Sergio Agüero sent out a reminder to Barcelona ahead of the Champions League clash at the Etihad in which he cited City’s crucial victories over Bayern and Roma in the group stage as a warning to the visitors.

“We’re confident we’ll do well”, Agüero told the Manchester City website.
“When many thought we were down and out in this competition, we defeated Bayern and then Roma in Italy. That shows we are growing as a European force and we can do it again”, added the Argentine.
City qualified for the last 16 by the skin of their teeth after sealing crucial victories in their final two Group E fixtures against Bayern and Roma.
The 26-year-old was keen to point out that ‘The Citizens’ learnt from the mistakes made last season, when Barcelona progressed 4-1 on aggregate at the same stage of the competition.
“Barça made it difficult for us last time because they kept the ball so well and that’s one of their main strengths and that made it difficult for us to dominate the game”, explained the former Atlético de Madrid striker.
“We wanted to attack them more but we weren’t able to reach the final third of the pitch as often as we wanted to”, was Agüero’s analysis of last year’s tie.
Agüero also looked to divert attention away from the battle of the Argentine forwards, especially given the Barcelona captain and star man Lionel Messi is a friend of his: “It’s clear that friendship has no place in the field. We are both focused in giving our team the best until the whistle blows and that’s the way it should be”.

Source MARCA

Karim Benzema has joined the select club previously composed only of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Like these two superstars, Benzema has now scored against every first-division team which he has faced.
Not a single opponent has been able to keep a lid on the Frenchman. He has racked up a total of 85 goals against 29 different La Liga teams.
Real Sociedad and Málaga are the Real Madrid striker’s preferred opponents, having scored six goals against each of these two clubs. As hard as people try to spread the myth, it cannot be said that Benzema only scores against the weaker sides. One of his favourite victims is Barcelona, with a total of five goals against the ‘Azulgranas’ – the same tally that he has managed against Sevilla and Granada. He has netted four against six teams: Athletic, Osasuna, Getafe, Rayo, Racing and Almería.
Benzema continues to inscribe his name in the Real history books. Just a week ago, he outscored the original Ronaldo. His idol managed 83 goals in white, and the Frenchman fired home his 84th last weekend against Depor. His strike against Elche puts him on a par with another Real Madrid legend, Juanito, who scored 85 league goals. Benzema has netted 130 goals in all competitions, also equalling Míchel as the 11th highest scorer in the club’s history.

Source MARCA

Gerard Piqué was in an optimistic mood ahead of the visit to the Etihad and claimed that the home defeat at the hands of Málaga is already forgotten.

Praise for the opposition. “It’s the most important game of the year. City are one of the world’s top five clubs”.

Doubts. “We’re at such a big club that when you lose, you get questioned even if you’ve won 11 games on the spin. The idea of failing doesn’t come into our heads. We’re playing at a good level and are just thinking about getting a good result”.

Málaga. “The loss the other day wasn’t as painful as the one at the Anoeta. The team are playing well, but the one at the Anoeta was harder to take because Real Madrid had just lost and we weren’t able to win to cut the gap”.

Controversial casino visit with Messi and Fàbregas. “A friend from London came and we had a good time”.

Key aspects. “We have to take it very seriously, defend well and make the most of the players that we have up front. We want to have the ball, but our possession will depend on how they play too. We’ll try to take advantage of any space they give us, it’s easier to attack when there’s space than when there isn’t”.

Yaya Touré. “It makes a difference when he does and doesn’t play, but we have to worry about ourselves, keep the ball and snuff out their counterattacks”.

Silva. “He’s the player who makes things happen. His technical ability is staggering”.

 Source MARCA

Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, the head of a Fifa task force on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, says that it will only be possible to hold the tournament in winter.

The 2022 edition of the football showpiece will be held in the Gulf region, but the sweltering temperatures mean that the competition cannot be held during the Northern Hemisphere summer as has traditionally been the case.
Instead it appears likely that the World Cup will take place in November-December, a move which is likely to cause havoc in the European domestic leagues, with the English Premier League in particular to be left in a difficult predicament. A second winter option of January-February has been all but dismissed due as the 2022 Winter Olympics are already scheduled for January.
“We don’t want it to collide during that period,” Sheikh Salman said of the January option.
“Stakeholders are concerned about playing in the summer, so we have to change to winter. That’s January or November. They have to make a choice – either a) or b).
“But I think everybody agrees that in January or February it’s difficult to play for the reasons that I mentioned before [Winter Olympics clash].
“The only option that I see is November/December.”
He added: “All parties have to compromise, not just the Europeans.”
Sheikh Salman is hopeful that his proposal is a “done deal”, and that “hopefully we can settle this issue once and for all” when the Fifa board meets in Doha on Tuesday.

Source Foxsports

Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla admits he still feels guilty for not being able to say goodbye to Malaga fans properly.

Cazorla helped Malaga qualify for the Champions League in 2012 for the first time in the club’s history after signing from Villarreal.
However, after just one season in southern Spain, Cazorla joined the Gunners after the Andalusian club encountered financial difficulties and had to offload several of their key players.
It was a huge turnaround after Malaga’s Qatari owners had spent so much to make the club competitive on the continent.
Cazorla, who is the club’s record signing, admitted to Revista that it all happened very quickly, and before he knew it, he was an Arsenal player.
“I left because the club needed money,” Cazorla said
“Arsenal was a good opportunity, but Malaga wasn’t stable and it wasn’t clear where they were headed.
“I know that in Malaga lots of people haven’t forgiven me for the way I left.
“When I signed for Arsenal, everything happened so quick, I had to go to London.
“Arsenal had already started their pre-season and I had to go over there for a medical, and then I had to go to Holland to start to train with the squad.
“That all meant that I couldn’t go to Malaga to hold a press conference to say goodbye to everyone face to face.
“In the end, I could only write a letter in which I expressed my gratitude and my affection for the club. I know a lot of people didn’t like that.
“I’d like to apologise for not being able to say goodbye properly as I know that would have been the best thing.
“It still bothers me that I didn’t get to do that for the fans.”
Cazorla admitted that despite spending just one year with the Albicelestes, he still looks back fondly on what was a successful period for the club.
“It was a big thing for Malaga because in those days, they had never competed to get into Europe,” Cazorla added.
“We exceeded expectations and ended up playing in the Champions League.
“It was an unforgettable experience.”

Source Foxsports

The midfielder has emphasised the team’s need to get back into Europe’s premier cup competition but also says it is important for the club to win the FA Cup

Juan Mata insists it is “crucial” for Manchester United to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.

The Red Devils currently occupy fourth spot in the Premier League but Tottenham, Liverpool and Southampton are all no more than three points behind Louis van Gaal’s side.

“There are still a lot of games to go. We are in a race to win the FA Cup so we will try to win it because it’s been a long time since the club won it and it’s something very important for us.

“Obviously it’s crucial for us to get into the top four at the end of the Premier League season,” Mata told Sky Sports News.

“Right now, we are facing a crucial moment in the Premier League. Obviously the last 10 games are very important and we also have the FA Cup tie against Arsenal.

“It will be difficult but I think we have to do it because it is an important moment and we have to perform.”

United slipped to a 2-1 defeat away to Swansea City last Saturday but Van Gaal’s men remain just a point behind Arsenal, who they meet in the FA Cup sixth round on March 9.

“It’s true that it wasn’t a good game for us, although I think we played in their half and in the second period we were close to scoring the second goal,” said the midfielder.

“But we didn’t and when you play for Manchester United, everyone is expecting the best from you, to play well and to win – but obviously this is not very easy to do. We are trying to do it because the fans deserve something good.”

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If the Blancos want to sign the Juventus midfielder in the summer transfer window then they need to equal their world-record fee, the agent has proclaimed

Real Madrid would need to equal their world-record transfer fee of €100 million to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus this summer, according to the midfielder’s agent, Mino Raiola.

Pogba’s days at the Scudetto holders are looking increasingly numbered and this week Chelsea and Manchester City emerged as leading the race to sign the 21-year-old ahead of the European champions and Paris Saint-Germain.

However, Real Madrid have a track record of splashing out more cash than any of their rivals and they have been frequently mentioned as frontrunners when a potential summer move for Pogba is mooted.

Raiola has expressed that La Liga’s table-toppers need to match the triple-figure sum they spent on luring Gareth Bale away from Tottenham if they want the France international to be on their books next season.

“If Real Madrid want him then they should call me,” the agent told Marca. “Madrid are a dangerous club to move to, as the pressure can hurt players’ careers, but Pogba is ready.

“He is very focused on his life and his career. Nothing is insurmountable for him. I know he’s liked a lot by Madrid coaches Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti, but Paul’s only thinking about Juve right now.

“Money’s not a problem for clubs like Real Madrid. The cost of signing him would be €100 million – whoever signs him gets the star of the next generation of players.”

Raiola also suggested that Juve’s prize player – who they signed from Manchester United almost three years ago on a free transfer – has more than a little bit of PSG striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic about him.

“There is no one like Pogba,” the agent added. “He’s dominated interest in the transfer market for a year and a half.

“Only seven clubs in the world can afford Pogba. He is the up-and-coming player with cojones like Ibrahimovic.”

Source Goal

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers hailed his sides 2-0 win against Southampton on Sunday as a great team performance.

The visitors kept a fifth consecutive clean sheet away from home in the Premier League to move up to sixth place in the table, the first time the club have achieved that for 30 years.

More importantly Rodgers team are now just two points behind Manchester United in the fourth and final Champions League berth with 12 games of the season remaining.

And the Liverpool boss was quick to praise his players, especially the defence, after the full-time whistle.

We defended absolutely magnificently, he told Sky Sports. Our passing could have been better, but the conditions were very difficult and to come here and get a clean sheet was a great effort.

I thought we were really organised as a team and controlled the game as it went on. It was an outstanding win for us. It is difficult to come here and get a result at any time of the season, but on the back of a European game it is a brilliant win by the players.”

It was something (defending) we knew we had to improve, Rodgers added. At the beginning of the season we could not quite get the offensive and defensive balance right in the team. But now there is.

And there is great confidence in the team. We know our game can still be better, but todays result was important. So overall it was a great team performance.

The visitors kept a fifth consecutive clean sheet away from home in the Premier League to move up to sixth place in the table, the first time the club have achieved that for 30 years.

More importantly Rodgers team are now just two points behind Manchester United in the fourth and final Champions League berth with 12 games of the season remaining.

And the Liverpool boss was quick to praise his players, especially the defence, after the full-time whistle.

We defended absolutely magnificently, he told Sky Sports. Our passing could have been better, but the conditions were very difficult and to come here and get a clean sheet was a great effort.

I thought we were really organised as a team and controlled the game as it went on. It was an outstanding win for us. It is difficult to come here and get a result at any time of the season, but on the back of a European game it is a brilliant win by the players.”

It was something (defending) we knew we had to improve, Rodgers added. At the beginning of the season we could not quite get the offensive and defensive balance right in the team. But now there is.

And there is great confidence in the team. We know our game can still be better, but todays result was important. So overall it was a great team performance.

Source Foxsports

David Moyes’ Real Sociedad won a seven-goal thriller against Sevilla, while Real Madrid moved four points clear.

Imanol Agirretxe volleyed David Moyes’ side in front shortly after a quarter of an hour but Timothee Kolodziejczak headed in an equaliser just before half-time.

Prieto restored La Real’s lead from the penalty spot at the start of the second half but Sevilla turned the game around thanks to a header from Carlos Bacca and a penalty from substitute Kevin Gameiro.

However, with nine minutes remaining, Alejandro Arribas put the ball through his own net to make it 3-3 and Prieto struck again in injury time to decide the game.

Second-half goals from Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo earned Real Madrid a 2-0 win at struggling Elche that moved them four points clear at the top of the Primera Division.

The visitors missed a host of chances but eventually broke the deadlock in the second half, when Ronaldos cross deflected off Elche goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton and Benzema was there to tap in.

After missing two chances from point-blank range, Ronaldo finally got on the scoresheet as he sealed the victory with a powerful header.

Aritz Aduriz netted a late winner as Athletic Bilbao edged a 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano at San Mames on Sunday.

The visitors had numerous chances to take the lead in the first half, but Bilbao came out on top after dominating the majority of the second half as they returned to winning ways.

The three points see Ernesto Valverde’s men move up two spots to 12th in the Primera Division, while their opponents drop down a place to 14th with four defeats from their last five La Liga matches.

Luciano Vietto came off the bench to secure an under-par Villarreal side a 1-0 victory over Eibar.

Thanks to a blunder by Eibar goalkeeper Xabier Irureta, the Argentinian struck the winner in the 72nd minute, just moments after coach Marcelino had introduced him.

Vietto’s 11th league goal of the Primera Division season allowed Villarreal to capitalise on Sevilla’s defeat at Real Sociedad and move to within one point of the Andalusians in fifth place.

Source Foxsports