Jordi Alba out of Barcelona squad for Las Palmas clash

Barcelona have confirmed that Jordi Alba is not fit to face Las Palmas at Camp Nou on Saturday.

The Spain international has been struggling with a neck problem and was unavailable for the shock 4-1 defeat to Celta Vigo earlier this week.

The Liga champions have confirmed Alba remains sidelined for the visit of Paco Herrera's men, but Sandro Ramirez has been included in the matchday squad after recovering from a bruised leg.

Claudio Bravo, Rafinha and Thomas Vermalen are also out through injury.

Barcelona head into the game sat fifth in La Liga, having surrendered top spot to Real Madrid following their defeat at Balaidos on Wednesday. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Sherwood defends Rodgers: He could have been managing Real Madrid

Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood has leapt to the defence of Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers, claiming the under-fire Ulsterman could have been Real Madrid boss but for fine margins.

A failure to replicate the title challenge mounted by the Reds in a thrilling 2013-14 campaign last term and a stumbling start to this season has seen pressure heaped on Rodgers' shoulders.

High-profile coaching duo Carlo Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp have both been linked with replacing him, yet Sherwood has backed Rodgers and believes his path could have been different had he won the league.

He said: "After that season Liverpool finished second, could they have kept hold of Brendan Rodgers?

"They're a massive club and they would have tried everything. But we might have seen him at Real Madrid.

"He would have won the Premier League for Liverpool for the first time in God knows how many years. He would have been the hottest property in football. That's how quickly things can change.

"A week is a long time in football let alone a year. He doesn’t turn into a bad manager all of a sudden. Because they got so close, that intensifies the pressure. It’s the nature of the game.

"It really is fine margins. I saw them play Carlisle the other night, they had 45 shots at goal. The goalkeeper has had a month off, he’s exhausted. It could have easily been 10-0.

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Guarin: Inter thinking about Scudetto

The Colombia midfielder believes the Milan club have a chance of maintaining their perfect start to the season against Fiorentina

Inter midfielder Fredy Guarin believes his side should consider themselves capable of winning the Serie A title this season.

Roberto Mancini's side are three points clear at the top of the table, having won all five of their opening games, and already have a 10-point gap to reigning champions Juventus.

Guarin is thrilled with Inter's start to the campaign after their inconsistent form over recent seasons and says there should be a growing belief in their chances of ending Juve's Scudetto dominance, ahead of their match with Fiorentina on Sunday.

"What's great about football is that things change so quickly," the Colombia international told reporters at the launch of his website, FredyGuarin.com.

"After three years of not finding the right way forward, there were positive changes. I had difficulty during that period, but I think I gained in experience and today we have a great opportunity with this team, this coach and these new players to lift our heads and think about winning the Scudetto.

"To be considered a great team, you have to earn it one match at a time. Mentality is very important, as is making sure we fix our mistakes. What really counts is to be a solid squad, to leave no room for doubt."

Inter have been criticised by some for the level of their performances so far, with Mancini's side having won four of their five matches 1-0, but Guarin says such talk only spurs them on.

"What do I say to critics? Nothing," he added. "The pitch does the talking, as far as we're concerned they're motivating us to do better."
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TEAM NEWS: Hart on the bench for Man City clash with Tottenham

Joe Hart has dropped to the bench for Manchester City's clash with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Willy Caballero starts in goal for Manuel Pellegrini's side with Hart sitting out for the second game this week due to injury, alongside David Silva, while Vincent Kompany originally made the bench but was subsequently withdrawn completely through illness.

Hart misses out on a place in the starting XI for a Premier League game for the first time since January 1.

Speaking to BT Sport ahead of the game, Pellegrini said: "Joe had an injury problem during the week - that's why he couldn't play and he stayed off the bench against Sunderland.

"He just worked one day before the game. I think that was better for him not to take the risk [and start] to have another problem."

Pellegrini has opted for a central midfield three for the first time in the league this season, fielding Yaya Toure, Fernando and Fernandinho together, perhaps in a bid to stifle Tottenham's creative players.

Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, continues with the youthful midfield pairing of Dele Alli and Eric Dier, who has been converted from a defensive player this season to good effect.

Heung-min Son, the £22 million signing from Bayer Leverkusen, retains his starting place after impressive displays against Qarabag and Crystal Palace. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Costa is aggressive in a good way, says Remy

The Spain international will sit out the Blues' clash with Newcastle on Saturday due to suspension but his team-mate insists his temperament is not a problem

Chelsea forward Loic Remy says Diego Costa is "aggressive in a good way" and says he relishes from playing alongside the Spain international.

Costa was hit with a three-game ban by the Football Association for striking Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny during the Premier League champions' 2-0 win last weekend.

But Remy - who is vying to start Chelsea's meeting with Newcastle on Saturday in place of his suspended team-mate - says Costa's aggressive streak is a positive aspect of his game.

"Diego is really a good finisher," Remy told Sky Sports. "He is a bit aggressive in a good way.

"[Radamel] Falcao as well, technically with the ball is really good. He can keep the ball.

"Me, I am more of a runner. We have different characteristics and that is good because the manager has the choice to manage the way he wants."

The former QPR striker says he learns from training alongside Costa on a daily basis and claims he has a very different nature away from the pitch.

"Diego is the kind of player who can switch on during the game and that's a good thing because outside the pitch, he is such a funny guy and joking all the time," Remy continued.
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Jordi Alba out of Barcelona squad for Las Palmas clash

Barcelona have confirmed that Jordi Alba is not fit to face Las Palmas at Camp Nou on Saturday.

The Spain international has been struggling with a neck problem and was unavailable for the shock 4-1 defeat to Celta Vigo earlier this week.

The Liga champions have confirmed Alba remains sidelined for the visit of Paco Herrera's men, but Sandro Ramirez has been included in the matchday squad after recovering from a bruised leg.
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Sherwood defends Rodgers: He could have been managing Real Madrid

Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood has leapt to the defence of Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers, claiming the under-fire Ulsterman could have been Real Madrid boss but for fine margins.

A failure to replicate the title challenge mounted by the Reds in a thrilling 2013-14 campaign last term and a stumbling start to this season has seen pressure heaped on Rodgers' shoulders.

High-profile coaching duo Carlo Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp have both been linked with replacing him, yet Sherwood has backed Rodgers and believes his path could have been different had he won the league.

He said: "After that season Liverpool finished second, could they have kept hold of Brendan Rodgers?

"They're a massive club and they would have tried everything. But we might have seen him at Real Madrid. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Hart on the bench for Man City clash with Tottenham

Joe Hart has dropped to the bench for Manchester City's clash with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Willy Caballero starts in goal for Manuel Pellegrini's side with Hart sitting out for the second game this week due to injury, alongside David Silva, while Vincent Kompany is also on the bench.

Hart misses out on a place in the starting XI for a Premier League game for the first time since January 1.

Speaking to BT Sport ahead of the game, Pellegrini said: "Joe had an injury problem during the week - that's why he couldn't play and he stayed off the bench against Sunderland.

"He just worked one day before the game. I think that was better for him not to take the risk [and start] to have another problem. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Guarin: Inter thinking about Scudetto

Inter midfielder Fredy Guarin believes his side should consider themselves capable of winning the Serie A title this season.

Roberto Mancini's side are three points clear at the top of the table, having won all five of their opening games, and already have a 10-point gap to reigning champions Juventus.

Guarin is thrilled with Inter's start to the campaign after their inconsistent form over recent seasons and says there should be a growing belief in their chances of ending Juve's Scudetto dominance, ahead of their match with Fiorentina on Sunday.
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Wenger: Ranieri, not Mourinho, laid Chelsea foundations

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has belittled Jose Mourinho's achievements at Chelsea by suggesting Claudio Ranieri laid the foundations for their decade of success.

The 65-year-old has participated in a long-running feud with Mourinho since the Portuguese boss originally arrived in the Premier League in June 2004, replacing current Leicester City boss Ranieri.

Mourinho inherited a string of players developed during Ranieri’s stint – including John Terry, William Gallas, Claude Makelele and Frank Lampard – who went on to form the core of his side.

Chelsea won their first top-flight league title in 50 years during Mourinho’s first season, as well as a League Cup triumph, yet the Gunners boss feels their early successes were in part down to Ranieri. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Blanc prepared for trip to 'motivated' Nantes

Paris Saint-Germain have become accustomed to their role as "the team to beat" in Ligue 1, according to coach Laurent Blanc, as the leaders look to maintain an unbeaten start to the season against Nantes.

PSG saw their perfect record in away fixtures come to an end when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Reims last Saturday, though they bounced back to winning ways by beating Guingamp 3-0 on home turf in midweek.

However, Blanc is expecting another tricky test against Nantes, even if their opponents have lost three in a row to slip to 17th place in the table.

"We're the team to beat, and even more so when we play away from home," Blanc said.

"We saw that in Reims, where the stadium was packed to the rafters.

"It's a great thing for the league. We’re used to matches like this. We know the traps that they can set for us.

"Nantes will have plenty of motivation to beat PSG, especially as they're at home, but also because they have had a rough run in their last three matches.

"But we're focused on ourselves. It will be a tough match, but then again all our matches are." . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Court freezes £33.1 millon worth of Neymar's assets

A court in Brazil has frozen £33.1 million worth of Neymar's assets following allegations of tax evasion.

The Sao Paulo federal court alleges that the Barcelona star evaded 63m Brazilian reals (£10.5m) between 2011 and 2013, before his move to La Liga.

The documentation of the case, presided over by Judge Carlos Muta, states Neymar is “solely responsible for his income declaration", and further claims the player only declared assets worth 19.6m reals (£3.2m)

A judicial order explaining the seizure of Neymar's assets indicated that the amount frozen was far in excess of the sum alleged to have been evaded in order to cover for potential interests and fines, and for security purposes.

The assets frozen, including property and vehicles, belong to Neymar as an individual and three companies that he is the principal owner of, along with his father.

The freezing of these assets will not prevent Neymar from being able to access bank accounts and other liquid possessions. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Gabriel handed one-match suspension

Arsenal defender Gabriel has been handed a one-match suspension by the Football Association for improper conduct following his dismissal against Chelsea on Saturday.

The centre-back was shown a red card after clashing with Diego Costa, with the Gunners star kicking out at the Spain international following a penalty box tussle.

Arsenal subsequently appealed the sending off, with the FA upholding the appeal, while Costa was slapped with a three-match suspension of his own.

Gabriel, though, has not escaped punishment and will miss the clash against Leicester after admitting to his charge, while he has also been fined £10,000.

"Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing, Arsenal defender Gabriel will serve a one-match suspension with immediate effect after he admitted an FA charge of improper conduct," read a statement on the FA's site.

"The charge relates to Gabriel’s behaviour following his dismissal in or around the 45th minute of the game against Chelsea on Saturday [19 September 2015].

"The player, who requested a personal hearing, was also fined £10,000 and warned as to his future conduct." . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Guardiola walks out of Bayern Munich press conference after England rumour question

Pep Guardiola walked out of his Bayern Munich press conference on Friday after a reporter asked whether he could become England's next manager.

An article in The Sun has claimed that the Football Association are targeting the 44-year-old as a potential successor for Roy Hodgson, who could leave his role after Euro 2016 if England's campaign is a failure.

Guardiola's future at Bayern has also been the subject of constant speculation as his contract with the Bundesliga champions expires at the end of the season.

But when asked if he would consider the role with England, Guardiola replied before leaving the room: "Come on, next question. Next question, please. No. I am the coach at Bayern Munich. Thank you." . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Blatter faces criminal charges over Fifa deals

The president of the world football governing body has been interrogated, had his house searched and office equipment seized by Swiss authorities

Fifa president Sepp Blatter is to face charges of criminal mismanagement and misappropriation by the Swiss attorney general.

The head of world football's governing body has been under heavy scrutiny in 2015 following the FBI indictment earlier this year of a dozen current and former members of the organisation which he has run since 1998.

So far, no criminal proceedings have been brought against Blatter, but that changed on Friday when the Swiss government announced its intention to try him over his dealings with the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and Uefa chief Michel Platini.

“Criminal proceedings against the president of FIFA, Mr. Joseph Blatter, have been opened on September 24, 2015 on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and – alternatively – misappropriation," the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) said in a statement.

“On the one hand, the OAG suspects that on September 12, 2005 Mr. Joseph Blatter has signed a contract with the Caribbean Football Union (with Jack Warner as its president at this time); this contract was unfavourable for Fifa.

"On the other hand, there is as suspicion that, in the implementation of this agreement, Joseph Blatter also violated his fiduciary duties and acted against the interest of Fifa and/or Fifa Marketing & TV AG. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Arsenal’s Gabriel braced for FA sanction despite red card reprieve

Gabriel Paulista is braced for sanction on Friday, when a hearing will consider his improper conduct charge from the Football Association, with Arsène Wenger believing it correct that the Arsenal defender’s failure to leave the field immediately after his red card at Chelsea should be treated in isolation to the rest of the incident.

Gabriel was given a straight red card by the referee, Mike Dean, in last Saturday’s game at Stamford Bridge after he backed towards Diego Costa and flicked a boot at the striker’s shins. He faced a three-match ban for violent conduct only for it to be overturned on appeal on Tuesday.

The rescinding of the card has placed a different spin on Gabriel’s furious reaction to Dean’s decision; he did not leave the field straight away and had to be escorted off. It has been suggested Gabriel ought not to be punished for his reaction to an improper decision but the FA and Wenger do not seem to see it that way.

Gabriel has been charged for the failure to follow protocol after the sending-off, and nothing that has happened since has changed that. He faces either a fine or a ban . 

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Wenger says Ranieri paved way for Mourinho to win title at Chelsea

Arsène Wenger says he is looking forward to renewing acquaintances with Claudio Ranieri, the “great manager and great man” whom he credits with laying many of the foundations for the success that Chelsea have enjoyed in the last decade.

Arsenal travel to Ranieri’s high-flying Leicester City on Saturday, with the Frenchman unsurprised that his Italian counterpart has made a smooth return to the Premier League. Ranieri was manager at Stamford Bridge when Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 but was given only one season under the Russian billionaire before being replaced by José Mourinho. The Portuguese led Chelsea to the Premier League title the following season with a team that Wenger believes was built primarily by Ranieri.

“When Claudio left Chelsea he had built the team that was so successful at the start,” said Wenger. “I remember them finishing second in the league with Ranieri and the team was upcoming with young players like John Terry and Frank Lampard, who were the players that contributed to the success of Chelsea.”

In the past Mourinho has scoffed at Ranieri’s managerial record and the relationship between the pair became particularly sour when both men managed in Italy, Mourinho at Internazionale and Ranieri at Juventus and then Roma. In one memorable clash in 2008, after Ranieri had accused the Portuguese of a lack of respect for snubbing post-match television interviews, Mourinho ridiculed Ranieri’s poor command of English while at Chelsea, claiming that “Ranieri had been in England for five years and he still struggled to say ‘good morning’.”

Wenger, by contrast, admires Ranieri and has kept track of his progress since leaving Chelsea and managing six other clubs and a national team – Greece – before returning to England with Leicester last summer. “I’ve followed his career because I have big respect for Claudio Ranieri. He’s a great manager and a great man.

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Barcelona’s Neymar says he had talks with Manchester United in the summer

Barcelona forward Neymar has revealed that he held talks about a possible move to Manchester United in the summer.

United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward flew to Barcelona earlier in August – at the time it was widely believed he had flown to Catalonia to try to tie up a deal for Pedro, who eventually joined Chelsea, but it has since emerged he had launched an audacious bid to sign Neymar . 

When asked about United’s interest, the Barça star told ESPN Brazil: “We had conversations, but there was nothing concrete. I heard that there were offers but none were made to me.”

Neymar joined Barcelona from Santos in 2013. He scored 22 league goals in Barca’s title-winning campaign last season and said he wants to keep on improving at the Nou Camp this year.

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Guardiola ends Bayern press briefing after question on England job

Bayern Munich’s coach, Pep Guardiola, walked out of a press conference on Friday after being asked about reports linking him with the England manager’s job.

Guardiola’s contract is up for renewal next summer and he has been keen to avoid the subject, repeating that he does not wish to talk about his future.

He has been linked with a move to Manchester City and the Sun reported on Friday that he was being lined up as the successor to Roy Hodgson.

When pressed on the subject before Bayern’s match at Mainz on Saturday, Guardiola rose from his seat and bade farewell. “Oh come on, I’m coach of Bayern Munich,” he said. “Many thanks and auf wiedersehen.”

The 44-year-old had deflected an initial inquiry into his future plans with a polite “next question please”.

Bayern have recently cooled talk of extending Guardiola’s contract, saying negotiations will be held as and when the former Barcelona coach is ready.

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Brendan Rodgers admits his position as manager at Liverpool is under threat

Brendan Rodgers has accepted his job as Liverpool manager is under serious threat and said he will strive to repair the club’s fortunes whether he remains at Anfield for “one day, one month or one year more”.

The Liverpool manager struck a notably downbeat tone at a press conference on Friday to preview Aston Villa’s visit to Anfield on Saturday. Rodgers is under intense pressure following an alarming run of results and performances stretching back to March, and has seen Carlo Ancelotti and Jürgen Klopp linked with his job in the past few days. Liverpool have denied approaching any manager about a potential vacancy but there was little defiance from Rodgers when asked if he felt his position was under threat.

“I’m never complacent enough to think it never has been,” he replied. “You need to be at your best every day when you come into a club of this stature, and thrive on that positive fear. It does not affect me. I have a belief in what I do. We nearly achieved great things. We have a new group of players and we are looking to take it forward. I do not shy away from the fact we need to get results and perform well.”

Rodgers was also asked what he felt about other managers being linked with a job that he currently occupies. He said: “When you are a manager of a club this size there is always going to speculation around your job and when you don’t win that will intensify. Since I have been here I think there have been 10 managers linked with job. That is part and parcel of the game.

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Sanchez has started slowly - but he'll sharpen up, insists Wenger

Arsene Wenger admits Alexis Sanchez has suffered a slow start to the Premier League season but insists the Chilean's form will improve.

The former Barcelona star carried Arsenal almot singlehandedly through the first half of last season and ended his debut campaign in England with 25 goals in all competitions, including one in the 4-0 FA Cup final win over Aston Villa.

After helping Chile to Copa America success on home soil during the summer Alexis has struggled to find his best form in the opening weeks of the new season. The 26-year-old has failed to score so far this season despite having attempted more shots than any other player in the Premer League, with 31.

When asked if Alexis had made an underwhelmeing start to the campaign, Wenger replied: “I would agree with you.

“I played him very early. History tells us that it can be difficult after winning a major trophy. But it will come back, I don’t worry for Alexis Sanchez.”

Arsenal face unbeaten Leicester on Saturday at the King Power Stadium, the ground at which Alexis opened his Premier League account last season.

Wenger's side will again be without Francis Coquelin, who injured his knee in the defeat at Chelsea last weekend and missed the midweek Capital One Cup win over Spurs, while Arsenal are still waiting to hear whether or not Gabriel will face a ban following his sending off at Stamford Bridge. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

De Bruyne: I don't want to be the star

The big-money signing remains modest and says he does not want to be made the team's leader and wants to live a quiet life

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne says he is not interested in becoming the club's star man.

City spent a club-record £54 million to lure De Bruyne from Wolfsburg in the summer and the versatile playmaker has already scored twice in as many matches.

Many view De Bruyne as the player to take City to the next level both domestically and in Europe, but the level-headed Belgium international is unfazed by all the talk.

"I don't want to be the star, I just want to play well," said the 24-year-old, who was crowned the Bundesliga's Player of the Year last season.

"Obviously, there is a big price tag, but I had a four-year contract left and Wolfsburg didn't want to let me go. So it is a totally different situation to if I had a one-year contract and they wanted me to leave.

"It is a lot of money, but I need to play football and I am not the only to play at City.

"At Wolfsburg, I was the star, but at the end of the day I am not the guy who speaks a lot. I don't want to be a captain. I'm not loud in the dressing room or outside.

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Diego Costa has been apologised by his team-mate

The Chelsea defender claimed the striker “likes to cheat a lot” in a post-match interview but reveals he has spoken with his team-mate to clear up the misunderstanding

Kurt Zouma has revealed that he personally apologised to Diego Costa after mistakenly calling him a “cheat”.

After Costa was heavily criticised for his overly physical display in Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Arsenal, Zouma told beIN Sports that his team-mate “likes to cheat a lot”.

The Chelsea defender quickly posted an apology on Twitter and has since spoken to Costa, who is serving a three-game ban for violent conduct after his clash with Laurent Koscielny.

“I spoke to him and said, ‘Sorry, mate’ because I didn’t want to say that,” Zouma told the Evening Standard.

“English is not my first language, so I did not mean it. He told me: ‘It’s OK, no problem. I know what you wanted to say’. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Step aside Rooney & Depay... Martial's already a main man at Man Utdd

A fortnight ago, Manchester United took to the public arena in their attempts to justify paying £36 million for Anthony Martial.

Louis van Gaal insisted at a fans' event that the 19-year-old was bought with a view to the Ryan Giggs-led future, while club sources were letting it be known that the assistant manager had scouted Martial extensively for a year ahead of his deadline-day signing.

A vast majority of onlookers took one look at the price, one look at his age, and immediately decided that the Frenchman could not possibly provide value for money.

But now Martial is delivering convincing justification for the transfer every time he pulls on the United shirt. Four goals in his first four games for the club have given everyone a glimpse of exactly what he can do for England's biggest football institution, and he has quickly turned the headlines from sceptical to effusive.

Van Gaal continues to claim that he is still some years from his likely peak, telling the press after the striker’s double at Southampton last Sunday: "When you are 19 years old you cannot expect consistency, normally you have dips so I also expect that from him. But he's talented. He can improve I think, but he has a high level of talent and he shows it, and he shows it also under great pressure. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Premier League Talking Points: Kane vs Aguero & Mourinho's curs

After a brief midweek sojourn for the League Cup, the Premier League resumes this weekend with all of the division’s biggest clubs in action on what promises to be a stellar Saturday of football boasting plenty of potential upsets.

The league's chasing pack could find themselves even further behind should Manchester City continue their fine record at White Hart Lane in the early kick-off, while north-east strugglers Sunderland and Newcastle will be itching to pick up first wins of the new season against Manchester United and Chelsea, respectively.

Here is Goal's guide to all the action in week seven...
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Rogue sprinkler fails to disrupt Chelsea flow in victory over Walsall

José Mourinho could do with a few more incident-free games such as this. Controversy has dogged Chelsea’s every step this season though a passage to the fourth round of the Capital One Cup was achieved with few alarms, even if play was interrupted in the second half when a pitch sprinkler went off of its own accord.

“We were strong, I’m happy with the result,” the Chelsea manager said. “Walsall play good football, they are not what you expect from a League One team, but I think we showed we did not come here to make mistakes. We could not afford that. When you make a start to the season like we have done you cannot lose to a side from League One.”

Chelsea could have taken the lead as early as the third minute when Ruben Loftus-Cheek created a shooting opportunity for Kenedy with a weighted pass. The initial shot was blocked but the rebound rolled invitingly into the path of Ramires, who had the whole of the goal to aim at and should have scored, only for Neil Etheridge to get down to his left to save.

The same two visiting players combined to make amends with the opening goal on 10 minutes, Kenedy sending over a deep cross from the left for an unchallenged Ramires to score with his head at the far post. While Ramires is not renowned for his heading ability or his finishing the opportunity that opened up in front of him would have been difficult to miss.

The League One side tried to get back into the game but found the going difficult against a Chelsea team that showed several changes. Eden Hazard, Pedro and Nemanja Matic were all on the bench, yet as each player Mourinho brought in had either a point to prove or a reputation to make Chelsea played from the off as if they meant business.

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Claudio Ranieri surprised at Arsenal’s Premier League title drought

Claudio Ranieri has admitted he is surprised Arsenal have not won a title in 11 years, because the last time he was in the Premier League, as Chelsea manager, they went through the league season unbeaten.

“When I was at Chelsea, they were the Invincibles,” the Leicester City manager said. “That was an unbelievable achievement, so it is surprising they have not won the league since. In my time at Chelsea I only managed to beat them once in 14 attempts. It is a bad record, but every match was a good game, always very open. I don’t know why Arsenal have had to wait so long, because Arsène Wenger is a good manager and he brings in good players, but maybe it is not so easy to replace players such as Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Fredrik Ljungberg and all the defenders.”

Leicester are shaping up as ‘invincibles’ at the moment, as the only team in the league with an unbeaten record, though Ranieri is not getting carried away just yet. “We have come from behind on the last couple of occasions and we cannot keep doing that,” he said. “We must concentrate a little more. It is not easy scoring goals when you are behind in a game.

“To beat Arsenal we must do the perfect match, no mistakes. Arsenal are great to watch, they are smart, fast and technical. They are ready to fight for the title again in my opinion. Maybe not the Champions League just yet, but in the league they are growing stronger. I think they have a chance. On Saturday we are going to have a very big match on our hands, because it is difficult to find a weakness in the present Arsenal team.”

Ranieri does have the satisfaction of going into the weekend higher than the London team in the table, however, and although Nathan Dyer is still not ready to play he has few injury worries and a team full of self-belief.

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Michel Platini: I ‘might’ have pledged to back US bid before voting for Qatar

Michel Platini has acknowledged that he “might have told” American officials he would vote for the United States’ 2022 World Cup bid, before he voted for Qatar instead.

The Uefa president, among the candidates to replace Sepp Blatter at Fifa in February, has repeatedly come under pressure over his decision to back the controversial Qatar campaign during the bidding process in 2010.

Platini admitted he changed his mind about voting for the US after attending a November 2010 meeting hosted by the then-French president Nicolas Sarkozy at his official residence in Paris, which was also attended by senior Qatari officials.

However Platini repeated earlier denials of any impropriety surrounding that meeting and his decision, saying: “Sarkozy never asked me to vote for Qatar, but I knew what would be good.”

Despite the scrutiny of that decision, Platini insisted that under his leadership Fifa would make a clean break from past controversies, “restore its image” and become less about political deal-making.

“We have to care about the game, not politics,” he said. “With me, there won’t be politics. With me, it’s about football, not politics … there are a lot of good people in the executive committee. It’s only some that are corrupt. If you do something wrong, you will be taken care of.”

Platini also discussed the decision of certain Fifa executive members, including the Brazil FA president Marco Polo Del Nero, to stay away from this week’s executive committee meeting in Zurich.

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Iago Aspas scores twice as Celta Vigo give Barcelona shock thrashing

Iago Aspas scored twice as Celta Vigo sent Barcelona crashing to a 4-1 defeat to temporarily go top of La Liga.

After disappointing spells at Liverpool and Sevilla, Aspas is back to his best this season having returned to Celta. He struck clinical finishes in either half against a Barcelona side who were far from their normal dominant selves.

Manuel Nolito, a former Barca youth player, scored his fifth goal in as many games to put Celta ahead after 25 minutes with a pinpoint curling drive from the left of the area. Aspas then chipped the ball over the goalkeeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, for the second just minutes later.

It was clear that it was not going to be Barcelona’s day when Lionel Messi struck the woodwork after 52 minutes with only keeper Sergio Alvarez to beat, before Aspas raced clear and slotted home on 55 minutes.

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Steve McClaren’s Newcastle booed after defeat by Sheffield Wednesday

Bad days at St James’ Park are nothing new but even by the dismal standards of recent times Newcastle United somehow found fresh depths of inadequacy here against what were effectively Sheffield Wednesday’s reserves.

As the final whistle loomed a familiar refrain tumbled down the Gallowgate End: “We’re shit and we’re sick of it.”

Steve McClaren, who has previous when it comes to supporter disenchantment, urged his despondent players into the centre circle on the final whistle but the gesture was met with a level of animosity McClaren has not seen in his three and a half months on Tyneside.

Everything is backfiring and Newcastle face Chelsea next. McClaren has won once in eight games and that was against Northampton Town in the Capital One Cup’s last round. In 2015 Newcastle have won only four times and, while that awful statistic pre-dates McClaren, the focus is increasingly on the former England manager.

The stage has been reached where the first question post-match was about McClaren’s level of embarrassment. “I’ve been in football too long to be embarrassed,” he replied. “I’m angry, disappointed. The longer the game went on there was a nervousness around the stadium, on the pitch.

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Arsenal resilience and character key to win at Tottenham, says Calum Chambers

Calum Chambers has talked up Arsenal’s resilience and character, as the pendulum swung back in their favour with Wednesday’s 2-1 Capital One Cup win at Tottenham Hotspur and ,  rather abruptly, everything felt a whole lot better for them.

Arsène Wenger had made Chambers one of 10 changes to the team that had lost at Chelsea last Saturday and it was lost on no one that the previous time he had rotated heavily – at Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League last Wednesday, when he made six – they had lost.

Chambers was generally solid, in only his third appearance of the season, but he blotted his copybook with the 56th-minute own goal that gave Tottenham their equaliser .  At that point, Tottenham looked the better bet for victory and the thought occurred that Arsenal could travel to in-form Leicester City on Saturday on the back of three straight losses for the first time since 2010.

Yet they toughed out a victory against a Tottenham team that also featured wholesale changes, with Mathieu Flamini scoring a stunning late volleyed winner for his second goal of the evening.

“We were resilient,” Chambers said. “At times, we got a lot of pressure but we were compact and together as a team. We knew our jobs. We defended well at those points. The second half said a lot about the character and belief of the lads.

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Tottenham v Arsenal: ten arrests made after fans tear down hoardings

Police arrested ten fans following disturbances surrounding Arsenal’s League Cup win over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Wednesday.

Following the final whistle, a section of the travelling supporters in the corner of the South Stand ripped down hoardings featuring Tottenham club slogans, with police and stewards forced to intervene. There were also reports of clashes between rival fans outside the stadium.

Police said the total of ten arrests were made for offences including assault and criminal damage.

Arsenal are aware of the incident and say they will work with Tottenham and the authorities in an attempt to identify the people responsible, which could involve the use of footage from broadcasters as well as any club surveillance videos.

The Football Association told the BBC the matter was a criminal issue and the clubs will not face FA charges.

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Chelsea’s José Mourinho says FA has set precedent with Gabriel’s ban

José Mourinho believes the Football Association has set a dangerous precedent by rescinding Gabriel Paulista’s suspension for kicking out at Diego Costa, but Arsène Wenger says lifting the defender’s ban is too little too late after Arsenal’s defeat at Stamford Bridge.

The Arsenal player originally received a three-match ban for his actions in the 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge – which occurred just before half-time with the game poised at 0-0 – but the FA disciplinary panel changed its mind after reviewing evidence of the Chelsea player’s provocation that the referee missed in Saturday’s game. “I don’t really want to speak about the subject but we learned something this week,” the Chelsea manager said after his side’s 4-1 victory at Walsall in the Capital One Cup third round. “Now we know that retaliation is officially allowed.”

Asked whether the Gabriel incident was similar to the one which saw Nemanja Matic dismissed for kicking out at Burnley’s Ashley Barnes last season, Mourinho said he thought not. “The two situations were not the same,” he said. “You cannot compare a leg almost broken with a man-to-man discussion.”

Predictably Mourinho did not want to speak about Costa picking up the three-match suspension for his behaviour during the game, though visibly he was annoyed about it. “I don’t comment, if I reveal my true feelings a big suspension will be waiting for me,” he said. “The team has already lost a big player, they don’t need to lose their manager as well. I’m happy to remain calm and quiet.”

The Arsenal manager, while happy that the Brazilian’s ban was overturned, believes it does not go far enough to make up for a game that his team lost after going down to 10 men. “It just shows that they decided after the game what should have happened during the game,” he said. “They repair 5% of the damage that has been done to us. Instead of us playing 11 against 10, we played 10 against 11. [The ban being rescinded] doesn’t help us too much.

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Steve McClaren’s Newcastle booed after defeat by Sheffield Wednesday

Bad days at St James’ Park are nothing new but even by the dismal standards of recent times Newcastle United somehow found fresh depths of inadequacy here against what were effectively Sheffield Wednesday’s reserves.

As the final whistle loomed a familiar refrain tumbled down the Gallowgate End: “We’re shit and we’re sick of it.”

Steve McClaren, who has previous when it comes to supporter disenchantment, urged his despondent players into the centre circle on the final whistle but the gesture was met with a level of animosity McClaren has not seen in his three and a half months on Tyneside.

Everything is backfiring and Newcastle face Chelsea next. McClaren has won once in eight games and that was against Northampton Town in the Capital One Cup’s last round. In 2015 Newcastle have won only four times and, while that awful statistic pre-dates McClaren, the focus is increasingly on the former England manager.

The stage has been reached where the first question post-match was about McClaren’s level of embarrassment. “I’ve been in football too long to be embarrassed,” he replied. “I’m angry, disappointed. The longer the game went on there was a nervousness around the stadium, on the pitch.

“We’ve said to the players that on Saturday you can come out and either be a fighter or a victim. It’s one or the other. We can only have fighters out there now.” But fighting is not an obvious Newcastle quality.

The club used to have the excuse that they did not take cups seriously but it was the visitors – 14th in the Championship – who rested players. While Newcastle were recognisable; Wednesday’s apparent priority was Brentford on Saturday.

Hence why Lewis McGugan, who had been a unused sub against Fulham last Saturday, started here. He was one of 10 changes and was on the spot 14 minutes from time to smack in a half-cleared shot from 20 yards that Tim Krul could get only a touch on. McGugan and McClaren overlapped at Nottingham Forest.

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Frosinone earn first top-flight point away at champions Juventus

Frosinone picked up their first top-flight point with a shock 1-1 draw at Juventus, the Serie A title holders, while this season’s leaders, Internazionale, made it five wins out of five.

Juve, who have made a stuttering start to their attempt to win a fifth successive league title, went ahead five minutes into the second half when Simone Zaza scored with a shot on the turn from the edge of the penalty area.

Frosinone, whose own stadium holds only 10,000 people, appeared to be heading for their fifth straight defeat until Leonardo Blanchard headed in from a corner in stoppage time after he was left unmarked by the Juve defence. Juve are now joint 12th alongside Atalanta with five points.

Felipe Melo’s powerful header gave Inter a 1-0 win over Verona and left Roberto Mancini’s side as the only team with 15 points from five games, all of them by one-goal margins.

The bruising Brazilian midfielder outjumped his marker to head home in the 56th minute, just after Jacopo Sala had hit the crossbar at the other end.

An embarrassing own-goal by Kostas Manolas sent Roma crashing to their first defeat as they went down 2-1 at Sampdoria, who are joint fourth with 10 points alongside Chievo and Torino.

The Greek defender took a wild swipe as he attempted to clear Eder’s cross, mis-kicked completely and sent the ball into his own goal five minutes from time.

Eder had given Sampdoria the lead early in the second half and Mohamed Salah scored for the second game in a row to equalise for Roma.

Fiorentina went second with 12 points when second-half goals from Jakub Blaszczykowski and Nikola Kalinic gave them a 2-0 win over promoted Bologna.

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From jury duty to just quitting: The best excuses to skip work or school to play Fifa 16

Fifa 16 has finally launched in Europe as men, women and children scurry to get their first hands-on experience of EA Sports' latest offering.

But there's a problem; school, work and other less important committments. A real spanner in the works. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Barcelona didn't deserve 4-1 Celta defeat - Busquets

The midfielder believes his side were the better team in the first half and that the overall result was harsh on the Catalans

Sergio Busquets feels Barcelona did not deserve the 4-1 hammering they received at the hands of Celta on Wednesday.

Two goals from Iago Aspas and strikes from Nolito and substitute John Guidetti made Neymar's first-half goal an irrelevance as Barca's perfect start to the season came to an abrupt end.

Busquets, though, insists his side played better than the scoreline suggests and feels they should have gone in ahead at the break.

"After a result like that, the team feels bad," he said. "Even though we do think that we lost by a much bigger margin than we deserved to. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Toure praises De Bruyne and Sterling

The midfielder believes the two new signings have helped make the club one of Europe's most exciting teams

Yaya Toure believes Manchester City are now one of the most exciting teams in Europe following the summer signings of Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling.
City top the Premier League by two points after six games having spent close to £100million on new players, with two of their high-profile recruits already making their mark.
Both players have already found the back of the net and Toure hailed them for giving the side more options in attack. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Guardiola has a great offer on the table - Rummenigge

The Bayern Munich CEO says the coach cannot just shove the latest offer aside and is optimistic that he will sign a new deal

Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has revealed the club have made Pep Guardiola a "great" offer and is confident the coach will sign a new contract with the Bundesliga champions.

Guardiola's current deal at the Allianz Arena is due to expire at the end of this season and he has so far been reluctant to open talks over a new contract, fuelling speculation about a potential exit.

Nevertheless, Rummenigge believes the former Barcelona boss will find it hard to turn down the Bavarians' latest offer. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Barkley can be as good as Gerrard and Lampard, says Barry

The 21-year-old has made an impressive start to the season and his team-mate believes he has what it takes to reach the top

Everton midfielder Gareth Barry believes team-mate Ross Barkley can be as good as former England internationals Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

After an inconsistent season last term, Barkley has had a solid start to the current campaign, with his goal in his side's League Cup victory over Reading on Tuesday being his third in all competitions.

The 21-year-old's performances have caught the eye of Barry, who feels the midfielder can emulate Gerrard and Lampard.

"Ross has got all the ability to go on and be a really top player," Barry said. "He has got all the potential to become as good as them. . This posts are taken from the original authorized page. Authorized by the original author.

Motherwell sack manager Ian Baraclough after League Cup exit against Morton

Ian Baraclough has paid for Motherwell’s League Cup exit against Morton with his job.

The club have sacked the 44-year-old as manager following the 3-2 extra-time defeat at Cappielow on Tuesday night.

The club’s under-20s manager, Stephen Craigan, will take charge for Saturday’s Premiership game against the bottom club Partick Thistle, alongside the assistant manager, Stephen Robinson, and the goalkeeping coach, Jim Hollman.

The club’s statement added: “The board of directors would like to sincerely thank Ian for his great efforts last season and keeping the club in the SPFL Premiership for this very important season in the club’s history, with the 130th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of the 1991 Scottish Cup celebrated at the end of the season. The board will immediately commence the search for a new manager.”

The defeat at Cappielow came after a slow start to the league campaign, which left Motherwell in 10th spot. They started brightly with a 1-0 win at Inverness but the influential midfielder Stephen Pearson suffered a knee injury that has ruled him out ever since and they have taken only four points from seven games afterwards.

The former Scunthorpe and Sligo Rovers manager picked an unusual team selection in what was viewed as a must-win game at Cappielow, dropping the captain Keith Lasley, the top goalscorer, Louis Moult, and the winger Lionel Ainsworth and starting Scott McDonald on the bench. Lone striker Theo Robinson struggled to make an impact and Motherwell could not build on McDonald’s injury-time leveller.

Angry exchanges took place in the visiting dressing room, before Baraclough insisted he remained the right man to lead the team despite accusing his players of lacking fight in the first half.

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Liverpool’s Christian Benteke out for two weeks with hamstring injury

Christian Benteke is expected to be sidelined for a fortnight with the hamstring strain he suffered against Norwich City, putting the Liverpool striker’s availability for the Merseyside derby in doubt.

Liverpool’s £32.5m summer signing from Aston Villa was withdrawn at half-time during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Norwich after reporting a tight hamstring.

The 24-year-old had an MRI scan on the problem on Tuesday and is expected to require the standard two weeks to recover from a strain.

Benteke, who was already ruled out of Wednesday’s Capital One Cup tie against Carlisle United, will miss a reunion with Villa at Anfield on Saturday plus the Europa League tie at home to FC Sion next Thursday. A two-week absence would also leave the centre-forward struggling to be fit for Liverpool’s visit to Everton in the first Merseyside derby of the season a week on Sunday.

The news will come as another setback for Brendan Rodgers, who lost his captain, Jordan Henderson, to a broken bone in his foot last Friday and saw Carlo Ancelotti linked with his job on Wednesday. Liverpool have denied making any approach to the former Milan, Chelsea and Real Madrid manager, or sounding out any potential replacements for Rodgers.

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Arsenal supporters criticise £3m payment to Stan Kroenke

Arsenal supporters have reacted furiously to the revelation that the club has paid £3m for the second year running to a US company owned by its American majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke. The payment of exactly £3m to Kroenke Sports and Entertainment LLC, disclosed in the 2014-15 Arsenal accounts, is stated to be for the same reason as the £3m was paid in 2013-14 – “strategic and advisory services”.

Kroenke owns 67.3% of the Arsenal shares, having paid multi-millions of pounds in 2011 to the previous long-term major shareholders, including Nina Bracewell-Smith, whose shares were worth £116m, and Danny Fiszman, for whose stake Kroenke paid £159.5m. Kroenke’s KSE company also owns the Major League Soccer team Colorado Rapids, the Denver Nuggets NBA franchise, the Colorado Avalanche ice hockey team and the Pepsi Center in Denver where it plays, together with other sports and property holdings.

Arsenalthe club’s other major shareholder, the Uzbek-Russian magnate Alisher Usmanov, who owns 30% of Arsenal shares having paid the former director David Dein £75m for his stake, is understood also to be unhappy about the payment. Usmanov is expected to probe further into the justification for the £3m being paid for a second year, and how that figure was arrived at.

The Arsenal chairman, Sir Chips Keswick, last year defended the £3m payment as good value, suggesting it was crucial to the club’s progress, despite confirming to supporter-shareholders at the club’s annual general meeting that there had been no competitive tender before choosing Kroenke’s company for the services. Keswick said that he and another Arsenal director, Lord Harris of Peckham, had personally proposed the payment be made.

“KSE is one of the most respected and successful sports organisations in the United States, operating in the most sophisticated sports business market in the world,” Keswick said then. “They have an extensive and long experience in modern sports management. It is of the utmost importance that, as a club, we use it to our best advantage to ensure we keep progressing. There was no competitive tender for these services as they are directly available to us. We are entirely satisfied the fee was appropriate.”

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