Mueller brace inspires impressive Germany win

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXbaYKI4ZJ9JdPxNggK9zUkhBYntMv9ceZkZkfofOKqxVXZ11lyvGQp1asNVq6EqBhomwWb-JIbCZ6C3osmpWZw2pzf_UJRP2j-8y8WkJZf6Y2a5eNZf-9Rc4ldjPcTLDz7b1_uUCgWIa/s1600/be8a1252c347813663d03b7bebe5721b-mueller.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXbaYKI4ZJ9JdPxNggK9zUkhBYntMv9ceZkZkfofOKqxVXZ11lyvGQp1asNVq6EqBhomwWb-JIbCZ6C3osmpWZw2pzf_UJRP2j-8y8WkJZf6Y2a5eNZf-9Rc4ldjPcTLDz7b1_uUCgWIa/s320/be8a1252c347813663d03b7bebe5721b-mueller.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> Thomas Mueller netted twice as Germany eased to an impressive 3-0 home win over the Czech Republic to keep them top of their World Cup qualifying group on Saturday.<br /> It leaves Germany with a perfect six points ahead of Tuesday’s next qualifier, home to Northern Ireland, who beat San Marino 4-0 in Belfast.<br /> Germany stay top of Group C on goal difference from surprise-package Azerbaijan on the road to Russia 2018.<br /> “We can be very happy with the win and we had a good grip on the game,” said Germany coach Joachim Loew.<br /> “After 60 minutes you could see the opposition had run themselves into the ground and didn’t have any more clear chances.”<br /> After Mueller gave Germany an early lead, Toni Kroos weighed in with a crisp strike just after the break.<br /> Mueller then hit Germany’s third with the best goal of the game midway through the second half to cap a very polished display from the world champions.<br /> “We’re very serious about these two games (against the Czech Republic and Northern Ireland), we could have scored more goals, but we delivered a very concentrated performance,” said Mueller.<br /> “The fans deserve some praise, the atmosphere was really good. It made it even more fun to play for Germany and, of course, I am happy to have scored twice.”<br /> Centre-backs Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng were outstanding in shutting down the Czech attack and putting in damaging long-range passes.<br /> With his only out-and-out striker, Mario Gomez, injured, Loew opted to play Mario Goetze as his lone striker, in front of attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil with Julian Draxler and Mueller on the wings.<br /> The Czech Republic dealt Loew the heaviest home defeat of his 10-year tenure when they won 3-0 in Munich in October 2007 in a Euro qualifier.<br /> But with veteran midfielder Tomas Rosicky injured and goalkeeper Petr Cech now retired, Czech shot-stopper Tomas Vaclik had a busy night.<br /> The hosts went ahead after just 13 minutes. Goetze’s pass to Ozil was flicked on to the unmarked Mueller, who drilled his shot past FC Basel’s Vaclik.<br /> It could easily have been 3-0 at half time as Germany dominated the first 45 minutes.<br /> Goetze went one-on-one with Vaclik, who brought him down, but the German’s chipped shot went wide and the referee waved away shouts for a penalty.<br /> Draxler’s effort was just the wrong side of the post, while a superb long ball from Hummels found Goetze in behind the defence, but he was incorrectly flagged for offside.<br /> Four minutes into the second half, left-back Joshua Kimmich’s pass allowed Kroos to curl his shot around Vaclik’s despairing reach to double Germany’s tally.<br /> But Germany saved their best goal for last.<br /> Ozil released Jonas Hector on the flank and he played in a superb cross which Mueller expertly converted on 65 minutes.<br /> It was nearly 4-0 on 80 minutes when replacement Benedikt Hoewedes fired just wide.</div>

Mueller brace inspires impressive Germany win

Thomas Mueller netted twice as Germany eased to an impressive 3-0 home win over the Czech Republic to keep them top of their World Cup q...

Read more »

Suarez, Neymar fire Barca top

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BDCA6g14yLaAM4iZd10NERz6JDr8Kv1m6DQsg1RIofP9dzMfapBAya4XKi7At3gTqpQzyuqfP7DDm0fZMbvrS4MlzGqGxmbDCKpDak9OHODY7wJgcGzBDJvcFMvD3SFLARlLttadnuTM/s1600/1e5dd6a585b5d12b5897535c7d2367e9-Neymar-with-Suarez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BDCA6g14yLaAM4iZd10NERz6JDr8Kv1m6DQsg1RIofP9dzMfapBAya4XKi7At3gTqpQzyuqfP7DDm0fZMbvrS4MlzGqGxmbDCKpDak9OHODY7wJgcGzBDJvcFMvD3SFLARlLttadnuTM/s320/1e5dd6a585b5d12b5897535c7d2367e9-Neymar-with-Suarez.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> Barcelona shrugged off the absence of Lionel Messi to move to the top of La Liga as Luis Suarez and Neymar were on target in a 5-0 thrashing of Sporting Gijon.<br /> <br /> The hosts enjoyed the better of the opening half-hour, but were hit by a two-goal Barca burst in three minutes as Suarez rounded Ivan Cuellar to slot home the opener before Rafinha headed home a second.<br /> <br /> Sporting were reduced to 10 men 16 minutes from time when Alberto Lora saw a second yellow card and Barca made their man advantage count as a Neymar double and Arda Turan rounded off the scoring in the final 10 minutes.<br /> <br /> Real Madrid can regain a three-point lead over Barca with victory when they travel to Las Palmas later on Saturday.<br /> <br /> Despite scoring five goals for the second consecutive away game, Barca coach Luis Enrique was far from satisfied with his side’s display, particularly early in the second half.<br /> <br /> “It is a result that doesn’t tell the true story of the game -- 5-0 makes it seem easy and simple and that couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said.<br /> <br /> “We were poor at the start of the second half, we didn’t kill the game off and Sporting could have got back into the game.<br /> <br /> “Fortunately, that wasn’t to be and after the sending-off it unbalanced the game and allowed us to score those three goals at the end.”<br /> <br /> Luis Enrique made five changes to the side that started Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid as Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba joined the injured Messi in dropping out.<br /> <br /> The champions looked unsettled in the early stages and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was lucky to escape further punishment when he gave away a free-kick for handling outside his area with the score still level at 0-0.<br /> <br /> However, one moment of Suarez magic turned the game in Barca’s favour as he raced onto Turan’s through ball and flicked the ball past the onrushing Cuellar before slotting into an empty net.<br /> <br /> A fine team goal put the game beyond Sporting moments later as Neymar freed Sergi Roberto down the right and Rafinha met his cross with a powerful near-post header.<br /> <br /> Barca appeared to have eased up in the second half ahead of Wednesday’s visit to Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Champions League as Sergio Busquets and Suarez were replaced by Denis Suarez and Paco Alcacer.<br /> <br /> However, the goals flowed after Lora dived in on Roberto to leave his side a man light.<br /> <br /> Alcacer was denied his first Barca goal when he smashed the ball off the underside of the bar, but Neymar mopped up the rebound to make it 3-0.<br /> <br /> Roberto was the provider once more for the fourth as Turan powered home his cross at the back post four minutes later.<br /> <br /> Denis Suarez then teed up Neymar to sweep home his second of the game two minutes from time.<br /> <br /> And the Brazilian could even have had a hat-trick when he curled another effort off the post in stoppage time.<br /> <br /> Sevilla missed the chance to go top as they suffered their first league defeat of the season 3-1 at Athletic Bilbao.<br /> <br /> On-loan Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri netted his first Sevilla goal to cancel out Mikel San Jose’s opener for the Basques.<br /> <br /> Mikel Balenziaga put the hosts back in front and Aritz Aduriz sealed Athletic’s fourth straight win which puts them third in the table from the penalty spot after he was elbowed in the back by Salvatore Sirigu, earning the Italian ‘keeper a straight red card.</div>

Suarez, Neymar fire Barca top

Barcelona shrugged off the absence of Lionel Messi to move to the top of La Liga as Luis Suarez and Neymar were on target in a 5-0 thras...

Read more »

Rooney’s place not sacrosanct: Mourinho

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5zHhBlihyphenhyphenpLRkXCeVSeepk_ldnv9gy66n30x49x13SQX88yNmgar5VICtHxZPdpq2cBX_KZ-fEaWVeoDD-PH6R7bDlMLCwoHI6ltCMR3xzIRRmQE3WzhJmCo14mH9OXUOJROje3pDMK1/s1600/643xNxf1b07dc5308196f91cc3814f78405d93-rooney.JPG.pagespeed.ic.RgaGfqcczX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5zHhBlihyphenhyphenpLRkXCeVSeepk_ldnv9gy66n30x49x13SQX88yNmgar5VICtHxZPdpq2cBX_KZ-fEaWVeoDD-PH6R7bDlMLCwoHI6ltCMR3xzIRRmQE3WzhJmCo14mH9OXUOJROje3pDMK1/s320/643xNxf1b07dc5308196f91cc3814f78405d93-rooney.JPG.pagespeed.ic.RgaGfqcczX.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> <a href="http://seowebdesingtips.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Manchester United captain</a> Wayne Rooney’s place in the starting line-up is not a cast iron certainty, said club manager Jose Mourinho on Friday.<br /> <br /> The 31-year-old England skipper—who on Thursday had said he didn’t pay any attention to outside criticism of his form—has failed to sparkle and was anonymous in the two Premier League defeats United suffered last week.<br /> <br /> Mourinho, who himself has been subjected to criticism after United slumped to three successive defeats last week—his worst run since 2002 -- would not, unlike his predecessor Louis van Gaal, guarantee Rooney a starting place.<br /> <br /> “Wayne is the captain of the club, the manager and the players—he is trusted by the players, he is trusted by myself and he represents the club in a fantastic way as a player and person and what is now socially,” said Mourinho.<br /> <br /> “Football is a different story.<br /> <br /> “Football everyone is the same and if he has to go on the bench, he goes on the bench.<br /> <br /> If he has to stay at home, he stays at home, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t trust him or you have a problem (with him). Not at all.<br /> <br /> We have no problems. He is our captain but, of course, no privilege, he is like anyone else.”<br /> <br /> Mourinho, though, believes that Rooney’s form or certainly morale has dipped since he was heavily slammed for his performance in the 2018 World Cup qualifier with Slovakia earlier this month which England won 1-0 with a late goal.<br /> <br /> “Honestly, I think there was a Wayne before the Slovakia-England and a Wayne after the Slovakia-England,” said Mourinho.<br /> <br /> “And I am not blaming Sam (<a href="http://allupdatenews24hours.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Allardyce, the England manager</a>), not at all.<br /> <br /> “I am blaming the people that after the England-Slovakia was, in my opinion, too strong with somebody that is a very important player in the history of English football, is the captain of England, is the record of goals, is almost the record of matches.<br /> <br /> “I think it was too much but I still think, that a big boy like he is, he has to face it in a strong way.”<br /> <br /> Mourinho, who righted the ship slightly with a League Cup win over third-tier Northampton Town on Wednesday, said Rooney had faced down his critics before.<br /> <br /> “That’s what he tries every time. When he is on the pitch, he gives 100 percent. Always, always,” remarked Mourinho.</div>

Rooney’s place not sacrosanct: Mourinho

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney’s place in the starting line-up is not a cast iron certainty, said club manager Jose Mourinho on...

Read more »

Barca begin road trip without Messi

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88Vj7QrhThNxXUqTc7K2CpIxp96C9hQTFAst5lUFFb7U3_imZxV8dje-eRbkEDQ_yBX1oazd-kdi6SywzERjpMTzYcAMagIxC6WXKaMtKFZGk-UOC1Jy5Mw3tkXw7lf6TYmTqil9CAml9/s1600/9cc7fd203f02da099eac7ac84122ed13-Messi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88Vj7QrhThNxXUqTc7K2CpIxp96C9hQTFAst5lUFFb7U3_imZxV8dje-eRbkEDQ_yBX1oazd-kdi6SywzERjpMTzYcAMagIxC6WXKaMtKFZGk-UOC1Jy5Mw3tkXw7lf6TYmTqil9CAml9/s320/9cc7fd203f02da099eac7ac84122ed13-Messi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">A Barcelona side missing injured Lionel Messi face Sporting Gijon in the first of three away games in a week, as they battle to keep pace with La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Saturday.</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Messi suffered the recurrence of a groin strain in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid that will keep the five-time World Player of the Year sidelined for the next three weeks.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">His absence could have a bigger impact on Argentina than Barca because the two-time world champions will be without their captain for World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">However, <a href="http://allupdatenews24hours.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Spanish champions Barca</a> have three tricky obstacles to overcome in the next week as they head also to Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Champions League on Wednesday before another away trip to Celta Vigo next Sunday.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“We all wish that he was with us. The team is stronger with him than without him, but these unexpected situations happen,” Barca captain Andres Iniesta said on Thursday.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“Squads win titles. Individuals help, but it is the squad as a whole that wins things.”</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Without Messi, Barca’s other two star forwards Luis Suarez and Neymar will be expected to take on extra responsibility—just as they did in scoring 16 goals in the six league games Messi missed during a two-month injury layoff last season.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Sergio Busquets also came off early against Atletico due to the after-effects of a fever, but should be fit to start in Asturias.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Arda Turan is the favourite to replace <a href="http://allsportsnewsr.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Messi after deputising</a> ably on the other side of the Barca frontline when Neymar was absent at the start of the season because of his participation in the Rio Olympics.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">One familiar face to Barca may not be available for Sporting due to a comical injury --- on-loan Brazilian full-back Douglas injured his hip when sleeping on the team bus back from a 2-1 defeat to Celta Vigo on Wednesday.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Real missing duo -</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Real Madrid’s bid to make La Liga history with a 17th straight win fell short in midweek as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Villarreal.</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Zinedine Zidane’s men still hold a three-point lead over Barca, but face an awkward trip to the Canary Islands to face Las Palmas before a huge Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Madrid are also depleted by injury: <a href="http://seowebdesingtips.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Brazilian duo Marcelo</a> and Casemiro have been ruled out for the next few weeks.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The European champions are short of a natural replacement in either position with Danilo set to deputise at left-back, whilst Toni Kroos is likely to drop into the deepest-lying midfield role to make way for Luka Modric to return.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Las Palmas’s excellent start to the season was undone on Wednesday by a 4-1 thrashing at Real Sociedad. Former AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng will miss Madrid’s visit after being sent-off in the first-half in San Sebastian.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Second-placed Sevilla could go top for at least a couple of hours when they travel to face the in-form Athletic Bilbao earlier on Saturday.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Atletico are the only one of Spain’s four Champions League representatives not in action till Sunday, when Deportivo la Coruna visit the Vicente Calderon in a grudge match still overshadowed by fan violence.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Two years ago a Deportivo fan was killed in Madrid in pre-match clashes between rival ultra groups near the Calderon.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Fixtures (all times GMT)</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Friday</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Real Betis v Malaga (1845)</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Saturday</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Eibar v Real Sociedad (1100), Sporting Gijon v Barcelona (1415), Athletic Bilbao v Sevilla (1630), Las Palmas v Real Madrid (1845)</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Sunday</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Leganes v Valencia (1000), Atletico Madrid v Deportivo la Coruna (1415), Villarreal v Osasuna (1630), Espanyol v Celta Vigo (1845)</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Monday</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"> <span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "vrinda" , "fallbackbengalifont" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Alaves v Granada (1845)</span></div> </div>

Barca begin road trip without Messi

A Barcelona side missing injured Lionel Messi face Sporting Gijon in the first of three away games in a week, as they battle to keep p...

Read more »

Messi out for three weeks with groin injury

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijF0YGkcIUoaY3XMlERR1ECiJV01Uwf_QpJ4_V7Wodn1Otet1CrbNPq0tgdzc0zAKJFvc3j_JcEyWbh70ESW7IFanVjrDtC9xWPwVgiYW9LybfuQofW5-_3v1_QA3yhESXOfkWGtDxlRXM/s1600/643xNx15bdc018ea7e12b5b96b0bb96d66eff8-Messi.jpg.pagespeed.ic.Gsq74ODOOl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijF0YGkcIUoaY3XMlERR1ECiJV01Uwf_QpJ4_V7Wodn1Otet1CrbNPq0tgdzc0zAKJFvc3j_JcEyWbh70ESW7IFanVjrDtC9xWPwVgiYW9LybfuQofW5-_3v1_QA3yhESXOfkWGtDxlRXM/s320/643xNx15bdc018ea7e12b5b96b0bb96d66eff8-Messi.jpg.pagespeed.ic.Gsq74ODOOl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> Barcelona star Lionel Messi will be sidelined for the next three weeks due to a groin strain, dealing a huge blow to his club and country.<br /> <br /> “To lose Lionel Messi means football loses and we lose,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique.<br /> <br /> Messi limped off just before the hour mark of the <a href="https://allsportsnewsr.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Spanish champions</a>’ 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.<br /> <br /> The Argentine captain is set to miss his country’s World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Paraguay next month as well as Barca’s Champions League clash at Borussia Moenchengladbach.<br /> <br /> Messi will also sit on the Catalans’ La Liga trips to Sporting Gijon and Celta Vigo.<br /> <br /> However, Messi should be fit in time for a reunion with old boss Pep Guardiola when Manchester City visit the Camp Nou on Champions League duty on October 19.<br /> <br /> The five-time World Player of the Year missed Argentina’s World Cup qualifier with Venezuela earlier this month due to the problem and only started Barca’s shock 2-1 defeat to Alaves 10 days ago on the bench as coach Luis Enrique bedded him back into action gently.<br /> <br /> “Now we have to look for other solutions,” added Enrique. “With Leo we are much stronger, but without him we are still a strong team.”<br /> <br /> <a href="https://allupdatenews24hours.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Barca coped remarkably</a> well with eight wins from 10 games when Messi was sidelined by a hamstring injury for two months last season.<br /> <br /> And Enrique hopes his side can show similar resilience to avoid slipping further behind Real Madrid in the title race.<br /> <br /> “Last year we had an unfortunate situation with a longer-term injury and my team played well.”<br /> <br /> Barca remain three points behind Madrid at the top of La Liga after Angel Correa’s equaliser seconds after Messi limped off handed Atletico a share of the spoils at the Camp Nou.<br /> <br /> Ivan Rakitic headed Barca into the lead just before half-time, but Atletico marshalled Messi’s star strike partners Luis Suarez and Neymar well in his absence to hold out for a point.<br /> <br /> Suarez, though, insisted he and the Brazilian can step up as they did without Messi last season.<br /> <br /> “It is a difficult injury that hurts and leaves you sad,” said Suarez. “Now we have to take responsibility.”<br /> <br /> Suarez was involved in a battle of his own as he was booked for a clash with <a href="https://seowebdesingtips.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Atletico left-back Filipe</a> Luis six minutes from time.<br /> <br /> Luis posted a photo of a stud mark piercing his bleeding foot on his official Instagram page after the match with the message: “Just as well he didn’t touch me.”<br /> <br /> However, Suarez lambasted Luis for not reacting likewise when he was sent-off for a brutal challenge on Messi when the sides clashed back in January.<br /> <br /> “This is football, it is a man’s game and what happens on the pitch stays on the pitch,” added Suarez.<br /> <br /> “You can’t make a show of things every time something happens. Last year he didn’t post a picture of Messi. I repeat, football is for men.”</div>

Messi out for three weeks with groin injury

Barcelona star Lionel Messi will be sidelined for the next three weeks due to a groin strain, dealing a huge blow to his club and countr...

Read more »

Barca the benchmark for Atletico : Simeone

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI15nd-fWD6vhQSxM1ftOhK-LbroF0iEg5xki4FFkE_CZjK0g07M43f9DfTvGeb68763raHVUUYF5yQleWOZO0ALgX3aWEBub3CvjNSa_OHUDn0kNPNf7IKY_LQlnaZBJTzG2jkvRBTwpz/s1600/4f58c1be13100f584b3df951083f261d-2016-09-17T121216Z_2007066274_S1BEUBUWNGAA_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-SPAIN.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI15nd-fWD6vhQSxM1ftOhK-LbroF0iEg5xki4FFkE_CZjK0g07M43f9DfTvGeb68763raHVUUYF5yQleWOZO0ALgX3aWEBub3CvjNSa_OHUDn0kNPNf7IKY_LQlnaZBJTzG2jkvRBTwpz/s320/4f58c1be13100f584b3df951083f261d-2016-09-17T121216Z_2007066274_S1BEUBUWNGAA_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-SPAIN.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone believes Barcelona remain the benchmark, ahead of Wednesday’s first blockbuster clash of the La Liga season between his Champions League finalists and the Spanish champions.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Simeone’s men dumped Barca out of the <a href="https://allupdatenews24hours.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Champions League</a> for the second time in three years last season, but the Argentine has yet to taste victory against the Catalans in La Liga during his five-year reign.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“They continue to play brilliant football and have the players that most make the difference individually and collectively,” Simeone said on Tuesday.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“Despite the fac</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">t they didn’t win the Champions League last year, that puts them in an incredible place.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Barca’s two victories in La Liga meetings between the sides last season proved decisive in the title race as Atletico finished just three points adrift of Luis Enrique’s men, in third.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Atletico haven’t won at the Camp Nou since Fernando Torres scored twice in a 3-1 victory during his first stint at the club in 2006.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">However, Torres believes Atletico travel to Barcelona at the right time after hitting 10 goals without reply in their last three games.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“It’s a good time to visit Barcelona,” he said after netting twice in Atletico’s 5-0 thrashing of Sporting Gijon on Saturday.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“It seems like they are playing as we have become accustomed to. They are the most difficult opponent we have faced in the last few years without a doubt and we know how difficult it will be.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“But when you are winning and playing well it always gives you that little more confidence.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Yet, both sides face being cut adrift in the early running for the title with Barca already three points behind league leaders Real Madrid and Atletico a further point back.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“They are one of the best teams in La Liga and clearly a contender for all the titles as always in Simeone’s reign,” warned Barca boss Enrique.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“There hasn’t been an easy game against <a href="https://seowebdesingtips.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Atletico Madrid</a> in the past few years.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“They are a direct title rival and these are three very important points.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Enrique will have the luxury of lining up Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in attack after the celebrated trio scored 10 times in their first two starts of the season together in Barca’s last two games.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Sergi Roberto and Sergio Busquets will also return after being rested for the 5-1 thrashing of Leganes on Saturday, whilst Javier Mascherano will partner Gerard Pique at the heart of the defence in the absence of the injured Samuel Umtiti.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://foodballnewsr.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">REAL EYE RECORD</a></strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Real can extend their lead at the top before Barca and Atletico kick off and set a La Liga record with a 17th straight win at home to Villarreal earlier on Wednesday.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale missed Sunday’s 2-0 win at Espanyol due to illness and injury respectively, but both are set to return.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“They are fine. They have trained normally, the two of them are 100 percent,” said Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane on Tuesday.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Victory at the weekend saw Real set a new club record for consecutive league wins and match the 16 straight wins Barcelona managed under Pep Guardiola in 2010/11.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">However, Zidane warned records will mean nothing if Real don’t end a five-year drought without the league title come May.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">“The records are nice and we are going to try to keep winning. That is what we want, but we haven’t won anything,” added the Frenchman.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In the absence of the injured Casemiro and rested Luka Modric, James Rodriguez is likely to be handed just his second start of the season in midfield after opening the scoring at Espanyol.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Vrinda, FallbackBengaliFont, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">At the bottom of the table Valencia are looking to pick up their first points of the season when interim boss Voro takes charge for the visit of Alaves on Thursday following the sacking of Pako Ayestaran.</span></div>

Barca the benchmark for Atletico : Simeone

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone believes Barcelona remain the benchmark, ahead of Wednesday’s first blockbuster clash of the La Liga ...

Read more »

Mueller eyes return for Bayern’s Hertha showdown

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGCtohRov_mi3VODwDkPK30TggrMfoTTFTGnxexiYmrsdWSjjH5Pz47ayzsce1mcXkobgFFpXiXT02hg7wTqiJqI5sgPFA5NIIosHv2TdEhbVuivlr9gXRB_BL2DbyoJJ8QCGVzQE0usT/s1600/3e0e637111d9bb07837cca3f2931f5c0-mueller.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGCtohRov_mi3VODwDkPK30TggrMfoTTFTGnxexiYmrsdWSjjH5Pz47ayzsce1mcXkobgFFpXiXT02hg7wTqiJqI5sgPFA5NIIosHv2TdEhbVuivlr9gXRB_BL2DbyoJJ8QCGVzQE0usT/s320/3e0e637111d9bb07837cca3f2931f5c0-mueller.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> Hertha and Bayern are the only two teams in Germany’s top flight to preserve their 100 percent records after the first three league games of the season.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://allupdatenews24hours.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Illness-hit Bayern</a> were made to work hard on Saturday as head coach Carlo Ancelotti rang the changes for their 3-1 comeback win at home to Ingolstadt with Mueller, captain Philipp Lahm and David Alaba all sidelined by a virus.<br /> <br /> Mueller returned to team training on Monday and hopes to start against Hertha.<br /> <br /> “I’ll have to see how the next few days of training go,” Mueller told FCB.de.<br /> <br /> “I could start, but I don’t believe I can yet manage the 90 minutes.”<br /> <br /> After ten straight defeats at the hands of Munich, Hertha’s last win over Bayern was back in February 2009 and Berlin are realistic of their chances.<br /> <br /> Head coach Pal Dardai was quick to shake off the tag of ‘Bayern Hunters’, which the German media gives any side who challenges Bayern’s supremacy.<br /> <br /> “I don’t want to hear that at all,” Dardai insisted when asked if his team is ‘hunting’ Bayern.<br /> <br /> “We are a small, hardworking team, who has to put in the work every week.<br /> <br /> “We want to remain unbeaten. Down there, a big-name coach is working with super players, but there are always miracles in football.”<br /> <br /> Hertha’s ex-Bayern midfielder <a href="https://allsportsnewsr.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mitchell Weiser</a> scored Hertha’s first goal in Sunday’s 2-0 home win against Schalke, but admitted his current club will have their work cut-out at the Allianz Arena.<br /> <br /> “Now we head, as second in the table, to the first in Munich. It’s a nice story for the fans,” said Weiser.<br /> <br /> “Bayern are the only team against whom you need a bit of luck. It’s not good enough just to play well there.”<br /> <br /> Hertha will be without playmaker Vladimir Darida for the coming weeks after the Czech Republic international tore ankle ligaments against Schalke and had an operation on Monday.<br /> <br /> “Without Vladi our game will change, but we have good guys who can fill the gap,” Dardai said.<br /> <br /> Swiss midfielder Valentin Stocker is an option having scored off the bench as Darida’s replacement against Schalke on Sunday.</div>

Mueller eyes return for Bayern’s Hertha showdown

Hertha and Bayern are the only two teams in Germany’s top flight to preserve their 100 percent records after the first three league game...

Read more »