Evans and Cisse Handed Hefty Bans
Manchester United defender Jonny Evans and Newcastle United
striker Papiss Cisse have been handed lengthy bans by the Football Association
for their spitting incident. Video footage spotted the two having a
go at each other during Wednesday night’s game, which United won 1-0 thanks to
Ashley Young’s last-minute strike. Evans has been banned for six matches, while
Cisse gets seven – the extra one coming about after he was sent off for
elbowing Everton’s Seamus Coleman in December. Cisse apologized for the
incident the following morning, but Evans denied the charge, saying: “I
would like to make it clear that I did not spit at Papiss Cisse. Having woken
up this morning, I am shocked to have seen the media coverage from last night’s
match.”
Real Madrid forward
Karim Benzema has spoken out over his patchy relationship with former boss Jose
Mourinho. The French striker, who joined Los Blancos in 2009, said he felt
under pressure as soon as he signed for the capital club. “I have had criticism
ever since I signed for Real Madrid,” the 27-year-old told Al Jazeera Sport. “I
really think it is something that has happened since I came to Real where I
cannot make a bad pass or have a bad game.” Benzema endured a strained
relationship with the now Blues coach Jose Mourinho, who joined the Galacticos
in 20101, and often had harsh words for the France international. “At the
start, it hurt me, but I am used to it now,” Benzema reveals. “It affects my
family more. I knew that I was being criticised, that Mourinho criticised me,
but it was his way of making me react.” Benzema, who has scored 13 league goals
thus far this season, says the criticism has helped him improve, and he now
spends extra time honing his skills at Madrid’s training ground. “Actually,
after that, I became mad,” he said. “I worked as much as I could. Now, I come
in before everyone else, I have treatment, I go to the gym, and I am the last
to leave after training.”
Andres Iniesta says
he sometimes feels he and Barcelona teammate Xavi are incompatible as a
midfield pairing. The duo have played together since breaking into the
first team under Louis van Gaal in 2002-03, and were also regular fixtures in
the Spanish national side until Xavi’s international retirement after the 2014
World Cup. “Sometimes I get the feeling that it seems we can’t play
together,” Iniesta was quoted as saying by Marca. “But it is always a
privilege to be by his side because not only does he make your job easier, but
he also makes the team work better. Sometimes, as with all players, things
don’t work out. We have been together for a long time now and the feelings are
always very good, though.” Meanwhile, Iniesta is naturally hopeful Barca
can extend their narrow lead at the La Liga summit following their 6-1
hammering of Rayo Vallecano on the weekend. “More important than being at
the top or not is the general feeling of the team after the game we just
played. We feel good and have to continue along that line. We have two or three
months left to go – not long, but the most complicated part. It’s always better
having that edge than not having it, obviously. But until then we have an
uncomfortable game away to Eibar and then the Champions League. There are two
games before Real for us to think about. When we do get there, we’ll try to
maintain our lead or even increase it.”
Former Chelsea
defender David Luiz feels there is nothing special about current Blues boss
Jose Mourinho. The Brazilian left Stamford Bridge last season in a
big-money move to Paris Saint Germain, and faced his former side in the first
leg Last 16 Champions League 1-1 draw in the French capital. Luiz, who Mourinho
said would not be missed after moving to France last year, had very few kind
words to say of his former manager – the self-appointed ‘Special One’ – ahead
to the European second leg tie. “He is special for you, not for me,”
said the Selecao defender, who spent three-and-a-half years at Chelsea, told
L’Equipe. The 27-year-old however claimed that he had enjoyed his stay in
London. “I had some great moments at Chelsea and won a lot of titles,” he
said. “I was very happy.” Luiz acknowledged that Mourinho’s men are enjoying an
impressive run this season, yet is optimistic of his sides changes against the
Premier League leaders. “They are having a great season, defend well and
have great players but above all I know my team,” he said. “We will try to
score there and play like we know how. We will have a good game plan and
implement it the best way possible to achieve a great performance. Both can
still qualify”.
Bayern Munich
defender Jerome Boateng said he rejected the chance to join Spanish
heavyweights Barcelona last year. The Catalans were looking to reinforce
their backline last term and had earmarked the German international as a
possible addition to their squad, yet settled with Arsenal’s Thomas Vermaelen
and Sevilla’s Jeremy Mathieu after Boateng rejected their offer. “I do not
know the exact details of how much Barcelona offered for me, but it is true
that they wanted to sign me,” Boateng said. “It’s hugely flattering
when a club like Barcelona show an interest in signing you. But these days, you
no longer leave Bayern Munich for Barcelona when you want to win the Champions League.
At Bayern, I play for one of the four best clubs in the world. There is no
better club for a German player.” The 26-year-old feels extremely comfortable
in Bavaria, and hinted at possibly finishing his career with the German giants.
“I would be delighted if I could stay at Bayern for a long time and end my
career here after winning many trophies,” he said. Boateng, who joined from
Manchester City in 2011, has a contract with Bayern until 2018.
Five Nigerian players
were injured in an attempted robbery on Thursday. The incident happened as
League champions Kano Pillars were on their way to face Heartland in Owerri. The
club took to Twitter after the shooting, saying: “Five players were injured
from gunshots – Gambo, Ogbonaya, Eneji Otekpa, Murtala Adamu, and Moses Ekpai.
The gunmen also snatched handsets and other valuables from the players.”
Cristiano Ronaldo
will keep taking free-kicks for Real Madrid, despite not finding the back of
the net on almost a year. The World Player of the Year has been unsuccessful
in his last 51 attempts and last scored from a free-kick in April. However,
Real coach Carlo Ancelotti says his top player is still in charge. “It’s
pretty clear. Cristiano takes the ones on the left of the goal and Bale the
ones on the other side,” the Italian said.
Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Knowledge Musona bagged a brace
to help Belgian club KV Oostende to a 4-3 victory over Waasland-Beveren.
The Zimbabwean marksman – who had been linked with a return to Chiefs
during the January transfer window – has scored three goals in his last three
games for Oostende, who have been through quite a shocking run of form of late.
The team that also employs former Orlando Pirates midfielder Andile Jali has
lost six of its last nine Jupiler Pro League matches, including a 1-7 home
defeat to Darren Keet’s Kortjijk in January. Oostende are placed 10th in the
16-team Pro League, 11 points from the relegation places but 23 points behind
the leaders Club Brugge.
Former Manchester
United midfielder Paul Scholes has taken a dig at Premier League side Arsenal,
while also aiming criticism at midfielder Mesut Ozil. Since last winning
the League in the 2004/04 season, the Gunners have finished fourth in six of
the last nine seasons, a position which Scholes feels Arsene Wenger’s charges
are content with. “It is hard when you have a recent history as successful
as Arsenal were under Arsene Wenger in his first 10 years at the club,” the Red
Devils icon wrote in the Evening Standard. “Hard in that you will always be
compared to great teams of the past – as the current United team are just
finding out now. My issue with Arsenal is that I don’t think they are striving
to be like the great teams of theirs who used to battle us for the league
title. They seem happy to finish fourth every year.” The former England
international then took a swipe at German midfielder Mezut Ozil, claiming the
26-year-old “took the easy option” by joining the London club. “Over the
years, the big players who were really ambitious – Patrick Vieira, Thierry
Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie – have all left,” he wrote.
“They left for the simple reason that Arsenal are not in it to win league
titles any more. Those players have realised that if they want to win
championships then they have to move elsewhere. It’s why I think Mesut Ozil
took the easy option joining Arsenal.” Scholes feels Ozil, who has scored four
goals in 19 matches for the Gunners this season, has not been at his best at
the Emirates, and feels he stands very little chance of winning silverware in
London. “Since he has been there you cannot doubt his quality but at times
he looks like he is going through the motions, however much ground he covers,”
he said. “He needs a leader around him to get him going. At Real Madrid he
had a chance of winning league titles. At Arsenal that is not on the
cards.”
Manchester United
coach Louis van Gaal has hit out at claims that he has a turbulent relationship
with assistant coach Ryan Giggs. Following Ashley Young’s last-minute
winner against Newcastle last week, television pictures showed Giggs showing no
emotion after the goal while van Gaal shouted in celebration, as rumours
circulated of a bad relationship between the pair. “No. We have a very bad
relationship. I cannot answer that. I want to have those rumours,” Van
Gaal said sarcastically when asked about his relationship with his
second-in-command. I am very irritated at this question because everyone can
see we have a very good relationship,” he continued. “We work very hard
together. Not only with Ryan but with all the staff and the players. It is a
way of suggesting things. I am very irritated. I take my measures against the
media. I am not pleased.”
England coach Roy
Hodgson says Tottenham Hotspur sensation Harry Kane is ready for a national
call-up, yet is not guaranteed his spot. The 21-year-old has enjoyed a
stellar season thus far, and is the leading English goal-scorer in the Premier
League, with 14 goals in 23 matches for Spurs. And with two international
friendlies coming up for England at the end of the month, Three Lions coach Roy
Hodgson believes Kane is ready to don the national jersey, yet is not
guaranteed of his place in the side. “Kane is ready; if he wasn’t ready,
he wouldn’t be playing for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and scoring
lots of goals,” Hodgson said. “The factors that always are taken mostly
into consideration is has the player got the quality, and the talent we are
looking for and is there a space for him because we have other players too. Often
if someone like Kane is going to come into the squad, then someone is going to
drop out and up until now most of the players that we’ve had, at least in the
forward area of our squad, have done quite well for us during the autumn, so
you can’t include everybody unfortunately.” Hodgson said he has been monitoring
the youngster, especially after his impressive form with the England U-21s, yet
kept tight-lipped over his possible selection for the senior team. “He’s
in my thoughts of course, he deserves to be scoring goals for one of our top
teams in the Premier League,” he said. “I am delighted for him and we will see
when I select my squad at the end of the month whether he is in it or
not.” England face Lithuania in their first friendly of 2015 on 27 March,
before taking on four-time World Cup winners Italy in Turin four days later.
Egyptian winger
Mohammed Salah continued his free-scoring form in Italy, scoring a brace
against league leaders Juventus in Fiorentina’s 2-1 Italian Cup semi-final
victory last Thursday. Salah, who joined the Italian side on loan from
Premier League giants Chelsea with Juan Cuadrado going the other way, has
enjoyed a stellar start to his loan stint, scoring six goals in seven matches
for La Viola. His two goals against the Bianconeri at the Juventus Stadium
means Fiorentina take a 2-1 lead into their second-leg semi-final tie, with
Fernando Llorente getting the hosts on the scoresheet. Fiorentina coach
Vincenzo Montella has been delighted with the Egyptian’s performances since
joining his side in January. “Salah is in a state of grace and we hope he
can continue,” Montella told Rai. “He has settled in very well. We knew
that he was strong, but honestly his immediate impact has gone beyond
expectations. The whole team is growing, not just Salah, though he is scoring a
lot of goals.”
Barcelona striker
Luis Suarez and Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso are set for a return to
their former home ground Anfield at the end of this month. The former
Liverpool duo will return for a charity match, which has been arranged by the
Liverpool FC Foundation, in honour of their former skipper Steven Gerrard who
departs for the MLS at the end of the current Premier League season. According
to a statement released on the club’s official website, Gerrard and former
Anfield teammate, Jamie Carragher will captain to All-star teams to go
head-to-head at The Red’s home ground in Merseyside. The two teams will boast
other stars, which Gerrard and Carragher have invited to the charity showpiece,
including other Liverpool greats, Dirk Kuyt, Pepe Reina, Fernando Torres, as
well as Thiery Henry, Didier Drogba and John Terry, amongst others. “The event,
which has been organised by Liverpool FC’s official charity, the Liverpool FC
Foundation, will bring together two teams that will be selected by Steven
Gerrard and Jamie Carragher as some of the most influential players they have
played with or against,” reads the statement on the club’s official website. “Gerrard
will take on the role of captain for one team, while Carragher will take on the
same role for the other All-Star side. Managers and the final line-up of each
All-Star team will be announced in the coming weeks. Player recruitment is well
underway, and players confirmed include Luis Suarez, Fernando Torres, Pepe Reina,
Dirk Kuyt, Xabi Alonso, Thierry Henry, John Terry and Didier Drogba, to name a
few.”
Liverpool forward
Mario Balotelli has once again grabbed the headlines for his off-the-field
antics, this time proclaiming someone doesn’t like him. After scoring his
first League goal for the Reds against Tottenham almost a month ago, ‘Super Mario’
has not featured in the league since and was again an unused substitute as
Liverpool overcame Burnley last night to extend their unbeaten EPL run to 12
matches. After the game, the maverick forward posted a cryptic Instagram post
which many feel may be directed towards coach Brendan Rodgers, who two weeks
ago claimed the Italian needs to work harder at Anfield. “Someone doesn’t
like me,” the 24-year-old wrote on Instagram, captioning a picture of his
teammates celebrating Daniel Sturridge’s goal in their 2-0 victory last night. “But
differently of what they say about me, I’m a team player and I’m so proud of my
team, of this win and of these fans! Let’s keep going, bravi ragazzi [well done
boys]!!! YNWA!!!” Since joining from AC Milan last year, Balotelli has
played 23 matches in all competitions for Liverpool, scoring four goals.
Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has
confirmed that skipper John Terry will remain at Stamford Bridge next season.
The 34-year-old is yet to sign an extension with his boyhood club, and has
revealed his concern for his family’s future having not secured an extension
with the Blues. Yet after scoring the winner in Sunday’s Capital One Cup Final
victory against Tottenham Hotspur, Jose Mourinho has confirmed that the club
will extend the centre-back’s stay in London. “Terry is going to get his
contract,” the Portuguese coach told reporters. “What I can guarantee
is that John Terry will be a Chelsea player next season. I can guarantee that. Before
the end of the season it will be sorted for sure but what I can guarantee is he
will be a Chelsea player next season because I know what my board tells me and
the player tells me so no doubt he is going to get his contract.” Since
his debut for Chelsea in 1998, Terry has made 625 appearances for the London
club, scoring 60 goals.
The son of Ivory
Coast legend Didier Drogba said he would prefer to play for England than the
Ivory Coast. Drogba, who is Ivory Coast’s all-time top goal-scorer, has
lived in England since first signing for Chelsea in 2004, and his 16-year-old
son Isaac, who is part of the Chelsea youth set-up and was born in Paris, says
he would choose the Three Lions over the Elephants if he becomes an international
footballer. “When I asked him (Isaac) which country he would like to play for
as an international, he told me neither Ivory Coast nor France but England,”
Drogba senior told Sports Illustrated. The 36-year-old said he does not know
the reasoning behind his son’s decision, yet will leave the choice up to him
should he reach that level. “I cannot tell why he doesn’t want to play for my
country Ivory Coast if he had to choose a national team someday,” the striker
said. “That would be his choice.” Drogba retired from international duty last
year, ending a glittering career with the African giants having scored 65 goals
in 104 appearances for the newly-crowned African Cup of Nations champions.
Brazilian attacking midfielder Ronaldinho has selected Lionel
Messi but rejected Cristiano Ronaldo in his Champions League all-time dream
team. The former PSG, Barcelona and AC Milan man who won league
titles in Spain and Italy as well as the coveted Champions League with Barca,
was asked by the Daily Mail to pick his preferred starting line-up in a
European Cup dream team. Unsurprisingly,
the former Selecao star chose four of his Brazilian compatriots in the side, as
well as former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi, yet there was no place for current
Ballon d’Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo but rather his namesake, the Brazilian
Ronaldo. Here’s Ronaldo’s Dream team, and what he had to say about each player:
GOALKEEPER
Gianluigi Buffon – “Most of the goalkeepers have had times
when their form has not been so good, but Buffon has been at such a high level
for so long.”
DEFENDERS
Cafu – “You don’t become the most capped player in Brazil’s
history, without being very special.”
John Terry – “He is very tough to play against, but he is a
fantastic leader, the leader you need in those sorts of games.”
Paolo Maldini – “He was one of the best defenders in
Champions League history, but what was so impressive about him is that when he
was on the ball he didn’t look like a defender, but like an elegant midfield
player.”
Roberto Carlos – “Would be worth having in any team for his
ability to take free kicks, but as well as being one of the best free kick
takers ever, he is also one of the finest left backs ever.”
MIDFIELDERS
Claude Makelele – “Defenders feel safe knowing that he is
ahead of them, the attackers feel safe knowing he is behind them, for me he is
the best I have ever seen doing the job of protecting the defence.”
Frank Lampard – “I told Frank Rijkaard that we (Barcelona)
should sign him, but he didn’t want to leave Chelsea. His goal record from
midfield was what really impressed me.”
Kaka – “For two, maybe three seasons he was the best player
in the world, there was nothing he couldn’t do.”
FORWARDS
Lionel Messi – “There are no words to describe him; he just
has magic in his feet.”
Thierry Henry – “Just a nightmare for defenders, was quick,
had skill, and was strong.”
Ronaldo – “He was my idol and then I end up playing and
winning a World Cup with him. The most complete striker there has ever been,
the most complete striker there will ever be, it is almost unbelievable to
think that he never won the Champions League.”