Manchester City suffered from deja vu as Luis Suarez’s double gave Barcelona a 2-1 first leg lead in a Champions League last 16 tie at the Etihad although Lionel Messi’s late penalty miss left the door ajar on Tuesday. . In a repeat of last season’s round of 16 first leg at the Etihad, Barcelona were too slick for the hosts in a mesmerising opening period with Uruguay forward Suarez firing them in front in the 16th minute and doubling the lead after half an hour. . Sergio Aguero rewarded City for a vastly improved second half showing with a…
Author: David F.
Manchester United could make a move for Lazio midfielder Lucas Biglia this summer, according to the Mirror. . The report has suggested that the Red Devils attempted to land the 29-year-old in the January market, however a move failed to materialise. . It appears, though, that the Old Trafford outfit could yet make another move for the player’s services, with the report claiming that they could land him for around £8 million. . The Argentine international, who previously starred at Belgian outfit Anderlecht, has also attracted interest from French moneybags Paris Saint- Germain, so it looks set to be an…
Super Eagles striker Victor Moses has declared that he remains a Chelsea player despite being on loan at Stoke City. . Speaking after scoring the winner for Stoke at the weekend, the Nigeria international who returned to action recently after a long lay- off due to injury said he is only at Stoke to do a professional job as he looks forward to return to the Stamford Bridge any moment from now. . “I’m comfortable. They’re great lads, friendly, and I’m enjoying my football,” he said. . “To be honest, I’m just enjoying my football at the moment. I’m still…
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew is eyeing up a summer move for Newcastle United’s Sammy Ameobi. . Bolasie, 25, has been in superb form for Palace this season and his performances on the wing for Pardew’s side has seen links to Liverpool and the former Newcastle United boss commented saying that it would take an ‘extraordinary’ bid from the Reds to sign Bolasie. . Sammy Ameobi – Shola’s brother – came through the youth academy and into the first-team under Pardew and the Palace manager would now like to sign the winger. . Sammy Ameobi has created 14 chances in…
Nigerian striker Emmanuel Emenike will hope to score his fifth league goal of the season when Fenerbache host Akhisar Belediyespor at the Sükrü Saracoglu stadium tonight. Emenike who was on target in the Yellow Canaries 5-0 whitewash of Gaziantepspor last weekend has so far played 17 times this season for the Turkish champions. . If they win tonight Ismail Kartal’s side will move one point above Galatasaray who currently lead the log with 48 points from 21 games. . In Italy, Joel Obi has been included in Inter Milan’s 25 man squad to face Cagliari at the Sant’Elia stadium. Obi…
With remarkable spirit and resilience, Dundee United fought back from losing a goal and a man to earn a draw against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. An exciting game was bookended by the dismissals of United goalkeeper Michal Szromnik and Inverness’s Gary Warren. . In between, Caley’s Greg Tansey scored from the spot-kick earned by Szromnik’s indiscipline and Ryan McGowan levelled. Inverness ought to have extended their lead, but United were irrepressible after the break and got their reward. . Referee Calum Murray soon had several decisions to make. In the opening 10 seconds, Inverness defender David Raven clattered recklessly into United’s…
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes goalkeeper Joe Hart’s injury-time penalty save from Lionel Messi has kept their Champions League hopes alive. . Luis Suarez’s two first half goals gave Barcelona a 2-0 lead before Sergio Aguero pulled a goal back. Hart then denied Messi with virtually the final kick of the last-16 first-leg match. . “It gives us more chance to win in Barcelona,” said Pellegrini. . “It was a very important save, firstly because it was not a necessary penalty as we must control our emotions in the box, but also it would have been very difficult at…
Cardiff deepened Wigan’s relegation worries with a 1-0 win at the DW Stadium as manager Malky Mackay lost to his former club. . Aron Gunnarsson scored the game’s only goal after 20 minutes when he slotted in following Kenwyne Jones’s assist. . The result is another setback for Mackay, who was sacked as Cardiff boss in December 2013. . Cardiff board members did not witness the win, boycotting the match in protest at alleged racism at Wigan. . Wigan owner Dave Whelan was fined £50,000 last year for making racist comments about Jewish and Chinese people and served a six-week…
Middlesbrough kept pace with Derby at the top of the Championship as Albert Adomah’s first-half goal earned a 1-0 victory over visitors Bolton. The Ghanaian midfielder fired in his fourth goal of the season from Lee Tomlin’s cross. Liam Feeney could have equalised late on for Neil Lennon’s side but directed his header wide from six yards out. . The result extends Bolton’s losing streak to three matches and leaves them 19th in the table. It was a stuttering performance from Boro, though they did go close to a late equaliser when Tomlin struck the crossbar with a free-kick. .…
Derby County maintained their two-point lead at the top of the Championship with a 2-0 win over Charlton. . The Rams took the lead after nine minutes when Jeff Hendrick turned in Darren Bent’s cross from close range. . Hendrick turned provider as Derby doubled their advantage soon after, with Manchester United loanee Jesse Lingard converting his through ball for his first Derby goal. Charlton had won their last two games but could not muster a fightback. . Derby’s win takes them five points clear of third place, strengthening their grip on an automatic promotion place. . Steve McClaren’s side…
Juventus had to settle for a narrow first-leg lead after missing a several good chances against Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League last-16 tie. Carlos Tevez put the Italians ahead after Roman Weidenfeller spilled at his feet, but Dortmund soon struck back. . Marco Reus exploited Giorgio Chiellini’s slip to scamper in and shoot home just three minutes later. Alvaro Morata’s careful finish put Juve back in front and the hosts could have stretched away in the second half. . After the break, Tevez went close on three occasions, Chiellini rose unmarked to head over the top and Roberto Pereyra…
The black Frenchman who was the victim of racist abuse by Chelsea football fans on the Paris Metro has received a personal message from President Francois Hollande. . The president took the unusual step of speaking to Souleymane S. on the telephone on Friday to express his sympathy over his ordeal. . “President @fhollande spoke to Souleymane S and offered his support over the odious racial attack he suffered,” the Elysee announced on its Twitter account. . Souleymane S, a French-Mauritanian, was blocked from boarding a train by fans travelling to the Parc des Princes for the 1-1 draw against…
Chelsea captain John Terry on Saturday added his voice to condemnation of a racist incident involving the club’s supporters in Paris earlier this week, describing it as “unacceptable”. . Chelsea have banned five people from their Stamford Bridge ground after footage emerged showing fans preventing a black man from boarding a Paris metro train on Tuesday and chanting racist songs. . Writing in the match programme for Chelsea’s Premier League home game with Burnley, Terry – who was himself banned and fined for racially abusing an opponent in 2012 – said: “Football is a sport for everyone. . “That is…
Manchester City have been on a steep learning curve in the Champions League but Tuesday’s last 16 first-leg clash with four-times European kings Barcelona offers a chance to show they are now serious contenders. . Last season’s exit at the identical stage also against Barca, 4-1 on aggregate, revealed City’s shortcomings in a squad good enough to win the Premier League but still lacking authority and discipline against Europe’s very best. . A year later, however, and City are approaching the tie with growing optimism, even if they will be missing midfield talisman Yaya Toure at the Etihad on Tuesday…
Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo hopes this could be the season they finally re-establish themselves on the European stage as he dreams of winning the Champions League again before he retires. . Juve’s maestro has been helping steer them towards a fourth successive Italian title, yet the gulf between a fading Serie A and the Champions League is so great that they are not seen as a major threat to Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich. . Juve were comprehensively outclassed by Munich in the quarterfinals two seasons ago and failed to make it beyond the group stage last term. .…
Coach Roger Schmidt brushed off suggestions he was feeling extra heat ahead of out-of-form Bayer Leverkusen’s Champions League round of 16 first leg against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. . The German team have won just one Bundesliga game out of five since the winter break to drop to sixth in the table and defeat against Atletico would compound the pressure on the attack-minded Schmidt. . “Nothing changes, you always have pressure,” the softly-spoken coach told a news conference on Tuesday. “You always need to win the next game. . “We are happy to be allowed to play in the Champions…
Nigerian striker, Odion Ighalo, continued his superb scoring run for Watford in the English Championship by scoring a couple of goals in his side’s 3-0 win over Rotherham United on Tuesday. . The former Udinese man scored his goals, which sandwiched that of Troy Deeney, inside the hour mark to help his English club stay within playoffs in the standings. . Ighalo with his first real chance of the match held at Vicarage Road scored. The 25-year-old pounced on a chance and calmly finished off with his left foot past Rotherham goalkeeper Adam Collin for the opening goal of the…
South African Under-17 men’s national team coach Molefi Ntseki believes his players have earned the right to be ranked among the best on the continent. . Amajimbos made history after qualifying for their first ever Under-17 Fifa World Cup after beating Cameroon 3-1, but have a huge obstacle in their way to reach the final when they meet Nigeria in the semifinals of the CAF Under-17 CAN on Wednesday. . The Nigerians are four-time champions and will stretch Ntseki’s charges to the limit in their quest to reach the final. The match is scheduled to kick off at 4pm (local…
Dolphins defender Victor Ezuruike has said his side will upturn the slim 0-1 defeat at Leones Vegetarianos of Equatorial Guinea in the Caf Confedration Cup competition. . The Garden City host the West African challengers in the reverse fixture on Saturday at the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt. . Ezuruike said his teammates have decided to put aside the domestic difficulties to win big for themselves. . “We’ve decided to succeed against Leones Vegetarianos on Saturday irrespective of the tough challenges confronting us at the moment. . “The encounter is certain to be difficult but we’ve agreed among ourselves to…
Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim has warned Arsenal ahead of their Champions League last 16 first leg on Wednesday that the French side with the mean defence will be tough to break down. . “We’ll play it solid and stop Arsenal’s midfield and attackers from finding a way through,” The Portuguese coach promised on the eve of the match. . Monaco may be finding it difficult to find goals after the departure of James Rodriguez and Radamel Falcao last summer, but they currently have the tightest defence in Ligue 1, with just 19 goals conceded in 25 matches. . “We will…