Arsenal have signed Brazilian defender Gabriel Paulista from Villarreal, the Premier League club said on Wednesday. . The 24-year-old has moved to London in a deal worth £11.3 million, British media reported. . “It’s another dream in my career that has come true,” Gabriel told the Arsenal website. . “I have only just arrived but I am already feeling really good here in London. I’m at a top club so that gives me more strength to be able to work and carry on, to be able to conquer much more in my career. . “It’s a huge club, even more…
Author: David F.
Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo has been given a two-match ban following his dismissal for kicking out at an opponent during their La Liga clash with Cordoba last Saturday, the Spanish league said on Wednesday. . Ronaldo was unable to make an impact in the match and his frustration saw him first lash out with his hand at Jose Crespo, which the referee missed, and then minutes later kick out at Edimar for which he was sent off. . Real won 2-1 thanks to a late Gareth Bale penalty and Ronaldo apologised on Twitter after the game. . The Portugal winger…
Chelsea striker Diego Costa could miss Saturday’s top-of-the-table Premier league clash against Manchester City after being charged with violent conduct by the FA for an alleged stamp on Liverpool’s Emre Can. . The Brazilian-born Spain striker faces a potential three-game ban after he appeared to tread down on the 21-year-old German early in the first half of their League Cup semifinal, second leg at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. . He was later involved in a second stamping furore involving Liverpool’s Slovakian defender Martin Skrtel, but the FA said they would not take any action over that incident. . The FA…
Raheem Sterling’s stunning individual goal earned Liverpool a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in a rip-roaring League Cup semifinal first leg at Anfield on Tuesday but the dominant Merseysiders could be left to rue a missed opportunity. . Chelsea, having taken an 18th minute lead against the run of play through an Eden Hazard penalty, defended stoutly until Sterling, refreshed and reinvigorated from a mid-season break, levelled before the hour after bursting through the defence. . Both sides had vociferous penalty appeals turned down and Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois showed his worth with a series of superb saves to keep the…
For those who questioned Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers for allowing winger Raheem Sterling to take a mid-season break, the answer came in one emphatic burst of pace in Tuesday’s League Cup semifinal draw with Chelsea. . Sterling had returned from a trip to Jamaica for Saturday’s Premier League clash at Aston Villa, and was reinstated to his role as a makeshift centre forward for the first leg against league leaders Chelsea at Anfield. . With Liverpool a goal down in the second half, after Eden Hazard’s early penalty, and becoming increasingly frustrated, the 20-year-old received the ball in Chelsea’s half.…
Tottenham Hotspur striker Emmanuel Adebayor was restored to the starting line-up as captain against Sheffield United in their League Cup semifinal on Wednesday but left the pitch to a chorus of boos from the home fans. . The controversial Togo forward lasted 65 minutes of his side’s unconvincing 1-0 first leg win at White Hart Lane before being replaced by Spaniard Roberto Soldado, another of the club’s international pedigree forwards struggling for form. . The change at least brought the winning goal, with Soldado controlling the ball in the area before United defender Jay McEveley inadvertently handled to concede a…
Nigeria 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) hero Sunday Mba has voiced his sentiments over Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.. . Mba scored twice at the 2013 Afcon, his second the winner as the Super Eagles overpowered Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final in Johannesburg to become African champions for the third time. . The CA Bastia midfielder said failure to make it to the Afcon just two years after emerging champions underlines “falling standards” in Nigerian football. . “I was actually shocked after we drew (our final qualifying) match against South Africa. It…
Super Eagles psychologist Robinson Okosun says he will be shocked if Peter Odemwingie decides to call time on his international career now. . . Odemwingie last played for Nigeria on June 30, 2014 in a second round World Cup game against France which the Super Eagles lost 0-2. . Speculations have been making the rounds that Odemwingie would toe the path of former Super Eagles captain Joseph Yobo who promptly announced his international retirement after the 2014 World Cup, but Okosun says he will be shocked if that scenario plays out. . “I have heard the rumours (that Odemwingie is…
Nigeria international striker Brown Ideye is set to join Bundesliga club Hamburg from Premier League campaigners West Bromwich Albion. . Ideye is West Brom’s record signing after he joined the Baggies from Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv for £10 million. . The striker has, however, failed to impress since his switch to the Premier League and Sky Sports is now reporting that he is on his way to join Hamburg on a season-long loan deal. . West Brom manager Tony Pulis is scouring the market for strikers and Georgios Samaras and Ideye are the favourites to leave the Hawthorns now that…
Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp does not expect to see players line up to leave the relegation-threatened former champions if they fail to bounce back this season and secure a European spot. . The 2011 and 2012 German champions are in 17th place, level on 15 points with last-placed Freiburg. They have lost 10 of their 17 league games so far this season and have won just four. . “As things stand now I have no problem staying in the league and spending next season training a lot,” Klopp, who led Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2013, told…
The Bundesliga posted record turnover of €2.45 billion for 2013/14, up by more than 12 percent, marking uninterrupted growth for the 10th straight season, the German football league (DFL) said on Thursday. . Turnover was up from €2.17 billion in 2012/13 and has more than doubled from a decade ago when it stood at just over one billion. “German professional football has used its solid financial foundation well in the past years to make an outstanding sporting development,” DFL CEO Christian Seifert said. . “The outlook is positive because financial growth is uninterrupted.” . It still, however, trails Spain’s La…
Tottenham Hotspur stormed back from 2-0 down to beat Burnley 4-2 in their FA Cup third-round replay on Wednesday despite mirroring the other Premier League sides by resting their main striker. . Red-hot Harry Kane watched from the bench as Danny Rose sealed the home win for Spurs after Burnley, who gave Danny Ings a breather, had scored twice in the first eight minutes. . The overbearing significance of the Premier League in modern football was underlined by Southampton also resting top scorer Graziano Pelle for much of their replay at second tier Ipswich Town. . Fellow forward Shane Long,…
La Liga strugglers Granada have turned to former coach Abel Resino to rescue them from relegation for a second time, bringing him back on Monday to replace the sacked Joaquin Caparros. . Granada are bottom at the halfway stage of the campaign and Caparros was dismissed on Friday following their exit from the King’s Cup two days earlier. . Resino, who has also coached Atletico Madrid, Levante and Celta Vigo, helped save Granada from the drop in 2011-12 after taking over for the second half of the season. . The 54-year-old former Atletico goalkeeper has agreed a contract until the…
Cristiano Ronaldo confirms he has broken up with his longtime girlfriend, Russian model Irina Shayk. . Ronaldo says on Tuesday in a written statement to The Associated Press, “After dating for five years, my relationship with Irina Shayk has come to an end. . “We believed it would be best for both of us to take this step now.” . He says he is making the statement to end speculation about their relationship and his private life. . Ronaldo recently picked up the Ballon d’Or after being voted the world’s best football player, but Shayk did not accompany him to…
Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant has a torn rotator cuff, according to preliminary results of an MRI exam, the Los Angeles Lakers said on Thursday. . Bryant, who hurt his right shoulder on a dunk in the second half of Wednesday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans, will return to Los Angeles later on Thursday and be examined by team doctors on Friday, the team said in a statement. . The high-scoring guard will miss Thursday’s game against the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and the rest of his season could be in jeopardy. . Bryant, a former league…
Christian Atsu says the Black Stars have put the loss to Senegal behind them. . In their 2015 Afcon group opener Ghana gave off an impressive first-half display only to subsequently lose the game 2-1 to Senegal through a very late Moussa Sow goal. . The Chelsea attacker has been fingered for missing two crucial opportunities which could have changed the face of the game in the first half, but he says his intention was to score. . “Nobody goes into a game to miss a chance. My intention was to score and make Ghanaians happy but it didn’t happen.…
Arsenal are in negotiations to sign Brazilian central defender Gabriel Paulista from Spanish club Villarreal, the Premier League club’s manager Arsene Wenger said on Thursday. . “We are talking at the moment, can we find an agreement or not I don’t know,” the Frenchman told a news conference ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup, fourth tie at Brighton and Hove Albion. . Arsenal allowed former club captain Thomas Vermaelen to join Barcelona last August and did not strengthen the central defensive areas which have been criticised this season. . Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny have been Wenger’s preferred duo at…
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman will continue to scour his native Netherlands to strengthen his squad, the Dutchman told a news conference on Thursday. . Koeman’s decision to sign Eljero Elia on loan from Werder Bremen has already paid dividends, with the Dutch striker scoring both goals against Newcastle United last weekend to keep Southampton in third place in thePremier League. . Koeman says more could follow. . “I have (my eyes) on several young players, but not now, for next season, of course. . “It’s a philosophy of this club to work with young players and there are some good…
Cruzeiro have agreed to sell defensive midfielder Lucas Silva to Real Madrid, the Brazilian champions said on Thursday. . Spanish media reported the fee would be around €15 million. . Silva, 21, is considered to be one of Brazil’s most promising young players and has represented his country at junior level. . “We have been in touch with Real Madrid since last year and we’re now discussing a fee,” Cruzeiro’s director of football Valdir Barbosa told ESPN radio. “I think a deal should be complete by the start of next week.” . Silva was released from training on Thursday to…
Liverpool will be back challenging for the Premier League title next season after slipping off the pace this time round, manager Brendan Rodgers said on Thursday. . The Northern Irishman took Liverpool to the verge of their first English title since 1990 last year before they faltered badly with the prize in sight, missing out to Manchester City. . Now they find themselves in eighth-place, 17 points behind leaders Chelsea, and struggling to secure the top-four finish which would at least provide Champions League qualification. . The sale of forward Luis Suarez to Barcelona and Daniel Sturridge’s ongoing injury problems…