..::Football IV::..

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'Man Utd aren't short of money!' - Berbatov wants to see two centre-halves signed in January


Manchester United are not “short of money” and need to land two centre-halves during the January transfer window, claims Dimitar Berbatov.The Red Devils spent much of the summer pursing defensive additions, only to be left empty-handed.

Jose Mourinho has continued to monitor the likes of Toby Alderweireld, with the Tottenham defender considered to figure on a wish list alongside the likes of Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin.

Berbatov believes United will need to dig deep in order to bring in two of those top targets, with frailties at the back continuing to hinder Mourinho’s cause.The former United striker has, however, warned that doing business over the winter will not be easy, or cheap.

"They need to reinforce at the back especially centre backs, one or two," Berbatov told The Mirror."In every other position they have several quality players and everything they need, so just defence needs reinforcing. Hopefully they can find one or two and then they should be okay.

"It’ll be more difficult in the winter transfer window then the summer one to make signings for Mourinho but he should be able to find one person he wants to bring in.

"So if there is someone he wants to bring in the board should listen to him because it’s obvious that the club aren’t perfect right now and aren’t in the position that they want to be in. They need to improve on that, if it means bringing one or two people, it shouldn’t be a problem."I mean it’s not like Manchester United are short of money."

While United remain in the hunt for fresh faces, they are also running the risk of losing other senior figures from their back line.The likes of David de Gea, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young are yet to commit to fresh terms and are generating exit speculation as a result.

Mourinho is hoping to keep key men on his books, while bringing in others alongside them, but faces a race against time to get deals done with those already at Old Trafford and potential stars of the future.

 

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'Man Utd aren't short of money!' - Berbatov wants to see two centre-halves signed in January

Centre-halves la 2nnek kesewethath ekkenk hari gatthanam godak hodai​

 

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Germany 2 Netherlands 2: Dramatic five-minute fightback seals Oranje progression

Netherlands scored twice in the final five minutes to snatch a 2-2 draw with Germany and secure a place in the Nations League Finals.Ronald Koeman's men had seemed certain to finish second behind France in Group 1 of League A when Timo Werner's first international goal since June and Leroy Sane's second in as many outings had Germany coasting.

Needing only a point to advance, Quincy Promes offered a late lifeline to the outplayed visitors as he cut the deficit in half before makeshift striker Virgil van Dijk completed a remarkable turnaround in the 90th minute with a volley.

The final result was an extension of Germany's annus horribilis as Netherlands rescued a dramatic draw to advance to the final four.

Germany's chance to add a positive finish to a miserable 2018 began brightly as RB Leipzig striker Werner rifled Serge Gnabry's flick-on into the bottom-left corner in the ninth minute.

Toni Kroos helped create the opener and next provided the lofted pass from which Sane doubled the advantage, the Manchester City man regathering possession and beating Jasper Cillessen courtesy of a deflection off Kenny Tete.

Netherlands' hopes appeared to be fading when Ryan Babel limped off clutching his hamstring and his replacement, Javairo Dilrosun, lasted only 20 minutes of the second half before a similar issue curtailed his debut.Werner had earlier dragged a promising opportunity past the far post, while substitute Marco Reus failed to tee up Sane for a tap-in amid a period Germany would come to rue.

Promes punished some poor defending in the 85th minute and captain Van Dijk then sucked the life out of substitute Thomas Muller's 100th international appearance for Die Mannschaft.

The defender's expert volley from Tonny Vilhena's cross miraculously sent Netherlands through at France's expense and condemned Joachim Low's side to a fifth competitive fixture without victory.

 

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Argentina 2 Mexico 0: Icardi, Dybala score first international goals



Mauro Icardi and Paulo Dybala ended their waits for first international goals to help Argentina to a 2-0 win over Mexico in a friendly on Tuesday.

Icardi scored in the second minute in Mendoza and Dybala sealed the win as Argentina made it back-to-back victories against Mexico this month.Playing his eighth international game, Icardi broke his duck early, while Dybala came off the bench to net his first in 18 Argentina appearances.

Since the World Cup and with Scaloni at the helm on an interim basis, Argentina have won four of six matches, losing just once – to Brazil last month, and have done so without Lionel Messi.

Despite a much-changed line-up, Argentina were ahead inside two minutes.Icardi did well to cushion down a long pass to Erik Lamela, who played in the Inter star before the forward cut inside and finished clinically for his first international goal.Henry Martin's ambitious overhead kick was Mexico's first effort, while Lamela curled a shot wide in the 19th minute.

Victor Guzman put a 25-yard free-kick over the crossbar approaching half-time, although Argentina were looking the far more likely.Lamela stung the palms of Mexico goalkeeper Jose de Jesus Corona with a free-kick early in the second half as the hosts looked to double their lead.

The visitors went close in the 69th minute, with debutant goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga making a good save to tip away a Jesus Gallardo header at the back post.Guzman tested Gazzaniga again in the 85th minute, but Argentina sealed their win on the counter-attack.

Giovanni Simeone made a blistering run down the left before squaring for Dybala, who side-footed in his maiden international goal.

 

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France 1 Uruguay 0: Giroud hits the spot after Mbappe injury blow

France overcame an injury to Kylian Mbappe as Olivier Giroud scored from the spot to earn a 1-0 friendly win over Uruguay.

Aiming to return to winning ways following their UEFA Nations League exit, France's task was made harder when Mbappe – who had squandered a great early chance – went off with a shoulder injury following an awkward collision with visiting goalkeeper Martin Campana.

But, having failed to score in the first half for a fourth successive game, France's luck changed when Martin Caceres was harshly adjudged to have handled Antoine Griezmann's effort.


Giroud made no mistake from the resulting penalty, ensuring that Mbappe's absence was not felt too much by Didier Deschamp's side.Giroud's shot into the side netting set the tone for a strong France start, and the hosts would have been ahead in the 16th minute had Mbappe kept his chip on target.The Paris Saint-Germain striker looked set to atone for that miss on the half-hour, but instead France were dealt a huge injury blow.

Having latched onto Tanguy Ndombele's defence-splitting pass, Mbappe was unable to avoid the onrushing Campana, landing heavily on his right shoulder and, despite attempting to carry on after receiving treatment, the youngster was replaced by Florian Thauvin.

France's pressure finally told early in the second half, though, with Giroud slotting home from 12 yards after Caceres was deemed to have intentionally used his arm to deny Griezmann's on-target effort.

They failed to build on that lead, however, and Jonathan Rodriguez nearly punished their profligacy late on, Hugo Lloris denying the substitute from close range to make sure Les Bleus ended a brilliant 2018 on a winning note

 

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Portugal 1 Poland 1: Milik penalty salvages precious point as Danilo sees red

Arkadiusz Milik converted a twice-taken penalty as Poland came from behind to draw 1-1 with 10-man Portugal in the Nations League.Poland were already relegated from Group 3 but, after Andre Silva scored to give Portugal a first-half lead, Milik's equaliser ensured Jerzy Brzeczek's side a share of the points and a place in pot 1 for the Euro 2020 qualifying draw at the expense of Germany.

Portugal, who clinched a place in the Nations League Finals with a goalless draw against Italy on Saturday, put in an improved display but Poland's physical approach helped them muscle their way back into the contest after the break.


Danilo Pereira felled Milik in the box in the 62nd minute and was shown a red card, with the striker having to score twice from 12 yards out after his initial attempt was ruled out due to encroachment. Renato Sanches was Portugal's most dangerous attacking outlet and it was his corner that was converted by Silva, whose flicked effort caught Wojciech Szczesny out to reach the net.

Poland almost hit back within minutes when Tomasz Kedziora sent a looping header onto the crossbar, the woodwork keeping Portugal ahead at half-time.
The second half was played at a faster pace and swung from end to end before Poland found a response just after the hour mark.

Danilo reached his arm across Milik's back as the Napoli forward bore down on goal and referee Sergey Karasev had no hesitation in sending off the Porto player, though the hosts held out for a draw after conceding from the spot.

 

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Italy 1 United States 0: Politano snatches late winner for Mancini's men


Matteo Politano came off the bench to snatch a late winner for Italy, breaking the deadlock in the 94th minute against United States.

Roberto Mancini's side toiled for much of Tuesday's international friendly in Genk but finally found a way to beat impressive goalkeeper Ethan Horvath with mere seconds remaining in added time.Politano only came on as a substitute with three minutes to play but he dashed into the box to finish sweetly at the end of a rare incisive attack from the Azzurri.

Italy have now kept three clean sheets in a row but Mancini will be concerned about how long it took his team to break down an inexperienced United States side.

Horvath denied Federico Chiesa in the third minute, the Fiorentina forward then rifling wide of the far post.In a lively start for the Azzurri, the busy Horvath blocked a Leonardo Bonucci effort after the centre-back was picked out by a clever free-kick from debutant Stefano Sensi.

Horvath tipped over a dipping 20-yard curler from Domenico Berardi in the 39th minute and had to be alert to push away Marco Verratti's inswinging free-kick as Italy kept pushing for the opener.Half-time substitute Vincenzo Grifo delivered a chipped cross that Verratti could not quite jump high enough to convert as the onslaught continued after the interval.

United States, for whom Christian Pulisic became their youngest captain of the modern era, finally recorded a shot in the 63rd minute when Kellyn Acosta's free-kick found Walker Zimmerman at the back post, but Salvatore Sirigu palmed the defender's header away.

Grifo forced yet another save from Horvath and teenage striker Moise Kean dragged a decent chance wide on his debut as Italy grew increasingly desperate.But in the last minute of added time, Verratti fed Roberto Gagliardini and the Inter midfielder laid off a clever pass for the onrushing Politano to collect and beat the unfortunate Horvath.

 

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Brazil 1 Cameroon 0: Richarlison fills Neymar's boots as skipper suffers injury

Richarlison continued an impressive start to his Brazil career with the only goal after replacing the injured Neymar in a 1-0 win over Cameroon in Milton Keynes.The Everton man arrived from the bench just eight minutes into Tuesday's friendly as Neymar went down with an apparent groin problem, but the captain's absence was only briefly felt.

Andre Onana's best efforts to keep Brazil off the scoresheet were thwarted on the stroke of half-time as Richarlison thundered in a fine header, his third goal for the senior side.


Further chances came and went, but the travelling samba stars secured another functional victory to close out 2018.Paris Saint-Germain will hope the Neymar news is not serious on a night when strike partner Kylian Mbappe also suffered an injury while playing for France.

Allan worked Onana early on after a smart turn in the area, yet Brazil were soon distracted by Neymar's ailment and consequent withdrawal.Minds were perhaps still elsewhere when Arthur's dallying presented Pierre Kunde with a clear opening that he dragged well wide, but Tite's men were soon back on the attack and Onana brilliantly denied Roberto Firmino from close range.Although Onana was at his best again before the break to turn away a Firmino header, the goalkeeper was soon beaten as Richarlison crashed home Willian's corner.

A bright start to the second half saw Stephane Bahoken poke agonisingly wide at one end, before substitute keeper Fabrice Ondoa incredibly presented Gabriel Jesus with an open goal as he rushed from his line, the Manchester City forward striking the post from a tight angle.

Arthur, too, worked the woodwork with a curler against the crossbar, while Ondoa atoned for his earlier error with a stunning double-stop from Jesus and Richarlison to limit Brazil, who were comfortable in the closing stages, to just the one goal.

 

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Real Madrid cleared to sign €25m River wonderkid Palacios after Libertadores final


River Plate wonderkid Exequiel Palacios will complete a €25 million (£22.3m/$28.4m) switch to Real Madrid to be announced after the Copa Libertadores final, Goal understands.

The 20-year-old midfielder has won rave reviews in 2018 for his performances with the Millonario, who have battled through to the decisive stage of South America's premier club competition.

That form has caught the eye of Madrid, with preliminary talks taking place despite initial River anger when the Spanish giants' interest went public without the consent of those in charge at the Monumental.

And while silence reigns on both sides of the negotiating table, no official statement will be made until the dust settles on Saturday's final second leg against arch-rivals Boca Juniors, with the tie poised at 2-2 after the opener.River had originally intended to sign a new deal with Palacios, a move that would not have swayed his decision to leave in January for Madrid but would have bumped his release clause from €15m to €30m.

Madrid, however, are willing to meet the Argentines in the middle to avoid the signing of an extension, offering €25m for the 75 per cent of Palacios' playing rights that are in the hands of the Nunez club - agent Renato Corsi, ex-player Marcelo Carracedo and Palacios himself hold the rest of his contract.

Goal understands that after initial overtures from Spain directed at River general manager Enzo Francescoli that initial bad blood has subsided, leaving no obstacle to negotiations. From November 25, the day after the final, River and Madrid will be free to sit down and negotiate a transfer that looks set to be discussed in an atmosphere of tranquility on all sides.

The Champions League holders, who may yet meet Palacios face to face in the Club World Cup should River down their rivals, are naturally not the only team watching the roving midfielder with interest.

Juventus and Inter have both been alerted by the youngster's exploits over the Atlantic Ocean, although they are likely to be disappointed. Madrid has always been Palacios' favoured destination, giving the Spaniards an enviable advantage from Sunday onwards when he is officially put in the shop window by his club, resigned to losing his talents in 2019.

And if all goes well, new Madrid coach Santiago Solari will soon be celebrating his first new face since signing a permanent deal to replace Julen Lopetegui in the Santiago Bernabeu hot-seat.

Palacios has appeared 41 times for River since making his debut in 2015, scoring seven goals.In September he also received his first cap for Argentina, featuring under interim boss Lionel Scaloni in friendlies against Guatemala and Colombia.

 

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PSG issue update on Neymar and Mbappe injuries ahead of Liverpool tie


Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed Neymar and Kylian Mbappe will require further medical tests before their massive Champions League tie with Liverpool.

The pair were forced off with knocks during Brazil and France's respective friendlies during the international break.The severity of Neymar and Mbappe's injuries had already been played down but PSG have since issued an update to confirm the knocks are not serious.

However, the Ligue 1 champions have revealed the star duo will undergo a period of treatment before determining whether they will be fit to face Liverpool on 28 November.PSG confirmed in a brief medical statement that Neymar has been diagnosed with "a right adductor strain", while Mbappe has "a bruised right shoulder".

"They will undergo a 48-hour period of treatment before further evaluation," the club's update added.Neymar was withdrawn just eight minutes into Brazil's clash against Cameroon, while France star Mbappe was forced off after 30 minutes against Uruguay.

Brazil still managed to win 1-0 thanks to a goal from Richarlison, who replaced Neymar, whereas France edged Uruguay by the same scoreline after an Olivier Giroud penalty.

PSG will put their 100 per cent league record on the line when they host Toulouse at the Parc des Princes on Saturday.Thomas Tuchel's men have won all 13 of their league matches so far, opening up a remarkable 13-point lead over second-placed Lille.

However, they are not as comfortable in the Champions League and their upcoming game against Liverpool will be pivotal in deciding who will reach the knockout phase.

PSG are currently third in Group C and a point behind both Napoli and Liverpool with just two games remaining in the group phase of Europe's premier club competition.

They host last season's beaten finalists Liverpool before locking horns with Serbian outfit Red Star Belgrade in their last pool fixture on December 11.Neymar and Mbappe have been lethal for PSG so far this season, scoring 13 goals apiece in all competitions.

 

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Sanchez doesn't want to leave Manchester United - Mourinho


Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho doesn’t think Alexis Sanchez will seek to leave the club in January and has backed the forward to turn his form around.The Chile international was considered quite a coup for the Red Devils when he made a high-profile move from Arsenal last January.

However, the Chile striker has struggled for consistency at Old Trafford, at times looking a shadow of the player who thrived during his four years at the Emirates Stadium.

The 29-year-old has started just five Premier League games this campaign, scoring just once as a substitute against Newcastle in October, and hasn’t completed 90 minutes for the club since the opening game of the season.

He returned to the starting line-up for wins against Bournemouth and Juventus but was dropped back to the bench for the Manchester derby defeat last time out.To make things worse for Sanchez, he missed a penalty for Chile during their 3-2 friendly defeat to Costa Rica last week.

Sanchez’s struggles in the north-west have inevitably led to speculation about his future. Reports have suggested he is unhappy at Old Trafford due to Mourinho's playing style and a lack of friends within the club, with a possible move away in January mooted.Mourinho has been quick to play down such suggestions, insisting he has heard nothing to suggest the former Barcelona man is unhappy at the club.

The United boss accepts there is room for improvement in his game, but is confident the forward is on the right track."He has never told me that he wants to leave. He never told me that he's not happy to stay,” Mourinho told reporters.

"He is playing like the team. He is improving, like the team is improving, when he plays he is giving us his personality."His desire is to play and to produce for the team and [he is] trying to adapt to the way we play and vice versa.

"Can he do better? We all can do better. I can do better, he can do better, all the players can do better."

 

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Mourinho implies Casillas behind De Gea Spain criticism


Jose Mourinho claims former Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillias is the driving force behind the criticism David de Gea has received for Spain.De Gea has been one of the best goalkeepers in the world while playing for Manchester United, but has not been able to duplicate that form as of late for Spain.

He struggled in the World Cup and has not been able to snap out of his recent slump, having saved fewer than half the shots he has faced since the start of the tournament in Russia.

De Gea again came in for criticism after Croatia scored a late winner over Spain in the Nations League last week, helping cost La Roja a chance at the semi-finals.

The goalkeeper has been defended by both his team-mates and his manager Luis Enrique, though Casillas recently said he would be willing to step back into the fold for Spain if recalled, as he has yet to announce his international retirement.And Mourinho has seized upon that to insinuate that Casillas is the one behind the criticism of the current Manchester United and Spain No.1.

"But why criticism in Spain? Do you know?" Mourinho said. "I know. Because there is somebody very powerful that is thinking about jumping again, but I think it’s very difficult to jump when you have the best goalkeeper in the world in front of you.”Mourinho downplayed the influence such a campaign might have on Luis Enrique, adding: "No. Not on the manager. The manager I know him very well, the manager. I am very good friends."

The Manchester United manager failed to reveal the player by name, but all but outed Casillas as his suspect when he revealed he had won a title with him in the past."Yeah, I like him,” Mourinho said when asked if the player had played for him and if the manager liked him. “I was champion with him."

Casillas and Mourinho were together at Real Madrid, winning the La Liga title in 2012. However, they had a public falling out, with Mourinho benching Casillas for Diego Lopez. Eventually Casillas was sold to Porto.

Earlier in the day, Record had Mourinho's response to comments made by Casillas last week about their falling out at Madrid, in which the goalkeeper claimed he should have grabbed the bull by the horns in his criticism of the manager.

Mourinho claimed it was the type of interview given by someone at the “end of their career” and claimed, despite his protests otherwise, Casillas had challenged his authority while with Madrid.

 

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Man City boss Guardiola rules out January transfers


Pep Guardiola has insisted that Manchester City will not make any signings in the upcoming January window.

Goal has previously reported that City have been keeping tabs on Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves with a view to a possible January move, with Lyon's Tanguy Ndombele considered as an alternative option.

There have also been calls for Guardiola to dip into the market for a new left-back after Benjamin Mendy underwent knee surgery that will rule him out for between 10 and 12 weeks.

But the Catalan was unequivocal when asked about the prospect of any new arrivals."No," he said. "In January, no window."No no. We are not going to spend anything. I am so happy with the squad, people are coming back [from injury] so no, no."

Guardiola was subsequently asked whether City's settled squad put them at an advantage, to which he replied: "Yeah it’s much much much better, of course.

"When we created the squad at the beginning of the season [the idea] was not to go to the January [window] except if we have problems, but I have a deep squad and a lot of players who cannot play although I trust them a lot. They believe I don’t like them but that is not true, I trust a lot in all the players, all of them.

"It’s a joy to be with them but it is what it is, when there are some injuries another one is going to play, if not you have a few players in the academy that maybe are going to help us in a few moments or few minutes. We are not going to go to January in the market, no way."

After winning 10 and drawing two of their opening 12 matches, City currently sit in first place in the Premier League, two points ahead of Liverpool and four points clear of Chelsea.

Guardiola's side return to action from the international break when they travel to London to face West Ham on Saturday.

 

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Ronaldo deserves Ballon d'Or - Allegri


Massimiliano Allegri says Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to win the Ballon d'Or, despite talk the Juventus star has not made the three-man shortlist.

The five-time winner has claimed the award in each of the past two years, with Ronaldo boosting his 2018 bid by firing Real Madrid to Champions League glory before making a strong start to life at Juve. He also scored a hat-trick for Portugal at the World Cup.

But a report by Tuttosport suggests Ronaldo is not in the running for a third straight Ballon d'Or, with Raphael Varane, Luka Modric and Kylian Mbappe rumoured to be the three contenders.

Bianconeri coach Allegri would not agree with that selection, however, as he believes his star forward has earned the honour once agian."I don't know anything about the Ballon d'Or nominations but, for all Cristiano has done, he would deserve it," Allegri told a news conference.

Ronaldo is set to line up alongside Mario Mandzukic in attack against SPAL after Paulo Dybala returned late from international duty with Argentina.

"[Dybala] came back on Thursday, he had a relaxing morning and we'll see," the coach said. "He will probably start from the bench. We will likely play Mandzukic and Ronaldo.

"Football is not an exact science but it is about chemistry: Ronaldo and Mandzukic, when they are together, have an excellent understanding. Even Paulo and Ronaldo are fine, but they have played together less.

"I like them a lot even when they're all three together. The team works well in every way. It depends on the availability of the players. We are on the right track, but we must continue to play to get to know each other better."

Allegri also confirmed goalkeeper Mattia Perin will start for Juve on Saturday.

 

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'Zidane is incomparable' - Solari in awe of legendary Real Madrid player and coach


New Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari is not expecting to have an impact similar to that of Zinedine Zidane in his time as coach, calling the Frenchman "incomparable".

Zidane stepped down as Madrid coach at the end of last season, just a few days after guiding the club to a third successive Champions League title under his watch.
The former Madrid player had a remarkable impact during his time in the hot seat, also winning a La Liga title in his first full season.

Solari follows in his footsteps after being promoted from Madrid's Castilla team, replacing the sacked Julen Lopetegui.But the Argentinian does not want comparisons to be made between himself and Zidane.

"Zidane is incomparable with anyone," Solari told reporters in Friday's news conference."He is a legend, he had a fantastic level. He was an exquisite player, with whom I was lucky to play.

"But as a coach he will probably be the most successful in the history of Real Madrid. I admire him as a human and we must admire him in his greatness. He is unique."After initially taking over on an interim basis, Solari earned himself a contract until 2021.

Some have suggested he stands little chance of seeing out his contract given Madrid's history of hastily dismissing coaches, but Solari is unconcerned, acknowledging that everyone is just passing through the club."Nothing changes to me, nothing in the 11 years from when I was here before [as a player]," Solari added. "The important thing is being here and the commitment you make with your work every day.

"We're all just passing through in Madrid, particularly in this job."

 

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Alcacer completes €23m permanent move to Borussia Dortmund from Barcelona


Paco Alcacer has joined Borussia Dortmund on a permanent basis from Barcelona, with the Bundesliga side taking up an option in his loan to land him on a deal until 2023.The Spain international made his way to Germany over the summer after being deemed surplus to requirements at Camp Nou.He had struggled to make his mark in Catalunya, as part of a star-studded squad brimming with attacking talent, but wasted little time finding his feet with Dortmund.

Alcacer has netted nine times in just eight appearances this season, with that return enough to earn him a long-term contract as part of a €23 million (£20m/$26m) transfer package.

“We have informed FC Barcelona today that we will take up option,” Dortmund’s sporting director, Michael Zorc, told the club’s official website.“Paco is wholeheartedly with us, he has quickly integrated and has become an integral part of our squad.“He is a striker of high footballing quality and has already decided some important games for us.

“We look forward to many more goals and assists from Paco in the coming years.”
Alcacer spent just two seasons with Barcelona after joining them in 2016.He made 50 appearances for the club, but found regular starts hard to come by and managed only 15 goals.

That return could be bettered in just one campaign with Dortmund, with a man who has also caught the eye for his country in recent outings thoroughly enjoying his time at Signal Iduna Park.“I am very happy in Dortmund, at BVB and in this wonderful team,” Alcacer said after seeing his future resolved.

“Borussia Dortmund was and is exactly the right place for me. I will do everything I can to say thank you for your trust in my performances!”

 

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Mourinho confident Man Utd can be in the top four by end of 2018

Jose Mourinho is optimistic that his Manchester United side can move into the top four by the end of the year, despite a disastrous start to the campaign.The Red Devils are eighth in the Premier League after 12 matches, having conceded a whopping 21 goals and already seem to be out of the title race after suffering four defeats.

Their most recent loss came just before the international break at the hands of Manchester City, which left them 12 points adrift of their arch-rivals at the top of the table.

However, Mourinho remains defiant in the face of adversity and has insisted in a press conference on Friday that his players can turn things around before the new year.

"I know it’s a big gap but I also know until the end of December if I’m not wrong we have eight Premier League matches to play, and eight Premier League matches we are speaking about 24 points," the Portuguese boss said."That's 24 points for us to fight for and the other ones in the top four to fight too but I believe we are going to be there."

Next up for United is a home clash against Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon, which is a must-win game for the club to reduce the seven point gap between themselves and fourth-placed Tottenham.Mourinho went on to discuss how the Red Devils can improve their form at Old Trafford, while praising the fans for their continued support.

"The supporters cannot do more than what they are doing," he added. "We went through a difficult period of results and the supporters were fantastic, they support them team and in some matches even push the team to different levels, we cannot ask more from them."It’s up to us to go to an even better level, for them.

"And of course we need points, results, we need good performances so is up to us, we were playing well and getting good results until the one bad game of the last period."

 

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'Shaw, Martial, Rashford and Lingard lack character' - Mourinho wants more fight from Man Utd quartet


Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has publicly criticised Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford for their 'lack of character'.
The 55-year-old boss is preparing his squad for a crucial Premier League showdown with Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Saturday, which marks their first game back after the international break.

The Red Devils succumbed to their fourth defeat of the season against Manchester City last time out , which left them floundering 12 points behind their rivals in the table, way down in eighth place.

Ahead of their latest league fixture Mourinho has voiced his concerns about four key members of his current squad, who he believes are squandering their vast potential.

“They are lacking maturity," the Portuguese tactician told Univision . "I wasn’t a player, obviously, but when I say maturity I mean on a personal level.“We had more men, we were more mature, we were more prepared for life, we were less protected.

"In English they call it ‘spoilt’, ‘spoilt kids’. Our kids are more spoilt than we were by our parents. We are more mature, we are better prepared. For young people now, it’s a different life on a social level compared to ours.

“The people who surround the players, who protect them too much, who give them - in my opinion - too much care, too many excuses. There’s always an excuse for everything.

“Luke Shaw, who is the left-back of the national team, who arrived there [at United] two years before me. He didn’t know how to compete. He had great potential, yes, but he didn’t know how to compete“We’re talking about Luke Shaw, Martial, Lingard, Rashford – young, big potential.

“But at the end of the day it results in the word I cannot say [cojones], but you use it a lot here… character, personality, they lack a little that natural aggression”
Shaw is unavailable for selection this weekend through suspension, after picking up five yellow cards already this term, while Martial and Rashford face late fitness tests after sustaining knocks while on international duty.

After Saturday's match, Mourinho must pick his players back up quickly for another home game three days later, as they host Young Boys in the Champions League.

 

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Kante signs new record £290k-a-week Chelsea deal


N'Golo Kante has signed a new contract at Chelsea, the club have confirmed.The France international has committed to the Blues for the next five years, having been a revelation at Stamford Bridge since his move to the club from Leicester City in 2016.Goal understands that Kante's new deal includes a weekly wage of £290,000, with the Blues keen to ward off potential suitors in the midfielder.

His consistency and influence has seen a host of clubs show an interest in him, most notably Paris Saint-Germain, but Kante has little interest in moving back to the city where he grew up.Kante has won the Premier League and the FA Cup since joining the Blues, having also won the title during his spell at the Foxes.

"I’m happy to extend my time with Chelsea, it has been two beautiful years and I wish for more to come," he told the club's official website."Since I came, I completely improved as a player, challenged myself and got some awards I never thought about."I like the city, I like the club and I am happy to be here for more time."

The 27-year-old has made over 100 appearances for the club, and has also won several individual awards, becoming Chelsea Players' Player of the Year in 2016-17 and Chelsea's Player of the Year in 2017-18. He was also Premier League Player of the Year in 2016-17.A member of France's World Cup-winning squad, too, he played every game as Les Bleus were victorious in Russia.

Marina Granovskaia, Chelsea's Club Director, added: "We are delighted N’Golo has signed a new contract and sees his long-term future with Chelsea. When he arrived, we knew we had signed a special player but he has astounded everybody with his tireless and unselfish displays.

"Off the pitch, he remains a dedicated professional and a humble human being despite the fact he is a world champion and a two-time Premier League winner."We now look forward to five more years with N’Golo at the heart of the Chelsea midfield."

 

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Mata proud of Man Utd record as he prepares to reach double century


Juan Mata has aired his pride at reaching 200 outings for Manchester United and admitted to being unaware of his entry into the top 100 of all-time appearance makers for the club.The Spanish playmaker will complete a double century for the Red Devils on Saturday if he figures in a Premier League clash with Crystal Palace.

That outing will see the 30-year-old add his name to a long list of legends at Old Trafford to have hit a similar mark, with Mata set to edge above Remi Moses, Paul McGrath and Jack Mew into 98th spot.

“The top 100? I didn’t know that!” Mata told United Review.“Of course it’s always great when you can play such a good amount of games for such a big club.

“I feel very happy and very proud and hopefully I can play many more games.” Mata joined United from Chelsea as part of a £37 million ($47m) deal in January 2014.He made his debut against Cardiff, with an assist provided in a 2-0 victory for David Moyes’ side.

A further 33 efforts have been laid on for grateful team-mates, while the World Cup winner has recorded 42 goals himself.His productive spell with the Red Devils has also delivered three major trophies, with FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League successes toasted.

Mata has been a popular figure throughout his time at the Theatre of Dreams and is delighted to have etched his name into United folklore.He added: “What I can tell you is, out of the 200 games, I have felt very proud in all games and I have tried to give my best in all the matches and that’s something that I will always be able to say.”

Mata will be hoping to make a telling contribution against Palace if given the nod by Jose Mourinho.United head into that game sat eighth in the Premier League table and struggling for consistency.

Momentum must to be found from somewhere if they are to force their way back into top four contention, with a seven-point gap needing to be bridged in order to reach the Champions League spots.