Monday, August 19, 2013

Villa: I'll celebrate scoring against Barcelona


The 31-year-old insists his friends and former team-mates at Camp Nou will become nothing but "rivals" during the Spanish Super Cup on Wednesday.

David Villa has claimed he will likely celebrate any goal he should score for Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona.

The Liga champions take on the Rojiblancos for the first piece of Spanish silverware this season on Wednesday, and Villa - who moved from Camp Nou to Vicente Calderon this summer - insists he will put all friendship aside when he faces his former team-mates.

“I have many friends and fond memories of my three years there,” he told reporters. “But when we start the game, they are my

Manchester City 4-0 Newcastle United: Pellegrini debuts with a blast



Last season's Premier League runners-up began their assault on the title in fine fashion against a Yohan Cabaye-less Toon side that had Steven Taylor sent off in the first half.

Manchester City ran out easy winners over 10-man Newcastle United on Monday night, as Manuel Pellegrini's side recorded a resounding 4-0 win to send them top of the Premier League table.

First-half goals from David Silva and Sergio Aguero gave City an early lead, before Magpies centre-back Steven Taylor was given a straight red card for hitting out at the diminutive Argentine goalscorer just before the break.

The home side's dominance continued in the second period, with Yaya Toure marking his 100th Premier League appearance by curling a

Rodgers hails Sturridge attitude



The England international missed most of the Reds' pre-season preparations though injury, but returned in time to score the only goal in a 1-0 win over Stoke City.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has praised Daniel Sturridge's mental strength in ensuring he was fit for the start of the season.

Sturridge struck the only goal of the game in Saturday's 1-0 victory over Stoke City at Anfield as Liverpool began the Premier League campaign with an encouraging performance.

An ankle injury sustained while on international duty with England back in May had threatened to leave the striker unavailable to Rodgers for the opening month of the season.

The 23-year-old, though, battled back to

'Prison has changed me' - Breno


The Brazilian is relishing the chance to work with the Bayern Munich Under-23 side on a day-release programme as he continues to serve a jail term for aggravated arson
Former Bayern Munich defender Breno admits he has "changed as a person" during his time in prison.

The 23-year-old was sentenced to three years and nine months in 2012 after being found guilty of aggravated arson following a fire at his rented Munich villa the previous year.

The Brazilian has been offered a post to work for five hours a day with the Bayern Under-23 side and he admits he is indebted to the club for the opportunity following his spell away from the game.

“My time in prison was

Pardew omits Cabaye from Newcastle squad following Arsenal bid


The Magpies manager has been left angry by the timing of the Gunners' £10 million bid for the France international, who misses the Tyneside club's clash against Manchester City.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has confirmed that Yohan Cabaye has been omitted from his side's opening Premier League clash against Manchester City following a bid from Arsenal.

The Gunners are understood to have had a £10 million offer for the Frenchman rejected after having launched a triple swoop for Cabaye, Geoffrey Kondogbia and

Gourcuff could leave Lyon, says Aulas


The midfielder may yet depart Stade Gerland, while Bafetimbi Gomis is now likely to sign a new contract with the club.

Lyon playmaker Yoann Gourcuff could leave the Ligue 1 side this summer after the club's president Jean-Michel Aulas admitted "anything is possible".

Premier League side Arsenal are believed to be admirers of the 27-year-old, with reports tipping the club to make a bid before the end of the summer transfer window.

And though Aulas still believes the midfielder will remain at

Fulham sign Parker from Tottenham



The 32-year-old, who has previously enjoyed spells with Charlton, Chelsea, Newcastle and and West Ham, has decided to spurn QPR in favour of a move to Craven Cottage.

Fulham have confirmed they have completed the signing of Scott Parker from Tottenham.

The 32-year-old midfielder has decided to spurn the interest of recently relegated QPR to sign a three-year deal with Martin Jol's side, and joins for an undisclosed fee.


Fulham will be Parker's fifth London club, the England international having already enjoyed spells with Charlton, Chelsea, West Ham and Tottenham during a distinguished career.

“I’m delighted to be joining Fulham and I’m looking forward to

Juventus suffer Marchisio blow



The midfielder has suffered a "first-second degree tear" of his medial collateral ligament and will now be missing for over a month.

Juventus have confirmed that Claudio Marchisio will be out for a period of between 30 to 35 days, after he picked up an injury during Sunday's Super Cup victory over Lazio.

Goals from Paul Pogba, Giorgio Chiellini, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Carlos Tevez secured the trophy for the Bianconeri on Sunday.

But with the success came a

Arda Turan likely to leave Atletico Madrid for Premier League, agent claims



Atleti are believed to want to retain the Turkey international, but his agent stressed he has a release clause of €24 million suggested interest from England, France and Turkey.

Arda Turan is likely to move to the Premier League this summer, his agent claimed after he confirmed the interest of English clubs in signing the winger from Atletico Madrid.

The 26-year-old won the Europa League in his first season with Atleti after joining from Galatasaray in 2011, and coach Diego Simeone is believed to want to retain him having previously spoken of the value to the club.

The Turkey international’s agent Ahmet Bulut however claimed a

Lewandowski hails Dortmund patience



After a narrow victory on Sunday, the Poland international has lauded his side's composure in breaking down a stubborn visiting rearguard.

Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski has praised his team's patience after their 2-1 win against Eintracht Braunschweig on Sunday.

The newly-promoted underdogs were resilient in the face of BVB pressure for much of the afternoon at Signal Iduna Park, much to the frustration of last season's Champions League finalists.

But youngster Jonas Hofmann, who was brought in for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the second half, was able to break the deadlock in the

Pellegrini: Manchester City don't have time to get to know each other



The former Malaga coach warns that his new players must impress straight away and does not believe that his lack of Premier League experience will disadvantage their title bid.

Manuel Pellegrini has warned that Manchester City must start the season with good results and that his established squad and his summer signings do not have the time to get to know each other first.

City host Newcastle on Monday to open their Premier League campaign, with Roberto Mancini having been dismissed and replaced by the former Malaga manager following a disappointing second-place finish last season.

The transfer window saw

Zabaleta signs new Manchester City deal until 2017



The 28-year-old Argentine has established himself as a firm favourite at the Etihad Stadium since signing five years ago, and he is delighted to have penned an extension.

Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta has signed a new four-year contract that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2017.

The Argentine has made has made 175 appearances for City since signing from Espanyol in 2008, and has emerged as the club's first-choice right-back in recent seasons.



 "I have been here for five years and it feels like home. Signing a contract extension with the club makes me feel very happy," he told the club's official website.

"I feel great here, I like the

Villas-Boas denies Tottenham bid for Willian



The Spurs boss says the Brazilian is a player who he 'appreciates' and concedes the club could make further signings before the end of the transfer window.

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas insists his side have not submitted a bid for Anzhi Makhachkala midfielder Willian but admits he admires the Brazilian.

We reported on Monday that Liverpool have launched a formal offer of €30 million (£25.6m) for the 25-year-old, while the club are also willing to match the player's £85,000-a-week salary.


When asked if Tottenham have made a bid for Willian, Villas-Boas told reporters: "No, no."

But when asked if he admires the

Kingsley Boateng completes Catania loan



The striker joins the Rossazzurri on season-long deal, with the Sicilian club having an option to purchase a 50% stake in the player next summer.

Milan have confirmed that Kingsley Boateng has joined Catania on loan for the entire 2013-14 season.

The 19-year-old striker will join up with Rolando Maran's side ahead of this weekend’s Serie A opener, and the deal also includes an option for the Sicilian club to purchase a 50% stake in Boateng at the end of his spell.

Boateng featured regularly for

Arsenal launch triple swoop for Cabaye, Kondogbia & Uchida



The Gunners have submitted formal bids for the Newcastle midfielder and Japanese full-back, and made an enquiry over Sevilla's 20-year-old French star.

Arsenal are ready to begin a late summer spending spree after launching a triple swoop for Yohan Cabaye, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Atsuto Uchida,.

The Gunners had a £10 million bid for Newcastle midfielder Cabaye rejected on Monday before turning their attention to Sevilla powerhouse Kondogbia.

Arsenal made an enquiry rather than a formal offer for the 20-year-old midfield anchorman and were told he would only be sold if the €20m buy-out clause in his

Boateng backs brother in fight against racism


The Germany star has attended an event in Miami against racial abuse in the sport to support his brother Kevin-Prince.

Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng has taken a stance against racism after his brother, AC Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng, was subjected to abusive chants earlier this year.

The Rossoneri midfielder walked off the pitch after abusive shouts from the stands during a friendly against Pro Patria in January.

And speaking at an event against racism in football in Miami, the Bayern Munich man has

Ferdinand hits back at Mourinho swipe



The Chelsea boss claimed Manchester United were not an "unbelievable team" last season, while the 34-year-old defender warns his side should not be ruled out of the title race.

Rio Ferdinand has hit back at Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho after the Portuguese criticised the calibre of Manchester United's title-winning team.

Mourinho claimed neither United nor Manchester City had been "extraordinary" champions in the past two seasons.

"That was his first sound bite of the season, wasn't it? I think we expected it," Ferdinand said of the Chelsea manager's comments.

"I'm looking forward to Chelsea. We are really looking forward to it. Now we can

Lippi: Juventus will need luck in the Champions League



The former Azzurri boss feels the Bianconeri could have gone all the way in the competition last term, but were unfortunate to draw Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

Juventus will need lady luck on their side if they are to triumph in the Champions League this season, according to Marcello Lippi.

Antonio Conte's men were defeated 4-0 on aggregate by the Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the tournament last term, with the Bavarians going on to win the tournament.

And the former Juve boss - who lifted the Champions League with the club in 1996 - feels the luck of the draw was against the Bianconeri, but believes they are capable of

Prandelli: Juventus will win Serie A



The Azzurri head coach expects the Bianconeri to be Serie A champions once again, but believes Napoli and Fiorentina's new recruits will see them challenge.

Cesare Prandelli says Juventus are "the number one favourite" to retain their Serie A title and predicted another season of success for Antonio Conte's side.

The reigning Italian champions start the defence of their title away to Sampdoria next Saturday and are firm favourites to record a third successive first place finish.

Conte's men ended last season nine points clear of closest challengers Napoli, and have since added the names of Carlos Tevez, Fernando Lllorente and Angelo Ogbonna to an

Muller: Bayern have a score to settle with Chelsea



The Germany star has set his sights on avenging their defeat in the 2012 Champions League final and says his team need to improve defensively under Pep Guardiola.

Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller feels his team "have a score to settle" against Chelsea ahead of their European Super Cup tie with the Blues on August 30.

The Blues won the 2011-12 Champions League final against the Bavarians 4-3 on penalties, but the Germans eventually bounced back by securing the treble the following campaign.

But despite the success, Muller says his team are ready to retaliate for the defeat two seasons ago, when they meet Jose Mourinho's side in Prague at the

Michu: Van Persie is best striker in the world


The Spaniard believes the Manchester United forward will once again be a major contender for the Premier League's Golden Boot this season.

Michu has labelled Robin van Persie as the best striker in the world after the Dutchman's double against Swansea City on Saturday.

Van Persie, who claimed the golden boot in the Premier League last season, struck twice in Manchester United's 4-1 away win at the Liberty Stadium, with Danny Welbeck matching his contribution.

"He had two chances and he scored two goals, but that is why

Arsenal need to sign a striker, admits Giroud


The Gunners forward believes that the club need reinforcements if they are to challenge for major trophies this year, with Arsene Wenger's pursuit of Luis Suarez stalling.

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud admits that the club need to sign more players, particularly another striker, if they are to achieve their goals.

The Gunners have only signed Yaya Sanogo this summer, on a free transfer, and have missed out on targets such as Gonzalo Higuain and Luiz Gustavo, though manager Arsene Wenger insists that he is pursuing new faces.


Luis Suarez has been the north Londoners' highest-profile target so far this summer but Liverpool have held firm after two bids, with Reds boss Brendan Rodgers declaring the

Valdes: Ancelotti wrong over Casillas



The Blaugrana shot-stopper was surprised the Spain No.1 was only named on the bench on Sunday.

Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes believes Carlo Ancelotti was wrong to pick Diego Lopez over Iker Casillas for Real Madrid's opening day win over Betis.

Casillas had a hard time under former Blancos coach Jose Mourinho during the Portuguese's last season at the Santiago Bernabeu, which eventually resulted in the goalkeeper being benched for five months.

Lopez was brought in from Sevilla in January and was installed as the club's first choice keeper, a trend that continued on Sunday with

Martino: Pressing must start with Messi



The coach wants his star forward to lead the line off the ball as well as on it and praised Cesc Fabregas for a fine pre-season.

Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino believes that Lionel Messi must lead by example when it comes to pressing the opposition.

The Argentine trainer has made tactical tweaks during pre-season to his newly inherited squad, including being more active in closing down players off the ball, and he believes that the four-time Ballon d'Or winner is crucial to the tactic working.

"Messi starting the pressing is important for the

Mourinho: Chelsea have rarely played so well



The returning Blues manager praises his side's impressive first-half display that brought a 2-0 half-time lead and thanks supporters for his welcome reception at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has hailed his side's first half against Hull City Tigers as quality that they rarely produced in his first spell in charge.

Oscar opened the scoring at Stamford Bridge after Frank Lampard had missed a penalty but the England international went on to double the lead with a free kick before half-time, the west Londoners maintaining their 2-0 advantage until the end of the game.

Mourinho, back after departing the Blues at the start of 2007-08, was more than satisfied, adding that the dominant first half performance could not be sustained for a

Huntelaar ruled out of Champions League play-off



The Schalke striker suffered an injury at the weekend against Wolfsburg which will see him miss the side's clashes with PAOK for a group stage spot.

Schalke forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has been ruled out for a month with a knee injury - meaning he will miss the Bundesliga giants' crunch Champions League play-off games.
The Netherlands international was withdrawn at half-time during Saturday's 4-0 Bundesliga defeat to Wolfsburg after a collision with opposition goalkeeper Diego Benaglio.

It means that the Bundesliga side, who have drawn and lost in their opening two games of the season, will be without their star striker against PAOK - coached by former

Pardew expects Navas to be Manchester City standout



The Newcastle boss backs the Spaniard to be one of the Premier League's players of the season and expects big things in the campaign opener at the Etihad Stadium.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has tipped Manchester City winger Jesus Navas to be one of the Premier League's stellar performers this season.

Despite being threatened with relegation last term, the Magpies secured a 16th-placed finish and face a tough opening to their new campaign at the Etihad Stadium on Monday evening.

As well as a new manager at the helm in Manuel Pellegrini, City boast a wealth of additions to their squad, including Stevan Jovetic, Alvaro Negredo, Fernandinho and Navas, but

Ibrahimovic rues wastefulness



The Swede was unhappy with how many opportunities went begging in their 1-1 draw with Ajaccio, but praised Edinson Cavani's goalscoring performance.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has criticised Paris Saint-Germain's profligacy and refused to make excuses for missed opportunities following the side's 1-1 draw with Ajaccio on Sunday.

The reigning Ligue 1 champions needed a late equaliser from summer signing Edinson Cavani to prevent an embarrassing home defeat following a similar stalemate in their opening clash with Montpellier.

The Swedish striker did not want to

'La Liga is boring' - Simeone slams Barca & Madrid domination



The Atletico Madrid coach was scathing in how he sees the season panning out and reiterated that the distribution of TV money must change

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has branded La Liga "a boring championship" due to Barcelona and Real Madrid's domination.

Los Colchoneros finished third in Spain last term to only the Clasico duo and capped a brilliant campaign with triumph in the Copa del Rey against their city rivals.

However, when asked whether his side could muster a title challenge this

Sammer: Bayern stars must do more



The club's sporting director is refusing to accept excuses for the squad's fitness and wants the whole team ready to play twice a week if necessary

Bayern Munich sporting director Matthias Sammer has demanded more from the team, despite a perfect start to the Bundesliga campaign.

Pep Guardiola's men defeated Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1 on the opening day of the season before securing a 1-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.

However, the former Germany international is adamant that his side must get into better shape following two unconvincing performances in as many Bundesliga games.

"We need to see as soon as possible that we have reached a

Liverpool confident of beating Tottenham to Willian signing



The Anfield club lodged a formal bid of €30 million with Anzhi Makhachkala for the Brazil international and are hopeful of completing the deal within

Liverpool are confident of beating Tottenham to the signing of Brazilian winger Willian.

The Merseysiders hope to reach an agreement with his club Anzhi Makhachkala in the next 48 hours after lodging a formal bid of €30 million for the in-demand forward.

Liverpool have indicated that they are willing to match Willian's current €100,000-a-week salary in order to convince him to move to

Chicharito rejected Valencia move, says agent


The Mexico striker had the chance to speak with the Spanish club's sporting director over the summer but was not interested because he wants to defend the Premier League title.

Manchester United striker Chicharito rejected the chance to move to Valencia because he wants to triumph at Old Trafford, according to his agent.

The Mexico international found chances somewhat limited last season and rumours in some circles suggested that he could leave the club following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.

But Eduardo Hernandez has rubbished reports that his client wants to leave the Premier League champions and reiterated his commitment to

Villas-Boas: Soldado can be chief Tottenham goalscorer



Real Madrid target Gareth Bale missed the opening game of the season through injury but it did not matter as the €30 million signing scored a debut winner

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas backs new signing Roberto Soldado to take on the mantle of goalscorer-in-chief from Gareth Bale.

The Spanish forward, who joined Spurs for €30 million from Valencia this summer, bagged the only goal on his debut in a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

And Villas-Boas believes that the new man is ready to rival Bale, who netted 21 times last season and was absent on Sunday with a foot injury, as the

Buffon: Juventus perform when it matters



The goalkeeper praised the Bianconeri's performance versus Lazio, which Stephan Lichtsteiner says was made sweeter by being at the Stadio OlimpicoThe goalkeeper praised the Bianconeri's performance versus Lazio, which Stephan Lichtsteiner says was made sweeter by being at the Stadio Olimpico

Gianluigi Buffon says it is typical of Juventus to perform when they need to most following their 4-0 demolition of Lazio on Sunday in the Supercoppa Italiana.

Antonio Conte's men had failed to win once in pre-season but the Scudetto winners rocketed to top form against last season's Coppa Italia champions, which left the Italy shot-stopper praising his team-mates and his

Cavani frustrated by Ajaccio draw



The Uruguayan attacker opened his account with les Parisiens on Sunday against Ajaccio but believes the side deserved all three points from the tie

Edinson Cavani has vented his frustration despite scoring his first goal for Paris Saint-Germain following the side's 1-1 draw with Ajaccio.

The Uruguayan striker, who joined from Napoli for an estimated €63 million this summer, saved the hosts' blushes with an equaliser four minutes from time, but is adamant they deserved more than a share of the spoils.

"This is football," he told L'Equipe after the home draw. "We deserved to win. We had so many opportunities. But we will improve gradually - with hard

Xavi: Barca didn't do tactics last year



The veteran praised Gerardo Martino, Sergio Busquets is enjoying the side's new tactics and Alexis Sanchez explained Lionel Messi's early withdrawal

Xavi has revealed that Barcelona rarely did tactical training last season and believes new coach Gerardo Martino's methods paid off in their 7-0 win over Levante on Sunday.

The Blaugrana began their season in style as goals from Alexis Sanchez, Lionel Messi, Dani Alves, Xavi and Pedro propelled the reigning champions to the top of La Liga.

The veteran midfielder claimed that Tito Vilanova's time in New York recovering from cancer surgery affected their training but praised the hands-on approach that his

Dortmund deserved victory, says Klopp


Jurgen Klopp was delighted with his players after Borussia Dortmund secured a win in their first game after the international break.

Jurgen Klopp has lauded his Borussia Dortmund players for performing beyond his expectations in their 2-1 win over Eintracht Braunschweig on Sunday.

Strikes from Jonas Hofmann and Marco Reus ensured that a late Robert Lewandowski own-goal did not deny die Schwarzgelben all three points in their first home game of the Bundesliga campaign.

Klopp admitted he had been fearful about how fatigued his players would be after the midweek international games but, though the result was what he had

Conte: Juventus continue to write history



The coach was proud of his side's 4-0 win over Lazio in the Supercoppa Italiana, while Vladimir Petkovic apologised to fans for the "naive" showing

Juventus coach Antonio Conte has praised his team "writing history" after beating Lazio to win the Supercoppa Italiana on Sunday.

The Scudetto winners were 4-0 winners over Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico, with Paul Pogba, Giorgio Chiellini, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Carlos Tevez scoring for the Bianconeri.

Conte's side had previously struggled to notch up victories in pre-season, including finishing last of eight teams in the

Carrick: Manchester United will fight for Rooney



The striker wants to leave Old Trafford this summer despite the club's unwillingness to sell him to Chelsea and his team-mates have rallied around after his first-team return
Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick insists that the club will fight to support Wayne Rooney after the striker returned to the first team on Saturday.

Rooney is keen to leave Old Trafford this summer and has attracted concrete interest from Chelsea but was given a 30-minute run-out by David Moyes in the 4-1 win at Swansea City.


The 27-year-old laid on goals for Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck, despite having played only an hour for England on Wednesday during pre-season, and Carrick reacted positively when asked if he was pleased to see his

Wenger: Negativity can spread quickly



The 63-year-old highlights the importance of his side's result against Fenerbahce on Wednesday but is confident that his players will bounce back after losing to Aston Villa

Arsene Wenger warns that negativity could spread quickly in Arsenal's squad following their season-opening defeat against Aston Villa.

Despite taking the lead through Olivier Giroud, Wenger's men slumped to a 3-1 loss following Christian Benteke's double and Antonio Luna's strike.


Arsenal were booed off at the final whistle but the 63-year-old believes that his side's campaign will be built on the result of their Champions League play-off tie against

Tevez: Conte is just like Sir Alex Ferguson



The Juventus striker has lauded his new coach's winning mentality in the wake of the 4-0 Supercoppa Italiana triumph over Lazio on Sunday

Juventus forward Carlos Tevez has compared coach Antonio Conte to Sir Alex Ferguson, whom he played under at Manchester United.

The Argentine made his competitive debut for the Italian champions in the 4-0 Supercoppa win over Lazio on Sunday and says the 44-year-old has the same mentality as the legendary Scot.

“He’s just like Ferguson because he is winner,” the former Manchester City striker told Rai Sports.

“Conte, just as Sir Alex, does not

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Isco targets improvement from Real Madrid



The 21-year-old's late header sealed victory in the club's first match of the season against Betis, but knows his side will need to step up their game
Real Madrid attacker Isco says they must improve despite their narrow 2-1 victory over Betis.

The summer recruit from Malaga nodded home late in the game to get los Blancos off to a winning start after Jorge Molina had put the visitors in front before Karim Benzema's equaliser.

Isco admitted that he had been “surprised” by the level of performance displayed by Betis, but insisted that his side will improve as the season

Blanc surprised by PSG draw



Les Parisiens laid siege to the Ajaccio goal but Fabrizio Ravanelli's side escaped Parc des Princes with a point, much to the amazement of the former France coach

Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc was left baffled as his side failed to pick up their first win of the season after a 1-1 draw with Ajaccio.

The Ligue 1 champions peppered their opponent’s goal, amassing over 30 shots on the night, but still had to settle for a point, much to the frustration of their new coach.

“We're not ready yet, we knew that,” Blanc told reporters.

“The real disappointment is losing two

Watzke: We knew Lewandowski would be disappointed


The Polish striker looked certain to join Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich over the summer, but BVB's top man insists the situation has been smoothed over between club and player

Borussia Dortmund general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke has admitted that Robert Lewandowski was left disappointed after he was denied the chance to leave the club this summer.

The want-away striker made it clear to the BVB hierarchy of his wish to join arch rivals Bayern Munich, but after his initial frustration of not being afforded his dream move, Watzke believes the situation has now been resolved.

“Robert’s wish – to go to Bayern this summer – was

Ancelotti unconvinced by Real Madrid's defensive frailties



Despite seeing his side win as he took charge of his first game in Spanish football, the Italian was left unimpressed by his defence's shortcomings at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Carlo Ancelotti was left unconvinced by his side’s defensive display as Real Madrid snuck past Betis 2-1 on the opening weekend of the Liga season.

The Italian coach indicated that he was unhappy at the backline as a whole and suggested that goalkeeper Diego Lopez and others may find themselves out of the starting XI for Madrid’s next outing.

“We have to improve. We created chances to score but we had problems in defence,” explained the former PSG boss.

“Today I decided to choose Diego Lopez. I don’t know who is

Mourinho has come home, says Lampard



The 35-year-old highlighted the jubilant atmosphere at Stamford Bridge as the Portuguese guided Chelsea to a win in his first Premier League match since being reappointed

Frank Lampard has hailed Jose Mourinho’s return to the Premier League following Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Hull City Tigers on Sunday.

Oscar struck the opening goal before Frank Lampard's 30-yard free kick sealed a comfortable win against Steve Bruce's side at Stamford Bridge.

"It was brilliant. I think the crowd

Mourinho denies tapping up Rooney



The Chelsea manager says any further bids will be made in an official way and insists he will not contact the 27-year-old forward

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has reiterated his side will continue their efforts to sign Wayne Rooney but insists their transfer conduct regarding the Manchester United striker will remain "ethical".

The London club have seen two bids for the 27-year-old turned down, despite the striker's desire to move to Stamford Bridge this summer.


When asked whether Chelsea are still pursuing Rooney, Mourinho told reporters: "We will try until the last day to add a new player to the

Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 Ajaccio: Cavani saves them 1 point



Thirty plus shots on goal were not enough to give the Parisians three points thanks to the heroics of the visitors' goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa

A terrific strike after 86 minutes from Edinson Cavani secured a 1-1 draw for Paris Saint-Germain, who looked likely to surprisingly succumb at home to Ajaccio.

Benoit Pedretti’s fine opening goal had the Corsicans in front before a stunning performance from Guillermo Ochoa in the visiting goal kept the hosts at bay. But Cavani scored a beauty from 18 yards to secure a draw just before full-time.

However, the Uruguayan's stunning equaliser ensured Laurent Blanc's side avoided defeat, although this is likely to be scant consolation after statistics showed they had 30 plus shots to the visitors' one throughout the

Real Madrid 2-1 Betis: Isco hands Ancelotti debut win



The former Malaga playmaker popped up at the right time to give Jose Mourinho's successor an important first victory in La Liga

A late Isco goal four minutes from time ensured Carlo Ancelotti began his reign as Real Madrid boss with a victory against Betis.

The hosts were stunned, however, when Jorge Molina gave the visitors the lead after excellent work by Cedric Mabwati, before Karim Benzema found an equaliser for los Blancos, converting Marcelo's cross.

Both sides enjoyed a number of chances as Cristiano Ronaldo and Nosa Igiebor both struck

Juventus 4-0 Lazio: Second-half salvo secures Supercoppa



A six-minute blitz from the Bianconeri after the interval ensured they secured the first silverware of the season in Italy 

Juventus reclaimed the Supercoppa by virtue of a routine 4-0 success over Lazio.

Paul Pogba opened the scoring in the first half shortly after replacing Claudio Marchisio but it was three goals in six second-period minutes which proved decisive.


Giorgio Chiellini. Stephan Lichtsteiner and Carlos Tevez completed the rout prior to the hour mark, ensuring the Serie A champions secured their first silverware of the