois in goal, were not quite firing on all cylinders but never looked likely to throw away a result given Getafe did not manage a shot until the 69th minute.Bale, starting wide on the right, hit the bar with a diving header early on before Carvajal made it 1-0 20 minutes in, nodding the ball over David Soria after the keeper had punched Bale's cross half-clear.

Getafe handed them a second goal six minutes after the restart, when Bale's shot was parried into the net by Soria after Marco Asensio had stolen the ball from centre-back Djene Dakonam, giving Lopetegui a satisfactory start to life in the top flight.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'We did not deserve to win' - Pogba slams Man Utd's attitude after Brighton defeat


Manchester United star Paul Pogba has accused his team-mates of not showing the right attitude after falling to a 3-2 defeat to Brighton.

Having started the Premier League season with an unconvincing victory over Leicester City, United's limitations were shown up on Sunday. Glen Murray, Shane Duffy and Pascal Gross did the damage for Brighton in the first half, with Romelu Lukaku scoring the Red Devils' only goal before the break.

Pogba added some respectability to the scoreline in injury time from the penalty spot, but he was not happy with the performance.


"We lost, we did not deserve to win," he told Sky Sports ."The attitude we had was not like we wanted to beat them, they had more hunger than us.

"I put myself first, my attitude wasn’t right enough, we keep trying and pushing, and it is going to be a big lesson for us."When asked about a disastrous first-half display, Pogba refused to state whether manager Jose Mourinho was at fault.

"The first half, I think you should ask him. I don’t want to talk for other people, I think you should ask him," he added.United lie in 10th place after the first two rounds of Premier League action, having accrued three points so far.


The likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham have all made perfect starts to the season and enjoy a three-point advantage over Mourinho's men.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'We did not deserve to win' - Pogba slams Man Utd's attitude after Brighton defeat

Playing style ekanam kohomath wenas wenna one.meh widiyata play karalanam EPL title thiya Top 4 hopes thiyagannath amarui
​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Lopetegui pleased with Bale and Real Madrid after La Liga opener


Julen Lopetegui praised goalscorer Gareth Bale and European champions Real Madrid as the former Spain boss celebrated his first La Liga victory.

Taking charge of his maiden league match as Madrid head coach after replacing Zinedine Zidane, Lopetegui oversaw Madrid's 2-0 win over Getafe at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.Madrid suffered a 4-2 extra-time defeat to rivals Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup last time out but Lopetegui's

men bounced back thanks to Bale and Dani Carvajal.


After Carvajal opened the scoring in the 20th minute, Bale – headlining Madrid's forward line following Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Juventus – doubled the lead six minutes into the second half.

Discussing Bale's performance afterwards, Lopetegui told reporters: "I liked the team's performance in general and Bale had a very good match.

"He offers lots of different things, like the other players. We must continue working, the team always comes before individual talent and that goes for Bale too."

Lopetegui added: "We're satisfied with the win and happy because the team did a lot right. There's still room for improvement at this stage of the season, as with all teams. We played with intensity, played as a team and scored two goals against a side who had the third best defensive record last season and who came here and made things difficult."There was no debut for Thibaut Courtois in the Spanish capital as Keylor Navas retained his place against Getafe.


A high-profile arrival from Chelsea, Belgium international Courtois sat out the Super Cup clash and he had to settle for a place on the bench for Sunday's league opener.

"We'll be running with three goalkeepers in the squad. We're delighted with the competition for the goalkeeper's jersey. It's marvellous and I don't see it as a problem, but rather see it as us having several options," Lopetegui said."We'll make decisions as the season progresses. We're really happy with the performance levels of our goalkeepers."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Mourinho will be gone before Christmas' - Man Utd boss 'wrong man for the job', says Sharpe


Jose Mourinho is “the wrong man for the job” at Manchester United, says Lee Sharpe, with the Portuguese set to be “gone before Christmas”.

The Red Devils moved to bring in Mourinho after seeing David Moyes and Louis van Gaal fail to inspire confidence and lift the mood around Old Trafford in the wake of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.Mourinho was able to deliver three trophies in his debut campaign, but ended 2017-18 empty-handed and saw his hands tied over the summer during a frustrating transfer market.

He has now overseen a stuttering start to the new season , with a narrow win over Leicester followed by a 3-2 defeat at Brighton, and Sharpe believes the “dour” 55-year-old is on borrowed time.

The former United winger told Press Association Sport : “[Mourinho] is the wrong man for the job.“When he came to Chelsea the first time he was quite charming and fun, but now he just seems dour and fed up.

“He’s moaned about not signing new players and not bigging up the ones he’s got.“The football’s not entertaining and what makes it twice as bad is that their two biggest rivals, Man City and Liverpool, do play exciting football.

“His negative style does not fit in with the expansive football that United fans want. I think he’ll be gone before Christmas.”Sharpe is also of the opinion that Mourinho's public questioning of high-profile figures has done little to build collective harmony around Old Trafford.

The ex-England international added: “I do not think Mourinho has handled the [Paul] Pogba situation very well.“It was the same with Luke Shaw before that. Any views should be kept in-house and not appear in the press.

“Mourinho talks about class [he accused Manchester City of lacking it by making their Amazon TV series] but that is the sign of class in my eyes.“Every player who played for Sir Alex Ferguson – whether they liked him or not – respected him because you knew that any grievances would not be aired in the press.”

United were expected to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title this season, but Sharpe admits the early indications are that they could be left scrapping it out for a top-four finish.“I think United fans accepted second last year because they were behind a City side breaking loads of records,” he said.

“But, if they are down in third and fourth and playing rubbish, are the fans and the board, in particular, still going to put up with that? I’m not so sure.”

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barclays Premier League Fixture 2018.08.20

Barclays Premier League Fixture 2018.08.20

Crystal Palace Vs Liverpool

​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Don't three-quarters build your house' - Neville attacks Woodward's lack of Man Utd spending


Manchester United legend Gary Neville has hit out at club chief Ed Woodward for not backing Jose Mourinho in the transfer market.Mourinho failed to bring in a new centre-back during the summer transfer window, leaving the Red Devils boss frustrated with his team's lack of action.

United had been linked with a number of defenders including Yerry Mina, Harry Maguire and Toby Alderweireld, but Mourinho was forced to start the season with the same centre-backs as last year.

Former defender Neville was not happy with Woodward's decision not to give Mourinho the money he wanted for transfers, claiming that the club should support him fully on and off the field.

“Jose won’t take messing off anybody," Neville said on Sky Sports.“Woodward was saying why we didn’t sign these centre-backs: ‘This is why we didn’t support Jose in the transfer market.' Justifying to the media why he didn’t back his manager. Well, it’s too late for that.

“You gave him a contract extension in January, so back him to the end. My view is he should stay to the very end of that contract and be backed until the end of it.Don’t get me the wrong. The club have supported Jose Mourinho and given him a lot of money. But you cannot go half-rosy.

“Don’t three-quarters build a house. You have to finish. They had to finish it if they wanted to give him that contract extension in January.”

Neville also provided his own analysis of the Red Devils defence, believing that the current backline is not one that can challenge for the Premier League title.Mourinho started Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof in central defence with Luke Shaw and Ashley Young out wide on Saturday, but saw them fail to perform their jobs adequately as Brighton recorded a shock 3-2 victory.

Neville blames Woodward for the club's defensive failings, as he failed to allow Mourinho to sign someone like Maguire or Alderweireld to provide more defensive stability. “With Man Utd’s back four, I don’t think they can win the league," Neville continued.

“Irrespective of the manager, Man Utd need new centre-backs. My view is Maguire and Alderweireld would have been good options. If it costs them £120 million ($153m) to bring them in, that is what you have to do in backing Jose Mourinho.

“If Ed Woodward was going to doubt Jose Mourinho, the time to doubt him was at the point whereby he should have said he wouldn’t have given him a new contract in January.

“The minute he gave him a contract extension -- which some say was unnecessary partway a season – and by showing him faith, he had to buy him the centre-backs.”

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Don't three-quarters build your house' - Neville attacks Woodward's lack of Man Utd spending

Ow Woodward kawa summer window eka​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Crystal Palace 0 Liverpool 2: Milner and Mane secure victory at Selhurst Park

Goals from James Milner and Sadio Mane clinched a 2-0 victory at 10-man Crystal Palace as Liverpool maintained their 100 per cent record at the start of the new Premier League season.

The visitors had won on their last three visits to Selhurst Park but struggled on this occasion to open up the determined Eagles, managed by former Liverpool and England boss Roy Hodgson, in Monday's clash.However, Milner crucially converted from the penalty spot after a foul on Mohamed Salah at the end of the first half, with Mane's breakaway goal wrapping up the points deep into stoppage time.

Palace opened their campaign by winning at Fulham but never looked likely to equalise after falling behind, especially once the otherwise outstanding Aaron Wan-Bissaka saw red for a clumsy foul on Salah, with Jurgen Klopp's men looking on track for a title challenge.

Liverpool thought they had scored in the 21st minute as Wayne Hennessey inadvertently threw the ball in his own net, but referee Michael Oliver gave a foul for Mane's challenge on the Wales goalkeeper, who also collided with team-mate Wan-Bissaka in mid-air.

Naby Keita sent Salah racing clear but while last season's Golden Boot winner collected the ball neatly, his lobbed finish easily cleared the crossbar. Andros Townsend was closer at the other end, though, seeing a 30-yard curler crash back off the woodwork.But Liverpool took the lead on the stroke of half-time, Milner confidently tucking home a penalty when former Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho was adjudged to have tripped Salah in the box.

Luka Milivojevic's free-kick forced a flying save from Alisson early in the second half, but hopes of a home fightback were extinguished with 15 minutes to go when Wan-Bissaka walked for bumping over Salah as the Egypt international raced through on goal.

And Palace were duly caught out in the 93rd minute, Salah sending Mane through as Liverpool countered from defending a corner, the Senegal forward holding off Patrick van Aanholt before rounding Hennessey to tuck in his sixth goal in eight games against the Eagles.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Salah can play much better' - Klopp demands more from Liverpool star


Jurgen Klopp felt Mohamed Salah underperformed in Liverpool's 2-0 Premier League win at Crystal Palace despite the Egypt forward's involvement in both goals.Salah was fouled by Mamadou Sakho inside the penalty area at the end of the first half, allowing James Milner to score from the spot and put the Reds in front.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka was dismissed with 15 minutes to go for bundling over Salah, who went on to send Sadio Mane racing clear to wrap up the points with a stoppage-time finish.

But while Salah made a decisive impact he was surprisingly wasteful in front of goal, including lifting a lob over the crossbar after controlling Naby Keita's sensational long pass."There's nothing to say about individual performances, but Mo Salah can play much better, that's obvious," Klopp told reporters.

"Yet he was decisively involved in both goals, that's two assists pretty much, so I am fine with that."We can play much better as a team, that means immediately he is involved more, and that's all good."

While Klopp called for more from Liverpool's leading scorer from last season, the manager was thrilled with Alisson, who recorded a second consecutive clean sheet.

The Brazil international – who acrobatically kept out Luka Milivojevic’s free-kick early in the second half – has quickly settled into life at his new club following his arrival from Roma."The free-kick save was outstanding," Klopp said of Alisson's eye-catching stop. "I saw it, it was not the goalkeeper’s corner, so it was quite impressive. So was the save from the [Christian] Benteke header.

"Around each set-piece, Palace block the goalkeeper and [Virgil] van Dijk, and both were most decisive in these situations. They worked through the forest of people. That was all good.

"But it was not a brilliant football game from us. We won it because we scored in two very decisive moments. That’s good, a big step for us. Everyone who watches us knows if we are not brilliant we usually lose. Today we were not brilliant but we still won. That was nice!"

Having preserved their perfect start, Liverpool next face Brighton at home at Anfield on August 25.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Valencia 1 Atletico Madrid 1: Rodrigo strikes to deny Simeone's side

Atletico Madrid failed to follow up their victory over city rivals Real in the UEFA Super Cup as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Valencia in their LaLiga opener.

Diego Simeone’s men triumphed 4-2 after extra time in Tallinn last week but threw away a one-goal advantage to pick up just a solitary point from their trip to Mestalla.The lively Angel Correa gave Atleti the lead after 26 minutes, before Rodrigo Moreno drew Valencia level in the early stages of the second half.

Rodrigo's goal marks the first time Valencia have scored against Atleti in their last five league encounters.Valencia have been busy in the transfer market during the close-season and new recruit Daniel Wass almost made an instant impact when he went close with a dipping effort from distance after four minutes.

Diego Costa was the first man in an Atleti shirt to get a proper sight of goal but saw goalkeeper Neto get down well to keep out his left-footed shot from the centre of the box in the 15th minute.The visitors’ opener arrived 11 minutes later when Antoine Griezmann split the Valencia defence with a throughball that Correa latched on to and slotted past Neto.


Rodrigo's attempt to produce an immediate response from 20 yards flew over the crossbar, but he was not to be denied after the interval.Wass lifted a superb volleyed cross into the box, which Rodrigo took down on his chest and blasted into the back of the net.

It could have been 2-1 moments later, when Gabriel Paulista arrowed a header at the right-hand post from a corner, and Atleti may be relieved to take home anything from a tricky start to the campaign.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Real Madrid warned they must pay Rodrigo's €120m release clause


Real Madrid have been warned by Valencia's director general Mateu Alemany that they must pay Rodrigo Moreno's €120m (£108m/$139m) release clause if they want to sign him.

The forward has been linked with a move to the European champions, with head coach Julen Lopetegui said to be keen on a reunion with a player he knows well from his time in charge of both Spain's Under-21 and senior side.Alemany admits there is little Valencia can do to stop a move if Rodrigo's buyout clause is met, but he is confident the 27-year-old will snub a return to the club he joined as a youngster back in 2009.

"I'm not in contact with them [Real Madrid]," Alemany told BeIN SPORT when asked about Rodrigo, who scored 16 goals in LaLiga last season and equalised in the opening game of this term, against Atletico Madrid on Monday."If they offer €120million, there's nothing we can do, but Rodrigo seems to be very happy and motivated here."Rodrigo is very important for us and we want him to stay."

Alemany is also pessimistic about the prospect of bringing Goncalo Guedes back to the club on a permanent deal.Valencia are said to have reserved the number seven shirt for the 21-year-old, who spent last term on loan at Mestalla from Paris Saint-Germain.

However, it seems negotiations over a deal are far from concluded, with PSG said to be looking to recoup €50m for the winger."His desire is to come, he's been an important player for the club and the fans, but we have the difficulty of both the team he belongs to and his quality," said Alemany.

"The price is very high, and we have to take into account our financial situation. We work to be prudent, we work for him to come, but we're ready in case he doesn't."

Valencia drew 1-1 in their opening encounter of the new season against Atletico Madrid and next face Espanyol on August 26.Real Madrid meanwhile got off to a winning start with a 2-0 victory over Getafe and will meet Girona on the same day.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Pogba should be world's best, but he's not' - Man Utd star 'not producing', says Sharpe


Paul Pogba “should be one of the best players in the world”, says Lee Sharpe, with the Manchester United midfielder falling short of that level as “his standard has not been good enough”.Consistency has been an issue for the France international throughout a second spell at Old Trafford.He returned to England in the summer of 2016, with Jose Mourinho breaking United’s transfer record when completing an £89 million ($114m) deal.

Pogba, who is now 25 years of age, was expected to reach his peak with the Red Devils after establishing himself as a global star at Juventus.

He has, however, often failed to deliver – despite now being a World Cup winner – and Sharpe believes there is no way he can be placed alongside the finest talent on the planet.The former United winger told talkSPORT : “His standard has not been good enough has it.

“We’ve seen the standard he has set for France, the guy is 6 ft 4in and he can do everything in a football match, but he doesn’t produce it often enough in a red shirt.“We don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors properly, we don’t know what he’s been told or what his direction from the manager is.

“But he’s certainly not producing what he can do, week-in, week-out.“He should be one of the best players in the world and turning it on every week.
“But, for some reason he’s not.”

Pogba’s performances for France over the summer, as they swept to global glory in Russia, showed what he is capable of when playing with freedom and confidence.A return to Old Trafford has seen him caught up in another storm regarding a supposed breakdown in his working relationship with Jose Mourinho.

That saga is providing an unfortunate backdrop for United in 2018-19, with a stuttering start to the new season seeing them struggle to convince when beating Leicester and losing to Brighton – with Pogba having been on target from the penalty spot in both of those games.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Pjanic signs five-year contract extension at Juventus


Juventus have confirmed that midfield lynchpin Miralem Pjanic has signed a new deal that will keep the midfielder in Turin until June 2023.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international had been linked with a move away from the Allianz Stadium but has instead penned a new deal that will keep him with the Serie A champions for another five years.The 28-year-old joined from rivals Roma in 2016 and is a two-time winner of the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia during his tenure in Turin.

He made 44 appearances last season as Juventus reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, scoring seven goals.Having begun his career at Ligue 1 outfit Metz, Pjanic transferred to fellow French top-flight club Lyon where he made featured for them 121 times.

He moved to Roma in August 2011 where he established himself as a key player, topping the assist chart two seasons in a row, in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 campaigns.Those performances brought him to the attention of Juve, whom he joined for the fee of €32 million (£29m/$37m), taking the number five shirt.

His impressive performances, both home and abroad, had seen him capture the interest of various European clubs, with Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, Barcelona and Chelsea all linked to his signature.

However, his new five-year deal will keep him locked in at Juve for the foreseeable future, as the club pursue an eighth consecutive league title.In the international arena, Pjanic initially represented Luxembourg at U17 and U19 level, after he spent his childhood there following the outbreak of the Bosnian war.

However, after receiving a Bosnian passport in 2008, he switched allegiances to Bosnia and Herzegovina, for whom he has won 79 caps, ranking fifth on the team’s all-time appearance chart.He was a member of their squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, their only major tournament to date, and scored in their only win of the competition, a 3-1 victory against Iran.

Juventus kicked off their title defence with a 3-2 win over Chievo and next face Lazio at home on August 25.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'We did not talk about his future' - Scaloni unsure when Messi will return to Argentina fold


Argentina's interim coach Lionel Scaloni has admitted that he does not know when or if Lionel Messi will return to international football.

Scaloni, who famously received the nod ahead of Javier Zanetti in Argentina's 2006 World Cup squad, was appointed caretaker boss alongside Pablo Aimar when Jorge Sampaoli was relieved of his duties after a last-16 exit in Russia.

His first squad at the Albiceleste helm sees a host of new faces included, while the likes of Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria and Nicolas Otamendi are left out.

Messi's absence has been one of the big talking points, with some reports suggesting that he will play no further part in the national team for the rest of 2018, but Scaloni insists that he has not discussed the issue with Argentina's captain.

"I know you are all waiting for me to talk about him, so that is the only specific issue I will cover: we had a chat, after which we decided he would not be there," Scaloni told reporters in a press conference held on Tuesday, the first of his temporary Seleccion tenure. "It would be very unwise of me to tell Leo to stay at home and not come. There is no coach in the world who would benefit from Leo not being available."We did not talk about his future. He will not be in this call-up and we will see what happens in the next ones."

Scaloni also denied that some of Argentina's more experienced players had asked not to be picked for the coming friendlies, which will be played in the United States. "No player has dropped out of this squad. I spoke to several and all of them said they were available," he added.

"All the decisions made were for the good of the national team and to see what we can contribute in the future. We understand that right now we need these footballers, who have enormous potential. "Recently there has been some talk over whether some players could wear the shirt, now is the time for them to prove themselves."

Argentina face Guatemala in Los Angeles on September 7, before facing off against Colombia four days later in New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Zidane the ideal candidate to replace Mourinho at Man Utd' - Sharpe


Zinedine Zidane would be “the ideal candidate” to take the reins at Manchester United, says Lee Sharpe, with Jose Mourinho now “on trial again”.Discontent at Old Trafford has sparked talk that a managerial change could soon be on the way, with divides forming inside the camp from the boardroom to the playing field.

Sharpe, as a former Red Devils star, has already stated that he expects Mourinho to be gone before Christmas, with the Portuguese cutting a frustrated figure as he struggles to inspire his troops.

The former Chelsea boss is now being accused of lacking direction, with those working under a proven performer unaware of what is expected from a coach having “a bit of a sulk”.Sharpe told talkSPORT: “Mourinho is on trial again.“He’s never looked happy since he’s been at the club.“There just seems to be no plan at Man United. Nobody seems to know where they should be going and what they should be doing.

“I’ve heard a little whisper to say the manager is not really giving them a lot of instruction before games. He’s just picking the team and letting them get on with it.

“It seems to me that he hasn’t got the players in that he wanted this summner, and he’s gone into a bit of a sulk. He’s just let the players crack on and do their own thing.“When you’re moping around, moaning about who you haven’t been able to sign and about the lack of players you have, instead of bigging up the players you already have and filling them with confidence, I don’t think it’s good for team morale.”

If Sharpe’s prediction regarding Mourinho’s future is to prove correct, then the ex-England international believes a man who walked away from Real Madrid over the summer – having led them to three Champions League crowns and the Liga title – would be a shrewd appointment.

He added: “I think Zidane would be the ideal candidate.“He’s played at the highest level, managed at the highest level and has been successful at both.

“He’s a big enough name who could cope with the pressure and the questions asked of managing a club of that size so I think he would be ideal.”

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Real Madrid-linked Lewandowski reveals how Kovac helped keep him at Bayern


Robert Lewandowski has credited new Bayern Munich head coach Niko Kovac with playing a large role in keeping him at the Bundesliga champions.

Lewandowski spent much of the summer looking for an exit from Bayern, with the striker’s agent declaring it was time for him to take up a new challenge.Interest from the Premier League and Real Madrid followed, but the club were insistent they would not part with the reigning Bundesliga Golden Boot winner.

In an interview published Wednesday, Lewandowski told SportBild his frustrations with the club at the end of last season, saying he felt alone with no protection from critics.

However, he also declared his desire to remain thanks to the fans, and now has offered further credit to Bayern’s new head coach, Kovac, who left Eintracht Frankfurt to take over from Jupp Heynckes following the 2017-18 season.

"I had a really good discussion with Niko Kovac," Lewandowski told SportBild, in quotes published in the print edition. "He understood how I felt. The coach explained to me how he wanted to play. I liked that, and because of that decided I wanted to stay. My mind set changed that day."I know I’ve made mistakes, but I’m only human."Lewandowski also says Bayern’s insistence the club would not let him leave, along with sporting director’s Hasan Salihamidzic’s praise in calling him the world’s best striker, played a big role in allowing him to recommit to the Bundesliga champions.

"I realised how important I am for Bayern and they weren’t going to let me leave," he explained. "That shows the level and stability of the club.“That was the point I realised I wanted to give my all for the club once more. I’m looking forward to my future at the club and in Munich. My heart is fully at Bayern again."

While Lewandowski was frustrated by the criticism he received last season, he made no bones about wanting to improve on a frustrating finish to the season, which saw Bayern falter in the Champions League and the finals of the DFB-Pokal, along with the striker going goalless as Poland were eliminated from the World Cup in the group stage.

"The end of last season wasn’t good," Lewandowski said. "Not scoring in the semi-final against Real, losing the cup final, not scoring at the World Cup. That’s been motivation for me.

“I love playing football. I also know I need to work to be more successful. I want to push my boundaries and win more titles."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ronaldo-Messi comparisons over after Portugal star's Juventus switch - Valverde


Cristiano Ronaldo's individual battle with Lionel Messi could be over after his move from Real Madrid to Juventus, according to Barcelona head coach Ernesto Valverde.

Ronaldo and Messi vied for the right to lay claim to being Europe's best player during the nine years the former Manchester United forward spent at Madrid, but Valverde said his €112 million (£100m) switch to Serie A calls time on the pair's tussle.

Madrid finished third in La Liga in 2017-18, 17 points behind Valverde's champions - who also won the Copa Del Rey - but the Barca coach suggested this season would usher in a new era in Ronaldo's absence.

"Ronaldo leaving would seem to have ended the competition between Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo because people rarely mention one without mentioning the other," Valverde told the club's official magazine, Barca."A lot of people are interested, me too, to see how it will affect Real Madrid's football and what they might do in the transfer market."Also, knowing that Ronaldo is at another club and what that might mean for LaLiga and the Champions League too."

While Barcelona have been on top domestically, Madrid have won the Champions League in four of the past five seasons, with Ronaldo typically inspirational in their successes.Despite a domestic double, Valverde's first season in charge was marred by Barca's shock Champions League exit at the hands of Roma in the quarter-finals.

After taking a 4-1 lead into the second leg, Barca were beaten 3-0 and exited the competition on away goals at the Stadio Olimpico, with Valverde demanding greater focus in such situations.

"We had a horrible day against Roma and we have to be careful in those one-off situations," he said."In competitions like those, the Champions League or the World Cup, it can all come down to a single mistake on a single day. You have to be especially focused.

"I'd like to keep the same team spirit that we had last season. It's not always easy to do that throughout a whole season, especially in a team like ours that always plays to attack.

"Opponents generally haven't stopped us playing in matches and that's essential if you want to maintain your consistency and end up as champions. I think we have to keep that."He added: "We made a huge effort to always stick together, both in attack and defence."