..::Football IV::..

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Solskjaer admits to doubts over 'fearless' Rashford's penalty ahead of winning strike


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits he was unsure if 21-year-old Marcus Rashford would be able to hit from the spot as Manchester United were handed a controversial late penalty in their 3-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.Rashford had never taken a competitive penalty for the club before Wednesday's match but was asked to step forward with a Champions League last-16 tie on the line against the French giants following Presnel Kimpembe 's handball.But Rashford left no doubt, hammering home from the spot to hand United an unlikely spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.

"There's always doubt about a penalty," he told BT Sport. "I was in the Champions League with Molde against Basel and my player missed then and we went out."Rashford is 21 and the pressure on the boy - there are no nerves - he's fearless.Him and Romelu were fantastic tonight." Despite that, Solskjaer was thrilled with the belief shown by his team in becoming the first team to ever overturn a two-goal first-leg home loss to advance in the knockout stages.

"That's the Champions League, it's what it does," he said. "Last night with Real and Ajax was our team-talk, it was probably theirs too. Last year it was Real and Juventus, there's been PSG and Barca too."It's this club, it's what we do. That's Man Utd."There's always mental doubt. Our boys are young and fresh which gave us more energy when we needed that goal."

VAR once again came into play with Kimpembe 's hand ball, prompting injured PSG star Neymar to go on a swearing rant about the call, but Solskjaer called it a "clear penalty" when asked about the controversial moment. "I had to try and calm everyone down, sit everyone down," he said. "My staff said the defender made himself bigger so it's a clear penalty."

The 46-year-old also wasn't ready to speak on his future with the club, with speculation mounting that he will be offered the job on a full-time basis this summer. "We don't chat now, it's too noisy and there's a great atmosphere in there," he continued. "Until the summer, we will see what happens."

 

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'I didn't believe they could do it' - Ferdinand stunned by Man Utd turnaround against PSG


Rio Ferdinand admitted that he didn't believe that Manchester United could overcome Paris Saint-Germain after losing the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie 2-0 at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils did just that on Wednesday as a Marcus Rashford penalty sealed a 3-1 victory and Man Utd's progression on away goals.The result at Parc des Princes was a stunning one, as a pair of first-half goals from Romelu Lukaku saw the Red Devils capitalise on mistakes from Thilo Kehrer and Gianluigi Buffon.

And Old Trafford legend Ferdinand confirmed that he was stunned by the result, one which sends Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side into the quarter-finals of the competition."I didn't have the confidence in these boys to do it, with 10 boys out, I didn't see this result coming after the way PSG played in the first leg," Ferdinand said on BT Sport.

"Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was brave with his team selection, he had three teenagers on the pitch, the character of these players after the starvation of moments like this.The confidence this will give them.

"Ole has brought belief back to this team. People were doubting Lukaku - he's one of many who has been given a new lease of life."I don't think it's a penalty but turning your back, as a defender, you get punished for things like that."

Fellow BT Sport analyst Michael Owen echoed that point, saying he didn not believe in his former club before Solskajer came in to replace Jose Mourinho."When this draw was made I gave Manchester United no chance whatsoever.They were playing awful football under Jose Mourinho, they had no chance," he said."What a difference, the whole spirit has changed - it's quite frightening how they've gone through tonight.

"With a neutral head I don't think it's a penalty in a million years. It's not a penalty for me or anybody in this room."Owen was also quick to praise Rashford, who stepped up to take the crucial penalty that essentially decided Man Utd's fate.It was Rashford's first competitive penalty for the club, and the young forward buried it with a thumping effort past Buffon.

"There's no fun in that as a penalty talker - it's just relief," Owen said."When that hits the net, it's a case of thank everything! In that position you just go numb."Others may feel differently but you just do it to be a leader."

 

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'Florentino, resign'! How Real Madrid president Perez is to blame for Champions League disaster


“Florentino, resign!” chanted angry Real Madrid supporters after Tuesday night's humiliating Champions League last-16 elimination at the hands of Ajax.And last time things were this bad, the Real Madrid president did just that.

Back in February 2006, Los Blancos were dumped out of the Copa del Rey by Real Zaragoza, lost to Real Mallorca to fall 10 points behind Barcelona in La Liga, and suffered a 1-0 defeat by Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

“I hope this decision will help us change direction and I believe that we still have a chance of achieving something in the European Cup this season,” said Perez, stepping down after six years in charge.Those three defeats took place over 12 days; this time around, Madrid suffered the same fate in less than a week.

Arch-rivals Barcelona inflicted the first two wounds, knocking Madrid out of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday and moving 12 points clear in La Liga with another win at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.

Ajax twisted the knife as they romped to a 4-1 win on Tuesday (5-3 on aggregate), leaving Madrid facing nearly over five months without any meaningful matches.For the team which has reigned over Europe for more than 1,000 days, winning the last three Champions Leagues, this situation is unbearable.

"I've never felt so bad; I don't know how to explain it,” whimpered defender Dani Carvajal after the Ajax elimination.Despite the disappointing performances of some players, and their hapless coach Santiago Solari, the finger of blame can only be pointed at Perez himself.

Madrid fans were quick to do so, too, having seen the team’s quality level reduced year on year, with only Zinedine Zidane’s fine man management and legendary top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo maintaining their European dominance.

Both left in the summer and Perez was unable to replace either satisfactorily.The president failed to appoint any of his first-choice options as manager, instead wrecking Spain’s World Cup tilt by persuading Julen Lopetegui to sign a contract with the club on the eve of the tournament in Russia.Then, when Ronaldo joined Juventus for €100 million (£86/$113m), Madrid could have reinvested that money in a new striker, someone who could offer at least 30 of the 50 goals a season Ronaldo guaranteed every year.

But instead Perez brought back Mariano Diaz, who barely gets included in Madrid squads these days, and asked the existing attackers – Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio – to step up their production.Luka Modric attested to that before the Ajax clash when asked about Madrid’s lack of goals this season.

“The club wanted the other players to make up for what he did, divided between the strikers and that is not easy,” explained the Croatian Ballon d’Or winner.
Perez was even blamed by Ronaldo himself for his departure."The president looked at me in a way that suggested I was no longer indispensable if you know what I mean,” the Portuguese said. “That is what made me think about leaving."

After sacking Lopetegui, Perez went for the easy option and promoted Solari from the B team. It seemed to work at first but handing the Argentine a contract until 2021 seemed like a bad idea even at the time – and now Madrid will have to pay him off to get a new coach.

Solari made it fairly clear that he wouldn’t be quitting of his own accord after the Ajax game: "I did not come to the club in such a difficult moment to give up." His departure is only a matter of time, though.Furthermore, Zidane and Ronaldo not being effectively replaced is only the tip of the iceberg that has sunk Real this season. Perez's problems go way back.

Colombian playmaker James Rodriguez was the last big signing made by the president, who splashed out €80m (£69m/$90m) that summer on the World Cup golden boot winner.Since then, Perez has focused on signing younger players, refusing to shell out for stars in their prime unless there is a good deal to be cut.

He has tightened the purse strings to focus on what he wants to be his legacy – the renovation of the Santiago Bernabeu. Natural, for a construction magnate, of course, but unfortunately for Madrid, it’s costing them on the pitch.Finishing 17 points behind Barcelona last season reflected the real state Madrid are in, despite their Champions League final victory over Liverpool. Things have to change.

On a huge billboard outside the Bernabeu reads an advert from a mobile phone network telling prospective customers to “look for the love of your life”.Inadvertently, it seems to be a subconscious message to Perez too, as talk of the return of his beloved Jose Mourinho gathers momentum.

A week of complete and utter collapse seems to be driving the Portuguese coach and his former club back together. This type of disaster makes you start to wonder if Mourinho’s return might actually be a good idea but, in reality, it is another sign that Madrid are in dire straights – and it is Perez who has taken them there.

Madrid fans want him to go – although elections are not due until 2021 – and strict rules he approved in 2012 make it difficult for anyone to challenge him: a club president must have been a member for the last 20 years and have a personal guarantee of over €75m (£64m/$85m) from a Spanish bank.

The rebuild Madrid must undertake for next season is one of the biggest challenges in the club’s history and Perez must either follow the fans’ cries to resign, or fully commit to it.

The last few years have seen him take half-measures when it comes to the first team, which should be the lifeblood of the club, and this week they are now counting the cost of his parsimonious approach.

 

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'The moments we live for' - Confident Rashford wanted pressure of late penalty


Marcus Rashford struck a confident tone following his last-gasp penalty winner for Manchester United in Wednesday's Champions League clash.

The Premier League club entered the night two goals down from the first leg, but a controversial VAR decision and Rashford's subsequent penalty strike handed them a 3-1 win on the night and sent them through on away goals following a 3-3 aggregate scoreline over the two matches.

And while the 21-year-old had never taken a penalty in a competitive match for the club, and had the win riding on his shoulders late on, he claims moment's like Tuesday's spot-kick are what players "live for"."I think it was just about keeping a cool head," he told BT Sport . "That's what you practice for. I wanted to take it.

"Those moments are the moments we live for, and we want to come out of them smiling after. "Everything seemed to be against us, but we're used to surviving these moments and we proved that again. We keep pushing and bettering ourselves. "It's a beautiful thing, to have 10 players injured too, but it’s an opportunity and it's what they deserve."

Rashford wasn't alone on the night of course, strike partner Romelu Lukaku having already scored twice to set up the late winner for the youngster.Lukaku's second came from a spilled Rashford strike, and following the match Lukaku said it was all part of a belief between the two forwards coming into the night.

"Me and Marcus Rashford knew we could do the business today after playing together against Fulham," the Belgian told BT Sport . "It was a pleasure to play with him today like that. "We agreed to step up the press together and I told him every time he shoots I would follow the ball in.

"We just keep going - everything starts on the training ground with 5 v 5, 6 v 6 and the competitiveness starts there. It's natural to us, we keep going until the referee blows the whistle." Manchester United join Tottenham, Ajax and Porto as clubs to have booked their place in the quarter-finals, with the other four slots to be decided next week.But before then the Old Trafford club will have to focus back in on the league, where they face a showdown against fellow top-four chasers Arsenal on Sunday.

 

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Chelsea 3 Dynamo Kiev 0: Sarri's side in driving seat

Pedro, Willian and Callum Hudson-Odoi helped Chelsea to a 3-0 win over Dynamo Kiev in their Europa League last-16 first-leg tie on Thursday.

Maurizio Sarri's side dominated throughout and, despite missing a host of opportunities in the first half, ended up with a commanding advantage ahead of next week's second leg in Ukraine.Pedro's first Europa League goal of the campaign set them on their way after 17 minutes before Willian doubled their advantage with a superb free-kick in the 65th minute.

Substitute Hudson-Odoi then whipped in a third in the 90th minute as Sarri's men strolled to a third consecutive win in all competitions in the most comfortable of fashions.
After a bright start, Chelsea forged ahead in the 17th minute thanks to sublime play from Olivier Giroud.The Frenchman collected Pedro's pass and picked out the Spaniard's subsequent surge into the penalty area with a superb flick, the former Barcelona man then sliding through Denys Boyko's legs from eight yards.

An unmarked Pedro should have doubled the Blues' advantage three minutes later but fired straight at Boyko from just six yards, while Ross Barkley was denied by the Dynamo goalkeeper's legs soon after.Boyko brilliantly repelled Pedro's volley and Marcos Alonso saw an effort deflected narrowly wide as Chelsea threatened to pull out of sight before half-time.

Willian ensured those misses were not too costly, however, whipping a superb free-kick into Boyko's top-right corner from 25 yards in the 65th minute to double the Blues' lead.

Alonso flashed wide and Ruben Loftus-Cheek clipped over before Hudson-Odoi coolly slotted past Boyko late on to ensure Chelsea travel to Ukraine next week with one foot in the quarter-finals.

 

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Eintracht Frankfurt 0 Inter 0: Trapp penalty save preserves parity


Kevin Trapp's early penalty save set Eintracht Frankfurt up for a hard-fought goalless draw against Inter in their Europa League last-16 first leg.Eintracht are unbeaten in all competitions in 2019 but that record might well have come to an end had Marcelo Brozovic been able to find a way past Trapp from 12 yards in Germany on Thursday.

With Mauro Icardi still absent, Brozovic seized the opportunity to take the spot-kick after an on-field debate with Ivan Perisic and Lautaro Martinez but succeeded only in passing up the game's best opportunity.


Frankfurt were much improved in the second half and perhaps should have secured a first-leg lead, meaning both sides will still feel the tie is there to be won at San Siro next week.

Inter's early attacking ambition was met with rugged Eintracht defending, yet it was a relatively soft challenge from Gelson Fernandes that saw Martinez go to ground to earn a 22nd-minute penalty.

Trapp brilliantly dived to his left to parry away Brozovic's spot-kick and preserve parity, allowing the slow-starting hosts to grow into the contest.Chances for star forward Luka Jovic were still few and far between, but Frankfurt came out for the second half with renewed vigour and were twice frustrated by the officials in quick succession.

Evan Ndicka nodded in from a corner but the offside Sebastien Haller was deemed to be interfering with play. Haller was then bundled over in the area and referee Willie Collum waved away appeals, sending coach Adi Hutter to the stands for thrashing at a nearby water bottle.

Martin Hinteregger horribly miscued an unmarked header and the same man tested Samir Handanovic from distance shortly afterwards, but the sides each had to settle for a stalemate.

 

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Rennes 3 Arsenal 1: Sarr leaves Gunners on the brink after Sokratis red card

Arsenal are in real danger of being eliminated from the last 16 of the Europa League after Nacho Monreal's own goal and a late Ismaila Sarr header in the second half secured Rennes a deserved 3-1 win at Roazhon Park.

The Gunners looked to be heading back to London with a serviceable 2-1 defeat after having Sokratis Papastathopoulos sent off in the first half, but Sarr's dramatic late goal put daylight between the sides to leave Arsenal seemingly on the brink.It all started so well for Unai Emery's men when Alex Iwobi's somewhat fortuitous early effort gave them an away goal that may yet prove decisive.

The good feeling did not last as Sokratis was given his marching orders for two yellow cards, and Benjamin Bourigeaud netted a stunning equaliser as a result of the second offence.

The home side looked desperate to make the most of their numerical advantage and the pressure paid off, as Monreal deflected a cross into the goal and Sarr rounded off a brilliant performance with an emphatic diving header.

It took Arsenal just three minutes to break the deadlock, as Iwobi cut into the left side of the area and saw an apparent low cross curl in off the right-hand post.
But Rennes were back in it late in the half.

Sokratis cynically hauled Sarr down when seemingly through on goal to earn a second booking in the space of seven minutes, and Bourigeaud brilliantly found the top-right corner with a stinging half-volley when the subsequent free-kick came back off the wall.

Rennes stepped things up after the break and crafted a string of chances – Petr Cech denying goal-bound efforts from Bourigeaud and Sarr.Cech was helpless in the 65th minute, however, as Mehdi Zeffane's cross took a wicked touch off Monreal and squeezed inside the near post.

Sarr finished Arsenal off two minutes from time, meeting substitute James Lea Siliki's sublime cross at the back post with a fine diving header.

 

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Roma sack manager Di Francesco following Champions League exit


Roma have sacked manager Eusebio Di Francesco, the Serie A outfit have announced.The Giallorossi have had a disappointing season domestically, sitting outside the top four places in Italy and were dumped out of the Champions League by Porto in the round of 16.

A 2-1 win in Rome was undone as the Portuguese outfit matched that result in 90 minutes to take the game to extra-time before Alex Telles scored a penalty that sent them through and avoided the lottery of a shootout.

Di Francesco's position was already under scrutiny beforehand, but the club's early European exit - having reached the semi-finals last season - appears to have been the final straw.

The club's hierarchy have apparently already drawn up a shortlist to succeed him, with Claudio Ranieri among the favourites for the role on a temporary basis until the end of the season.

Laurent Blanc and Paulo Sousa are also in the frame alongside the former Fulham and Leicester City manager, although the latter has been strongly linked with a move to Ligue 1 outfit Bordeaux.Di Francesco spent four years with Roma as a player, winning the Scudetto in 2001, before returning as a manager in 2017.

He finished third in Serie A before reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League despite being drawn in a difficult group with Atletico Madrid and Chelsea, masterminding a sensational comeback against Barcelona in the quarter-finals along the way, coming back to win on away goals after a 4-1 defeat in Spain.

However, he was unable to repeat the feat against Liverpool and reach the final, eventually losing 7-6 on aggregate. This season has gone far less smoothly, with Roma winning just one of their first six games in all competitions, and having suffered an embarrassing 7-1 defeat to Fiorentina in the quarter-final of the Coppa Italia, as well as losing 3-0 in their most recent derby against Lazio.

The Giallorossi next face Empoli on Monday as they focus their attentions on attaining a top-four finish in Serie A, currently sitting fifth and three points of fourth-placed Inter, although Lazio, Torino and Atalanta are just three points further back.

 

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'Name his salary, put a statue outside!' - Neville sure Solskjaer will get Man Utd job after PSG heroics


Gary Neville believes there is “no way” Ole Gunnar Solskjaer isn’t given the full-time job as Manchester United manager following the club’s 3-1 Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

Solskjaer took over as interim boss in December following Jose Mourinho's departure and has led a remarkable turnaround in form which has seen the Reds overcome an 11-point gap to the top four.

The Norwegian has also taken United into the FA Cup quarter-finals with victories over Arsenal and Chelsea in rounds four and five respectively, while his latest feat saw United complete a remarkable turnaround in Paris to reach the Champions League quarters.

The former Manchester United defender had earlier predicted that the 46-year-old would be appointed by the club “in the next couple of weeks”, and while he still believes that to be the right timeline, he says Wednesday’s result makes it even less likely that the club won’t give him the job.“There is no way he is not going to get the job,” he told Viasport following the match. “I think it’s just a case of the timing. I think they’ll stick to the original timing.

“I don’t think they’ll bring it forward because they’ve got a big game on Sunday against Arsenal. So why would you distract everything from that game? You wouldn’t do. You’d stick to the plan.”And while the signing of the contract may have to wait, Neville joked that Wednesday’s win over PSG may have raised the amount Manchester United will have to spend to sign the Norwegian to a full-time deal with the club.

“There was no doubt before the game for me,” he said of the club giving Solskjaer the job on a full-time basis. “After the game, he can name the length of his contract, he can name his salary, he can put a statue outside of the ground wherever he wants.“He can do whatever he wants after that.”The win over PSG will go down as a historic moment for the club.

The French giants held a 2-0 lead heading into the night and the miraculous turnaround saw United become the first club to ever advance in the Champions League after losing by two or more goals at home in the first leg.

And Neville believes the match rates among the best nights in club history given the circumstances.“This feels out of this world just because of the size of the task, and also the team Manchester United had tonight,” he said. “Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had to play the young boys, all the midfield is gone, Martial is not there.“I’ve not seen many games like that in my time. As a fan it was absolutely out of this world. I didn’t give them a chance. Not one chance.”

 

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Man Utd told they need five summer signings as Neville identifies areas of weakness


Manchester United may have stunned Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, but Gary Neville believes they need as many as five new signings over the summer.

The Red Devils proved on Wednesday that the options already at their disposal are capable of collecting the most remarkable of results, with a 3-1 win in France booking them a quarter-final berth in Europe’s elite club competition.

They took on the challenge of facing the Ligue 1 title holders with Paul Pogba suspended and the likes of Nemanja Matic, Alexis Sanchez, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata out injured.

Those asked to provide cover did an impressive job for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has further enhanced his claims to be given United’s manager post on a permanent basis.

Neville, though, feels that some serious reinforcement will be required in the next transfer window, with those at Old Trafford needing to strengthen across the field.
The former Red Devils defender told beIN Sports: “Manchester United need two centre-backs. I genuinely believe that.

“When you talk about United winning the Premier League title or trying to get to a Champions League final, you need top centre-backs.“They need two new centre-backs and a right-back. That’s a minimum I think for the summer. They’ve looked at doing that in the past and they need to do it this year.

“The manager needs a new back four, there’s no doubt.“They need someone with authority. You watch Virgil van Dijk or Thiago Silva, they’re world-class centre-backs and United need someone like that.“I would say three defenders, one midfielder and one forward, because of the form of Alexis Sanchez.

“Unless he completely changes what he’s doing in the next few months, United need another forward.“I’d say they need five additions to the squad. Then the squad would be in good shape and could challenge.”United are already challenging this season, however.

Solskjaer’s arrival as Jose Mourinho’s successor in December has sparked an upturn in form that few could have predicted.The Red Devils are back into the Premier League’s top four and through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

They are also now into the last eight of the Champions League, with their next opponents set to be determined when the draw is held on March 15.

 

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.“They need someone with authority. You watch Virgil van Dijk or Thiago Silva, they’re world-class centre-backs and United need someone like that.“I would say three defenders, one midfielder and one forward, because of the form of Alexis Sanchez.

 

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Mourinho closing in on Real Madrid interim manager's role as sack looms for Solari


Jose Mourinho looks set to be named Real Madrid's interim boss as the sack looms for Santiago Solari.

Goal understands the former Manchester United manager is the favourite to take over following Sunday's clash with Real Valladolid and is likely to be named manager through until the end of the season.

Real Madrid executives, headed by Florentino Perez and Jose Angel Sanchez, held a four-hour meeting on Thursday where they decided that Mourinho will be an option to be the club's coach until the end of the season, with it also decided that Sunday's match against Valladolid will be Solari's final game in charge.

The call to sack Solari - who only replaced Julen Lopetegui in October - came in the aftermath of Madrid's shocking Champions League defeat at the hands of Ajax on Tuesday evening, though they have spent the past 48 hours discussing whether to keep the Argentine in charge for the remainder of the campaign.The hiring of Mourinho will not be on a full-time basis however, with Madrid still hoping to convince Zinedine Zidane to return to the club's bench for next season.

Madrid would like to bring Zidane back now, but the French manager is not convinced he is in a position to step back in immediately, hoping instead to be available at the end of June.

Mourinho has been far more receptive to approaches from the Spanish giants, both in public and in private, making him the most likely option to take over for the closing run of the Liga season.

The believe a change must be made to stop the bleeding following a week that saw the club knocked out of the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, along with losing a home Clasico to fall 12 points behind leaders Barcelona in La Liga.

Mourinho and Zidane were joined by Germany boss Joachim Low on the list of possible managers club executives discussed on Thursday as potential full-time replacements though, like Zidane, it is understood that Low would not be available until the end of June.

With the change set to take place on Monday, the new manager will have just one week of training before facing Celta Vigo, though they would then have the benefit of an international break to try and find some answers for the club as they head into the final 10 matches of the season.

Los Blancos currently sit third in the table, five points behind second-placed Atletico Madrid and six clear of fourth-placed Getafe.

 

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Manchester City under investigation for FFP violations, UEFA confirm


Manchester City are under investigation for potential breaches of UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, the governing body of European football has announced.

UEFA released a statement confirming the Premier League champions were being looked at, and noted the alleged violations have been made known via media outlets.

"The Investigatory Chamber of the independent UEFA Club Financial Control Body has today opened a formal investigation into Manchester City FC for potential breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations," the UEFA statement reads.

"The investigation will focus on several alleged violations of FFP that were recently made public in various media outlets."UEFA will make no further comments on the matter while the investigation is ongoing."

German magazine Der Spiegel made multiple accusations against Man City last year in a series of articles that were based on information obtained from whistleblower organisation Football Leaks.

The publication claimed Sheikh Mansour's City regime topped up multi-million pound sponsorship deals with Abu Dhabi companies, using their owner's fortune, allowing them to meet UEFA's FFP regulations.

Man City have denied any wrong doing when commenting on the Der Spiegel reports, claiming "the attempt to damage the club's reputation is organised and clear".In light of UEFA's statement, the Premier League champions have responded by welcoming the investigation and denying any financial violations.

"Manchester City welcomes the opening of a formal UEFA investigation as an opportunity to bring to an end the speculation resulting from the illegal hacking and out of context publication of City emails," the club wrote."The accusation of financial irregularities are entirely false. The club’s published accounts are full and complete and a matter of legal and regulatory record."

In December, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin called the case against City "concrete" and confirmed an "independent body" was working on the investigation. At the time, reports suggested that if Man City were found to have violated FFP, the club could face a ban from the Champions League.

City are known to have violated FFP in the past, having reached an agreement over a settlement in 2014 with then-UEFA general secretary, now FIFA president, Gianni Infantino.Der Spiegel also claimed Man City and Paris Saint-Germain received favourable terms for that settlement by Infantino.

 

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'The time is right' - Fellaini announces international retirement from Belgium


Marouane Fellaini has announced his retirement from international football, calling time on a successful career with the Belgium national team.The former Manchester United midfielder featured for the national team for 12 years, and delivered in important moments this past summer in Russia, helping Belgium to a third-place finish – best in the nation's history.

"After twelve years of representing Belgium at the highest level, I have decided to retire from senior international football," Fellaini wrote on a statement published to Twitter. "It has not been an easy decision for me and not one I take lightly however I feel the time is right for me to step down and allow the next generation of Belgian to continue this very successful period in Belgian football history."It has been an honour to represent my country 87 times and to be part of two World Cups and a European Championship campaign for Belgium.

"I have many amazing memories with the Red Devils from my debut in 2007 to last year's World Cup in Russia and I am very proud Belgium is No.1 in FIFA's world rankings."I want to thank all those who have been part of my international career especially my team-mates, many of whom will be friends for life and all the coaches I have worked with.

"I would also like to thank all the Belgian fans who have travelled the world to support us."I wish the manager and the squad every success for the upcoming European Qualifiers. Thank you Belgium."

The 31-year-old, who had been eligible for Morocco as well as his native land, had represented Belgium at various youth levels before receiving his first call-up to the senior side in 2007.

He would go onto make 87 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 18 goals during his tenure with the national side, as well as appearing at the 2014 and 2018 World Cup. In addition, he featured for Belgium in the 2016 European Championships.

Fellaini made three starts in Russia this past summer for Roberto Martinez's side, but his biggest impact may have been as a substitute in Belgium's comeback victory over Japan in the round of 16.

Entering in the 65th minute of the contest along with Nacer Chadli with his side down 2-0, Fellaini scored the equaliser just nine minutes later, with Belgium going onto win via a stoppage-time goal by Chadli.

Fellaini last appeared for Belgium in the semi-final against France, playing 80 minutes in the 1-0 defeat.Though he was on the bench for Belgium's 2-1 Nations League win over Switzerland, he did not receive an appearance in that October contest, his final time in Belgium's matchday squad.

The midfielder recently underwent a change at the club level, leaving Manchester United after five and half seasons for a move to Shandong Luneng of the Chinese Super League.

 

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Thanks for everything Fellaini and wishing you good luck for the future!

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Ajax's De Ligt 'couldn't care less' about Champions League draw


Matthijs de Ligt "couldn't care less" who Ajax draw in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Ajax won 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday to dump out holders Real Madrid in one of the biggest shocks in the recent history of the competition.
The Dutch giants are one of four sides to have already booked their place in the last eight, alongside Porto, Manchester United and Tottenham.

But captain De Ligt is not bothered who the draw pairs Ajax with next, having ended Madrid's three-year European reign in stunning fashion thanks to a 5-3 aggregate triumph."We don't even know all teams who go to the next round," the teenage defender told Omnisport. "So we need to see after the draw."I couldn't care less. You have to win your own matches. I don't look at who goes through. You look at who you draw and you play against them.

"We knew straight away it was a massive result. We were very happy with this. The best reactions? I got a lot, but I don't know one which was the best. My family, my girlfriend. All the reactions are important for me."

De Ligt has been linked with following team-mate Frenkie de Jong out of Ajax to Barcelona at the end of the season, the midfielder having agreed a deal worth €86million.

And former Netherlands international Rene van der Gijp has suggested De Ligt should join Liverpool to form an all-Dutch partnership with Virgil van Dijk."Virgil is a player who has experience in the top leagues," added De Ligt.

"Of course you want to learn from him. It's very useful to play next to him in the Dutch team."It could happen [joining Liverpool]. He plays for Liverpool. A nice club."But I'm not focused on this. I focus on Ajax. And then I will see where I will end up."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Giggs: I hope Solskjaer gets the Manchester United manager's job


Ryan Giggs has hailed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the way his former Manchester United team-mate has transformed the fortunes of the club since taking over from Jose Mourinho.United are making huge progress under the Norwegian, who was initially drafted in as an interim appointment when Mourinho was sacked in December.

Since then, Solskjaer has realigned United’s season by thrusting them back into contention for a Champions League place and by steering them past Paris Saint-Germain this week in one of the club’s most memorable recent Champions League away days.

“It’s fantastic,” Giggs told Goal in Johannesburg, South Africa, during the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour Presented by Heineken. “No one could have dreamed of the way the team has performed since he took over.

“The results, there’s only PSG [defeat in the first leg], which can happen, where he has been defeated. So far, he has played Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal and he is unbeaten in all those games. So, what he has done in a short space of time is amazing.”

Solskjaer has made sure that he will be favourite when the time comes for United’s executive vice-chair Ed Woodward to make a decision on Mourinho’s permanent successor. And Giggs believes that, if his fellow 1999 Champions League winner can keep up the momentum, then he would be the ideal candidate for the full-time job.“At Manchester United you’ve got to have that consistency, week in, week out and it is not easy,” Giggs said.

“He has had a great start to his coaching career at United. If he gets the job, which I hope he does, he's got to keep it up, which is not easy in the Premier League and in the other trophies.”

The PSG victory was achieved against the odds with the French champions 2-0 up on aggregate from the first leg and with United without as many as 10 first-team players, including the suspended Paul Pogba.

A year on from United’s humiliation at the hands of Sevilla at the same stage of the competition, Solskjaer and assistant Mike Phelan have reinstalled that never-say-die attitude that was so common at the club under Sir Alex Ferguson.“We were accustomed to having winning football over the last 25 years but also doing it in a way that Manchester United are used to,” said Giggs.

“Playing exciting football, having young players come through together with the balance of players who you bring in – the big names, and he is winning the right way and getting fans out of their seats.“So, everyone is happy at the moment, long may it continue.”

The final days of the Mourinho era were marked out by some ordinary results and disappointing performances but the upswing in the club’s form has coincided with Solskjaer giving back to the players a sense of joy in their football.“As a player, if you're not enjoying it, there is no point in playing,” said Giggs.“When you are enjoying your football, and you're playing with a smile on your face, you’ll try things. So, that’s what I see at the moment with the likes of Pogba, Martial, Rashford, all these players expressing themselves, and I think Ole has had a lot to do with that.

“I think all teams are happy when they are winning. So, no matter who the coach is, when you are winning you have a happy dressing room because then you have a happy staff, the media aren’t criticising you and the fans are happy. The whole atmosphere around the club has changed because we are winning again, and we are playing football the Manchester United way.”

Giggs found himself in comparable circumstances to Solskjaer back in 2014, when David Moyes was dismissed four games before the end of the Premier League season, and he was installed as temporary manager.“I only had four games,” he said. “So, it was a bit different and I was still playing and part of the dressing room.

“We played our first game; the second week Louis van Gaal was named as coach for the next season. I knew I was never going to be coach the next season, so it was a little bit different whereas Ole has got longer time and is no longer playing, more experience.

“He has been a coach with between 300 and 400 games. So, there are differences and similarities, we both played for the club and both are young coaches.”

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Juventus 4 Udinese 1: Allegri's men run riot to open up 19-point lead

Juventus warmed up for their crunch Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday with a thumping 4-1 Serie A win over Udinese.Massimiliano Allegri could scarcely have cherry picked a more accommodating opponent as a first-half double from Moise Kean set the Bianconeri on their way to opening up a whopping 19-point lead over Napoli at the league summit.

With one eye on the visit of Diego Simeone's side – who hold a 2-0 advantage from the first leg – Allegri opted to leave Cristiano Ronaldo on the substitutes' bench and his replacement, Kean, marked his first league start of the campaign with a well-taken brace.


A 67th-minute Emre Can penalty and Blaise Matuidi header four minutes later added gloss to the scoreline against an insipid Udinese side.

Kevin Lasagna's fabulous late consolation was sharply at odds with the overall display from Davide Nicola's men, who remain seven points above the relegation zone in 15th.

Juve started in typically dominant mood and forged ahead in the 11th minute.Alex Sandro surged down the left and picked out Kean, who applied an assured finish from six yards for his first league goal of the campaign.

Daniele Rugani flashed a header wide soon afterwards and Kean doubled his side's advantage six minutes before the interval.The 19-year-old powered into the penalty area and clipped into Juan Musso's bottom-right corner via a deflection off Ben Wilmot.

Federico Bernardeschi fired wide of an open goal after a poor Musso punch shortly after the restart before Kean was tripped by Nicholas Opoku, giving Can the chance to stroke home his fourth league goal of the campaign from 12 yards.Matuidi got in on the act soon after, meeting Rodrigo Bentancur's precise cross with a downwards header that gave Musso no chance.

Lasagna netted in style six minutes from time, taking Rodrigo de Paul's pass on his chest and lashing a half-volley past Wojciech Szczesny, but it did little to detract from the most routine of victories for Allegri's side.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Bale can reignite his career at Man Utd and Sancho would be a shrewd signing - Kanchelskis


Gareth Bale has been told he would “reignite his career if he came to Manchester United”, while Andrei Kanchelskis would like to see the Real Madrid forward joined at Old Trafford by Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho.Ahead of what is expected to be a busy summer for the Red Devils, several big-name targets are being mooted.

Former Tottenham star Bale has long been linked with a return to the Premier League and, amid his current struggles in Spain, a switch in 2019 is considered to be a good option for all concerned.

Kanchelskis believes the Wales international would thrive if he opted to link up with United, with it possible that others could be moved on in the next window in order to make room for the 29-year-old.

The former Red Devils star told bwin: “There’s no denying Real Madrid are under-performing at the moment and it doesn’t matter who you are, no player would enjoy that.“I do believe Bale would reignite his career if he came to Man United. I believe Bale needs to be loved and that’s exactly what the United fans and Solskjaer would do for him.

“If Bale were to leave Real Madrid, Man United have a great advantage in the fact they are one of the only clubs that could afford his wages.“With a few players' contracts expiring in the summer, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was something the board were thinking about and why they may not be renewing some.”

While monitoring Bale’s situation in Madrid, United are also being linked with a move to bring former Manchester City academy graduate Sancho back to England from Germany.

Any approach for the England international would not come cheap, but the Red Devils have completed a similar deal in the past when returning Paul Pogba to the Premier League.Kanchelskis added on the highly-rated 18-year-old: “I think Sancho would be a great signing for United. He’s young and English which is the perfect mould for Man United.

“It’s crazy to think that a player who was let go for so cheap can suddenly come back to the Premier League for £90 million, but I guess Manchester United did something similar with Pogba from Juventus.

“Sancho has really shown what he is capable of at Dortmund and it’s been great to see a teenager go abroad and become a first-team regular for a potential title-winning team.

“It makes you wonder how Man City didn’t see the talent or weren’t willing to give him the chance. Man United would love to have the chance of taking a City player and making him a United great.”

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Boost for Man Utd as Martial back for Arsenal clash


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed that Anthony Martial is available for Sunday's Premier League meeting with Arsenal.

The Frenchman has been out of action since suffering a groin injury in the Champions League last-16 first-leg clash with Paris Saint-Germain back on February 12.

He has thus missed the club's last five matches in all competitions, including the remarkable second-leg victory over PSG that saw Marcus Rashford crash home a stoppage-time penalty to send Solskjaer's side through.

But he is now back in contention and available to face the Gunners in what could be a crucial fixture in the race to finish in the top four.

United currently occupy fourth spot but are only a point ahead of Unai Emery's side, where a win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday would significantly boost their chances of finishing in the Champions League spots.

As well as positive news regarding Martial's fitness, Solskjaer revealed that one of Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic should also be back, while Eric Bailly is fit despite being withdrawn in the first half of the win over PSG.The interim United manager told reporters in Friday's press briefing: "Eric's fine, Anthony will be available and hopefully we'll have Nemanja or Ander as well."

It would appear that Jesse Lingard is still unavailable, however, with the England international having been missing since he was substituted in the first half of the 0-0 draw with Liverpool due to a hamstring problem.Alexis Sanchez also remains sidelined and is expected to miss the next "six to eight weeks" after he suffered a knee injury in the 3-2 Premier League victory over Southampton.

One man who will be available again to Solskjaer is Paul Pogba.The France World Cup winner missed the second leg against PSG in midweek due to suspension, but is likely to come back in at the Emirates Stadium.

Asked about his potential selection dilemma following the impressive performances of fringe players in Paris including Scott McTominay and Fred, he added: "[It's the] same decisions you always have when you go into a game, you've got to consider their approach, systems.

"But now of course fitness issues play [a part] more than ever. You've got players coming in, players who put a shift in, one of the hardest nights we had physically.Probably this one and the Arsenal FA Cup game were the two toughest games we had.

"Scott and Fred covered the ground so much and is something we have to consider."