Arsenal home performance hodai.So loku fight ekak denna wei Arsenal match eke hoda result ekak ganna
Good Luck Manchester United!
Good Luck Manchester United!
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..::Football IV::..
- Thread starter Wolverine GTR
- Start date
Arsenal Starting Line-up
Cech
Maitland-Niles
Sokratis
Koscielny
Kolasinac
Torreira
Xhaka
Iwobi
Ramsey
Aubameyang
Lacazette
&
Manchester United Starting Line-up
Romero
Young
Lindelof
Bailly
Shaw
Herrera
Matic
Pogba
Lingard
Lukaku
Sanchez
Full Time
Arsenal 1 Vs 3 Manchester United
Arsenal Goal(s)
P.Aubameyang 43'
&
Manchester United Goal(s)
A.Sanchez 31'
J.Lingard 33'
A.Martial 82'
Arsenal Goal(s)
P.Aubameyang 43'
&
Manchester United Goal(s)
A.Sanchez 31'
J.Lingard 33'
A.Martial 82'
Congratulations Manchester United!
& next Burnley
Good luck for the next match Manchester United!
& next Burnley
Good luck for the next match Manchester United!
Zola: Higuain can handle big expectations at Chelsea
Gianfranco Zola believes Gonzalo Higuain has arrived at Chelsea at a perfect time in his career and backed him to improve the team's impotent attack.
The Argentina striker completed a loan switch from Juventus to Stamford Bridge earlier this week and was introduced to the crowd prior to Thursday's Carabao Cup semi-final success over Tottenham.
At 31 years of age, it could be argued his best days may be behind him but Zola, who moved to Chelsea from Napoli aged 30 himself in 1996 and went on to become a fans' favourite, is confident Higuain will be a success."Twenty years ago, 15 years ago, I would've said coming here, it's a difficult age," said Zola, assistant to head coach Maurizio Sarri.
"Now with the level of professionalism and with the resources that the players have, 31 is a good age. There is not a doubt about that. Plus, the age relates to the person. It seems he takes care of himself."It is exactly the same question they posed when I came over here.
"Yes, we know he's coming from a different league, maybe a league where the intensity and rhythms are lower than the Premier League, but we're talking about a player who has scored not only in Italy, but everywhere, also in the Champions League.
"Everybody knows his best qualities, the goalscoring record. He's a player who can score in many ways, so we hope that he can bring his qualities to this team and, at this moment, it's very much necessary."
Higuain joins Chelsea after a disappointing loan spell at AC Milan in which he scored six goals in 15 Serie A appearances but Zola is confident he can get his career back on track with Chelsea and make a better fist of the centre-forward role than Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud.He added: "I'm sure there are big expectations."I'm also sure Gonzalo is used to it. He's played for big clubs - Real Madrid, Juventus, Napoli. I'm sure he can handle these expectations. He's always produced good numbers wherever he's been.
"This is not a team that is desperate, it's a team that needs to add certain qualities to what it already has. We're going to help Higuain to get his goals, but also Higuain will help the team if he scores."What I thought when I first came over here was to read the league, read the weaknesses of the league, but also the possibilities, don't underestimate and have an open mind. That's what allowed me to get into the system quickly.
"With him it's going to be the same. I'm sure he's going to be looking at defenders, saying 'oh those defenders tactically make some mistakes', which is true sometimes. The intensity and the physicality of the game you have here, I'm sure he'll be studying it, reading the situations and using his ability to get the goals that we need."
Higuain could make his debut in Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round tie against Championship side Sheffield Wednesday."I don’t know. He could do," said Zola."It's an opportunity. We play a game on our pitch and there are players who need to be rested and it could be an opportunity. To be honest we haven’t discussed it."
Gianfranco Zola believes Gonzalo Higuain has arrived at Chelsea at a perfect time in his career and backed him to improve the team's impotent attack.
The Argentina striker completed a loan switch from Juventus to Stamford Bridge earlier this week and was introduced to the crowd prior to Thursday's Carabao Cup semi-final success over Tottenham.
At 31 years of age, it could be argued his best days may be behind him but Zola, who moved to Chelsea from Napoli aged 30 himself in 1996 and went on to become a fans' favourite, is confident Higuain will be a success."Twenty years ago, 15 years ago, I would've said coming here, it's a difficult age," said Zola, assistant to head coach Maurizio Sarri.
"Now with the level of professionalism and with the resources that the players have, 31 is a good age. There is not a doubt about that. Plus, the age relates to the person. It seems he takes care of himself."It is exactly the same question they posed when I came over here.
"Yes, we know he's coming from a different league, maybe a league where the intensity and rhythms are lower than the Premier League, but we're talking about a player who has scored not only in Italy, but everywhere, also in the Champions League.
"Everybody knows his best qualities, the goalscoring record. He's a player who can score in many ways, so we hope that he can bring his qualities to this team and, at this moment, it's very much necessary."
Higuain joins Chelsea after a disappointing loan spell at AC Milan in which he scored six goals in 15 Serie A appearances but Zola is confident he can get his career back on track with Chelsea and make a better fist of the centre-forward role than Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud.He added: "I'm sure there are big expectations."I'm also sure Gonzalo is used to it. He's played for big clubs - Real Madrid, Juventus, Napoli. I'm sure he can handle these expectations. He's always produced good numbers wherever he's been.
"This is not a team that is desperate, it's a team that needs to add certain qualities to what it already has. We're going to help Higuain to get his goals, but also Higuain will help the team if he scores."What I thought when I first came over here was to read the league, read the weaknesses of the league, but also the possibilities, don't underestimate and have an open mind. That's what allowed me to get into the system quickly.
"With him it's going to be the same. I'm sure he's going to be looking at defenders, saying 'oh those defenders tactically make some mistakes', which is true sometimes. The intensity and the physicality of the game you have here, I'm sure he'll be studying it, reading the situations and using his ability to get the goals that we need."
Higuain could make his debut in Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round tie against Championship side Sheffield Wednesday."I don’t know. He could do," said Zola."It's an opportunity. We play a game on our pitch and there are players who need to be rested and it could be an opportunity. To be honest we haven’t discussed it."
Arsenal 1 Manchester United 3: Sanchez helps down old club as Solskjaer streak continues
Alexis Sanchez scored on his return to Arsenal in a 3-1 victory for Manchester United in the fourth round of the FA Cup.United were not at their best but quickfire goals in the first half from Sanchez and Jesse Lingard, both of which were set up by Romelu Lukaku, gave them a 2-0 lead at the Emirates Stadium on Friday.
Arsenal hit back through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but could not find a way to beat David de Gea's deputy Sergio Romero again, with Anthony Martial's late third wrapping it up for United.
Victory for United means they have won eight games out of eight in all competitions under Solskjaer, while opposite number Unai Emery will rue injuries to defenders Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Laurent Koscielny.
Arsenal lost Sokratis to an early injury and things got worse for the Gunners when they conceded to an old hero with United's first effort in the 31st minute.Sanchez scored in Arsenal's FA Cup final wins in 2015 and 2017 and he brilliantly rounded Petr Cech to finish from a tight angle after collecting a sublime reverse ball from Lukaku.And the Belgium striker was involved again when United doubled their lead 149 seconds later.
Arsenal's offside trap failed for the second time in quick succession with a rapid counter-attack freeing Lukaku to square a pass that Lingard controlled before finishing low past Cech.Emery's men gave themselves a lifeline before the break when Aubameyang tapped in at the back post following good combination play from Aaron Ramsey and Alexandre Lacazette.
Romero saved brilliantly from Ramsey after the restart before Koscielny was forced off with a facial injury following a long delay after being caught by Lukaku's boot.
And United booked their place in the fifth round when another counter-attack undid Arsenal in the 82nd minute. Paul Pogba's driving run ended with a shot parried by Cech and Martial tucked away the rebound.
Southampton full-back Cedric Soares set to complete Inter move
Southampton defender Cedric Soares has completed a medical as he closes in on a move to Inter.According to Sky Sport Italy, Inter will pay a loan fee of €500,000 to obtain the Portugal international until the summer, with the option to buy the player outright for a fee of €11 million (£9.5m/$12m).
The 27-year-old successfully completed medical tests at the club's CONI headquarters in Milan and will now finalise the details of the loan contract before an official announcement is made.
Cedric spent four years at Southampton, making over 100 Premier League appearances for the club.He was also a European Championship winner with Portugal in 2016, playing in four matches over the tournament, including the 1-0 win over France in the final.
The right-back went on to make three appearances at the 2018 World Cup, although he did not feature in the 2-1 defeat to Uruguay in the round of 16.
Cedric has been in and out of the team at Southampton since Ralph Hasenhuttl's appointment as first-team manager, with his last league start coming against Chelsea on January 2.His only goal of the season came in what was Mark Hughes's final match before he was sacked by the club, a 2-2 draw with Manchester United at St Mary's Stadium.
Inter are currently third in the Serie A table and have brought in Cedric to provide competition at full-back for the likes of Danilo D'Ambrosio, Sime Vrsaljko and Kwadwo Asamoah.
There are also reports that Vrsaljko may need to undergo knee surgery after feeling discomfort in the 0-0 draw with Sassuolo on Saturday.The Nerazzurri are next in action against Torino on Sunday, before a Coppa Italia quarter-final meeting with Lazio on January 31.
Southampton defender Cedric Soares has completed a medical as he closes in on a move to Inter.According to Sky Sport Italy, Inter will pay a loan fee of €500,000 to obtain the Portugal international until the summer, with the option to buy the player outright for a fee of €11 million (£9.5m/$12m).
The 27-year-old successfully completed medical tests at the club's CONI headquarters in Milan and will now finalise the details of the loan contract before an official announcement is made.
Cedric spent four years at Southampton, making over 100 Premier League appearances for the club.He was also a European Championship winner with Portugal in 2016, playing in four matches over the tournament, including the 1-0 win over France in the final.
The right-back went on to make three appearances at the 2018 World Cup, although he did not feature in the 2-1 defeat to Uruguay in the round of 16.
Cedric has been in and out of the team at Southampton since Ralph Hasenhuttl's appointment as first-team manager, with his last league start coming against Chelsea on January 2.His only goal of the season came in what was Mark Hughes's final match before he was sacked by the club, a 2-2 draw with Manchester United at St Mary's Stadium.
Inter are currently third in the Serie A table and have brought in Cedric to provide competition at full-back for the likes of Danilo D'Ambrosio, Sime Vrsaljko and Kwadwo Asamoah.
There are also reports that Vrsaljko may need to undergo knee surgery after feeling discomfort in the 0-0 draw with Sassuolo on Saturday.The Nerazzurri are next in action against Torino on Sunday, before a Coppa Italia quarter-final meeting with Lazio on January 31.
Tottenham working on 'a few options' in transfer market - Pochettino
Tottenham are working on "a few options" in the transfer market, Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed.Spurs did not bring in any reinforcements in the previous window and have yet to make any new additions this month, despite seeing Mousa Dembele depart for Guangzhou R&F.
The need to bolster the squad has been laid bare by the losses of Harry Kane and Dele Alli to injury and Son Heung-min to Asian Cup duty, with the trio all missing as Spurs lost to Chelsea on penalties in the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final on Thursday.
Pochettino, who was in something of a terse mood with the media on Friday, insists he remains open to making new signings before the window closes next week.
"We are working," he told a news conference ahead of Spurs' FA Cup fourth-round clash with Crystal Palace. "There are a few options. We will see if we are capable to deliver [on] it. Now, we have a space with [Mousa] Dembele gone."I am more than open to improve and to add players to the squad. You can find on the internet or my previous press conferences that I always say the same thing.
"If we can find the right player that is going to help us improve, then we will... but we were never close. There is always a chance. We have still seven days [of the transfer window]."It looks weird if you don't spend money, but it's not because we don't want to, but because for different circumstances we can't sign."
Pochettino admits his players are tired and not in the most positive of moods given their loss to Chelsea, but he is confident they will be ready for Sunday's trip to Selhurst Park."The mood is not great. It's difficult to sleep after games, especially when you lose.Today is sad; we are all tired. We will be in a good position for Sunday," he said.
The Spurs boss also bristled at the suggestion his team needs a stronger winning mentality if they are to win trophies, insisting: "I think we showed in these two legs the right mentality. We compete with all the circumstances. That is the key point. If football is a fair sport, it will reward us at the end of the season."
Tottenham are working on "a few options" in the transfer market, Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed.Spurs did not bring in any reinforcements in the previous window and have yet to make any new additions this month, despite seeing Mousa Dembele depart for Guangzhou R&F.
The need to bolster the squad has been laid bare by the losses of Harry Kane and Dele Alli to injury and Son Heung-min to Asian Cup duty, with the trio all missing as Spurs lost to Chelsea on penalties in the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final on Thursday.
Pochettino, who was in something of a terse mood with the media on Friday, insists he remains open to making new signings before the window closes next week.
"We are working," he told a news conference ahead of Spurs' FA Cup fourth-round clash with Crystal Palace. "There are a few options. We will see if we are capable to deliver [on] it. Now, we have a space with [Mousa] Dembele gone."I am more than open to improve and to add players to the squad. You can find on the internet or my previous press conferences that I always say the same thing.
"If we can find the right player that is going to help us improve, then we will... but we were never close. There is always a chance. We have still seven days [of the transfer window]."It looks weird if you don't spend money, but it's not because we don't want to, but because for different circumstances we can't sign."
Pochettino admits his players are tired and not in the most positive of moods given their loss to Chelsea, but he is confident they will be ready for Sunday's trip to Selhurst Park."The mood is not great. It's difficult to sleep after games, especially when you lose.Today is sad; we are all tired. We will be in a good position for Sunday," he said.
The Spurs boss also bristled at the suggestion his team needs a stronger winning mentality if they are to win trophies, insisting: "I think we showed in these two legs the right mentality. We compete with all the circumstances. That is the key point. If football is a fair sport, it will reward us at the end of the season."
Manchester United added another counter-attacking masterclass to the history books in their encounters against Arsenal in Friday's FA Cup fourth-round win, says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Red Devils were electric on the break at Emirates Stadium and ran out 3-1 winners thanks to goals from ex-Gunner Alexis Sanchez, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial.Solskjaer believes it was no coincidence such a tactic proved fruitful, pointing to past examples – including the 2009 Champions League semi-final – as proof for his point.
"If you go through the history and the games we've played against Arsenal that's how it is," he told MUTV."I remember a goal I scored in 1997 after we defended a corner - it went from Giggsy [Ryan Giggs] to Karel [Poborsky] to Andy [Cole] and into me.
"Everyone knows about the classic Champions League goal [in 2009] with Ji [Park Ji-sung], Cristiano [Ronaldo] and Wayne [Rooney] running forward. "Wazza has scored a couple more like that, as has Ji, so the counter-attacking threat that we have is in our history against Arsenal."
One tactical surprise was the deployment of Romelu Lukaku on the right of a front three with Lingard playing more centrally.
But Lukaku vindicated the decision by assisting the first two goals and Solskjaer says it is a tactic he is happy to employ."Rom has played there for Belgium and Everton," he added at a post-match news conference.
"It's a tactic we can use and we know how strong he is. He held the ball up and ran the channel. It was a fantastic pass for Alexis' goal. It was a great finish."Solskjaer also reserved special praise for Lingard, who has at times split opinion among pundits.
"Jesse's a big game-player," Solskjaer said. "He's shown that for England, for us. He always pops up with goals."Jesse is someone we never, never hesitate to put in a Man United team and he's been brought through this system, he knows what this means, he knows the club, he knows this history, he knows all the counter-attacking goals we've scored against Arsenal."He knows everything about the club and he's someone we'll look after."
Monaco confirm Henry sacking as Jardim takes over Ligue 1 strugglers
Monaco have confirmed the sacking of manager Thierry Henry after just 20 games in charge of the relegation-threatened Ligue 1 club.
The former Arsenal and France striker was initially suspended earlier this week but his permanent departure has now been confirmed.Leonardo Jardim, who was sacked by the club in October, has taken over and signed a two-and-a-half-year contract.
Henry succeeded Jardim with great fanfare in October but has struggled to secure consistent results in what is his first managerial role, having previously been an assistant to Roberto Martinez with Belgium.He managed just five wins in 20 games in all competitions and failed to pull the club away from the relegation zone.
"Thierry Henry is a football legend but due to a very unfavorable mix of circumstances, including, above all, numerous injuries to our players, hampered him from quickly and effectively leading the team out of the crisis," Monaco CEO Vadim Vasilyev said in a statement.
"I want to express my gratitude to Thierry Henry for accepting this challenge and trying to lead the team of his former club during such a difficult period."He would have probably needed more time to implement his plans. From our perspective, unfortunately, we do not have this time. We need to act without delay.
"Therefore, we have made a decision to end our partnership with Thierry Henry."
Henry has been busy in the January transfer window, bringing in four players including Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, but those new faces have failed to spark an immediate upturn in results.Monaco are without a win in four matches in all competitions and haven’t won in five in the league, stretching back to the start of last month.
Last weekend they were thrashed 5-1 at home to Strasbourg, a result that left the principality side 19th in Ligue 1 and three points from safety.In the wake of that defeat, Henry was criticised for comments made toward Strasbourg defender Kenny Lala, relating to the player's grandmother, for which he later apologised.
Three days later Monaco were knocked out of the French Cup after a shock 3-1 home defeat to Ligue 2 side Metz, a result that appears to have sealed Henry’s fate.Vasilyev admitted that the club's decision to sack Jardim, who won the 2016-17 Ligue 1 title with Monaco, was premature.
"Leonardo Jardim’s time at AS Monaco, as I said when he departed, would be remembered as one of the brightest chapters in the club’s history," Vasilyev said. "Today we realize that the story of Leonardo Jardim at the club did not end as it was meant to. Leonardo should have been given an opportunity to continue his job."
Franck Passi took Monaco training on Friday morning and will take temporary charge for the team's crucial Ligue 1 clash against Dijon on Saturday.
Monaco have confirmed the sacking of manager Thierry Henry after just 20 games in charge of the relegation-threatened Ligue 1 club.
The former Arsenal and France striker was initially suspended earlier this week but his permanent departure has now been confirmed.Leonardo Jardim, who was sacked by the club in October, has taken over and signed a two-and-a-half-year contract.
Henry succeeded Jardim with great fanfare in October but has struggled to secure consistent results in what is his first managerial role, having previously been an assistant to Roberto Martinez with Belgium.He managed just five wins in 20 games in all competitions and failed to pull the club away from the relegation zone.
"Thierry Henry is a football legend but due to a very unfavorable mix of circumstances, including, above all, numerous injuries to our players, hampered him from quickly and effectively leading the team out of the crisis," Monaco CEO Vadim Vasilyev said in a statement.
"I want to express my gratitude to Thierry Henry for accepting this challenge and trying to lead the team of his former club during such a difficult period."He would have probably needed more time to implement his plans. From our perspective, unfortunately, we do not have this time. We need to act without delay.
"Therefore, we have made a decision to end our partnership with Thierry Henry."
Henry has been busy in the January transfer window, bringing in four players including Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, but those new faces have failed to spark an immediate upturn in results.Monaco are without a win in four matches in all competitions and haven’t won in five in the league, stretching back to the start of last month.
Last weekend they were thrashed 5-1 at home to Strasbourg, a result that left the principality side 19th in Ligue 1 and three points from safety.In the wake of that defeat, Henry was criticised for comments made toward Strasbourg defender Kenny Lala, relating to the player's grandmother, for which he later apologised.
Three days later Monaco were knocked out of the French Cup after a shock 3-1 home defeat to Ligue 2 side Metz, a result that appears to have sealed Henry’s fate.Vasilyev admitted that the club's decision to sack Jardim, who won the 2016-17 Ligue 1 title with Monaco, was premature.
"Leonardo Jardim’s time at AS Monaco, as I said when he departed, would be remembered as one of the brightest chapters in the club’s history," Vasilyev said. "Today we realize that the story of Leonardo Jardim at the club did not end as it was meant to. Leonardo should have been given an opportunity to continue his job."
Franck Passi took Monaco training on Friday morning and will take temporary charge for the team's crucial Ligue 1 clash against Dijon on Saturday.
FA Cup Fixtures 2019.01.26
FA Cup Fixtures 2019.01.26
Accrington Vs Derby
Brighton Vs West Ham
Doncaster Vs Oldham
Manchester City Vs Burnley
Middlesbrough Vs Newport
Newcastle Vs Watford
Portsmouth Vs QPR
Shrewsbury Vs Wolves
Swansea Vs Gillingham
Millwall Vs Everton
Wimbledon Vs West Ham
Accrington Vs Derby
Brighton Vs West Ham
Doncaster Vs Oldham
Manchester City Vs Burnley
Middlesbrough Vs Newport
Newcastle Vs Watford
Portsmouth Vs QPR
Shrewsbury Vs Wolves
Swansea Vs Gillingham
Millwall Vs Everton
Wimbledon Vs West Ham
LA Liga Fixtures 2019.01.26
LA Liga Fixtures 2019.01.26
Sevilla Vs Levante
Atletico Madrid Vs Getafe
Leganes Vs Eibar
Valencia Vs Villareal
Sevilla Vs Levante
Atletico Madrid Vs Getafe
Leganes Vs Eibar
Valencia Vs Villareal
Serie A Fixtures 2019.01.26
Serie A Fixtures 2019.01.26
Sassuolo Vs Cagliari
Sampdoria Vs Udinese
AC Milan Vs Napoli
Sassuolo Vs Cagliari
Sampdoria Vs Udinese
AC Milan Vs Napoli
Bundesliga Fixtures 2019.01.26
Bundesliga Fixtures 2019.01.26
Dortmund Vs Hannover
Monchengladbach Vs Augsburg
Mainz Vs Nurnberg
Freiburg Vs Hoffenheim
Wolfsburg Vs Leverkusen
Werder Bremen Vs Frankfurt
Dortmund Vs Hannover
Monchengladbach Vs Augsburg
Mainz Vs Nurnberg
Freiburg Vs Hoffenheim
Wolfsburg Vs Leverkusen
Werder Bremen Vs Frankfurt
Alexis Sanchez scored on his return to Arsenal in a 3-1 victory for Manchester United in the fourth round of the FA Cup.United were not at their best but quickfire goals in the first half from Sanchez and Jesse Lingard, both of which were set up by Romelu Lukaku, gave them a 2-0 lead at the Emirates Stadium on Friday.
Arsenal hit back through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but could not find a way to beat David de Gea's deputy Sergio Romero again, with Anthony Martial's late third wrapping it up for United.
Victory for United means they have won eight games out of eight in all competitions under Solskjaer, while opposite number Unai Emery will rue injuries to defenders Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Laurent Koscielny.
Arsenal lost Sokratis to an early injury and things got worse for the Gunners when they conceded to an old hero with United's first effort in the 31st minute.Sanchez scored in Arsenal's FA Cup final wins in 2015 and 2017 and he brilliantly rounded Petr Cech to finish from a tight angle after collecting a sublime reverse ball from Lukaku.And the Belgium striker was involved again when United doubled their lead 149 seconds later.
Arsenal's offside trap failed for the second time in quick succession with a rapid counter-attack freeing Lukaku to square a pass that Lingard controlled before finishing low past Cech.Emery's men gave themselves a lifeline before the break when Aubameyang tapped in at the back post following good combination play from Aaron Ramsey and Alexandre Lacazette.
Romero saved brilliantly from Ramsey after the restart before Koscielny was forced off with a facial injury following a long delay after being caught by Lukaku's boot.
And United booked their place in the fifth round when another counter-attack undid Arsenal in the 82nd minute. Paul Pogba's driving run ended with a shot parried by Cech and Martial tucked away the rebound.
8 wins in a row.unstoppable
'I nearly quit football' - New Chelsea signing Higuain reveals anguish over mother's illness
New Chelsea signing Gonzalo Higuain has revealed the anguish over a life-threatening illness suffered by his mother which almost prompted him to leave football altogether.
Higuain, 31, this week sealed a move to Stamford Bridge that saw the Blues assume the remainder of the loan deal the Argentine had previously agreed to join AC Milan from Juventus.The move sees him team up once more with Maurizio Sarri, rekindling a partnership that brought scores of goals when the pair worked together at Napoli.
But Higuain admits that he almost retired from professional football in 2016, after learning that that his mother Nancy suffered from a serious medical condition - she has since made a full recovery - following Argentina's defeat in the Copa America final to Chile.
“I decided immediately that I must stop playing football so that I could look after my mum,” Higuain explained to the Mirror.“I suspected something was wrong at home during the Copa America, but it was still a huge shock when I was told the truth.
“I felt guilty, because I played in that final without knowing. My whole world came crashing down in that moment. I was not interested in anything else but my mum."I told her I was finished with football and if it had been down to me I would have stopped playing.
“Her reply was that when I played football it made her happy. She told me that she would not allow me to give up something I loved. She asked me to carry on for her — and I knew I had to grant that wish.
“My family and friends are everything to me. After that, comes football. People need to understand that. They see you kick a ball and they don’t think you have anything to think about outside the game.”
With Alvaro Morata set for a move to Atletico Madrid before the close of the January transfer window, Higuain's main rival for a starting spot up front is likely to be Olivier Giroud.And the France international is eager go head to head with Pipita, believing that competition for places will only serve as extra motivation.
“Gonzalo’s arrival will help me to step up again and keep me fighting to be competitive by working hard in training," he explained.“And it’s going to be a benefit for the team. I hope he will help us to win trophies.”
Chelsea continue their FA Cup challenge on Sunday at home to Sheffield Wednesday, before travelling to Bournemouth in Wednesday's Premier League test.
New Chelsea signing Gonzalo Higuain has revealed the anguish over a life-threatening illness suffered by his mother which almost prompted him to leave football altogether.
Higuain, 31, this week sealed a move to Stamford Bridge that saw the Blues assume the remainder of the loan deal the Argentine had previously agreed to join AC Milan from Juventus.The move sees him team up once more with Maurizio Sarri, rekindling a partnership that brought scores of goals when the pair worked together at Napoli.
But Higuain admits that he almost retired from professional football in 2016, after learning that that his mother Nancy suffered from a serious medical condition - she has since made a full recovery - following Argentina's defeat in the Copa America final to Chile.
“I decided immediately that I must stop playing football so that I could look after my mum,” Higuain explained to the Mirror.“I suspected something was wrong at home during the Copa America, but it was still a huge shock when I was told the truth.
“I felt guilty, because I played in that final without knowing. My whole world came crashing down in that moment. I was not interested in anything else but my mum."I told her I was finished with football and if it had been down to me I would have stopped playing.
“Her reply was that when I played football it made her happy. She told me that she would not allow me to give up something I loved. She asked me to carry on for her — and I knew I had to grant that wish.
“My family and friends are everything to me. After that, comes football. People need to understand that. They see you kick a ball and they don’t think you have anything to think about outside the game.”
With Alvaro Morata set for a move to Atletico Madrid before the close of the January transfer window, Higuain's main rival for a starting spot up front is likely to be Olivier Giroud.And the France international is eager go head to head with Pipita, believing that competition for places will only serve as extra motivation.
“Gonzalo’s arrival will help me to step up again and keep me fighting to be competitive by working hard in training," he explained.“And it’s going to be a benefit for the team. I hope he will help us to win trophies.”
Chelsea continue their FA Cup challenge on Sunday at home to Sheffield Wednesday, before travelling to Bournemouth in Wednesday's Premier League test.
