..::Football IV::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Solskjaer sees 'mountains there to be climbed' as PSG punish Man Utd and Pogba sees red


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says “mountains are there to be climbed” after seeing Manchester United suffer a 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 encounter.

The Red Devils entered a heavyweight continental clash unbeaten through 11 games under their interim boss.Confidence was high at Old Trafford, especially as the visitors were without the injured Neymar and Edinson Cavani, but Solskjaer’s bubble was burst against the Ligue 1 title holders.

Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe got the goals for PSG, before Paul Pogba compounded United’s misery by collecting a late red card which will keep him out of the second leg.The Red Devils also saw Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial pick up untimely knocks on a forgettable night which extended their long wait for a victory in the knockout rounds of the Champions League.

Solskjaer told BT Sport afterwards of the challenge facing his side: “It looked like the game we thought it was going to be. The first goal, when they got that one - it's a poor goal to give away - then they got the momentum.“You can see that we've not played games at this level for a while and we'll have to learn from this experience. It's not going to be a season defining one for us.

“Mountains are there to be climbed. You can't lie down. Today was a reality check on the level from the top teams.”Solskjaer added on the knocks picked up by two in-form performers, with Lingard and Martial forced off at just before and during half-time: “They're muscle injuries so we have to wait a couple of days.”

The United boss refused to blame the loss of a key pair of performers for a second-half showing which saw European ambitions suffer a heavy blow.He said: “You can't say that's the reason because we had [Juan] Mata and [Alexis] Sanchez to come on, they're quality players.”

It remains to be seen whether Lingard and Martial will be available for a return date at Parc des Princes on March 6.France international Pogba will definitely not be playing any part when he heads back to his roots in Paris, with the World Cup winner set to serve a ban.

He was dismissed after tangling with the vastly-experienced Dani Alves, with the Brazilian caught on the knee by a high boot.Solskjaer said of the straight red card shown to a midfielder who has put in a string of inspirational performances of late: “He's trying to get his body across and Alves is clever enough to put his foot in there so it hits him.”

United will be looking to put the disappointment of a frustrating night in Europe behind them as quickly as possible as the big tests keep on coming, with Chelsea next up in the FA Cup fifth round before Premier League title chasers Liverpool pay a visit to Old Trafford.

 

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Mbappe tells PSG not to feel fear after Man Utd win


Kylian Mbappe said Paris Saint-Germain must not feel fear after a 2-0 win at Manchester United established a dominant position in their Champions League last-16 tie.Mbappe doubled PSG's lead after Presnel Kimpembe gave the Ligue 1 champions the advantage at Old Trafford on Tuesday, with former United winger Angel Di Maria creating both goals.

United's first defeat under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was also their heaviest ever home loss in European competition, while Paul Pogba's late red card added to their problems ahead of next month's return leg in Paris.

PSG lost 5-2 on aggregate to Real Madrid in the last 16 a year ago and in 2016-17 they were on the end of one of football's greatest ever comebacks, Barcelona overturning a 4-0 first-leg deficit to progress.But although PSG have regularly failed in the knockout rounds of the competition, Mbappe urged Thomas Tuchel's side - who were without Edinson Cavani and Neymar due to injury - to be brave.

"Tuchel told me that it was going to be different, that I was going to touch the ball a lot less," Mbappe said to RMC Sport. "It was difficult because I am learning this role [as a central striker] but I am not frustrated."We must stop feeling fear. Football is played on the field. Neymar and Cavani are ultra-important but people have to support us.

"French football must go as far as possible in the Champions League. People must support us, we will support Lyon [against Barca] next week. We must stop being afraid."

Only an improbable comeback would see United knock PSG out but Mbappe will not be counting on a place in the last eight until the job is done."It's not perfect but it's good. Perfect, it will be after the qualification," he said. "We are happy but we are only at half-time.

"We will continue to prepare well because we had a small physical issue over the last 20 minutes."It was a really new system. We were not used to it. We needed a little time to adapt.

"We came back with better intentions in the second half. We knew they wanted to score and we did it."

 

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'He's not the Alexis Sanchez we fell in love with at Arsenal' - Man Utd forward's confidence questioned after PSG showing


Manchester United are not getting “the Alexis Sanchez we fell in love with at Arsenal”, says Phil Neville, with the Chilean putting in another forgettable performance against Paris Saint-Germain.

The Chilean was introduced to a crunch Champions League clash at Old Trafford shortly before half-time.With Jesse Lingard suffering an unfortunate knock, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer put his faith in a proven performer at the highest level to enter the fold and make a difference.

He was, however, to see Sanchez make little impact during a second half showing which saw Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe find the target for PSG and Paul Pogba see red for United.

United now have a mountain to climb in a heavyweight last-16 encounter, but may need the South American forward to aid their cause during a return date in France with others nursing injuries.

Neville hopes Sanchez can find some kind of form by then, with the former Red Devils defender telling Radio 5 Live: “There was a 20-minute period in the second half and United didn't touch the ball and Alexis Sanchez definitely didn't.

“He's not the Alexis Sanchez we fell in love with at Arsenal. He needs a 10 or 15-game run in the team without being brought off to build his form.“Sanchez's form has dipped so much that at the moment you look at subs to come on and make an impact, he's not the one.

“I don't think he's gone, I think he might have to re-adapt his game. I think it's confidence. He needs some love and he's the one Ole has to work on.“If Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard are maybe out, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has to get Sanchez back in to form.”

United, who will definitely be without the suspended Pogba for a return date in Paris, are due at Parc des Princes on March 6.Neville gives them little chance of turning the tie on its head, with it likely that the hosts will have Edinson Cavani back in their side by then – even if Brazilian superstar Neymar will still be sidelined.

“I don't think Manchester United have any chance in Paris,” added Neville.
“PSG have too much European nous, too much class.

“Even though we didn't see Mbappe at his absolute best, he was still devastating.”
Prior to facing PSG, United have an FA Cup meeting with Chelsea to take in, along with Premier League outings against Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Southampton.

They are also due to visit Arsenal four days after trying to rescue their continental quest against the Ligue 1 champions.

 

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Solskjaer: I can't do anything about struggling Sanchez


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he cannot do anything about Alexis Sanchez as he challenged the struggling Manchester United forward to rediscover his best form.

It was another poor performance from Sanchez, who came off the bench in United's 2-0 Champions League loss at home to Paris Saint-Germain in the opening leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday.

Sanchez replaced Jesse Lingard in first-half stoppage time and the Chilean was ineffective following his introduction at Old Trafford, where doubts over his future heightened post-match after United crashed to their first defeat under Solskjaer.

Asked about Sanchez - who has only scored five goals since swapping Premier League rivals Arsenal for United in January 2018 - caretaker manager Solskjaer told reporters: "I can't do anything about Alexis. He needs to find himself as we know there is a quality player there."

In-form duo Lingard and Anthony Martial both succumbed to injuries as United were outclassed by French champions PSG, who scored twice in seven second-half minutes through Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe while a miserable outing for the hosts was capped by Paul Pogba's late red card.

"The reality is Jesse and Anthony are part of our squad playing really well but in the second half we didn't have as much movement and couldn't get in behind," added Solskjaer, who will assess Lingard and Martial's fitness in the next couple of days."Juan [Mata] got on the ball to create a few bits but we maybe need to find a new way to play when Anthony and Jesse are out.

"At this club we bounce back. We have to bounce back, we're in a tournament and the Champions League is always going to be difficult. We have the league and the FA Cup, so many games, but I'm not afraid of the reaction in the dressing room.

"We go down to Paris and we will give it a go. It's a mountain to climb but not impossible, we need to try and get to half-time with a 1-0 lead. We're ready for the next game, that's the thing for us, we're Man United and we always bounce back."

Kimpembe opened the scoring from a corner but Mbappe's sensational sweeping finish from a swift counter put PSG in the box seat - the French star's pace leaving United's defenders in his wake."The ground he made up to get in the box, for all the strikers and coaches out there, that's how you get in the box," Solskjaer said of the 20-year-old.

"Don't give him that space to go into, but he's lightning quick of course. You have to get your body in the way but I was never a top defender so you need to ask them how to stop him."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Sanchez gen deyak unema nahaneMeeta wada deyak balaporotthu una Sanchez genThamath out of formikmanatama form ekata awoth nam hodai​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Matic: Man Utd have nothing to lose and will take Champions League fight to PSG


Nemanja Matic says Manchester United will attack Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie as they have nothing to lose following a 2-0 defeat on home soil.The Red Devils headed into a heavyweight European clash at Old Trafford buoyed by an 11-game unbeaten run under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

That impressive surge was brought to a shuddering halt by the Ligue 1 title holders as Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe netted for a PSG side that was without Neymar and Edinson Cavani.

A forgettable night for United also saw Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial pick up untimely injuries, while Paul Pogba collected a late red card and will now sit out a return date in his native France.The odds appear to be stacked against the Premier League outfit as they prepare to head out on the road and battle to keep their continental dreams alive.

Matic, though, believes a turnaround is possible and has vowed that United will travel to Paris boasting a positive mindset in their bid to reach the quarter-finals.
The Serbian midfielder told UEFA: “It was a difficult game for us.

“Obviously when you lose it’s disappointing but I think we played some good football in the 90 minutes and of course in the second half when it was 2-0 it was hard for us.“They had more space to play as we had to risk more, but we have to respect them, they have great players, they are a good team.

“We will go to Paris to try to do something. We don’t have anything to lose so we will try to go there to play good football and try to win of course.”While United saw their unblemished record under Solskjaer ended by PSG, there are positives for them to take from their recent showings.

They have collected positive results on the road at Tottenham and Arsenal, while key men have enjoyed a welcome upturn in form.The Red Devils have been full of goals under an interim boss, with a rare setback representing a first blank with Solskjaer at the helm.

They also have the chance to rebuild confidence over the coming weeks, with important FA Cup and Premier League dates with Chelsea, Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Southampton to come before heading to Parc des Princes on March 6.

 

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“We will go to Paris to try to do something. We don’t have anything to lose so we will try to go there to play good football and try to win of course.”While United saw their unblemished record under Solskjaer ended by PSG, there are positives for them to take from their recent showings.

​

 

[Frosty]

psg patta iye. aharila hitiyata paduwak une naha.
arun dennawa ilaga eketh haluwanam hari

 

[Data Packet]

premier league eka online blanna link ekak diyanko

 

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Tottenham 3 Borussia Dortmund 0: Spurs earn commanding first-leg lead

Tottenham took a huge step towards the Champions League quarter-finals as goals from Son Heung-min, Jan Vertonghen and Fernando Llorente sealed a 3-0 first-leg win over Borussia Dortmund.

Son converted Spurs' first shot on target at Wembley on Wednesday as the Bundesliga leaders were made to rue a string of first-half misses.Mauricio Pochettino's side struggled in the opening 45 minutes but, as has often been the case in the Champions League this season, they found the net in the second period.

After Son's first European goal of the campaign, late efforts from Vertonghen and Llorente put the Premier League title contenders in a fantastic position heading to Signal Iduna Park in three weeks.
Tottenham went agonisingly close to opening the scoring in the seventh minute when Lucas Moura's volley fizzed wide of goal, the Brazilian having controlled Davinson Sanchez's header on his thigh.It would be as close as Spurs would come, though, as Christian Pulisic, Axel Witsel and Thomas Delaney all forced saves out of Hugo Lloris.

The France international had to be at his acrobatic best in the closing minutes of the half as Dan-Axel Zagadou rose to meet Jadon Sancho's cross, the goalkeeper clawing the ball away at full stretch.Having weathered the storm prior to the break, Spurs opened the scoring two minutes after the restart as Son peeled away from Zagadou to volley Vertonghen's pinpoint cross past Roman Burki.

Toby Alderweireld went close to doubling Tottenham's advantage from a Christian Eriksen corner moments later, but Burki was on hand to keep his header out.Mahmoud Dahoud wasted a great chance to draw Dortmund level, his meek effort easily saved, and Vertonghen showed him how it should be with a fine volley from Serge Aurier's deep cross.

Substitute Llorente headed in a third in the closing minutes from Eriksen's corner to ensure Spurs take a commanding lead into the return fixture.

 

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Ajax 1 Real Madrid 2: Asensio strikes late after VAR controversy

Real Madrid snatched a 2-1 win over Ajax in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday, as VAR made a controversial first appearance in the competition.

Having had a Nicolas Tagliafico goal disallowed in the first half after a review, Ajax found themselves behind through Karim Benzema's 60th goal in the tournament.Hakim Ziyech thought he had secured a deserved draw for the home side at Johan Cruijff ArenA, but Marco Asensio struck late on to put Madrid in control of the tie.

Ajax started strongly, Dusan Tadic collecting Lasse Schone's headed pass and smacking the outside of the left-hand post with a bending effort from 18 yards out.Another fine passing move saw Tagliafico, David Neres and Tadic combine to set up Ziyech in clear space in the box, but Courtois raced off his line to save.

It looked like Courtois had gifted Ajax a deserved lead when he fumbled Matthijs de Ligt's header and allowed Tagliafico to nod in the rebound, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review, seemingly because Tadic was blocking the keeper from an offside position.

Neres spurned another presentable chance when one-on-one with Courtois, but Madrid were beginning to offer a greater threat of their own, Benzema forcing a good low stop from Andre Onana with a half-volley.With an hour gone, Madrid found the breakthrough. Vinicius Junior raced onto a ball over the top from Sergio Reguilon, skipped his way across the box and teed up Benzema to fire into the top-left corner of the net.

Substitute Kasper Dolberg blasted another good opening over the bar, but Ajax finally found the net when Ziyech side-footed past Courtois from Neres' precise cross.

But with three minutes of normal time remaining, Dani Carvajal raced down the left and curled a cross into the box that escaped Onana and was tapped in by Asensio.

 

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Wenger backs Solskjaer decision to leave out Alexis: Martial is indispensable


Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has backed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's decision to bench his former player Alexis Sanchez, with the Frenchman suggesting Anthony Martial has made the left-wing position his own at the club.

Martial has blossomed this season, scoring nine goals in 20 Premier League appearances so far, while he has managed to hit the net three times in all competitions since Solskjaer's appointment as interim boss.

Chile international Sanchez, meanwhile, has struggled to force his way into Solskjaer's plans, with an injury at the start of the Norwegian's tenure not helping matters, coupled with the improvement in form of his team-mates.

Indeed, Sanchez has not shown his best since swapping Arsenal for United in January 2018 and has scored just five times in all competitions for the club since then.And the 30-year-old again found himself on the end of criticism for his latest display after replacing Martial at half-time in United's 2-0 home defeat against Paris Saint-Germain, with the game scoreless at the break.

Despite signing Alexis for Arsenal back in 2014 from Barcelona, Wenger believes Solskjaer's decision to leave him out is completely justified."[Sanchez] has lost his position, but he plays in the position of Martial," Wenger told beIN SPORTS."Today, who would dispute that Martial is indispensable for Man United? That's competition. That's fair competition in my opinion."

With both Martial and Jesse Lingard having suffered injuries on Tuesday night, Sanchez is likely to get a chance to prove himself in the coming games, starting with the trip to Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup to face Chelsea.It remains to be seen if he will start, though, with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Romelu Lukaku and Juan Mata all also potential options across the attacking line.

Solskjaer, meanwhile, has admitted he is unsure what to do to help solve Alexis's struggles at United, suggesting it's down to the player to rediscover his best form.

He told reporters after the PSG game:" I can't do anything about Alexis. He needs to find himself as we know there is a quality player there."After United face Chelsea on Monday they turn their attentions back to the Premier League and a potentially daunting fixture with title-chasing Liverpool.The return leg against PSG in the Champions League, meanwhile, is scheduled for March 6.

 

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West Ham star Rice confirms he will represent England instead of Ireland


West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has announced he will continue his international career with England, after having previously played with Ireland.

The news is a blow to the Irish and a coup for the Three Lions, with the 20-year-old having established himself as one of the top central midfield prospects in the Premier League."Declan rang me today and said he has decided to give it a go with England. Good luck to him." Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy said in a brief statement.

Rice was born and raised in London, but played for Ireland from the U-16 level all the way through the senior team, his eligibility coming from his Irish-born grandparents.

The midfielder made his senior Ireland debut in March 2018, and went on to earn two more caps before taking a break from international football to consider his future.In a statement posted on Twitter, Rice confirmed his intent to file a one-time switch with FIFA and change his international allegiance to England.

"This has been an extremely difficult decision and, in all honesty, not one I ever expected to be making at this stage of my career," Rice said."Like so many people around the world, I consider myself to be of mixed nationality. I am a proud Englishman, having been born and raised in London.

"However, I am just as proud of my family's Irish heritage and my affinity and and connection with the country.
"Ultimately, it is a personal decision that I have made with my heart and my head, based on what I believe is best for my future."Rice has made 23 Premier League appearances for West Ham this season, scoring one goal.

 

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Chelsea have mental problem we need to solve - Sarri


Maurizio Sarri says Chelsea must solve their mental problems following the 6-0 battering at the hands of Manchester City on Sunday.

The Blues were hammered from the opening moments in the loss to the reigning Premier League title contenders with Raheem Sterling after just four minutes.By the 25th minute, it was 4-0, and Chelsea never got close to showing enough fight to turn the tide.

Sarri has begrudged his side's mental fortitude previously in his first season in charge of the club, but bouncing back from the Man City loss may prove the team's biggest test yet.“In my opinion, the last game was not a problem of motivation. We were not able to react to the first difficulty during the match because, in the first four or five minutes, we started well," he said.

"Then, after the first goal, we were not able to react. So the problem is different.But it's always a mind problem, a mental problem, so we need to solve them.”“I think that, sometimes, as the match in Tottenham in the Premier League [showed], we had not the right approach to the match, the right determination," Sarri added.

"This match, in my opinion, was different. We had very good training during the week. We arrived at the match with the right level of motivation. Then we conceded a goal after five minutes and were not able to do anything.”

Sarri added that the players and coaching staff met for an hour the day after the match in an effort to clear the air following the defeat.In the days since, Chelsea have looked to mentally move on from the loss, something Sarri says hasn't been totally simple.Now, they'll face a difficult road, starting with Thursday's Europa League clash with Malmo.

After that comes an FA Cup meeting with Manchester United, the return leg against Malmo before meeting Manchester City again in the Carabao Cup final.“Not too easy, of course. But I think, after a match like in Manchester City, it's normal," Sarri said.

"It's not easy to play tomorrow [against Malmo] after a 6-0, but we have to play and we have to play well. We want to win."We know that it will be not really very easy because we have to play against a very good team, I think. They are compact, they are solid."They have usually a very good defensive phase, so it won't be easy. But we want to win and react immediately.”

 

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'We trust VAR' - Solari keeping faith in officials after close call at Ajax


Santiago Solari said head coaches need to trust in VAR after Real Madrid benefited from a controversial call in Wednesday's 2-1 Champions League win at Ajax.

Holders Madrid took control of their last-16 tie as goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio, either side of a Hakim Ziyech strike, gave them a victory and two away goals at Johan Cruijff ArenA.

Ajax thought they had taken a deserved first-half lead through Nicolas Tagliafico, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review, with Dusan Tadic judged to have impeded goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois while in an offside position.Madrid boss Solari, though, insists officials should be entrusted to make such decisions as they are the only ones with access to the video replays.

"We don't have the elements to make a judgement. We don't have a monitor. We trust what VAR or the referees say," he said."Without a doubt [we suffered]. We knew how to play the game, how to work it, suffer through it and to score when we created those chances."We did everything and that shows the strength of the players and of the group."

Madrid struggled in the first half against Ajax's high press, but Solari did not agree that it was a poor performance overall."That's your opinion," he said. "We had to do a lot of things to get this result. We had to work, suffer, know how to escape the press, and be strong."This is the Champions League, the last 16, and there are no teams that are not very good.

"They played with a lot of energy, pushing some situations to the limit, and they made us work hard for the win."Solari was pleased with Asensio's impact as a substitute, while he also denied he took off Gareth Bale after 61 minutes because of a poor display from the Wales forward.

"I'm particularly happy with his goal and his performance," he said of Asensio."He's played in three or four games since he came back from injury."He did everything he had to do, not only for the goal but also how he acted on the pitch, how he defended and for his effectiveness in reaching the goal."

When asked about Bale, he added: "I'm very happy with everyone's performance. It was a very difficult game and we needed the maximum from everyone. Without that, we wouldn't have won."

 

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Dortmund gifted Tottenham the win, says Favre


Lucien Favre felt Borussia Dortmund panicked after falling behind against Tottenham and were heavily punished for their lack of focus in the Champions League at Wembley.

Bundesliga leaders Dortmund impressed in the opening 45 minutes of their European last-16 tie away to Tottenham, but they wasted numerous chances in a 3-0 first-leg loss in London.

Having been in a position of strength at the break, Dortmund's night quickly unravelled as Tottenham upped the tempo after the restart on Wednesday.

Son Heung-min gave Spurs the lead before late strikes from Jan Vertonghen and Fernando Llorente sealed victory for the Premier League team."We played well in the first half, we had a couple of chances," head coach Favre told reporters at his post-match media conference. "We defended really well and played well going forward. "In the start of the second half we gave it away. When we lost the ball and the cross came straight in and was in the back of the net. It was a gift.

"After that we tried to play a bit too hastily and it was very, very difficult for us."Sometimes we just had to defend. The second goal we’ve got to move the ball and after the second goal it was harder to hold on to the ball and create chances."

Jadon Sancho had been a shining light as Dortmund started well, but his return to London ended in disappointment. However, the England international is not giving up just yet.

"I don't have any words for the second half," the 18-year-old told BT Sport. "We tried our best but Tottenham scored and were the better team."In the first half we played really well. We just dropped a bit and lost focus. In the next game we need to keep focused for the whole game.

"We are still in it, we have to stay focused, we will keep believing we can score more than them and hopefully we can get through to the next round."Sancho added: "I am just happy that I am in England and playing in front of my family.

"I am happy that I am home and I hope I gave the audience something they never knew about me."

 

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Madrid's Ramos admits picking up intentional yellow against Ajax


Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has admitted that he picked up an intentional booking towards the end of his side's victory over Ajax to ensure availability for the Champions League quarter-finals.

The reigning European champions were made to sweat in Amsterdam, but eventually powered through to a 2-1 win thanks to goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio.Ajax struck back with Hakim Ziyech's goal to keep a slither of hope going into March's second leg, while they also felt aggrieved when Nicolas Tagliafico's opener was chalked off in controversial circumstances by the VAR.

Ramos, meanwhile, will miss the return match after receiving a yellow card 89 minutes into the game, for a foul he later hinted was committed on purpose.

"Looking at the result, I'd be lying if I said I didn't force [the booking]," Ramos said when asked about the offence."It is not to underestimate the opponent nor to think that the series is over, but in football you have to make tough decisions."

It is not the first time that Ramos has come under the microscope for allegedly manipulating UEFA's suspension regulations. In November 2010, against none other than Ajax, he and Xabi Alonso were both sent off for double bookable offences at the end of a routine 4-0 victory for the Spaniards.

Each player was called up for time wasting, raising suspicions that then-Madrid coach Jose Mourinho had instructed the pair to seek deliberate punishment in order to serve their suspensions during the last group stage match against Auxerre rather than in the knockout stages.

A subsequent UEFA investigation handed Mourinho a two-match touchline ban for his antics, later reduced to one match on appeal, while Ramos and Alonso were both fined.In 2017 another Madrid player fell foul of the European governing body for trying to subvert the rules.

UEFA deemed that Ramos' team-mate Dani Carvajal had intentionally sought a yellow against APOEL and extended his ban to two games, ruling him out of Madrid's subsequent last-16 first leg.

Madrid return to the pitch with a league clash against Girona on Sunday, with the side looking to close down a six-point gap to La Liga leaders and rivals Barcelona.

 

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Pochettino hails 'fantastic' Spurs after overcoming nervous opening half


Mauricio Pochettino hailed a "fantastic" performance from Tottenham as the team overcame a difficult first half to fire their way to a 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.The round of 16 tie between the two began in fairly even fashion with both sides dueling through a deadlocked first half.In the second, though, Spurs came alive, starting with Son Heung-min's goal just two minutes into the second period.

Spurs nursed that lead through to the final 10 minutes, when they exploded for two goals that all but sealed the tie. Jan Vertonghen scored to make it 2-0 after initially assisting on Spurs' first, firing home on the volley in the 83rd minute.Substitute Fernando Llorente headed home a corner kick just three minutes later, sealing a lopsided win for the home side.

"It was a fantastic second half. The first half was difficult. It was a difficult game from the beginning. It was difficult to find what the best position was in both directions," Pochettino said on BT Sport.

"When we had the ball we struggled to play in the way we wanted to play. The team started to feel comfortable, then we scored. And afterwards we played with more confidence."In the first half we played a little - not nervously - but not with the confidence. The second half was very, very good.

"We spoke about our defensive positions and changed things a little. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I wanted to take the best decision to perform in the best way. It was a fantastic game. "Always when we play this competition and against a good side like Dortmund it is very difficult. There is still work to do.

"We have a lot of talented players. We have an unbelievable squad. I am happy with all the players. The only problem is that we can only play 11 and not 22." Tottenham now take that commanding three-goal lead to Germany, where they will face Dortmund on March 5 for the second leg.

"It was a fantastic game. But there is still work to do," Pochettino said."Three-nil is a good result but we need to finish the job." Before that, Spurs will face Burnley, Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League as they look to keep pace in the title race against Liverpool and Manchester City.

 

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'It's hard to play Sarriball' - Pedro admits Chelsea struggle with boss' tactics


Chelsea star Pedro has admitted that sometimes his team struggles to put Maurizio Sarri's high-intensity tactics into practice, while affirming they are 100 per cent behind the under-fire boss.

After making a bright start at Stamford Bridge, the former Napoli coach has found life in the Premier League rather trickier in recent months.Sunday's 6-0 humiliation at the hands of Manchester City showed how far the Blues trail the current reigning champions, while also heightening the pressure on Sarri's shoulders.

The Italian's 'Sarriball' approach has been closely discussed and analysed since he arrived in London, but Pedro confesses that it is at times just as challenging for the players.

"All the team follows the idea of Maurizio: press really high, stay compact, and to create chances. With good possession, a lot of the ball. We can do this as a team," the Spaniard told reporters on Wednesday."But sometimes it's so difficult to play in this way. It depends upon the opponents.City played very well, so it was so difficult to press, to create between the lines and to defend."But it's Maurizio's idea, and I prefer to press high when we recover the ball to create chances, not to wait for 90 minutes to recover the ball and run 60 metres to score the goal.

"In the last few games it's not been in very good condition for the results. Now is a good opportunity tomorrow to win and get our best confidence.”Pedro went on to reject the notion that Chelsea suffer from a toxic dressing room, despite the club going through three managers in as many years.

“I think it is always difficult for every manager, when you arrive with good motivation and ambition. It's not just in the Chelsea dressing-room. For all coaches, it's difficult," the winger explained.

"It's not good for [Sarri] and the team because the results have not been good, but it's good for us to change this dynamic now."It's good for us going into the final against City, the FA Cup against United. In the league, it's difficult for us to hit our targets, but we're still in four competitions.That's good for us. It's too early to analyse the season. We do that at the end of the season. Malmo is a good opportunity.”

Chelsea will look to bounce back from their weekend humbling on Thursday, when Malmo await in the Europa League last 32.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

UEFA Europa League Round of 32 1st Leg Fixtures 2019.02.14

UEFA Europa League Round of 32 1st Leg Fixtures 2019.02.14

BATE Vs Arsenal
Krasnodar Vs Leverkusen
Galatasaray Vs Benfica
Lazio Vs Sevilla
Olympiakos Vs Dynamo Kiev
Rennes Vs Real Betis
Rapid Vienna Vs Inter
Slavia Prague Vs KRC Genk
Celtic Vs Valencia
Club Brugge Vs FC Red Bull Salzburg
Malmo Vs Chelsea
Shakhtar Donetsk Vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Sporting Lisbon Vs Villarreal
Viktoria Plzen Vs Dinamo Zagreb
Zurich Vs Napoli​