Serie A leaders Juventus won 2-0 away to AC Milan to move 11 points clear of nearest challengers Roma.

Milan created a raft of chances but were unable to take any, and they were made to pay by Fernando Llorente’s goal just before half-time and Carlos Tevez’s superb second-half strike.

Defeat saw Milan drop to 10th in the table, five points outside the European places.
Adel Taarabt led an early Rossoneri charge, though, first with a 30-yard shot that forced a good save from Gianluigi Buffon and then with a cross which Gianluca Pazzini headed just wide.
Tevez was denied by home goalkeeper Christian Abbiati before Martin Caceres went close, heading Andrea Pirlo’s corner inches wide.
Taarabt carved out the best chance of the game so far for Kaka in the 26th minute, but the Brazilian was denied first by Buffon and, from his follow-up, by Leonardo Bonucci’s goal-line clearance.
Buffon saved brilliantly from both Riccardo Montolivo and Kaka and got his reward when his team made the breakthrough a minute before the break.
Tevez and Stephan Lichtsteiner combined on the right and the latter cross low into the six-yard box where Llorent was on hand to slot home.
Tevez drew a sharp save from Abbiati early in the second half but Milan were soon back on the attack.
Taarabt’s cross eluded team-mate Pazzini but was heading straight for goal until the alert Buffon made a good stop.
Kaka then crossed for Andrea Poli, whose close-range header skimmed the right post.
And again those misses were made to look more costly when Tevez let fly from 30 yards and sent the ball screaming past Abbiati into the roof of the net.
Robinho volleyed Urby Emanuelson’s cross wide as Milan’s frustration continued and they could easily have conceded a third late on, Paul Pogba denied by the frame of the goal from 30 yards.

According to Foxsports

The Southampton loanee has nothing but praise for his attacking team-mates and is eagerly anticipating this weekend’s game against AC Milan.

Pablo Osvaldo says players such as Carlos Tevez, Fernando Llorente and Sebastian Giovinco makes things easy for him at Juventus in the wake of his side’s 4-0 Europa League win over Trabzonspor in the round of 32.

The striker, who joined Juve on loan from Southampton during the January transfer window, netted once in the 2-0 home win last week and once more added his name to the scoresheet in Thursday’s return in Istanbul as the Serie A champions again won by two goals.

“I find it easy to play with Tevez, Llorente and Giovinco,” Osvaldo told the official Juventus website.

“They all have different qualities and I’m trying to get used to each of them.

“Giovinco and I did our fair share of defensive work Thusday night as well, that’s what we needed most. Luckily I scored too.”

The striker then went on to admit that he would rather have avoided Fiorentina in the round of 16, before urging his team-mates to turn their focus to this weekend’s Serie A match against AC Milan now.

“I’d have happily done without Fiorentina, they’re a top side,” he added.

“Before thinking about anything else, however, we must first concentrate on AC Milan.”

According to Goal

The Spain international believes that the prolific attacker is already giving his all for the team and is keen to bounce back from last week’s loss.

Cesc Fabregas has insisted that there’s no truth in the rumours suggesting a number of Barcelona players are unhappy with Lionel Messi’s contribution to the team.

The Blaugrana have come in for criticism in the wake of their 3-1 La Liga defeat against Real Sociedad last weekend and Messi has not escaped some harsh words either.

Nevertheless, Fabregas has stressed that everybody at Barca is happy with the Argentine’s hard work for the team and says the entire squad are hoping to make amends for losing their last match.

“If there’s any player that carries the weight of the team on his shoulders, it’s Leo Messi. If more has to be asked of him, then three times as much has to be asked of us,” Fabregas was quoted as saying by AS.

“It’s totally false that anything has been said against Leo. He looks very good to me. Leo has been the most consistent player in world football. I have no doubt that he’ll be there whenever he’s needed. His state of mind is very good, he’s happy.

“He isn’t happy about Saturday, because we’re all disappointed about it. But on Sunday we have another match and that’s where we have to seek a fresh new start. We have two and a half months left and we have to be at 100 per cent.”

Messi has netted 14 goals in 18 La Liga appearances so far this term.

According to Goal

The Gunners boss is not fazed by his €50 million signing’s current slump and insists his recent break from the first team will reinvigorate the German.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes the rest afforded to Mesut Ozil will refresh the out-of-form midfielder and is convinced he can handle the pressures placed on him by the north London club.

The former Real Madrid man was absent for last weekend’s 4-1 win over Sunderland having failed to get over the disappointment of missing a penalty against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, a match that saw him singled out and criticised.

Wenger, though, believes Ozil is reinvigorated by his short break and exclusion from the spotlight, and insists he does not put extra pressure on the club-record signing to live up to his significant price tag.

“I never tell Mesut: ‘You have to win us the game,'” Wenger told reporters when asked about the pressure placed on the German.

“He shouldn’t do that. It’s down to the performance of the team. But maybe he feels that a bit in a different way than I do. I just want him to enjoy it and play well.

“It is difficult for him mentally to be confronted with that pressure every three days and in every single competition.

“But he will adapt. He had a difficult game [against Bayern] because he missed that penalty and it was on his mind. Sometimes, when you are under this kind of pressure, it’s good to refresh.”

Ozil has recorded just one Premier League assist in 2014 and failed to find the back of the net, struggling to live up to his early billing, but Wenger is convinced the 25-year-old has the quality to drag himself out of his current slump.

“I don’t worry about Ozil,” the French boss continued. “He has gone a little bit through a difficult time. It can happen to anybody.

“He looks all right. He loves to play. You give him a ball and he’s happy. That’s the most important thing. And he has the quality. You always have to be behind your players. The best way is to show him support.”

According to Goal

Manager Roy Hodgson admits he may have to break the heart of one of England’s senior players this May.

The World Cup may be over two months away, but Hodgson gave a clear indication about which players are in his thoughts for Brazil on Thursday.
The England manager named an enlarged squad of 30 players for next week’s friendly against Denmark – the final game before he decides who will be on the plane to Brazil.
FIFA’s deadline for final squad submission is June 2, but Hodgson wants to name his party early so he will name his 23 players on May 13, with an additional seven players on standby.
The fact that 10 of the 30 players named have fewer than five caps shows Hodgson is more than willing to give youth a chance.
The 66-year-old sees the likes of the uncapped Luke Shaw, Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling and Everton midfielder Ross Barkley as potential aces in his pack.
Players like Frank Lampard, James Milner, Michael Carrick and in particular Ashley Cole, could therefore be omitted when the squad is whittled down in May.
“I am very conscious of the fact that I could have to leave a big name out,” the England manager said.
“It was a very different kettle of fish a couple of years ago (before Euro 2012), I don’t think there was much debate then.
“It wasn’t easy before the Euros to be honest. This time it is going to be even harder.
“Because before the Euros at least I was choosing names of players I knew and players I had seen play but had never really worked with.
“This time I will have to disappoint some people I have worked with who have maybe done a good job for me and the team.”
Of the senior players in the current squad, Cole’s position is surely the one which is most under threat.
Cole has 106 caps to his name, he has played in the past three World Cups, but he can no longer command a first-team place at Chelsea.
Cole has started only 12 Premier League games so far this term and although Hodgson says he still “retains faith” in the player, the England manager dropped a big hint that Shaw will get his chance to impress on Wednesday.
When asked whether the Southampton left-back would play some part against the Danes, Hodgson said: “It is a logical thought but I can’t make promises.
“I think everyone who has watched him play recently will not deny that he deserves a place in a large squad like this.
“It would be nice if he gets to play on Wednesday night, but that decision hasn’t been made.”
Lampard has played more games for Chelsea this year than Cole, but Hodgson has a plethora of options in midfield so a question mark remains over the 103-cap player.
“There are a lot of midfield players that are quality midfield players,” Hodgson said.
“They all will be under some sort of pressure.”
Adam Lallana, Jay Rodriguez and Rickie Lambert were also selected, meaning Southampton have four players in the England squad for the first time.
Jordan Henderson also retains his place, as do Tom Cleverley, Fraser Forster and Andros Townsend.
More attention was placed upon the players who were not selected for Denmark.
Andy Carroll, Gareth Barry, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Johnson, Wilfried Zaha, Aaron Lennon and Ashley Young did not get the call.
But that does not mean they are out of the running for Brazil, Hodgson insists.
“This is not a definitive list,” he added. “The fact someone is on this list does not say he will be going or be one of the seven standby players because I reserve the right to change my mind on those subjects.”

According to Foxsports

The Anfield captain described his team-mate as “the best forward he had ever played with”, which helped persuade the then wantaway Uruguayan to remain on Merseyside.

Luis Suarez has revealed the “massive part” Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard played in convincing him to stay at Anfield.

The Uruguay international was embroiled in long-running transfer saga in the summer, with Arsenal making several unsuccessful moves to bring him to the Emirates Stadium after the former Ajax man had intimated he was ready for a fresh challenge.

Suarez, though, committed his future to the Merseysiders with a new long-term contract signed in December, and the Premier League’s top scorer credits the faith and support of Gerrard with persuading him to remain at the club.

“[Gerrard] played a massive part in convincing me to stay,” the 27-year-old told FourFourTwo.

“He didn’t talk about me, or through me, in the press, but in person.

“In those moments I forgot that he was ‘world football great Gerrard’, a Liverpool legend, but as a humble person who spoke to me with all his heart for hours.

“He said I was the best forward he’d ever played with, which given the amazing strikers that he’s played with at Liverpool, was amazing for me to hear. I’ll never forget that.”

Since renewing his deal with the Reds, Suarez has taken his league goal tally to 23 for the season and was even handed the captain’s armband recently – an honour he greatly appreciated.

“It was weird – strange,” he added. “I’d never imagined myself as Liverpool skipper. After everything that had happened with me, to retain the support of the club, the coach and my team-mates showed me they were happy to forget and forgive.

“It proved that my commitment to the club and to my team-mates is genuine and that I’m giving the maximum.

“Everyone here lives to help the club. Being Liverpool captain is something that validates you and makes you feel appreciated because there have been some fantastic leaders here.”

According to Goal