Новости за 13.03.2018

Hours of button-mashing on Pokemon paid off for Braga as they successfully negotiated the permanent signing of Bruno Viana. Wacky videos announcing transfers are all the rage this season and the Portuguese side might have topped the lot as they released details of the on-loan defender's permanent move from Olympiacos. In a short video posted to Braga's Twitter page, a "loaned Bruno Viana" appeared before head coach and Pokemon collector and Abel Ferreira, who then sought to negotiate with the defender. Читать дальше...

Besiktas coach Senol Gunes hopes his side can end their Champions League campaign on a high as he concedes Bayern Munich are as good as through to the quarter-finals. Domagoj Vida's red card early in the first leg of their last-16 clash allowed Bayern to take complete control in Germany, running out 5-0 winners and all but eliminating Besiktas before the return fixture. But Gunes wants his team to show that they belong at this level despite the misery of their last match. "We wanted to qualify or at least experience an exciting tie... Читать дальше...

Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller has spoken out in support of VAR ahead of its likely implementation at the upcoming World Cup. The technology is expected to be approved for Russia 2018 at a FIFA Council meeting in Bogota on Friday. Germany forward Muller, who boasts 10 goals across two World Cups, has become accustomed to video assistant referees in the Bundesliga, where reviews have been mixed. While critics say VAR has failed to clear up grey areas, Muller believes the system's imperfections mean emotion is not removed. Читать дальше...

Paul Pogba has been passed fit to take his place in the Manchester United squad to face Sevilla in the second leg of the Champions League last-16, but the midfielder is on the bench. Pogba was among the substitutes for the first leg, which ended in a 0-0 draw in Seville, with new Scotland call-up Scott McTominay preferred by Jose Mourinho, although Ander Herrera's first-half injury led to the 24-year-old being introduced early. The France international subsequently missed Saturday's 2-1 Premier... Читать дальше...

Vincent Kompany and Gary Lineker have criticised Tottenham's season ticket pricing for next season, the Manchester City captain calling for affordable tickets and safe standing. The cost of watching football is a hot topic across Europe, with Spurs' announcement on Monday of the season ticket prices at their new stadium drawing outrage. As the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust released a frustrated statement after finding only nine areas of the ground were priced below £950, former striker Lineker offered his support on Twitter... Читать дальше...

Arjen Robben will not play against Besiktas in the Champions League as Bayern Munich manage the veteran winger's fitness, confirmed coach Jupp Heynckes. Robben came off the bench in the first leg - a 5-0 thumping of the Turkish champions in Munich - but started and scored in a 6-0 Bundesliga demolition of Hamburg on Saturday. Bayern's massive advantage ahead of Wednesday's trip to Istanbul gives Heynckes freedom to rest some of his key players, with Robben set to sit the game out. "James [Rodriguez] is training with the team recently... Читать дальше...

Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller has hailed "special" coach Jupp Heynckes, insisting the uncertainty over his future will not affect the Bundesliga leaders. Heynckes replaced Carlo Ancelotti in October after Bayern made a stuttering start to their title defence, quickly turning the season around to lead the German champions to the top of the table and the brink of the Champions League quarter-finals. And while the veteran coach only signed a contract until the end of the season, Muller - captain... Читать дальше...

Andre Gomes was "brave" to open up about his problems at Barcelona, according to coach Ernesto Valverde, while Sergio Busquets has sympathised with his team-mate's troubles. In an extraordinary interview, Gomes told Spanish magazine Panenka he is not enjoying life at Barcelona, where a lack of form has made his life "a kind of hell". Gomes suggested he has felt unable to leave his house because of feeling unsettled at the LaLiga leaders, with the midfielder having been booed during a win over title rivals Atletico Madrid earlier this month. Читать дальше...

Ernesto Valverde is yet to decide whether Andres Iniesta can be risked in Wednesday's Champions League tie against Chelsea, with the Barcelona captain struggling to recover from a hamstring injury. Iniesta was forced off during Barca's 1-0 LaLiga defeat of title rivals Atletico Madrid on March 4 and has not played since, missing the weekend win over Malaga. The midfielder has returned to training but Valverde will assess his performance in Tuesday's session before making a final decision on his availability. Читать дальше...

Mauricio Pellegrino concedes he can have no complaints after he was sacked as Southampton manager with the club just one point clear of the Premier League's bottom three. Pellegrino was appointed at St Mary's at the start of the season, taking over from Claude Puel after impressing with Alaves in LaLiga. But his time in England did not go to plan, with the Saints winning just five Premier League matches and Saturday's awful 3-0 defeat at Newcastle United leaving them 17th, just above the relegation zone. Читать дальше...

Rivals Manchester City and Manchester United will do battle for Brazil international Fred come the end of the season, according to Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin. The 25-year-old midfielder has impressed in the Champions League this season, scoring Shakhtar's winner in their last-16 first leg against Roma and reportedly drawing the attention of both Manchester clubs. And Palkan expects that Fred is destined for one of the two Premier League giants when the transfer window opens again later this year... Читать дальше...

France defender Benjamin Pavard will stretch his versatility to goalkeeping if that is what it takes to win World Cup selection from coach Didier Deschamps. Pavard, 21, earned his first two international caps in November as a surprise pick for friendlies against Wales and Germany. The Stuttgart mainstay faces plenty of competition to keep his spot, with the likes of Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Laurent Koscielny and the uncapped Aymeric Laporte among those jostling for positions. But Pavard... Читать дальше...

Neymar remains part of Paris Saint-Germain's plans, according to Unai Emery, despite reports that club officials have flown to Brazil due to rumoured interest from Real Madrid. Madrid have long been linked with a move for the forward, who joined PSG from Barcelona in a world-record switch last year but could not inspire the French club to Champions League glory this season as he suffered a fractured foot in February. And reports in France have suggested the European champions' interest has led... Читать дальше...

Valencia were already 1-0 up against Sevilla at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez PizjuanonSunday, but the Italy international wanted torelieve some pressure on his side's defence.Zaza attempted to get his nogginknockedby Franco Vazquez's elbow, but succeeded only in brushing his adversary's arm instead (at best). But that didn't stop the former West Ham flop going to ground holding his face as though he'd taken a heavy blow.Referee Ricardo de Burgos refused to buy the act and waved play on, withthe visitors... Читать дальше...

A few apologies to throw out there to a few of pretty decent players. Sorry George Best, sorry Denis Law, sorry Bobby Charlton. But while we have respect for every Man United player to score in Europe's top club competition - especially these men - we need an achievable quiz target.So this is every player to have scored for the Old Trafford club since the European Cup was tweakedto become the Champions League in 1992. Manchester United have won the competition twice since then – once under Alex Ferguson and the other under David Moy… No... Читать дальше...

Unai Emery has called on Marco Verratti to learn from his Champions League red card against Real Madrid as he remains a key player for Paris Saint-Germain. Verratti has been widely criticised following his dismissal for haranguing the referee in the last-16 second leg, as PSG crumbled to a 5-2 aggregate defeat. But Emery is confident Verratti can bounce back as PSG look to seal the Ligue 1 title in the coming weeks. "[Verratti] must learn from his experiences, both the positive and negative,"... Читать дальше...

We were winning 1-0 against Manchester United in the Champions League final when president Franz Beckenbauer went into the elevator at the Camp Nou. A minute later, when he got out of the lift and arrived down at pitchside, the scoreboard said 2-1 to United. He said to the security guy there: ‘What is this? Is it a joke? It was 1-0 to Bayern Munich. It’s a mistake.’The security guy told him United had scored two goals. Franz said: ‘No, I don’t believe this. They didn’t score any goals.’ Soon he realised that... Читать дальше...

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini has taken his love for unique looks to hair-raising new heights in a Disney-inspired photoshoot for style magazine GQ. Never one to shy away from the spotlight, the 30-year-old adapted his eye-catching afro into a Mickey Mouse-style haircut in pictures released on Tuesday. In an accompanying interview, Fellaini defended the playing style that has seen him sent off three times in England's top-flight. "I think it's easy for them to portray me as an aggressive player but I'm not," he told GQ. Читать дальше...

Lukasz Piszczek has agreed a contract extension with Borussia Dortmund, committing himself to the Bundesliga club until June 2020.

Massimiliano Allegri does not want Juventus to ease up in the face of Napoli's recent wobble and has urged his players to break the 100-point barrier in order to retain the Serie A title. Juve lead Maurizio Sarri's side by a point heading into their rescheduled game in hand at home to Atalanta on Wednesday. Allegri's men have stolen a march on Napoli, who followed a dramatic 4-2 defeat to Roma with a goalless draw at Inter on Sunday. There is an understandably buoyant mood around the Old Lady... Читать дальше...

Bayern Munich great Giovane Elber is confident Robert Lewandowski will spurn interest from Real Madrid in order to remain at Allianz Arena. Lewandowski eclipsed former Brazil forward Elber as the most prolific foreigner in Bayern's history by notching a hat-trick in the 6-0 crushing of Hamburg on Saturday. The treble elevated his tally to 142 competitive goals for the Bavarian club, surpassing Elber's previous record of 139. But rumours of an off-season exit were fuelled by Lewandowski's hiring of Pini Zahavi as his agent in February. Читать дальше...

Edin Dzeko was flattered by Chelsea's January interest but maintains he remains happy at Roma. The Bosnia-Herzegovina striker was heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge during the latest transfer window and, while Emerson Palmieri did make the move from the Stadio Olimpico to west London, Antonio Conte was forced to fill his striking vacancy with a deadline-day swoop for Arsenal's Olivier Giroud. Dzeko's form seemingly tailed off in the aftermath of the saga but he landed a punishing blow... Читать дальше...

Fellaini is renowned for his giantfrizzyafro bobbing around Old Trafford,generally spotted after he's come off the bench to provide Jose Mourinho with a 6ft 4in Plan B.Recently, the Belgian was the subject of a photoshootfor men's fashionmagazine GQ – and, sure enough, it's caused a stir onsocial media. Here he is..."It think it's easy for them to portray me as an aggressive player, but I'm not,"Fellaini toldGQ Style - just to prove he's not a 'Mickey Mouse' footballer."I try to play my game, I try my best to recover the ball quickly... Читать дальше...

Pep Guardiola is a man with "weak self-confidence" according to Bayern Munich doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, who has lambasted the Manchester City manager in his new autobiography. Muller-Wohlfahrt was established as the orthopaedic surgeon of choice for a number of leading sporting stars, including sprinting great Usain Bolt, and had worked at Bayern for more than 35 years by the time Guardiola was appointed as head coach in 2013. The pair clashed frequently during Guardiola's tenure, with... Читать дальше...

Neymar's health will not be put at risk in the name of Brazil pursuing World Cup glory, according to head coach Tite. The five-time world champions face an anxious wait over their star man's return to fitness after he suffered a fractured foot in Paris Saint-Germain's 3-0 Ligue 1 win over Marseille at the end of last month. Surgery followed and an estimated three-month recovery period means Neymar faces a race against time to be in peak condition for Brazil's World Cup opener against Switzerland in Rostov on June 17. Читать дальше...