Новости за 11.12.2018

Lokomotiv Moscow missed their chance to qualify for the Europa League as they were beaten 1-0 by Schalke at the Veltins Arena on Tuesday.  Schalke had already booked their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League but Lokomotiv's hopes of European football in the new year were reliant on them getting a win in Germany and Galatasaray failing to gain victory at home to Porto. Gala were beaten 3-2 by the Portuguese champions but Lokomotiv could not keep their own end of the bargain, sending... Читать дальше...

Galatasaray qualified for the Europa League despite a thrilling 3-2 home defeat to Porto, who end their Group C campaign with five wins out of six thanks to Sofiane Feghouli's penalty miss. Felipe headed Porto ahead and Moussa Marega's fifth Champions League goal of the season extended their lead, although Feghouli reduced the deficit before half-time with a successful first spot-kick. Porto doubled their lead again with a close-range finish from Sergio Oliveira before Eren Derdiyok sparked hope of a fightback for the hosts... Читать дальше...

Barcelona have only named Lionel Messi on the bench, handing Tottenham a huge boost in what is a vital Champions League clash for the English side. Spurs go into the fixture at Camp Nou needing to at least match Inter's result at home to PSV to secure progression to the Champions League knockout phase. Ernesto Valverde assured Inter in his pre-match news conference that Barca were going do everything they could to win the match, suggesting only Luis Suarez would be afforded a rest. But Valverde has decided to leave his talisman Messi... Читать дальше...

Sadio Mane has been restored to Liverpool's line-up for their crunch Champions League clash with Napoli at Anfield, while club captain Jordan Henderson has also been named in the XI. Mane has not started either of the Reds' last two matches since suffering a cut on his foot in the win over Everton nine days ago. Henderson has been preferred in midfield to the likes of Naby Keita and Fabinho, with that pair starting on the bench alongside Xherdan Shaqiri. Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti has named... Читать дальше...

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho gave short shrift to a question on Tuesday about how he can get the best out of Paul Pogba. Pogba is set to start Wednesday's Champions League match against Valencia, having missed out on a place in the first XI for Premier League games against Arsenal and Fulham after being taken off in the 2-2 draw with Southampton. Mourinho was asked what he needs to do to coax consistently good performances out of the World Cup winner, but he was not happy with the line of questioning. Читать дальше...

Cristiano Ronaldo will start Juventus' final Champions League group match against Young Boys as Massimiliano Allegri wants to make certain of qualifying for the knockout phase in top spot. Juve travel to Switzerland two points clear of Manchester United at the Group H summit on Wednesday, but Jose Mourinho's men could still finish above them. The Old Lady need a win to make sure they are not usurped at the last hurdle by United, who will be eager to avoid finishing second as that would see them face a group winner in the next round. Читать дальше...

Alvaro Odriozola says he is "in love" with Karim Benzema, describing the Real Madrid striker as the best number nine in the world. Benzema has faced significant criticism in recent seasons for a lack of goals, but the 30-year-old is Madrid's leading scorer in LaLiga this season with five in 14 starts. He has also managed a further three goals and two assists in five Champions League appearances, helping Santiago Solari's side secure top spot in Group G ahead of Wednesday's match at home to CSKA Moscow. Читать дальше...

Bayern Munich head coach Niko Kovac has dismissed speculation Benjamin Pavard has agreed a deal to join the club from Stuttgart. Reports have claimed Bayern are keen to sign the France defender, a World Cup winner this year, as soon as the January transfer window. Pavard, who is contracted to Stuttgart to 2021, is sidelined with a torn hamstring sustained against Borussia Monchengladbach earlier this month. The 22-year-old previously suggested he could leave the Bundesliga at the end of the season... Читать дальше...

Yaya Toure has left Olympiacos after making just five appearances for the club. The 35-year-old moved to Athens after leaving Manchester City when his contract expired at the end of last season. However, Toure managed just two Super League appearances and five in total in three months, his last outing coming in the 5-1 Europa League win over Dudelange on November 8. It has been reported in Greece that former Barcelona man Toure fell short of the expectations of head coach Pedro Martins. "Olympiacos... Читать дальше...

John Arne Riise wants Liverpool to put their disappointing Champions League form behind them and rise to the occasion in Tuesday's must-win showdown with Napoli. Defeat in Naples and subsequent reverses on the road versus Red Star Belgrade and Paris Saint-Germain mean Jurgen Klopp's side are outside the qualification places heading into the final round of fixtures in Group C. Former Reds full-back Riise was part of the Liverpool side that plotted a surprise path to European glory back in 2005 and... Читать дальше...

Carlos Soler acknowledged that Valencia were "p****d off" after MarouaneFellaini'scontroversial winner in Manchester United's 1-0 victory over Young Boys.United looked to be heading for a 0-0 draw at home to their Swiss visitors in the Champions League on November 27, with Jose Mourinho's side enduring a frustrating outing at Old Trafford.ButFellainistruck late on to confirmUnited's progression to the knockout stages at the expense of Valencia, the goal being allowed to stand despite the Belgian... Читать дальше...

More must be done to combat racism at Premier League matches, according to Watford midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah.  Chelsea and the Metropolitan Police are investigating claims that Raheem Sterling was the victim of racist abuse from fans during Manchester City's 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.  The incident happened just a week after a banana was thrown at Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the Gunners' north London derby win over Tottenham.  Chalobah says racist abuse... Читать дальше...

Christmas bashes offer players a rare chance to enjoy some merriment ahead of the busy festive period. But, as is often the case, there’s always someone who take things a little too far.Featuring sex, booze, and the world’s most inappropriate Secret Santa, these are 11 of the most infamous Christmas parties in Premier League history...Chelsea, 1994Quite what possessed manager Glenn Hoddle to put Vinnie Jones in charge of planning Chelsea’s Christmas party in 1994 is anyone’s guess, but the shindig... Читать дальше...

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis says he will not sack Carlo Ancelotti if the Serie A side miss out on Champions League qualification. Ancelotti's team will qualify from Group C if they avoid defeat at last season's finalists Liverpool on Tuesday, or if they lose and Paris Saint-Germain are also beaten at Red Star Belgrade. PSG need a win to guarantee their own progress but will also be through if Liverpool fail to beat Napoli. Although Napoli are second in the Serie A table having won four of their last five games... Читать дальше...

Manchester City are not preparing to smash their transfer record with a bid for Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, according to manager Pep Guardiola. Reports in Spain suggested City were ready to meet Atleti's €150million release clause for Saul, as they search for a long-term successor to Fernandinho. Ex-Barcelona boss Guardiola spoke of his admiration for Saul at a news conference ahead of City's Champions League match against Hoffenheim, but insisted the 24-year-old's long-term future is at the Wanda Metropolitano. Читать дальше...

Erik ten Hag indicated he may rest Ajax stars for their last Champions League group game against Bayern Munich even though top spot in Group E is at stake. Kasper Dolberg, Hakim Ziyech and Donny van de Beek are among the players carrying injuries with Ajax needing to beat the Bundesliga champions in Amsterdam to finish first. With a place in the knockout rounds already guaranteed for the Eredivisie side, Ten Hag is unsure whether or not players including Ziyech will be risked against Bayern. "I think you always come across something. Читать дальше...

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola claims he is down to 15 available senior players for Wednesday's Champions League match against Hoffenheim after David Silva and Fernandinho were added to his injury list. Silva will be out for "a few weeks" after sustaining an apparent hamstring injury in City's 2-0 Premier League loss at Chelsea on Saturday. Fernandinho completed his team's first league defeat of their title defence but appeared in discomfort towards the end of the 90 minutes. Kevin De Bruyne's... Читать дальше...

Pep Guardiola has hailed Raheem Sterling as an "incredible person" after the Manchester City and England winger spoke out amid allegations he was subjected to racist abuse. Sterling issued a statement via his Instagram account on Sunday, in which he drew contrasts between media coverage of black and white footballers in the UK – a disparity he believes "helps fuel racism and aggressive behaviour". The post came a day after Sterling was targeted by Chelsea fans during City's 2-0 Premier League defeat at Stamford Bridge. Читать дальше...

Liverpool have a strong association with the big, jug-eared trophy that crowns the kings of European football,and last season came agonisingly close to landing it again for the third time since 2005.On Wednesday night the Reds require a big night at Anfield to make it out of the group, however, requiring either a 1-0 or two-goal victory to see off the threat of Napoli and progress to the knockouts.Providing Jurgen Klopp's men do get through, the squad as it stands will have the opportunity to add their names to the 51 below. Читать дальше...

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has tipped Ajax coach Erik ten Hag for big things ahead of the side's crunch Champions League clash. The Bundesliga champions travel to the Johan Cruyff ArenA at the top of Group E but defeat in Amsterdam on Wednesday would see Ajax progress in top spot. Bayern are nine points off the pace in Germany's top flight after a trying first few months at the helm for Niko Kovac. Ten Hag has endured no such turbulence at Ajax, collecting 40 points from his... Читать дальше...

Real Madrid's squad remain humble after three consecutive Champions League triumphs, says head coach Santiago Solari. Cristiano Ronaldo, who ended a record-breaking spell at the Santiago Bernabeu following the 3-1 Champions League final win over Liverpool, spoke favourably of the spirit between his new Juventus team-mates this week and said the club felt like "more of a family". Solari is charged with replicating predecessor Zinedine Zidane's success in Europe's top competition after replacing Julen Lopetegui on a permanent basis last month. Читать дальше...

As soon as his first goal went in the sarcastic tweets began, because that’s the way football fandom works now.Your team’s success is enjoyable partly because it provides you with a surge of joy after so many near misses, but partly because it means you can post crowing social media messages to rival supporters. “Another goal from Mohamed Salah, the one-season wonder.”The accusation that people wrote Salah off after his 2017/18 heroics is mostly nonsense. There were doubts as to whether his extraordinary ... Читать дальше...

Last week's Long Table showed the beginnings of three separate mini leagues being formed in the Premier League – and, two games on, here they are in all their glory.Eight clubs are marooned in mid-table separated by only five points, with no other side in shouting distance. Looking up, Manchester United are eight points away from their closest contenders; at the other end, West Ham, Watford and Brighton are seven points clear of Cardiff. If they're not careful, Bear Grylls will be along any minute... Читать дальше...

Kylian Mbappe believes the best is yet to come from himself and Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain. The Ligue 1 giants face Red Star Belgrade in their final Champions League Group C match, knowing a victory will secure their passage from a devilishly tough group. Elsewhere in the section, Liverpool host Napoli – both of whom retain qualification ambitions and act as cautionary tales, with neither side managing to win their matches in the Serbian capital. PSG beat Liverpool 2-1 last time out and are... Читать дальше...

LaLiga president Javier Tebas insists he has no plans to propose an alternative regular-season match in Miami next month after Barcelona pulled out of their proposed contest against Girona. The prospect of playing a LaLiga game in the United States had been roundly criticised, with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and prominent players such as Barcelona defender Gerard Pique voicing their concerns. In October, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said world football's governing body would not sanction the contest... Читать дальше...