Новости за 21.12.2017

Andy Keogh and Diego Castro teamed up to devastating effect as Perth Glory scored twice in the final 10 minutes to come from behind and defeat Brisbane Roar 2-1 in the A-League on Thursday. The Roar were in front late in the first half at Suncorp Stadium through Massimo Maccarone's sixth goal of the season and would have doubled their lead soon after the interval were it not for an errant offside flag denying the veteran his seventh.  Substitute Keogh netted the equaliser from Castro's pass and... Читать дальше...

AC Milan have dismissed out of hand the "inadmissible allegations" that Leonardo Bonucci is looking to leave San Siro. The Italy international defender joined the Rossoneri from Serie A champions Juventus ahead of this season in a sensational €40million switch as part of a squad overhaul bankrolled by the club's new Chinese owners. Despite a number of additions to the playing staff, Milan have struggled again in 2017-18 and after sacking head coach Vincenzo Montella and replacing him with Gennaro Gattuso... Читать дальше...

Huddersfield fans are bracing themselves for the 472-mile round trip to see their side play Southampton on Saturday to kick off theirbusy festive schedule.And as a show of appreciation to the loyal supporters two days before Christmas, Mathias "Zanka" Jorgensen confirmed on Twitter that he is buying all 2,596fans a drink inside St Mary's.The 27-year-old Dane tweeted: "I hope you like the gift. Zanka Claus is coming to Town!"Your support this year has been truly amazing, so I thought I would think... Читать дальше...

Cavani edged closer to become PSG's record all-time top goalscorer after scoring an excellent opener for PSG in their 3-1 win over Caen on Wednesday night.Mbappe, playing on his 19th birthday, skipped around two players before he surged down the right flank and drilled a low ball into the path of Cavani, who turnedithomeusing the force of his heel.Mazy Mbappé runClassy Cavani finishHis 19th goal in 18 league games...and easily the best yet! pic.twitter.com/Rb1wC826kY— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) December 20... Читать дальше...

Signing a contract "for life" has done little to quell speculation over the future of Barcelona great Andres Iniesta, who hopes Saturday's Clasico is not his last at the Santiago Bernabeu. In October, the 33-year-old put pen to paper on a lifetime deal at Camp Nou and was seemingly set to continue his lengthy association with the Catalan giants until retirement. However, rumours persist that Iniesta could follow in the footsteps of former team-mate and fellow midfield maestro Xavi in moving onto pastures new. Читать дальше...

In the 75th minute of Leverkusen's German Cup tie, Borussia Monchengladbach defender Denis Zakaria simply brushed Herrlich as he went to collect the ball before, suddenly, the 46-year-oldcrashed to the ground.His embarrassing dive led to an angry confontationbetween both sets of players and staff on the touchline,whilethe home fans didn't take to it well either.From 0:06Speaking after Leverkusen's 1-0 victory, Herrlich said sorry for his conduct."That certainly looked stupid and happened in the heat of the moment... Читать дальше...

Barcelona have a chance to strike a potentially decisive blow in the title race when they travel to face bitter rivals Real Madrid in the first LaLiga Clasico of the season on Saturday. Ernesto Valverde's men have established a six-point lead over Atletico Madrid at the top of the table and are 11 better off than Madrid having played a game more. The champions will see this is a great opportunity to turn the tables. Zinedine Zidane led Madrid to LaLiga and Champions League titles last season and... Читать дальше...

In the 18th minute against Twente, Patrick Kluivert's son cut in from the left flank and jinkedpast Hidde ter Avest and Peet Bijenbefore showing outstanding technique to curl the ball into the top corner past goalkeeper Joel Drommel.Unfortunately for Ajax, they would lose the Dutch Cup quarter-final tie on penalties 6-5 following the 1-1 draw.However, Kluivert can take confidence from another star performance after netting his fourth goalin his 13th appearance this season.Expect his name to be linked... Читать дальше...

Gary Cahill has dismissed the notion that Arsenal hold the psychological edge over Chelsea ahead of their EFL Cup semi-final clash in the new year. Chelsea defeated Bournemouth 2-1 on Wednesday to book their place in the last four, while the Gunners overcame West Ham 24 hours earlier. The Blues have won just one of their last five competitive meetings with Arsene Wenger's men - a 2-1 FA Cup final defeat in May denying them the domestic double in Antonio Conte's first season in charge. With the... Читать дальше...

Bayern Munich have announced the signing of Sandro Wagner from Bundesliga rivals Hoffenheim on a two-and-a-half-year deal. Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed on Wednesday that an agreement was close, with Wagner to complete his switch to the Allianz Arena on January 1 after putting pen to paper on a contract until June 2020. Bayern have reportedly agreed a fee worth in the region of €12million for the forward, who progressed through the youth academy and made his senior debut for the club in 2007. Читать дальше...

"The whole world is smitten" with Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Manchester City side, according to Barcelona legend Xavi. City head into Saturday's visit of Bournemouth boasting an 11-point lead atop the Premier League, fierce rivals Manchester United their closest challengers. Guardiola's men were celebrating again on Tuesday as a penalty shoot-out success over Leicester City secured a place in the EFL Cup semi-finals, where they will take on Bristol City, shock winners over United in the last eight. Читать дальше...

Real Madrid may head into El Clasico 11 points off LaLiga's summit but leaders Barcelona should be wary of a wounded animal, says Camp Nou icon Xavi. Fresh from securing Club World Cup glory in Abu Dhabi, Madrid host the first league Clasico of 2017-18 on Saturday, desperate to close the gap on their fierce rivals. Reigning Spanish and European champions Madrid have enjoyed a stellar 2017, which Xavi suggests could have led to a dip in performances in the early months of the current campaign, but... Читать дальше...

Photography: Konsta LeppanenThere’s a wry smile on the face of Tomi Koski as he prepares to pose for pictures for FourFourTwo. Christmas is drawing near, and that can mean only one thing. Time for the weird photoshoots.“Last winter I was standing in one metre of snow, in the forest, with my full kit on,” he says. “And I was thinking: ‘I’m a footballer, so why am I standing here?’ But I’m used to it. It’s fun. Other clubs don’t get to do these kinds of things.”This evening, the players of FC Santa... Читать дальше...

Bristol City manager Lee Johnson said his team looked like the Premier League side in their stunning win over EFL Cup champions Manchester United. United's title defence came to an end in dramatic circumstances when Korey Smith's stoppage-time winner lifted Championship outfit City to an unlikely 2-1 quarter-final victory on Wednesday. Smith struck in the 93rd minute to secure a semi-final berth with Premier League leaders Manchester City after Zlatan Ibrahimovic had cancelled out Joe Bryan's 51st-minute opener at Ashton Gate midweek. Читать дальше...

Xavi insisted Barcelona star Lionel Messi is the best player in the world, regardless of what Real Madrid foe Cristiano Ronaldo believes. Ronaldo equalled Messi's Ballon d'Or record of five trophies after taking out the coveted individual accolade on December 7. Madrid's all-time leading scorer labelled himself the "best player in history" following his record-equalling achievement. But former Barca midfielder Xavi said there is no doubt about Messi's superiority ahead of Saturday's Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu. Читать дальше...

Fernando Torres believes Lionel Messi is the best player in the world and the Barcelona star would have achieved double in his career if it was not for Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo claimed a record-equalling fifth Ballon d'Or earlier this month to move level with Barca foe Messi as the pair continue to battle for club and individual superiority. They will go head-to-head when LaLiga champions Madrid welcome league leaders Barca to the Santiago Bernabeu Saturday. Atletico Madrid forward Torres lauded Messi... Читать дальше...

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Unai Emery denied midfielder Javier Pastore has asked to leave the Ligue 1 giants. Before PSG's 3-1 win over Caen, Pastore's agent Marcelo Simonian claimed Wednesday's Ligue 1 fixture could be the 28-year-old's last for the club. Pastore – contracted until 2019 – has only started eight games this season, scoring four goals amid reports of a move away in January. "I'm very pleased with Pastore," Emery said post-match. "He did not say he wanted to leave. He works to be on the field... Читать дальше...

Peter Stoger was left "annoyed" by Borussia Dortmund's first-half display in the 2-1 DFB-Pokal defeat to Bayern Munich and says it left his side with too much to do to rescue the tie. Dortmund found themselves trailing their hosts 2-0 at half-time thanks to goals from Jerome Boateng and Thomas Muller, with Bayern good value for that lead. It could have been even worse for Dortmund, as Arturo Vidal hit the crossbar early on in a solid opening 45 for the hosts. Dortmund improved after the break and Shinji Kagawa went close... Читать дальше...

Nashville has been awarded an expansion team by Major League Soccer, the league confirmed on Wednesday. MLS commissioner Don Garber, state governor Bill Haslam, and Nashville mayor Megan Barry were on hand to announce the Tennessee city as the league's 24th team. "The success of our league, which has continued to soar over the last decade, is driven by innovative and dedicated ownership, by world-class soccer stadiums, by visionary management, and culturally diverse communities with a true passion for the game," Garber told a news conference.

Bournemouth's late EFL Cup quarter-final defeat to Chelsea has been compounded by a potentially serious ankle injury to Jermain Defoe. The England striker attempted to play on following a heavy early challenge that earned Ethan Ampadu a yellow card, but was ultimately forced off in the 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge. Defoe will almost certainly miss Saturday's trip to Premier League leaders Manchester City and will be joined on the sidelines by Harry Arter, who picked up a calf complaint. Speaking at his post-match news conference... Читать дальше...

Bayern Munich hope to announce the signing of Sandro Wagner in the coming days, chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has confirmed. The 30-year-old has for a number of weeks been expected to complete a move to the Bundesliga champions in the transfer window. Bayern have reportedly agreed a fee worth in the region of €12million for the forward, who progressed through the youth academy and made his senior debut for the club in 2007. "I can basically confirm we're on the home stretch with Sandro Wagner,"... Читать дальше...

New Saint-Etienne coach Jean-Louis Gasset was unable to inspire his new side as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Guingamp. The former assistant's appointment - following Oscar Garcia's resignation last month - was only announced an hour before Wednesday's Ligue 1 game, which stretches the club's winless run in the league to 11 games. Hernani Azevedo Junior had given them hope of securing a rare win with a 67th-minute opener, but they were pegged back soon after by Nicolas Benezet and then suffered... Читать дальше...

Korey Smith's stoppage-time winner stunned EFL Cup holders Manchester United, as Championship side Bristol City beat Jose Mourinho's men 2-1 at Ashton Gate to secure a semi-final berth. United's team was not lacking in star quality, with Paul Pogba – returning from suspension – starting alongside the likes of Marcus Rashford, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Anthony Martial, but City produced a marvellous performance, Smith's last-gasp winner sparking scenes of jubilation and a pitch invasion at Ashton Gate. Читать дальше...

Edinson Cavani edged closer towards becoming Paris Saint-Germain's all-time record scorer after netting the opener in their comfortable 3-1 win over Caen, while Kylian Mbappe celebrated his 19th birthday in style. Uruguay striker Cavani scored with a superb flicked finish midway through the first half to move to 155 goals – one behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic's record – and set Unai Emery's side up for a routine evening. Mbappe, playing on his birthday, had showed an electrifying blend of pace and skill... Читать дальше...

Alvaro Morata snatched a dramatic 91st minute winner moments after Bournemouth had equalised as Chelsea reached the EFL Cup semi-finals with a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. Introduced in the 73rd minute, Spain strike Morata broke the visitors' hearts by combining with fellow substitute Eden Hazard to book his side's place in the final four. The decisive goal came just 75 seconds after Dan Gosling had curled the Cherries level, appearing to reward Eddie Howe's men from a dogged second-half fightback. Читать дальше...