..::Football IV::..

[Wolverine GTR]

'It's a special place' - Van der Sar open to Man Utd return amid technical director hunt


Former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar says he could return to Old Trafford as the club search for their first technical director.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is keen to appoint a suitable candidate to the role, with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirming he would be involved in the selection process.United have never previously made the position part of their hierarchy but Van der Sar has been mooted as a possibility.

An appointment would add more 'football knowledge' to the club's administration and the Dutchman, currently CEO at Ajax, has opened the door to a possible approach.

Van der Sar, who starred for United between 2005 and 2011, winning four Premier League titles and the Champions League, still has strong connections to the club.He told The Times: "United is a much bigger challenge than Ajax.

"They're not just a big and famous club but also a worldwide brand, yet when you're inside, it's still a family place."The washing ladies, Mike the chef, Kath (the receptionist), they're still there."You need to cherish that and Ole (Gunnar Solskjaer) is doing a great job at it."

Van der Sar, 48, is an admirer of Woodward, who started out at the club as part of United's commercial arm, and hinted he would be happy to work under him.
"Also Ed, I have utmost respect for him and what he does for the club so I don't need to be the big man.
"I want to feel I can contribute and you can only do it for something you believe in."
Van der Sar played for Ajax between 1990 and 1999, becoming their marketing director in 2012 and CEO in 2016.
Former Arsenal winger Marc Overmars is the club's technical director and has inspired the former keeper to aim high."I'm really happy in Amsterdam and we're not finished yet," added Van der Sar.

"Marc always said you want to touch the crossbar. What he means is we want to reach a high point and that's what we want to do for another couple of years."United is a special place, who knows, eventually but for now I'm here."Ajax face Juventus in the last eight of the Champions League with the first leg on Wednesday.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Silva confident Everton are back to their best after beating Arsenal


Marco Silva says Everton have rediscovered full confidence in a "fantastic run" resembling the club's fast start to the Premier League campaign.

Phil Jagielka's 10th-minute goal secured a thoroughly deserved 1-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday that lifted the Toffees to a third straight win and second in succession against a big-six opponent at home.

Silva's men had begun the season with a promising five-match unbeaten streak before all momentum ebbed away in a lean December that included four defeats, two draws and a solitary victory.

Three successive losses followed in February but a 17-day break galvanised Silva's side and their hopes of achieving Europa League qualification remain alive with five games to go.

"We are in a fantastic run now apart from the last 30 minutes [of the 3-2 defeat] against Newcastle United," Silva said."The first three months of the season we had a very good run. We showed fantastic moments of football.

"Of course we had that busy period in December and January, not good months for us at all. We lost some confidence."The long break after that was really important - we had time to work on some details that are really important for us, because in those two months the details were working against us.

"We worked on that and the results are helping our players with confidence. The performances are helping us also."It's fantastic for us when we can play away against West Ham, play against Arsenal, and our goalkeeper can have very calm afternoons. It's a fantastic sign for our team."Silva was involved in a heated touchline exchange with Unai Emery during the second half but said he was not aware Mesut Ozil, by then substituted, had thrown a coat in his direction amid the scuffle.

Both coaches played down the incident in their post-match media conferences with the Toffees boss preferring to pay tribute to match-winner Jagielka, who became the oldest goal-scorer of the Premier League season to date when he bundled home following Lucas Digne's long throw.

The 36-year-old former England international was only elevated to the starting XI due to Michael Keane's late withdrawal through illness."Jags showed how he is prepared to give everything the coach and his team-mates need from him," Silva said.
"He deserves all the credit and it was great for him to get the winning goal."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Paris Saint-Germain 2 Strasbourg 2: Tuchel's side forced to wait to clinch title

Paris Saint-Germain were made to wait to clinch the Ligue 1 title after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Strasbourg in a game that included an astonishing miss by Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

Substitute Thilo Kehrer headed in an 82nd-minute equaliser but Strasbourg spoiled the party plans in the French capital, picking up an unexpected point to keep the champions-elect waiting.

After nearest rivals Lille were only able to draw 1-1 at Reims earlier on Sunday, PSG knew three points at the Parc des Princes would see them crowned league winners for a sixth time in seven seasons.


Thomas Tuchel's side appeared on course to get the job done when Choupo-Moting tapped in Colin Dagba's low cross to open the scoring in the 13th minute, though Strasbourg had clearly not read the script.A well-worked move down their left allowed Lionel Carole to square for Nuno da Costa to steer a first-time effort beyond Gianluigi Buffon and make it 1-1.

There was nothing the returning PSG goalkeeper could do to stop the visitors taking the lead before the break either, Anthony Goncalves latching onto a weak clearance to flash a thunderous right-footed drive in from distance.

Sandwiched in between Strasbourg's two goals was a scarcely believable blooper from Choupo-Moting, the forward inexplicably stopping team-mate Christopher Nkunku's chip over goalkeeper Matz Sels on the line with his left foot just as the ball was about to roll into the net.

Kylian Mbappe was summoned from the bench early in the second half by Tuchel but it was another replacement in Kehrer who spared PSG from defeat, turning in Julian Draxler's corner.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Do what we did in '99 - Cole tells Man Utd to show no fear against Barca


Manchester United should take inspiration from the treble-winning season of 1998-99 and show no fear against Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final, according to Red Devils legend Andy Cole.

United played out two 3-3 draws with Barca in the group stages of Europe's elite club competition that year, eventually going on to win the tournament.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side now face the Catalan club in the first leg of their last-eight tie at Old Trafford on Wednesday and Cole wants the current crop of players to show the same free-flowing attacking football.

"Go and do the same thing," Cole told Sky Sports. "Go and enjoy it. We knew we were a very good team and Barcelona were a very good team."But we showed no fear there. A lot of teams go there and show a bit of fear. They had fantastic players but so did we.

"We went out there and played football. They did the same. That season both games ended up 3-3 and that told you everything about both teams. "We were respectful but we both tried to beat each other. But six goals in each game speaks volumes about two teams trying to play attacking, attractive football."

United eventually faced Bayern Munich in the final that season and came from 1-0 behind to seal a legendary 2-1 win via a late winner from current manager Solskjaer."I've been asked this a few times, 'Were you disappointed Ole scored?'" Cole continued.

"Why should I be? We won the European Cup! I was fortunate to score in the semis to get us to the European Cup final. For me, it made no difference." The fact that the Reds made it through the last-16 this year was a shock after they overturned a 2-0 deficit in the second leg against Paris Saint-Germain with a 3-1 win at Parc des Princes.

Solskjaer's team was then rewarded with a tough draw against the La Liga champions, and Cole claims he was expecting the two sides to meet."I called it beforehand," he said.

"I said to one of the lads, 'We're going to get Barcelona'. It's a strange thing, it's fate, it's 20 years on, and then we get Barcelona. I knew it would happen."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Pogba can run a match like this' - Solskjaer expecting big performance vs Barca


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists that Paul Pogba is capable of "running the match" when Manchester United host Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday night.The two sides will meet in the last eight of this year's competition, with the first leg set to take place at Old Trafford tomorrow.

It is the first time the European heavyweights have crossed paths since the 2011 final, which saw Barca lift the trophy after a 3-1 win at Wembley.

Pogba is expected to start the match, despite suffering an alarming drop in form over the last month, with no goals in his last seven appearances.The Frenchman initially enjoyed a resurgence when Solskjaer took the reins at the Theatre of Dreams in December, but his recent issues have coincided with a poor run of results for the Red Devils.

United have lost three of their last four matches across all competitions and are now in real danger of missing out on a place in the Premier League's top four.However, Solskjaer expects Pogba to rediscover his match-winning touch against Barca, as he told a press conference on Tuesday: "It is not about one player.

"Every player has to perform at the top level. At his best Paul can run a game like this."Paul’s job is to be the creator, to drive forward. Of course, I expect him to perform tomorrow."

The Red Devils dispatched Paris Saint Germain in the previous round of the Champions League after a stunning comeback in France.Similar heroics could be required against the Spanish champions over the next fortnight, who are currently chasing a treble after all but sewing up the Liga title with a 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

One major distraction for a number of United players, however, could be ongoing contract talks, with the likes of David de Gea, Juan Mata and Ander Herrera all approaching the final months of their current deals.Summer exits have been touted, but Solskjaer is adamant that issues behind the scenes will not affect his squad heading into the clash with Barca.

The United boss responded when asked if negotiations could affect the players: "Not at all, we are all focused on this game.

"Talks will just go on, everyone is focused on the game tomorrow knowing we can create a special atmosphere."We will need the crowd in a game like this. Hopefully, a bit of rain will make for a special evening."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Liverpool coach hints at interest in Wolves star Neves


Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders has hinted that the club could hold an interest in Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.

The Portuguese playmaker has enjoyed two stunning seasons in English football.The first saw him inspire Wolves to promotion into the Premier League, while a second has delivered a lofty standing in the top flight and an FA Cup semi-final appearance.

Neves is considered to have been quite a coup for those at Molineux, with £15.8 million ($21m) all that was required to secure his services.That was a considerable sum for a side then in the second tier, but is a gamble which has been richly rewarded.Neves is now said to be drawing admiring glances from the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City, with his reputation and asking price having risen considerably.

Lijnders, who worked with the 22-year-old during a spell as a coach at Porto between 2008 and 2014, admits those at Anfield are always keen on acquiring players with the potential to make Jurgen Klopp’s side even stronger.

He told O Jogo of Neves: “I know him very well, his ambition, his passion for the game, his professionalism.“I know what he gives to the team and this type of player always interests us.“I recognised him when I saw him at Wolves. I saw technique, professionalism; I saw the 2013-14 player I knew.”

During his time at Porto, Neves became the youngest player to captain a side in Champions League competition at just 18 years of age.His potential was clear for all to see and Lijnders is delighted to see him fulfilling it on English soil.

He added when asked if he has had any contact with Neves: “Yes, it was a special moment. He’s a man, he’s got a wife, a baby. It’s good to see my boys.”For now, any talk of Neves moving on this summer is purely speculative.

He is tied to a contract with Wolves until 2022 and the project being pieced together at Molineux means that he will not easily be prised from the clutches of an ambitious outfit.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Rashford back in Man Utd training as Bailly, Herrera & Matic all missing ahead of Barcelona tie


Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford returned to training ahead of a Champions League tie against Barcelona on Wednesday, but Eric Bailly, Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic have all been absent.The Red Devils host the Spanish champions at Old Trafford, in the first leg of their last-eight clash in Europe.

Rashford was forced to miss United's last outing against Wolves in the Premier League with an ankle injury, however, it is understood he trained with the senior squad during a morning session at the Aon complex.

The 21-year-old joined in with the first team after warming up alone as a precautionary measure and he is expected to play a part in the match against Barca.Meanwhile, Bailly, Herrera and Matic were all missing as Solskjaer oversaw final preparations with his squad on Tuesday.

United have suffered an injury crisis over the last couple of months, which has coincided with a downturn in results on the pitch.Solskjaer's men have lost three of their last four matches across all competitions and now face a real battle to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Bailly suffered a head injury while on international duty with Ivory Coast last month, while Herrera was ruled as unfit for the defeat to Wolves in the Premier League last week.Matic was named on the bench at Molineux, but he has only just returned to the fold after missing Serbia's two fixtures during the international break.

The Red Devils are underdogs against Barcelona given their recent form, but a thrilling comeback victory in the round of 16 over Paris Saint-Germain will give supporters cause for optimism.Before the second leg takes place at Camp Nou next week, United must negotiate a home game against West Ham in the Premier League.

Solskjaer will be desperate for a win to halt his side's current slide domestically, with three points currently separating them and fourth-placed Tottenham in the table with six matches of the campaign remaining.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Rush is back but Matic & Hererra​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'It's a battle between Messi and Pogba' - Zlatan offers verdict on Man Utd vs Barcelona clash


Zlatan Ibrahimovic predicts that the Champions League quarter-final tie between Manchester United and Barcelona will be decided by either Paul Pogba or Lionel Messi.The two clubs will meet at Old Trafford in the first leg of their last-eight clash on Wednesday, with the return fixture scheduled to take place next week.

Barcelona are favourites to progress to the semi-finals as they chase a treble come June, while the competition represents United's last hope of silverware this term.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men knocked Paris Saint-Germain out in the round of 16 after a stunning comeback at the Parc des Princes, while Barca thrashed Lyon at Camp Nou to progress.Messi has spearheaded the Spanish champions' trophy assault once again, scoring over 40 goals across all competitions this season.

Pogba, meanwhile, has been a fixture in the Red Devils' starting line-up and, despite a recent loss of form, his overall record for the campaign so far reads 14 goals and 10 assists from 39 appearances.

Ibrahimovic, who spent two years on Barcelona's books between 2009 and 2011, while also enjoying a two-year spell at United from 2016 to 2018, has highlighted the influence of the mercurial pair ahead of kick-off in Manchester.

"Two big teams, two big clubs playing against each other," the Swedish striker told Barca's official website. "Two clubs with great history and it will be exciting to see."Obviously, Messi makes the difference in each game he plays, it's no secret."I think for United, you have Pogba making the difference there. It will be more of a battle between Messi and Pogba, even if it's a collective sport."

Solskjaer's men head into the match off the back of three defeats in their last four outings, having most recently suffered a 2-1 lost in the Premier League at Wolves on April 2.

Barca, meanwhile, have won five of their last six and moved one step closer to retaining the Liga title with a 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Saturday.Ibrahimovic, who now plies his trade in the MLS with the LA Galaxy, went on to share memories from his time at Camp Nou, stating: "Barca was the best team in the world. Everywhere we went, people had so much respect for us and you enjoy playing in the team.

"You had a feeling you would win any game even if you were not performing at the top level because the team was so strong. Great memories."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Messi & Barcelona hold no fear for Man Utd - Mata


Juan Mata insists Manchester United are ready for a meeting with Lionel Messi and Barcelona, with the Red Devils respecting their Champions League opponents rather than fearing them.The Liga title holders are due at Old Trafford on Wednesday for the first leg of a heavyweight quarter-final clash.

Ernesto Valverde’s side have been in impressive form again this season, with their mercurial Argentine forward leading the way after blasting through the 40-goal barrier once more.

United have been warned that trying to contain Messi is a thankless task, but Mata believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are capable of holding their own against Barcelona as a collective.

The Spaniard told the Daily Star of the challenge facing the Red Devils: “We are Manchester United and we are representing one of the biggest clubs in the world.“Fear is not the word. Respect is the word.

“We also have to trust ourselves and know that if we have a good day we can give them a game.“That is what is in our minds to try to do it well and fight for our fans and our club.“Barcelona is a fantastic team, one of the best teams in the world.“We are really looking forward to having a good round and hopefully qualify.

“Obviously they are in a good moment and they are top of the table in Spain but we are confident that we are Manchester United and we can have two good games and we can qualify.“It’s those games that you are a football player for.“You want the important games on the biggest stage which is Old Trafford, Champions League quarter-final so we are looking forward to it. Hopefully, it will be good for us.”

United head into a meeting with Barcelona coming off the back of three defeats in their last four outings across all competitions.Confidence has, however, been restored to the camp since Solskjaer took the reins, leading to him being handed a three-year deal.

The notable scalp of Paris Saint-Germain has already been collected in Europe, with it hoped that results such as that will help to convince the likes of Mata – and the rest of those locked in contract extension talks – to stay put.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'It's going to be tough' - Pochettino braced for biggest game of his career against Manchester City


Mauricio Pochettino is braced for the biggest match of his managerial career as Tottenham prepare to face Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Pochettino's Tottenham will welcome quadruple-chasing Premier League rivals City to their new stadium for Tuesday's opening leg.City have already won the EFL Cup as they look to add the Premier League, Champions and FA Cup to this season's haul.

And Spurs manager Pochettino – who won two Copa del Rey titles during his playing career with Espanyol – talked up Tottenham's showdown against City.
"Yes – as a coach, yes," Pochettino replied when asked if his first Champions League quarter-final was the biggest game of his life."For us it's a bonus to be here, to have the possibility to play in the quarter-finals with all the circumstances, and the objective is to be in the semi-final."

"City are a very, very good team and it's going to be tough, the games against him... sorry, them," Pochettino said."We need to start being tough and aggressive, put a high tempo on the game and hope the atmosphere will be tough for our opponents."

In the Premier League, Spurs currently sit in fourth place behind Chelsea, although the club currently has an extra match to play following the Blues 2-0 win over West Ham on Monday.Tottenham recently opened the club's brand new stadium, having defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 to open the new venue.

After taking on Manchester City, Spurs will take on Huddersfield Town before heading to the Etihad for the second leg of their Champions League clash.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Bale not thinking about Premier League return - agent


Gareth Bale is not thinking of a return to the Premier League from Real Madrid, according to his agent, Jonathan Barnett.Wales star Bale has been linked with a move back to England during a difficult sixth season in the Spanish capital.The 29-year-old, who has scored 14 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions in 2018-19, was jeered by some fans during last week's unconvincing 2-1 La Liga win over Eibar.

Zinedine Zidane, who returned as head coach last month, has so far been guarded on Bale's long-term future and refused to offer any guarantees that he will form part of his plans next term.

However, Barnett insists Bale does not want to leave the Santiago Bernabeu.
He told Deportes Cuatro: "He's very happy here. He's a Real Madrid player.Right now, he's not thinking about going back to England."I can't predict the future. But, for now, he's very happy."

Bale joined Madrid from Tottenham in 2013 for a reported €100 million fee, a world record at the time.He has won 13 major trophies in his time in Spain, including four Champions Leagues.

Manchester United and Chelsea have regularly been linked with a bid for the former Southampton man.

 

[Sanjeewamilan]

Manchester United vs Barcelona live බලන්න link එකක් තියෙනවද

 

[Frosty]

Manchester United vs Barcelona live බලන්න link එකක් තියෙනවද

sony ten 2 eke yai loku match eka eka hinda. me link eka quality madi habai. hd ekak hambune naththan mekan balanna
http://bdixsports.com/sony-ten-2-live/

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Tottenham 1 Manchester City 0: Son snatches first-leg lead after Aguero misses penalty

A second-half strike from Son Heung-min gave Tottenham a 1-0 win over Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.Sergio Aguero missed a first-half penalty and Harry Kane was forced off injured before Son's strike settled the first European match at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday.

City had won all of the past three meetings with Spurs but, without Bernardo Silva or Kevin De Bruyne in the starting line-up, they seemed to lack a lot of the spark that has kept them on course for an unprecedented quadruple this season.


Mauricio Pochettino's side were thwarted by Ederson for much of the match, but the Brazil goalkeeper allowed Son's strike to slide beneath him and leave City trailing ahead of the return leg.

Eleven minutes in, Danny Rose was penalised after a VAR review for blocking Raheem Sterling's shot with his arm, but Aguero's spot-kick was comfortably saved by Hugo Lloris.

The incident seemed to galvanise Spurs, with Kane seeing a shot well stopped by Ederson, who also denied Rose just before the break.City were not quite at their slickest but Aguero did flash a shot just past the right-hand post, as they continued to look a threat on the counter-attack.

Sterling was denied by Lloris shortly after half-time as the game became more frantic, but the atmosphere was rather quelled an hour in, when Kane had to be helped down the tunnel after apparently damaging his ankle in a challenge with Fabian Delph.

City suddenly looked in the ascendancy, but it was Spurs who found the breakthrough 12 minutes from time. Son just kept Christian Eriksen's pass from going out for a goal-kick, skipped past Delph's challenge and saw a left-foot shot squirm beneath Ederson's body.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Liverpool 2 Porto 0: Keita and Firmino give Reds first-leg advantage

Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino were on target as Liverpool eased to a 2-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Porto.

The Portuguese champions had revenge on the mind after being dumped out by Jurgen Klopp's side in the last 16 of last year's competition but a disappointing first-half performance has given them an almighty task in next week's return fixture at the Estadio do Dragao. Keita's second goal in less than a week got the Reds up and running after just five minutes before Firmino added a simple second in the 26th minute.

Liverpool did most of the pressing in the second half – Sadio Mane coming closest from long range – but they were unable to find a third that would have all but ended the tie as a contest.
Klopp's side started in typically pulsating fashion, powering into an early lead when Keita's low effort from 15 yards was heavily deflected past Iker Casillas by the flailing Oliver Torres.

Mohamed Salah then clipped past Casillas' left-hand post when it looked easier to score after 22 minutes.His blushes were spared four minutes later, however, when Firmino tapped into an empty net from five yards after he had been picked out by Trent Alexander-Arnold's low cross.

Moussa Marega should have pulled Porto back into it shortly after the half-hour mark but his low effort was kept out by the left foot of Alisson.Mane – whose earlier volley had been ruled out for offside – curled narrowly past Casillas' left-hand post from the edge of the penalty area 20 minutes from time.

Salah was lucky not to be shown a red card for an ugly challenge on Danilo Pereira in the closing stages as Porto – who again came close through Marega – ultimately fell short of finding an away goal that would have changed the complexion of next week's second leg.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Pochettino: VAR is meant to help, not cause more problems


Mauricio Pochettino has hit out at the implementation of VAR after his Tottenham side conceded a controversial penalty against Manchester City on Tuesday.Early in the teams' Champions League quarter-final first leg, Danny Rose was called for a penalty after blocking Raheem Sterling's shot with his arm.

Bjorn Kuipers awarded the spot-kick following a lengthy review, with many disagreeing that Rose had done enough to warrant a foul being called.

And the Tottenham boss was among that group, saying that the call showed that VAR causes more problems than it is solving.

"I think that today proves that VAR has a lot of work to do between us, between the referees, the fans and the players," Pochettino told beIN SPORTS. "It's a situation that we need to check the protocol and be clear.

"Today was a clear example that rather than helping, it's causing more problems. "You can accept when a decision comes from the referee and it's a mistake.

"A decision like this is going to be difficult. I want to help VAR but I think we need to work a lot to develop it and help the referee to make better decisions." Tottenham ultimately did not have to pay the price for Rose's penalty, as Hugo Lloris saved Sergio Aguero's ensuing spot-kick to keep the game tied 0-0.

That provided an opening for Son Heung-Min, whose 78th-minute goal gave Spurs a 1-0 advantage heading into next Wednesday's second leg at the Etihad Stadium.Pochettino was pleased with the result and Son's goal, but still insisted that City were the favourites to progress to the semi-finals.

"Amazing, very good, happy for him," Pochettino said of Son.

"I think the team deserved the victory but there is still work to do. "Manchester City are still the favourites but the victory makes us believe a little bit more."

Spurs return to the pitch against Huddersfield on Saturday as they turn their attention back to the Premier League briefly ahead of next week’s second leg against City.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'I admire Dortmund's work' - Jobless Mourinho in Bundesliga hint


Jose Mourinho has expressed his admiration for the Bundesliga and stated that he "admires" Borussia Dortmund and how they operate as a football club.The Portuguese is currently without a job after being sacked by Manchester United following a disappointing 2018-19 campaign that saw the Red Devils struggling to keep pace with their top-four rivals.

There has since been a revival under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer although Mourinho has maintained that he still believes he belongs at the highest level in management.

That has seen him express his desire to land a new job in the summer, insisting that he has already turned down "three or four" opportunities to return to the dugout.

The likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Inter have been mooted as potential next destinations for Mourinho, while he has already revealed that he "imagine myself" coaching in Ligue 1.And he has now talked up his relationship with Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke, claiming that he is an admirer of the Bundesliga title hopefuls.

He told Sport Bild: "I admire the work of BVB. Mr Watzke trusted me enough to ask for my opinion about a player and a coach I know well, I was honest, gave him my best possible rating."[Since then Watzke and Mourinho have] maintained respect for each other."

Bayern are, of course, the other major power in German football and, despite what has been an up-and-down season, they remain in the hunt for a domestic league and cup double.

The Bavarians were dumped out of the Champions League by Liverpool but have clawed their way back into the Bundesliga title race and have a DFB Pokal semi-final to look forward to against Werder Bremen.

Speculation will always be rife over head coach Niko Kovac and his position at the club, given their struggles in 2018-19, but Mourinho is hopeful that the Croatian keeps his job.He added: "I honestly assure you that I hope Niko will keep his job because he worked very hard to reach that level.

"It is hard to believe that Bayern will squander the title now. This [Bayern dropping points to let Dortmund back in] will not be easy, because Bayern has the experience to control their fate.

"The Bundesliga provides an exciting competition to follow, especially with the teams in the middle of the table. They're constantly improving and thereby creating a more level competition. Full stadiums, great organisation, good tactical approaches by many teams - I think the Bundesliga is really interesting."

Bayern are currently one point clear of Dortmund at the top of the table, with their resounding 5-0 win over their rivals in their last fixture going some way to cementing their tag as favourites to lift the trophy with six games to go.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Montella replaces Pioli at Fiorentina


Vincenzo Montella has been appointed Fiorentina head coach for the second time after Stefano Pioli's resignation on Tuesday.Pioli said he felt he had been forced to leave due to a lack of faith from the club's management.

"I have always assumed my responsibilities; I have always ensured my professionalism, respect and maximum commitment," Pioli told ANSA.

"I reluctantly see myself forced to leave because my professional and, more importantly, human qualities have been questioned."Fiortentina have moved quickly to replace Pioli, bringing in Montella on a deal until June 2021.

The 44-year-old – who was sacked by La Liga side Sevilla in April 2018 – managed La Viola between 2012 and 2015, guiding them to three successive fourth-place finishes in Serie A.He then went on to coach rivals Sampdoria and AC Milan before moving to Spain in December 2017.

Fiorentina, who have won only one match in all competitions since a 7-1 Coppa Italia thrashing of Roma on January 30, sit 10th in the Serie A table with seven games to go, starting with the visit of Bologna on Sunday.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Bring it on!' - Smalling relishing Messi Champions League challenge


Manchester United defender Chris Smalling is relishing the prospect of facing Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi when the two sides meet in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has enjoyed a stellar season, with 43 goals in all competitions from just 40 games.

He and Barcelona are within touching distance of the Liga title following their 2-0 victory over Atletico Madrid and are also in the final of the Copa del Rey, where they will face Valencia.

The Argentine forward will undoubtedly be eyeing a treble-winning season as he prepares to face United for the first time since scoring against them in the 2011 Champions League final at Wembley.

Smalling is, however, undaunted by the prospect of facing the 31-year-old and, having already come up against Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo this season, he's relishing another tough test at Old Trafford."It's something to relish I think," he said.

"This season, we have been lucky enough to face [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Kylian] Mbappe and they are all challenges that I definitely relish and I think players at this club relish."I say bring it on."

And United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - while heaping praise on Messi - echoed the defender's sentiments, whilst pointing out that the Catalan giants possess plenty of other talented players who could cause them problems.The Norwegian added: "What kind of plan can you have to stop one of the best players in the world?

"As Chris says, we are looking forward to it, we relish the opportunity but this season, we have played against Juventus with Ronaldo, PSG with Mbappe, we've had Chelsea and [Eden] Hazard.

"[Messi] is a fantastic player. And he will go down in history as one of the best individual players ever. I have to say - he will be difficult to stop but it's never impossible.

"It's not like it is Messi against Manchester United. [Luis] Suarez, [Philippe] Coutinho, [Ivan] Rakitic, [Arturo] Vidal, there are so many players we cannot just focus on one player. We know we have to play against 11 of them."

The fixture is a repeat of the 2009 and 2011 finals in which Barcelona triumphed both times under now-Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, and Solskjaer will be hoping his side can earn a different result at Old Trafford.