DORTMUND CRASHING!!!

Jurgen Klopp and Mats Hummels conceded the anger of Borussia Dortmund fans was justified, after another Bundesliga defeat.

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp and captain Mats Hummels said the reaction of their fans to Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Augsburg was justified.

Top-two finishers in the past four seasons, Dortmund are rooted to the foot of the Bundesliga table through 19 matches this season - and sit two points from safety in the German top flight.

The home fans jeered Dortmund following the final whistle at Signal Iduna Park, as they made it five straight league matches without success.

With only four wins so far this term, Klopp said the criticism - which prompted Hummels and vice-captain Roman Weidenfeller to speak to the supporters post-match - was understandable.

"We can be accused of anything tonight and it is all justified," Klopp said.

"Battling also means having the courage to take the right decision. We were missing that tonight.

"It hurts, no doubt. We are doing everything wrong at the moment. We are not making anything of our chances."

Hummels headed behind a goal to talk to fans after the final whistle, with Weidenfeller climbing a fence to get his message across while Klopp and the remainder of the playing group watched on.

Skipper Hummels said his players needed to grasp that the reaction was justified before moving on, with their next league fixture a trip to Freiburg on Saturday.

"If one is in this position after 19 games then it would be unacceptable not to have understanding for the fans' reactions," Hummels said.

posted from Bloggeroid

EREDIVISIE REVIEW

Memphis Depay and Georginio Wijnaldum gave PSV a 2-0 win at NAC Breda while Go Ahead Eagles drew with Excelsior in Eredivisie on Tuesday.

Eredivisie leaders PSV continued their remarkable league winning streak with a convincing 2-0 victory over second-bottom NAC Breda.

PSV, though, were forced to do it the hard way at Rat Verlegh Stadion after full-back Jetro Willems received the fastest red card in Eredivisie history, sent off inside just 30 seconds for a dangerous tackle on Gill Swerts.

But 10-man PSV, who have won every game bar one since the end of September, still controlled proceedings away from home, scoring twice in the second half to move 12 points clear of Ajax at the summit.

Memphis Depay put the visitors ahead nine minutes after the restart when he was played in by fellow youngster Adam Maher for his 14th goal of the season.

PSV skipper Georginio Wijnaldum then rounded off a sweeping counter-attacking move with just over 15 minutes remaining to put the result beyond doubt.

In Tuesday's other match, Go Ahead Eagles bounced back from their loss to Groningen last time by playing out a goalless draw at home to Excelsior.

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BUNDESLIGA REVIEW

Wolfsburg failed to close the eight-point gap behind Bundesliga pacesetters Bayern Munich after the top two were both held to 1-1 draws.

Bayern Munich have dropped points in two successive Bundesliga matches for the first time since April 2014 as Schalke held them to a dramatic 1-1 draw, but Wolfsburg could not capitalise.

Bayern came into Tuesday's meeting at the Allianz Arena following a 4-1 thrashing by second-placed Wolfsburg last time out, and it looked as though they were facing another struggle when centre-back Jerome Boateng was sent off for a foul on Sidney Sam in the penalty box inside the first 20 minutes.

But Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who has scored 10 goals in all competitions this season, saw his tame spot-kick denied by Manuel Neuer diving to his left.

It seemed the visitors would be left to rue that wasted chance when forward Arjen Robben headed in Xabi Alonso's corner midway through the second period, but captain Benedikt Howedes produced a similar finish from Sam's 72nd-minute delivery to earn his team a share of the spoils.

Despite dropping points for the second time in succession, Bayern maintain their eight-point advantage at the top of the Bundesliga thanks to Wolfsburg's 1-1 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt. 

Buoyed by their Bayern scalp and a run of form which included just one league defeat in 12 matches, Wolfsburg went to Frankfurt confident of beating their mid-table opposition, even with new signing Andre Schurrle absent.

But, with 58 minutes on the clock, things got uncomfortable for Dieter Hecking's men, as Stefan Aigner found the net following good work by Takashi Inui.

Frankfurt were denied a fine win two minutes from time, however, as Kevin De Bruyne turned in Marcel Schafer's cross to secure a last-gasp draw.

Third-placed Borussia Monchengladbach made the most of Wolfsburg's stalemate, though, closing to within five points of Hecking's side thanks to a 1-0 victory at home to struggling Freiburg.

And in the day's only other fixture, Mainz claimed a 1-1 draw away to Hannover.

posted from Bloggeroid

FA CUP REPLAY: MAN U 3-0 CAMBRIDGE

Manchester United will go all out to win the FA Cup this season as Louis van Gaal declares it the "best chance" to win a trophy.

Louis van Gaal retiterated that the FA Cup provides Manchester United's best chance of winning a trophy this season after they beat Cambridge United on Tuesday.

After a goalless draw last month, the Premier League side made no mistake in their fourth-round replay as goals from Juan Mata, Marcos Rojo and James Wilson booked a meeting with Preston North End.

Manchester United controlled proceedings at Old Trafford and could have won by a greater margin had their finishing been more clinical.

Van Gaal felt his side could have disposed of the League Two side with greater comfort, but was pleased to progress in a competition that he has given top priority to for the second half of the season.

"We have done what we had to," he told BBC Sport.  "Every club in the FA Cup wants to win, we also.

"We have to beat Preston and that will not be easy, they won away against a cup fighter like Sheffield United, so it will be difficult for us to win in Preston North End.

"For the club, the fans and the coach and my staff, we want to win a title this year. The biggest chance is the FA Cup, but we still have to win four games to do that.

"Tonight, I don't think we played a very good match. But it is always difficult against a defensive team. We could have done better but I am pleased with the result."

Cambridge boss Richard Money left Manchester in positive mood after his side produced two encouraging performances, albeit while lacking the decisive touch to pull off a remarkable upset.

Things could have been much different had Tom Elliott's effort for Cambridge not struck the post in the opening minute, but Money was nevertheless proud with the effort from his side.

"I thought it [Elliott's shot] was in," he told BT Sport. "It probably wouldn't have made any difference, but he has done everything right. 

"It was a good chance, not sure how much more he could have done.

"I think 3-0 is par for the course. We walked off the pitch with our pride intact. 

"In the second half we have done ourselves proud. We gave everything we wanted to give, we have got to use it to keep going as a team and football club."

posted from Bloggeroid

DEADLINE DAY SIGNINGS

Chelsea sign Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina in £27million transfer




Darren Fletcher completes West Bromwich Albion move on three-and-a-half year deal



Zaha returns to Crystal Palace after Eagles seal £6m permanent transfer of Manchester United winger

posted from Bloggeroid

SERIE A WRAPUP

Napoli were the big winners at the top of Serie A this weekend as they beat Chievo 2-1 to close the gap on Roma and Juventus.

Napoli maintained their pursuit of Serie A's top two on Sunday as Manolo Gabbiadini helped Rafael Benitez's side to a 2-1 victory over Chievo at Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi.

Roma's mid-season struggles continued on Saturday as Rudi Garcia's men were held at home by Empoli and, with leaders Juventus also held a day later by Udinese, Napoli were able to move closer to the leading pair.

Bostjan Cesar's own-goal gave Napoli a headstart in Verona but the hosts were level at the break when Miguel Britos got in on the act with an error of his own.

However, Gabbiadini proved the hero as the recent signing from Sampdoria opened his account for Napoli with a smart finish from inside the area 28 minutes from time.

The win leaves Napoli just four points off Roma in second but five clear of Lazio in fourth after Stefano Pioli's men suffered a surprise defeat to lowly Cesena.

Having beaten bottom side Parma last time out, Gregoire Defrel's opener and a Danilo Cataldi own-goal ensured an upset at Stadio Dino Manuzzi with Milan ending their winless Serie A run against Parma.

Filippo Inzaghi's men went in search of their first league success since mid-December and gained it thanks largely to a Jeremy Menez brace either side of Antonio Nocerino's leveller.

Experienced defender Cristia Zaccardo made sure of the points with a third 14 minutes from time to move Milan up to eighth and compound Parma's troubles at the bottom of the table.

Inter endured a bad day at the office as players clashed with fans following their 3-1 defeat at Sassuolo - Simone Zaza, Nicola Sansone and Domenico Berardi on target for the hosts.

Mancini's side turned in a tepid showing and saw Inter fans hurl back their players' shirts from the crowd following a defeat in which both sides ended with 10 men.

Samuel Eto'o's Sampdoria's debut was one to forget for the Cameroonian as Torino ran out 5-1 winners at Stadio Olimpico di Torino while Atalanta and Palermo were 2-1 winners over Cagliari and Hellas Verona respectively.

posted from Bloggeroid

LA LIGA WRAPUP

Barcelona and Sevilla prevailed in five-goal thrillers against Villarreal and Espanyol respectively in La Liga on Sunday.

Barcelona kept pace with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga thanks to an entertaining 3-2 win over Villarreal at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Having seen Real extend their lead to four points with a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday, Barca fell behind to Denis Cheryshev's goal in the 30th minute.

Neymar equalised on the stroke of half-time, but Luciano Vietto restored the visitors' lead six minutes into the second period.

However, quickfire goals from Rafinha and Lionel Messi put Barca in the lead for the first time, and they held on to extend their winning run in all competitions to eight matches and end Villarreal's 18-game undefeated streak.

For the third time in 11 days, Sevilla met Espanyol and it proved to be an entertaining affair as Unai Emery's men triumphed 3-2 thanks to Iago Aspas' strike a minute from time.

Espanyol won 3-2 on aggregate in their recent Copa del Rey quarter-final, but this time it was Sevilla's turn to enjoy success as they moved back up to fourth in the table.

Christian Stuani put Espanyol ahead from the penalty spot in the 15th minute before a freak goal brought Sevilla level.

Diogo Figueiras went in for a 50-50 challenge with an opponent but as he lashed the ball away it sailed over the head of Kiko Casilla and into the net from 50 yards.

Vitolo put Sevilla ahead 10 minutes prior to the interval and five minutes later Casilla raced from his goal, inexplicably handled Aspas' lobbed effort and was shown a straight red card.

Victor Sanchez brought Espanyol level with 13 minutes to go, but in the 89th minute Aspas had the final say with a smart finish to send the home fans into raptures.

Elsewhere, Athletic Bilbao won 2-0 at Levante thanks to a brace from Aritz Aduriz, while Edgar Mendez's strike earned Almeria a 1-0 win over Getafe.

Both sides finished with 10 men, as Getafe saw Sergio Escudero dismissed for a second booking before Almeria had Tomer Hemed sent off, also for picking up two cautions.

posted from Bloggeroid

LIGUE 1 WRAPUP

Just two points separate Ligue 1's top three after Lyon could only muster a goalless draw against Monaco on Sunday.

Lyon were unable to restore their four-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 on Sunday as Hubert Fournier's men were held to a 0-0 draw at Monaco.

Fournier's side saw title rivals Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille pick up wins on Friday and Saturday respectively.

However, Sunday's clash proved a relatively low-key affair - in keeping with the lack of goals across the weekend in the French top flight with just 10 scored in as many games - as the main talking point proved to be a stamp from Monaco defender Wallace on Lyon's Samuel Umtiti.

The second-half incident could earn the Brazilian retrospective punishment - having not been booked - while Lyon look ahead to next Sunday's visit of defending champions PSG.

Elsewhere, Caen's upturn in form continued with a 1-0 win over Saint-Etienne at Stade Michel d'Ornano with Julien Feret on target for the hosts just before the interval.

The points moved Patrice Garande's men out of the relegation zone, courtesy of a solo run and strike from Feret - the midfielder scoring for the third time in as many games this year.

"We have just won three games in a row. It's not that it does not please me but I will take a little step back from it all. We know that things can quickly change," Garande told his post-match news conference.

"I am, above all, happy with the game and the state of mind my players showed."

With Saint-Etienne suffering a surprise reversal, fellow European hopefuls Bordeaux failed to collect maximum points as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Guingamp.

Maxime Poundje cancelled out Claudio Beauvue's first-half opener after the interval and Bordeaux would perhaps have fancied their chances to seal the win had Jaroslav Plasil not been dismissed 11 minutes from time.

posted from Bloggeroid

GHANA 3-0 GAMBIA

Ghana comfortably reached their fifth consecutive Africa Cup of Nations semi-final with a straightforward 3-0 win over Guinea.

Christian Atsu scored a goal-of-the-tournament contender as his brace helped Ghana stroll past Guinea 3-0 to reach the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.

The winger let fly with an unstoppable left-foot effort just after the hour in Sunday's quarter-final tie in Malabo to put the icing on the cake for Avram Grant's men, who had already seized control of the contest.

Guinea's spot in the last eight was confirmed via the drawing of lots at the expense of Mali, but their luck ran out as early as the fourth minute when Atsu scored his first from Andre Ayew's superb assist.

Ghana were two goals to the good on the stroke of half-time as Kwesi Appiah showed his predatory instincts to capitalise on a horrendous error from Guinea's Baissama Sankoh for his first international goal.

The second half produced little in terms of goalmouth action aside from Atsu's moment of brilliance and Guinea's misery was compounded in injury time when Naby-Moussa Yattara was sent off for rash challenge on Asamoah Gyan - the goalkeeper having earlier been lucky to escape a red card.

Ghana, who won the last of their four Africa Cup of Nations titles in 1982, can now look forward to a fifth straight semi-final, where hosts Equatorial Guinea await.

Atsu's starring role in the quarter-final tie started in just the fourth minute.

Ayew collected Appiah's pass from the left in the penalty area and the Marseille man showed good strength before his exquisite backheel picked out the run of Atsu, who coolly converted from close range.

With his side struggling for a foothold, Yattara was lucky not to see red as he inexplicably shoved Atsu to the ground.

Aside from the goal, Ghana struggled for clear-cut chances, although Gyan should have done better with a tame shot from the edge of the area.

Guinea proved the architect of their own downfall a minute before the break, though, as Sankoh's bizarre miscued clearance under no pressure fell into the path of Appiah and the Crystal Palace striker clinically side-footed home.

The tempo dropped in the second half with Ghana happy to play possession football, while Guinea appeared shorn of confidence after the first half's late sucker-punch.

Ibrahima Traore wasted a promising set-piece on the hour when he went for goal from a difficult angle with several Guinea players waiting in the area.

Their wastefulness was punished in stunning style just a minute later.

Atsu picked up a short throw-in from the right before cutting inside and unleashing an unstoppable drive over Yattara and into the far corner from an unlikely angle.

Guinea goalkeeper Yatarra's tempestuous game was ended early in stoppage time as he was shown a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Gyan when one-on-one.

The star striker was left limping by the tackle, potentially giving Grant a headache as Ghana edge ever closer to ending their 33-year wait for glory at the continental showpiece.

posted from Bloggeroid

ALGERIA 1-3 IVORY COAST

The Ivory Coast are into the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations after a 3-1 victory over Algeria on Sunday.

Wilfried Bony's brace helped the Ivory Coast into the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations as Herve Renard's men beat Algeria 3-1 in Malabo on Sunday.

The Manchester City man scored either side of El Arabi Hillel Soudani's equaliser and Gervinho added a late third to send the 1992 African champions into the final four, where they will meet DR Congo.

Bony gave the Ivory Coast the lead midway through the first half with a well-taken header - the striker's second goal against Algeria in as many games - but Renard's side started the second half slowly and were made to pay when Soudani levelled in the 51st minute.

However, Bony again demonstrated his quality by powering a header past Rais M'Bolhi with 23 minutes remaining to knock the wind out of Algeria's sails.

And Gervinho steered home a third from 15 yards after Algeria had thrown men forward in search of an equaliser.

It was a deserved victory for the Ivory Coast over another of the pre-tournament favourites and Renard's side remain on course for a third final appearance in six editions of the tournament.

Yacine Brahimi and Soudani went close early on for Algeria, while Gervinho - returning after a suspension - failed to find a team-mate at the other end from a promising position down the right.

The Ivory Coast then began to apply pressure, Serge Aurier heading against the post before Bony opened the scoring shortly before the half-hour mark.

The former Swansea City man opened his account for this year’s competition as he got on the end of Max Gradel's delivery to nod home.

With Islam Slimani on the bench due to a knee injury, Christian Gourcuff’s men struggled to gain a foothold in the game before the break. 

However, Soudani restored parity early in the second half as he made the most of sloppy Ivorian defending - heading on Sofiane Feghouli's long ball to Riyad Mahrez before finishing the move following a cross from the Leicester City man.

Brahimi - who shook off a back problem to feature - was denied by Sylvain Gbohouo at close range before Bony restored the Ivory Coast's lead with another fine finish.

Bony outmuscled Carl Medjani to meet club team-mate Yaya Toure's free-kick from the right with a powerful header that M'Bolhi was unable to keep out.

Algeria pressed in an attempt to level - with Gourcuff throwing on Slimani in an attempt to keep their hopes alive.

Slimani twice went close late on, but Gervinho scored in the final minute of stoppage time as the Ivory Coast saw out an impressive win that suggested they may finally live up to expectations at the continental showpiece.

posted from Bloggeroid

AUSTRALIA EYE MAIDEN ASIAN CUP VICTORY

Australia's date with destiny is here as they prepare to face South Korea in the final of the Asian Cup in Sydney on Saturday.

A full house at Sydney's Stadium Australia and millions more across Australia and Asia will be glued to their screens when Ange Postecoglou's exciting young side take on South Korea for the 2015 Asian Cup crown.


Two of the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) most eye-catching football nations going for broke in a cracking contest of full-throttle, attacking football.


A night of high drama looms at a stadium that has hosted its fair share of sporting theatre.


Ever since they were toppled 1-0 by Korea in the group stage at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium you got a sense Postecoglou and his troops were desperate for another crack at the Taeguk Warriors. They now have that chance for revenge.


Both sides came through their semi-finals quite comfortably and unscathed, with the Koreans enjoying the benefit of an extra day's rest to prepare.


Australia accounted for United Arab Emirates 2-0 on Tuesday, while Korea downed Iran by the same scoreline a day prior.


The fitness of Ivan Franjic, however, looms as a key for the Socceroos. If the Torpedo Moscow right-back is ruled out then Postecoglou will be forced into a big decision or two.


Does he throw midfielder Mark Milligan into a defensive position he has not played in a number of years and bring either Matt McKay, James Troisi or Mark Bresciano into the middle of the park?


The other option is to split up the strong central defensive pairing of Trent Sainsbury and Matthew Spiranovic by shifting the former out to the right and promoting experienced centre-back Alex Wilkinson - himself a star in the K-League.


Of course all this depends on Franjic's powers of recovery - it is a huge decision for the Australian boss and could be decisive in the outcome.

Especially with Korean attackers Son Heun-min, Nam Tae-hee and Lee Jeong-hyeop getting stronger with every match at the tournament.


The midfield battle will also be key. While skipper Mile Jedinak provides a fearsome presence in the middle of the park, Korean skipper Ki Sung-yueng is just as influential.


Ki sets the tempo for Korea and his passing – both short and long – organisational skills and quality are crucial for Uli Stielike's outfit.


Having not won the continental title since 1960, Korea and the whole country will see this as an opportunity they simply cannot let slip.


But this is also a rare chance for the Socceroos, who lost in the final four years ago. Winning an Asian Cup – a major international piece of silverware – in front of their adoring home fans is an opportunity so rare they must grab it with both hands.


Whatever happens, game 32 of the Asian Cup is shaping as a fitting finale to a most beautiful three weeks of football in Australia.

posted from Bloggeroid

CAF TO CONSIDER DRAWING LOTS

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to consider a different process to drawing lots in future tournaments.

Guinea could be the last nation to reach the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations after drawing lots as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) plan to review the controversial process.

Mali missed out on a place in the last eight of the tournament in Equatorial Guinea after fortune favoured Guinea when lots were drawn on Thursday.

The two countries had finished with an identical record in Group D and so lots were drawn for the first time since 1988 to decide who will face Ghana in Sunday's quarter-final.

CAF media director Junior Binyam acknowledged that the regulation must be looked into ahead of future tournaments.

He is quoted as saying by BBC Sport: "We have to stand by the regulation but also think about how we improve it,

"It's not fair to have a team going out like this. It really is the worst decision - to have to make a decision this way - because everybody expected it would be decided on the field."

He added: "The decision of the agenda is not mine but I think it's a matter of concern for members of both the organising committee and the CAF executive committee,

"Regulations are not static, they are dynamic. We will find a way of improving the criteria to make them be decided by actions on the field.

"The situation that has happened in Group D will make people think twice,

"I am sure that in the weeks and months ahead, we [will make sure we] don't have the same situation in two years' time."

posted from Bloggeroid

COSTA CHARGED BY ENGLISH FA

Diego Costa will almost certainly miss Chelsea's title showdown with Manchester City on Saturday after being charged with violent conduct for his stamp on Liverpool's Emre Can.

Costa's case is being fast-tracked by the FA and he is expected to be banned for three games following the incident in Tuesday's ill-tempered Capital One Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge.

The Chelsea forward, who has escaped punishment for a separate altercation with Martin Skrtel, has until 6pm on Thursday to respond to the charge.

posted from Bloggeroid

IVORY COAST WIN CAMEROON 1-0

Ivory Coast booked their place in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory over Cameroon in Group D on Wednesday.

A stunning Max Gradel strike fired Ivory Coast into the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals as Cameroon were beaten 1-0 in Malabo.

Gradel netted his second goal of the tournament on Wednesday to give Ivory Coast top spot in Group D, and set up a last-eight clash with Algeria.

A cautious first half was brought to life after 36 minutes as the 27-year-old Saint-Etienne attacker thundered a long-range effort beyond the dive of Joseph Ondoa.

Cameroon's attempts to get back into the game and avoid an early exit came to nothing, and Wilfried Bony should have extended Ivory Coast's lead with a volley just after the hour.

Substitute Clinton N'Jie tried to replicate Gradel's effort to level the match, but his shot was deflected wide by the resolute Ivorian defence.

Victory sees Herve Renard's side qualify for the knockout stages, while Mali and Guinea will have to draw lots to see who joins them after their 1-1 draw in Mongomo.

With so much at stake the opening exchanges were understandably cagey, and it needed a controversial decision in the 12th minute to bring about the game’s first chance.

Referee Eric Otogo-Castane awarded Cameroon a free-kick after deeming Sylvain Gbohouo had carried the ball out of his penalty area when intercepting a pass. The Ivory Coast goalkeeper was booked, although replays suggested he had been harshly treated.

From the resulting set-piece, Franck Etoundi rose unmarked seven yards from goal, but his header was deflected over.

Cameroon goalkeeper Ondoa was finally called into action after 20 minutes, the 19-year-old Barca B player reacting quickly to keep out Serge Aurier's header from a Gradel free-kick.

But with nine minutes of the half remaining, the young shot-stopper was picking the ball out of his net, as Gradel set the game alight with a stunning strike.

Having collected a pass from Siaka Tiene, the Saint-Etienne forward broke free and thundered a 25-yard effort past Ondoa. 

Cameroon should have gone in level at the break as Edgar Salli cleverly worked an opening for himself, but he blazed a shot over with only Gbohouo to beat.

A scrappy start to the second half saw neither goalkeeper tested until after the hour mark, when Bony had his first attempt on target.

Manchester City's new signing used his strength to shrug off the attentions of Nicolas N'Koulou and Aurelien Chedjou on the edge of the penalty area, but his volley was punched away by Ondoa.

With time running out, plenty of Cameroon's build-up play posed a threat, but as soon as they reached the penalty area they lacked the creativity to find a way through.

Substitute N'Jie created the only real chance on Gbohouo's goal four minutes after coming on, but his audacious attempt from distance was deflected wide by Kolo Toure.

A final Cameroon chance fell to striker Vincent Aboubakar with 10 minutes to play as he met a right-wing cross, but the 23-year-old scuffed his shot and his side's elimination was confirmed.

posted from Bloggeroid

ARSENAL SIGN CENTER BACK

Gabriel Paulista has hailed the chance to play in the Premier League as a dream come true after joining Arsenal from Villarreal, with striker Joel Campbell going to the Spanish club on loan for the rest of the season.

The 24-year-old Brazilian centre back was granted a work permit despite not yet having played for his country and joins Arsene Wenger's side for £11.2million on a four-and-a-half year deal. 'I want to thank God for the opportunity,' he told the club's website. 'Thanks to God, this wonderful club came to me, and they can count on me to be able to help everybody here.'

Arsenal also confirmed that Campbell's loan deal was complete, but delivered the surprise news that the 22-year-old Costa Rica striker had signed a new, long-term contract before heading to Spain.

posted from Bloggeroid

ATLETICO 2-3 BARCELONA

Barcelona completed a 4-2 aggregate victory over nine-man Atletico Madrid with a 3-2 win in the Copa del Rey quarter-final second leg.

Barcelona booked their place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals as a 3-2 victory on Wednesday saw them beat nine-man Atletico Madrid 4-2 on aggregate.

A brace from Neymar helped seal a place in the last four for Luis Enrique's side, with a Miranda own goal sandwiched between those two strikes.

A frantic opening 45 minutes saw five goals and a red card at the Vicente Calderon, with Fernando Torres getting the night under way with his first home goal since returning to the club.

Neymar soon levelled for the visitors with a composed finish, only for Raul Garcia to restore Atletico's lead from the penalty spot.

However, Miranda's own goal and Neymar's second saw Barca lead at the break, with the hosts reduced to 10 men when Gabi was sent off in the tunnel at the interval.

Chances dried up in the second half with neither side able to add to their tallies, but Mario Suarez's late red ensured that Atletico ended with nine players, and Barca comfortably saw out their aggregate victory.

Within the opening minute Torres had levelled the tie following some uncharacteristic sloppy Barcelona defending from Javier Mascherano.

His long ball out of defence was intercepted by Guilherme Siqueira on the halfway line, he found Torres and the striker fired into the bottom corner.

With noise reverberating around the Vicente Calderon, Atletico appeared to have the upper hand, but Neymar soon quietened them down with an equaliser after nine minutes.

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez combined well on the right-hand side, before the latter played a perfect pass for the Brazilian, and he made no mistake to beat Jan Oblak.

Neymar thought he had extended Barca's aggregate lead in the 18th minute as he raced clear from a long clearance to score, but the assistant referee's flag denied him on this occasion.

Antoine Griezmann should have restored Atletico's advantage on the night three minutes before the half hour, but he fired straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Within 60 seconds, though, they were ahead as Raul Garcia scored from the spot - the midfielder firing home from 12 yards after Mascherano was adjudged to have fouled Juanfran on the edge of the area.

Barca levelled eight minutes later thanks to a Miranda own goal. The defender miscued a clearance into his own net following Sergio Busquets' header.

And, as the momentum shifted in their favour again, the Catalans went in at the break ahead after another swift counter-attack. Atletico had seen a penalty appeal waved away before Messi led the charge up the other end of the pitch and found Jordi Alba, who played the ball in for Neymar to score.

The drama did not let up and, as tempers began to fray at the break, Atletico midfielder Gabi was dismissed in the tunnel for his involvement in a fracas.

Arda Turan was then lucky not to follow him early in the second half when he was only shown a yellow card having thrown his boot at the assistant after the the non-award of a foul.

Barcelona's man advantage enabled the visitors to dictate the pace in the second 45 minutes, and they slowly took the sting out of Atletico's play.

Diego Simeone's side were still able to create some chances, with substitute Cani having the best of them when his 70th-minute strike was well saved by Ter Stegen. But any hopes Atletico had of mounting a late comeback ended with seven minutes remaining when Mario Suarez was sent off.

Barca had done enough and now await Getafe or Villarreal in the semi-final, with those two due to meet on Thursday.

posted from Bloggeroid

FIGO TO RUN FOR FIFA PRESIDENT

Luis Figo has announced his decision to challenge Sepp Blatter in the upcoming Fifa presidential elections.

The former Barcelona and Real Madrid great joins Jerome Champagne,David Ginola, Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and Michael van Praag on the list of candidates looking to end Blatter's 16-year reign as the head of world football's governing body.

"Football has given me so much during my life and I want to give something back to the game," Figo said. "I look at the reputation of Fifa right now and I don't like it. Football deserves better.
Luis Figo has announced his decision to challenge Sepp Blatter in the upcoming Fifa presidential elections.

The former Barcelona and Real Madrid great joins Jerome Champagne,David Ginola, Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and Michael van Praag on the list of candidates looking to end Blatter's 16-year reign as the head of world football's governing body.

"Football has given me so much during my life and I want to give something back to the game," Figo said. "I look at the reputation of Fifa right now and I don't like it. Football deserves better.

posted from Bloggeroid

ALGERIA WIN SENEGAL

Algeria beat Senegal 2-0 to progress behind Group C winners Ghana to Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.

Riyad Mahrez and Nabil Bentaleb were on target as Algeria beat Senegal 2-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations to secure a quarter-final place.

Senegal headed into the final round of games as group leaders, but their loss in Malabo coupled with Ghana's comeback win over South Africa in Group C dumped Alain Giresse's team out of the tournament.

Leicester City winger Mahrez capitalised in the 11th minute as a Senegal line-up, sent out in a reshaped 3-5-2 formation, struggled badly in the face of Algeria's vibrant attacking play.

Giresse's men muscled their way back into the contest and controlled much of the second half before Bentaleb beautifully converted Sofiane Feghouli's pass from long range with eight minutes remaining to see his nation through as group runners-up.

Algeria passed up a glorious chance to lead the winner-takes-all clash inside two minutes after a dreadful error from Senegal defender Papy Djilobodji left Feghouli through on goal, but a heavy touch allowed goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul to collect at his feet.

The Valencia player did not rue his miss for long as Mahrez exploited a yawning gap between right wing-back and centre-back to control Madjid Bougherra's free-kick from deep and finish calmly.

Coundoul held an audacious 35-yard free-kick attempt from Faouzi Ghoulam and the keeper spared his ailing team-mates in the 21st minute when he pushed away a rasping strike from El Arbi Hillel Soudani.

Sadio Mane looked to haul Senegal back into the contest with a driving run, but the Southampton forward sliced wildly over having broken into the Algeria box.

Senegal were forced into a 29th-minute change, Pape Souare replacing Cheikh M'Bengue after the latter suffered a head injury in a challenge with Aissa Mandi, but Algeria had let their early intensity drop as Djilobodji flashed a free-kick wide.

Goalkeeper Rais M'Bolhi was out sharply to deny Mame Biram Diouf and, after Nabil Bentaleb required a last-ditch block to thwart Stephane Badji in stoppage time, Algeria were grateful for the half-time whistle.

Senegal introduced Papiss Cisse in place of midfielder Pape Diop for his first action of the tournament nine minutes into the second half and Carl Medjani was forced to clear behind as a dangerous Diouf cross searched out the Newcastle United striker.

Mane's footing deserted him when Badji drilled a low ball into the box after 61 minutes, a deflection off the referee falling in Senegal's favour as they opened up Algeria down the right flank.

For all the pressure applied by Giresse's men, the best opening of the second period fell to Algeria - Kara Mbodj clearing off the line from Saphir Taider after Coundoul spilled Mahrez’s 75th-minute cross

Dame N'Doye, on for Mane, slashed a shot over before Bentaleb showed him how it was done and Ghana sealed Senegal's fate.

posted from Bloggeroid

GHANA BEAT SOUTH AFRICA TO MAKE QUARTER FINAL

Ghana qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals thanks to a late Andre Ayew goal in a 2-1 win against South Africa.

Andre Ayew scored a dramatic late winner to see Ghana into the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals as Group C winners in a 2-1 victory over South Africa.

Avram Grant's men looked destined to crash out of the tournament after Mandla Masango gave South Africa the lead in the 17th minute, but mounted a late fightback and remain in the hunt for the title.

John Boye restored parity 17 minutes from time to give Ghana hope, but they were still on course to be sent home as the clock ticked down.

However, Ayew latched onto the end of a Baba Rahman cross to put the ball into the back of the net in the 83rd minute, and see Ghana into the next round.

Grant's side finish top thanks to their head-to-head record against Algeria, who beat Senegal 2-0. South Africa are eliminated as the group's bottom side.

The South African backline was given a stern examination of its capabilities in the early stages.

After Jonathan Mensah had headed just wide from a free-kick in the fifth minute, Eric Mathoho had to block a Jordan Ayew strike on the line, with goalkeeper Nhlanhla Khuzwayo – one of four changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Senegal - having spilled the ball into his path from an earlier effort.

Ghana, who brought Wakaso Mubarak in for Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu in the middle of the park, were having the better of the early possession, but a moment of inspiration handed South Africa the lead out of the blue in the 17th minute.

Having lost his footing when initially attempting to control a long ball forward with his chest, Masango climbed to his feet before sending a sublime looping volley over the head of Brimah Razak when a failed headed clearance fell his way.

There was concern for South Africa when Khuzwayo went down with an apparent hamstring strain on the half-hour mark, but the goalkeeper was in the right place at the right time to block a rifled Rahman effort from 20 yards soon after.

Mubarak could maybe count himself lucky to be on the pitch after a crunching challenge on Andile Jali deep inside his own half, and South Africa were not even placated with a free-kick as the referee pointed for a corner.

Asamoah Gyan sent a free-kick whistling over the crossbar from just outside the penalty area at the beginning of the second half, before Jordan Ayew saw a speculative long-range effort tipped wide.

John Boye tucked under Khuzwayo after the ball was drilled into the penalty area to give Ghana hope in the 73rd minute, before Kwesi Appiah saw an effort tipped onto the base of the post.

Ghana were throwing everything at finding a winner, and finally got their wish when Andre Ayew headed home seven minutes from time.

posted from Bloggeroid

CHELSEA EDGE OUT LIVERPOOL IN CAPITAL ONE CUP SEMIS

In a League Cup semi-final full of controversy, Branislav Ivanovic's header sent Chelsea to Wembley with a 2-1 aggregate win over Liverpool.

Branislav Ivanovic's thumping extra-time header sealed Chelsea's spot in the League Cup final after an incident-packed 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

Neither side could be separated after 90 pulsating minutes in the semi-final second leg before Ivanovic leapt highest to meet Willian's free-kick in the 94th minute to wrap up a 2-1 aggregate win and a trip to Wembley in March.

However, the match was noteworthy for a series of flashpoints involving Diego Costa, including a stamping incident in each half on Emre Can and Martin Skrtel.

The Spain international was at the heart of more contention when he was denied a penalty by referee Michael Oliver after going to ground under a challenge from Skrtel just after the 20 minute mark.

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also made two brilliant one-on-one saves from Alberto Moreno and Philippe Coutinho in the first half that ultimately proved crucial.

Victory over Liverpool represents an ideal response for Chelsea after Saturday's 4-2 FA Cup defeat to League One side Bradford City that left manager Jose Mourinho fuming.

The Portuguese - who was involved in a touchline exchange with Brendan Rodgers - now has his sights set on a third League Cup title, the first of which came against Liverpool in 2005 and was his first trophy in English football during his first stint at the club.

Chelsea had shouts for a penalty waved away in an end-to-end opening when Willian's low shot struck the arm of the sliding Lucas Leiva.

Can and Costa were then involved a brief altercation after the latter was lucky to escape punishment for seemingly stamping on the Liverpool midfielder's shin.

Costa was in the spotlight again in the 22nd minute as he went to ground when Skrtel looked to have stood on his foot, but referee Oliver was uninterested.

At the other end, Steven Gerrard's superb pass picked out the run of Moreno on the left of the area, with the full-back's subsequent shot well parried by Courtois, before the Belgium international saved Coutinho's drive with his foot after the Brazilian waltzed through the Chelsea defence.

Chelsea were dealt a blow when Cesc Fabregas had to be replaced following an accidental collision with team-mate John Terry shortly after the restart.

Tempers then threatened to boil over when Costa appeared to tread on Skrtel, leading to a coming together between the two players 

Eden Hazard, scorer of Chelsea's goal in the first leg, gave a timely reminder of his brilliance with a mazy run that led to him fizzing a shot just wide from 20 yards, before Simon Mignolet made a terrific block with his feet to keep out Costa's deflected half-volley.

Liverpool were then fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men in the 67th minute when Jordan Henderson avoided a second yellow card for a deliberate hand ball, before Chelsea's Filipe Luis hobbled off after taking a knock.

The breakthrough finally came four minutes into extra time, as Willian's teasing free-kick was headed home emphatically by Ivanovic.

Henderson could have forced penalties when he put a free header wide from 10 yards, but ultimately Chelsea safely saw out extra time to reach their first final since Mourinho's return in June 2013.

posted from Bloggeroid

REAL UNVEIL SILVA

Lucas Silva has been unveiled as a Real Madrid player following his £11.5million move from Brazilian side Cruzeiro.

The 21-year-old midfielder was introduced to the media at the Bernabeu on Monday afternoon after successfully undergoing a medical at Sanitas La Moraleja Hospital.

The news comes just three days after the Spanish giants snapped up 16-year-old Norwegian wonderkid Martin Odegaard.

posted from Bloggeroid

ROCHDALE 1-4 STOKE CITY

It was perhaps asking too much of this season’s FA Cup to give us another fourth-round shock after a weekend of upsets. There were to be no more League One heroics at Spotland to go with Bradford’s humbling of Chelsea.

They tried. Goodness knows Rochdale tried, and at times in the first half Stoke were certainly rocking.

But the Premier League side already had the cushion of a stunning early strike from Bojan Krkic, and they smoothed their passage with second-half goals from substitute Stephen Ireland and Victor Moses.
It did come at a cost, however, with Bojan limping off before half-time with a knee injury. Stoke’s inspirational playmaker left the ground on crutches and was driven away long before the game had finished.

The draw for the fifth round was made before kick-off, handing the winners of this tie a trip to Blackburn Rovers where both managers, Keith Hill and Mark Hughes, played earlier in their careers. Hughes also went on to become manager at Ewood Park, leading Blackburn to the semi-final in 2007.

Hill requested that news of the draw was not broadcast over the matchday tannoy beforehand to prevent his players from finding out as they prepared for their biggest match of the season.

Considering Manchester City’s capitulation to Middlesbrough after a few days in Abu Dhabi, Stoke fans must have wondered if it was a wise move their team going to Dubai ahead of the precarious visit to Spotland.

Hughes certainly wasn’t taking this tie lightly, however. Having seen his side go behind to Conference club Wrexham in the third round, he named a strong line-up with Bojan Krkic a surprise inclusion. 

posted from Bloggeroid

NEYMAR URGES RONALDO BE PUNISHED

Barcelona forward Neymar has urged the Spanish football authorities to punish Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo following his violent outbursts against Cordoba. Ronaldo apologised after being sent off for kicking Cordoba defender Edimar Fraga and slapping Jose Crespo during their La Liga win on Saturday, but could escape with just a two-match ban. Neymar understands forwards can be provoked into retaliating, but insists the former Manchester United player should be punished for his aggressive behaviour during the 2-1 win.

posted from Bloggeroid

LIGUE 1PREVIEW

Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon both picked up Ligue 1 wins on Sunday to punish Marseille for their defeat to Nice.

Paris Saint-Germain boosted their Ligue 1 title hopes with a 1-0 victory over fourth-placed Saint-Etienne on Sunday.

Defeat for Laurent Blanc's men would have seen them fall seven points behind leaders Lyon, who won 2-0 at Metz earlier in the day, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic found the net from the penalty spot to seal maximum points.

A dull first half saw chances at an absolute premium, but the game opened up after the interval to provide hope that one team might find a winner.

However, it took a handball on the line from Jeremy Clement to provide PSG with a chance to break the deadlock, with Ibrahimovic subsequently making no mistake from 12 yards.

Edinson Cavani sent a delightful chip onto the crossbar 15 minutes from time, and Ibrahimovic was lucky to avoid a red card for a studs-up challenge on Romain Hamouma.

However, PSG held on for a repeat of the 1-0 win they picked up at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in the Coupe de la Ligue earlier this month, moving them level on points with second-placed Marseille, who lost to Nice on Friday.

Lyon had put pressure on PSG to pick up a result with their earlier victory over 10-man Metz.

Struggling Metz had Guido Milan sent off for a challenge on Rachid Ghezzal as the game approached the half-hour mark, before Alexandre Lacazette found the net from the resulting spot-kick.

Lacazette was subsequently forced off with a thigh injury and is now a doubt for Lyon's forthcoming clashes with Monaco and PSG, but Corentin Tolisso popped up seven minutes from time to make sure of the win.

Defeat for Metz saw them slip to the foot of the table on a day of much movement in the lower reaches of Ligue 1.

Caen had not picked up a win in 11 matches in all competitions prior to a 4-1 victory over Reims last weekend, but remarkably won by the same scoreline at Rennes on Sunday.

The results mark the first time Caen have recorded back-to-back league wins since winning promotion at the end of last season.

Caen have now climbed above both Metz and Lens, who picked up a goalless draw at Reims.

Evian leapt out of the bottom three with a 1-0 home win over fellow strugglers Toulouse, who saw Pavle Ninkov sent off and drop below their opponents to 17th.

posted from Bloggeroid

LA LIGA PREVIEW

Valencia move up to fourth in La Liga by beating Sevilla 3-1, while bottom side Grenada draw 2-2 at Deportivo La Coruna.

Dani Parejo scored twice as Valencia beat Sevilla 3-1 at Mestalla on Sunday to leapfrog Unai Emery's side into fourth place in La Liga.

Parejo opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Diogo Figueiras was adjudged to have fouled former Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo and the midfielder doubled the home side's lead 32 minutes in.

Carlos Bacca gave Sevilla hope with a spot-kick four minutes later, but penalty-saving specialist Diego Alves produced yet another stop from 12 yards to deny Bacca an equaliser from 12 yards before half-time.

There was no way back for the Andalucian outfit and Javi Fuego struck Valencia's third goal as they extended their unbeaten run to seven Liga games and moved two points above Sevilla.

Abel Resino was unable to mastermind a victory in his first game back in charge of Granada, but Robert Ibanez's late strike at least salvaged a 2-2 draw at Deportivo La Coruna.

Resino returned for a second spell as coach of the bottom side in La Liga this week and Piti raised hopes that he could start his reign with a win when he opened the scoring after seven minutes.

Granada had not won in 15 games prior to Resino's arrival, though, and two goals in the space of four first-half minutes from Jose Rodríguez and Lucas Perez saw them fall behind.

However, Depor were unable to hang on as Ibanez rescued a point before the home side had Luis Farina sent off in stoppage time.

Christian Stuani scored twice and Felipe Caicedo was also on target as Espanyol consigned struggling Almeria to a fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions, winning 3-0 on home soil.

Athletic Bilbao's winless run was extended to five matches courtesy of a 1-1 home draw with Malaga - who are also without a win in five - in the other game to be played on Sunday.

posted from Bloggeroid

SERIE A PREVIEW

Serie A champions Juventus remain on course to retain their title after beating Chievo 2-0 prior to Roma drawing 1-1 with Fiorentina.

Juventus stretched their lead at the top of Serie A to seven points on Sunday as they beat Chievo 2-0 before Roma were held to a 1-1 draw at Fiorentina.

Paul Pogba scored his fourth goal in as many games and played a big hand in Juve's second goal, scored by substitute Stephan Lichtsteiner, as the Turin giants secured their eighth victory in an 11-game unbeaten run in Serie A.

Massimiliano Allegri's men were unable to open the scoring in a frustrating first half, but their quality shone through after the break as Chievo suffered a defeat that ensures they remain in the relegation zone.

Juve will take some stopping in their quest for a fourth consecutive Scudetto, with Roma's title hopes suffering a setback when they drew for the fourth time in their last five Serie A matches.

Adem Ljajic returned to haunt Fiorentina with an equaliser four minutes into the second half, after Mario Gomez followed up his double against Atalanta in midweek with the opening goal for Vincenzo Montella's side in the first half.

Rudi Garcia's Roma lost further ground on Juve after again failing to secure maximum points, while a draw for Fiorentina leaves them in sixth spot.

Palermo were controversially denied victory at Sampdoria. Michel Morganella's strike crossed the line after bouncing down off the crossbar, but the goal was not given and the game finished 1-1.

Eder put fourth-placed Samp in front after only six minutes, but Franco Vazquez levelled earlier in the second half and the visitors would have secured all three points if the officials had spotted that Morganella's effort went in.

Veteran striker Samuel Eto'o, 33, was paraded on the pitch by Samp president Massimo Ferrero alongside fellow new recruit Luis Muriel after the game.

Cesena won for the first time since the opening day of the season at the expense of Parma, who suffered a 2-1 home defeat in the battle between the bottom two at Stadio Ennio Tardini.

Parma were the last side to have suffered defeat to Cesena and Alejandro Rodriguez, the scorer of the only goal in that previous meeting, again popped up with the winner a minute from time to pile further pressure on Roberto Donadoni.

Torino inflicted a first Serie A defeat in six matches on Inter, with Emiliano Moretti on target in stoppage time to earn a 1-0 win at San Siro.

Verona were 1-0 winners over Atalanta in the other game to be played on Sunday, courtesy of Javier Saviola's first Serie A goal.

posted from Bloggeroid

DROGBA HONOURED BY FOOTBALL WRITERS

Jose Mourinho insists there is more to come from Didier Drogba at Chelsea as the striker says he wants to stay at the club beyond the end of the season. 

Mourinho led the tributes to Drogba as he was honoured for his outstanding contribution to the game by the Football Writers' Association at a Gala Tribute evening at the Savoy Hotel in London on Sunday.  

Mourinho hailed Drogba, who first joined Chelsea for £24million in 2004, as the club's 'best value player ever' and insisted the 36-year-old was 'not fininshed'

posted from Bloggeroid

FA CUP FIXTURES

Friday 23rd January 2015


Cambridge v Man Utd 19:55


Saturday 24th January 2015


Blackburn v Swansea 12.45

Birmingham v West Brom 15:00

Cardiff v Reading 15:00

Chelsea v Bradford 15:00

Derby v Chesterfield 15:00

Man CityvMiddlesbrough 15:00

Preston v Sheff Utd 15:00

Southampton v Crystal Palace 15.00

SunderlandvFulham 15:00

Tottenham v Leicester 15:00

LiverpoolvBolton 17:30



Sunday 25th January 2015


Bristol City v West Ham 14:00

Aston Villa v Bournemouth 15:00

Brighton v Arsenal 16:00



Monday 26th January 2015

Rochdale v Stoke 20:00

posted from Bloggeroid

ETO O' TO SAMPDORIA ALOST DONE!!!

Everton forward Samuel Eto'o is in Italy for a medical with Sampdoria as he looks to seal his move to the Serie A club. 

The former Chelsea and Barcelona man flew out of England on Thursday and is set to complete his transfer by the end of Friday.

Roberto Martinez initially said he wanted Eto'o to stay at Goodison Park but now seems resigned to losing the 33-year-old. 
Representatives of Italian club Sampdoria came to London in an attempt to speed up the transfer due to concerns it wouldn't be completed before the February 2 deadline.

And their efforts appear to have been rewarded after Sampdoria's president revealed the club were now merely sorting out the 'last few details'.  

'I haven't been working in football for long and can say this is a strange working environment,' Massimo Ferrero told Sky Italia. 'People say one thing and then do another.

'We went to London and then there was a turn of events because nobody can figure out who is in charge at Everton.

'But we are getting to a breakthrough. Eto'o is very eager to come and play at Sampdoria.

'We are down to the last details. What are the chances of the move being completed? Let's be cautious and say 50 per cent.'

posted from Bloggeroid

THE PLACE TO BE IS SOHO

Chelsea star Ramires and his wife Islana were in attendance as Judy Joo's new restaurant opened in Soho


Mouth-watering cuisine has the power of transcending even the fiercest of football rivalries and that was certainly the case in Soho on Thursday night. Chelsea stars Willian and Ramires and Tottenham's Paulinho joined a star-studded collection of diners at the grand opening of Jinjuu, a restaurant set to become London's premier destination for Korean food.

posted from Bloggeroid

REAL SNAP UP WONDERKID ODEGAARD

REAL Madrid's 16-year-old £3million signing Martin Odegaard confirmed yesterday that the prospect of working with Zinedine Zidane turned his head away from the Premier League and towards the European champions. The Norwegian teenager, who was presented at the club's training ground, is on a basic £40,000 a week for his first half-season but can double that with bonuses. He chose Madrid despite visiting Liverpool and Arsenal on a whistle-stop tour of some of Europe's biggest clubs.

posted from Bloggeroid

Juve win Mutu compensation appeal

Italian giants Juventus will not have to pay compensation to Chelsea for the signing of Adrian Mutu following a successful appeal.

Juventus have won an appeal that means they will not have to pay compensation to Chelsea for former striker Adrian Mutu.

Romanian Mutu had his contract cancelled by Chelsea in 2004 after a positive drugs test for cocaine and was subsequently hit with a seven-month ban.

Upon his return to action Mutu signed for Serie A champions Juve via Livorno, who acted as an intermediary in the deal.

Chelsea subsequently sought compensation, which they were granted by a FIFA dispute panel following a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The decision was immediately appealed and Juve have now stated that their claim has been upheld.

"Juventus Fooball Club announces that the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne has notified us of the decision made by the arbitrators in the dispute that pitted Chelsea against Juventus regarding the signing of Adrian Mutu," a statement from Juventus read.

"The arbitrators have completely dismissed the demands made by Chelsea, ordering them [Chelsea] to pay the legal costs of the case.

"This ruling has no effect on the financial balance of Juventus Football Club because the club, fully aware of being in the right, chose not to allow for any risk in funds over the developing litigation."

Mutu was later sold by Juve to fellow Italian side Fiorentina for a fee reported to be in the region of €6millon.

Arsenal have ´chance´ of signing Paulista

Arsene Wenger says there is "a chance" Arsenal will finalise a deal for the transfer of Villarreal defender Gabriel Paulista.

Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal have a chance of securing the services of defender Gabriel Paulista from Villarreal.

Although Wenger's side boast some of the Premier League's finest attacking talent, it has long been suggested that they require reinforcements at the other end of the pitch.

Speculation has mounted that the club could move for Paulista in the current transfer window, and Wenger has confirmed that discussions are ongoing.

"There's a chance," he said in a press conference on Thursday.

"Talks are progressing well. Can we find an agreement? There's a chance."

Asked whether Paulista's transfer would signal the end of Arsenal's business in January, Wenger responded: "Not necessarily. We are ready to pay the price for a player if he is good enough. If the price is right, we will pay."

Arsenal completed a move for 17-year-old Legia Warsaw midfielder Krystian Bielik on Wednesday, but Wenger revealed the teenager would not feature against Brighton and Hove Albion in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday.

"He's not ready for three weeks. They've just had a winter break," the manager said.

Midfielder Francis Coquelin has impressed Wenger in recent weeks, so much so that the 23-year-old will be offered a new contract at the club.

"I saw that he made huge improvements in training so I sent him on loan [to Charlton Athletic] for match practice," Wenger said.

"He took that challenge and he's done very well. We will offer him a new deal."

The Frenchman confirmed that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Hector Bellerin were doubts for the weekend, although there was positive news in Serge Gnabry's return to training following a knee injury.

Danny Welbeck is still not fit to feature as he continues to struggle with a thigh problem, but Wenger said Mesut Ozil is "likely" to start for the first time since October after a knee injury.

China 0 Australia 2: Cahill steals the show as hosts progress

Tim Cahill scored twice, including a candidate for goal of the tournament, as Australia beat China 2-0 in their Asian Cup quarter-final.

Tim Cahill fired Australia into the semi-finals of the Asian Cup in sensational fashion, scoring both goals - one courtesy of a superb overhead kick - in a 2-0 victory over China at Brisbane Stadium.

A moment of genius from Cahill was enough to give Australia the upper hand four minutes into the second half of Thursday's last-eight tie.

With his back to goal, the veteran pulled off a superb bicycle kick, again demonstrating his ability to shine on the big stage following his stunning volleyed strike against the Netherlands at last year's World Cup.

Cahill added a second goal after 65 minutes with a trademark powerful header, putting the game out of reach for a stubborn Chinese side who showed plenty of fight in front of their many fans.

Tournament hosts Australia will now battle either Japan or the United Arab Emirates for a place in the final.

Mile Jedinak returned from injury for Australia, who also handed starts to Mark Bresciano, Alex Wilkinson and Robbie Kruse.

It was China who started the brighter, however, and Wilkinson had to make a perfectly timed tackle after the pacy Wu Lei had burst through.

Wu threatened again following a loose ball from Jedinak, the forward's eventual shot deflecting wide for a corner, and a cutback from Zhang Chengdong provided another scare as China sensed an upset.

Yet Australia gradually grew in stature as the first half wore on, with Jedinak and Trent Sainsbury each missing the target from Bresciano set-pieces.

The best chance of the opening period came after 28 minutes when Matt Leckie jinked into the box before unleashing a powerful left-footed drive that was parried away by Wang Dalei.

China duly made it through to the break on level terms, but could do little about Cahill's spectacular 49th-minute opener.



After an Australia corner had been cleared by China, Ivan Franjic's looping header back into the box found Cahill to the left of goal. And the New York Red Bulls man met the dropping ball with a deft bicycle kick, sending the ball across goal into the bottom-left corner.



Australia were soon playing with a swagger and Bresciano spurned a fine opportunity before being substituted on the hour mark.

Cahill also forced a fine parried save from China's goalkeeper, before finding the net again with a superb angled header from Jason Davidson's left-wing cross.

A predictably rapturous reception greeted Cahill when he was withdrawn with 10 minutes remaining and there was almost a third goal for Australia when his replacement, Mark Milligan, missed a golden chance following a fine run.

Dortmund pick up another 1-0 friendly win

Borussia Dortmund won 1-0 for the third time in a row as they prepared for a return to Bundesliga action against Utrecht.

Kevin Kampl scored the only goal as Borussia Dortmund picked up yet another 1-0 victory in their friendly with Utrecht on Wednesday.

Jurgen Klopp's men have now won all three of their mid-season warm-ups by the same scoreline, with Sion and Steaua Bucharest having previously fallen to the Bundesliga strugglers.

Kampl's winner came in the 16th minute, when he raced on to a Marco Reus throughball and slotted through the legs of goalkeeper Robbin Ruiter.

Adrian Ramos struck the post early in the second half, while at the other end, Roman Weidenfeller was rarely tested.

Dortmund were without both Sebastian Kehl and Kevin Grosskreutz for the fixture - both injured in the victory over Steua on Saturday, with the former confirmed to be out for four weeks with a shoulder problem.

Klopp's men face one more friendly against Fortuna Dusseldorf before returning to Bundesliga action at Bayer Leverkusen on January 31.

Gabon 0 Congo 1: Oniangue goal sends Le Roy´s men top

Prince Oniangue fired Congo to a 1-0 victory that sent them top of Africa Cup of Nations Group A, leapfrogging opponents Gabon.

Gabon missed a chance to book their place in the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stages as Group A winners, losing 1-0 to Congo on Wednesday.

Jorge Costa's men beat 2013 finalists Burkina Faso 2-0 in their tournament opener and would have moved into an unassailable lead at the summit with another three points in Bata.

However, Prince Oniangue capitalised on some questionable Gabon defending to score the winner three minutes after half-time.

Neither side was able to take control in a tight first half, but Frederic Bulot was unlucky not to break the deadlock with a spectacular strike after five minutes.

Oniangue's goal gave Congo something to defend, although Gabon came agonisingly close to finding a leveller when Bulot saw a great chance hit the outside of the right-hand post.

The result sees Congo, who drew 1-1 with hosts Equatorial Guinea in the event's curtain-raiser, go top of Group A ahead of the last round of fixtures.

Both sides made just one change from their opening matches, with Gabon bringing Aaron Ondele in for Yrondu Musavu-King at the back, while Francis N'Ganga made way for Dimitri Magnokele in the Congo XI.

Gabon looked to be full of confidence after kicking off the tournament with a victory, and almost went ahead with a rasping effort in the fifth minute.

A deep cross from the left was met by a neat Malick Evouna flick, but Bulot's rifled shot from the edge of the penalty area was tipped over by Congo goalkeeper Christoffer Mafoumbi.

Congo's Arnold Bouka Moutou lashed a volley into the side-netting at the other end, before Evouna saw his effort trickle wide via a deflection after racing on to a throughball in the 19th minute.

Recent encounters between these sides have been tight affairs - Congo beat Gabon 1-0 at home during qualifying for the 2014 World Cup before a goalless draw in the return fixture - and this meeting was shaping up to be no different.

Levy Madinda had a glorious chance to hand Gabon a half-time lead shortly before the interval, but dragged his shot wide of the left-hand upright after showing great composure in the box, before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang stung the palms of Mafoumbi from a free-kick.

However, it was Congo who eventually struck first, with Oniangue firing home after defenders Ondele and Bruno Ecuele Manga had got in each other's way while trying to head clear from a corner.

Oniangue went close to doubling his - and Congo's - tally when he unleashed a volley from the edge of the box soon after, but Gabon keeper Didier Ovono punched clear.

Aubameyang headed wide as Gabon chased an equaliser, before Bulot sent a low effort against the post when he should have pulled his side level midway through the second period.

Gabon continued to apply the pressure as the match approached a conclusion, but the Congo back line held firm to leave Claude Le Roy's men a point clear at the summit heading into Sunday's closing group fixture against Burkina Faso.

Tottenham 1 Sheffield United 0: Townsend´s spot-kick settles cagey first leg

Tottenham are closing in on the League Cup final after beating Sheffield United 1-0 in their semi-final first leg at White Hart Lane.

Andros Townsend's composed penalty 16 minutes from time handed Tottenham a crucial advantage as Mauricio Pochettino's men defeated spirited Sheffield United 1-0 in their League Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday.

Townsend kept his cool from 12 yards after Jay McEveley was punished for handball to ensure Tottenham made home advantage count ahead of next week's return fixture at Bramall Lane.

Pochettino's side laboured for much of a cagey game against the League One promotion hopefuls, but that will matter little if Tottenham finish the job and book a place in next month's showpiece against either Chelsea or Liverpool.

Given United's giantkilling exploits over the past two seasons – knocking Aston Villa, Fulham and QPR out of the FA Cup and beating Southampton in the League Cup quarter-finals – Pochettino will be thankful that his players produced a professional display as he targets silverware in his first campaign in charge at White Hart Lane.

The standout pre-match team news revolved around Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor, handed his first start since the beginning of November following a spell of compassionate leave back in Africa and even given the responsibility of being captain for the night.

When the action eventually got under way - kick-off was pushed back by 15 minutes due to local traffic problems that resulted in the United team bus arriving late at the ground - a pumped-up Adebayor received an early yellow card for a raised arm on Louis Reed after 17 minutes.

Journeyman winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce blasted a low shot across goal after cutting in from the right, while at the other end, United goalkeeper Mark Howard got a strong hand to turn behind Eric Dier's header from Townsend's free-kick.

Adebayor spurned an excellent opportunity 11 minutes before half-time when he beat the offside trap to meet Christian Eriksen's long ball, but the striker's first touch was too heavy and his effort soared over.

Tottenham were then given a scare when Ben Davies was dispossessed on the edge of his own penalty area by Reed, who squared for Stefan Scougall to shoot just wide.

On the stroke of half-time, Dier's flicked header from another dangerous Townsend set-piece had Howard scrambling across his goal-line, but it was off target.

The second half started just like the opening period, with little in the way of clear-cut chances.

Pochettino opted to replace Adebayor with Roberto Soldado just after the hour mark in an attempt to rouse a response from the hosts and it duly came as the substitute was involved in the penalty incident that changed the game.

Soldado controlled Jan Vertonghen's chipped pass near the byline and McEveley's momentum in trying to keep pace with the Spaniard saw his outstretched arm connect with the ball.

Howard guessed the right way from Townsend's resulting spot-kick, but was unable to keep it out, despite getting close to it.

Nigel Clough's United side responded well to going behind without really troubling Tottenham goalkeeper Michel Vorm, and will need a positive attitude next Wednesday if they are to mastermind another cup upset.