Chelsea captain John Terry began his long goodbye by marshalling his defence to a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw at Watford in the Premier League on Wednesday (Feb 3).

Making his first appearance since announcing on Sunday that he has not been offered a new contract, Terry effectively shackled Watford’s livewire striker Odion Ighalo as Chelsea extended their unbeaten run of games under interim manager Guus Hiddink to nine in all competitions.

Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes was the game’s stand-out player, producing several second-half saves to restrict Chelsea to a rise in the table of just one place to 13th.

Hiddink spoke out in defence of Diego Costa after the Chelsea striker was booked for a clash with Juan Carlos Paredes late in the first half, having earlier shoved Sebastian Prodl to the ground. “It was clear and in front of our eyes – Costa was punched in the back and then he stumbled and brought his hands to his head,” said the Dutchman.

“I was trying to protect my player because he was provoked. This league is physical, when you see our central defenders and our opponents’ central defenders. He (Costa) likes to go physical, but he must do within the rules. Some times players get physical and he has to get used to that.”

The result left Quique Sanchez Flores’ Watford four points above Chelsea in ninth.

After a watchful start from both sides, Watford began to assert themselves midway through the first half, with Ighalo squandering a couple of chances and Etienne Capoue forcing Thibaut Courtois to save at his near post.

Diego Costa threatened for Chelsea in the 32nd minute, spinning Craig Cathcart and lashing a left-foot shot across goal, while Oscar shot narrowly wide from Costa’s pass 10 minutes into the second half.

BARKLEY ‘PHENOMENAL’

Chelsea looked the team more likely to score as the game wore on, but Gomes parried from Oscar and Branislav Ivanovic, who had been teed up by substitute Eden Hazard.

Gomes saved his best for last, leaping to his right in the 88th minute to claw a header from Costa away from beneath the crossbar.

Chelsea are now unbeaten in eight league games since the sacking of Jose Mourinho. They host Manchester United on Sunday.

The day’s other game saw Everton snap a run of five league matches without victory by beating relegation-threatened Newcastle United 3-0 at Goodison Park.

Aaron Lennon opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, gathering Tom Cleverley’s pass from the left and drilling a low shot into the bottom corner.

Ross Barkley sealed victory with a pair of late penalties, the first after Rolando Aarons tripped Lennon, the second – a stoppage-time ‘Panenka’ – after Jamaal Lascelles had been sent off for bringing him down.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez described Barkley, who was playing his 100th league game at the age of 22, as a “phenomenal footballer” and a “phenomenal person”. “He took responsibility with both penalties and showed how he is an assured, technical footballer,” the Spaniard added.

Martinez’s men climb one place to 11th, while Newcastle, who handed a debut to £12 million new signing Andros Townsend, remain in the relegation zone. “It’s not acceptable,” said Newcastle manager Steve McClaren. “We have to put this one behind us and move on.”

Source AFP

Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter will attend his Feb 16 appeal hearing against an eight-year ban from football, his spokesman confirmed on Friday (Feb 5).

Blatter’s appeal will be heard by FIFA’s appeals commission just 10 days before the extraordinary congress in Zurich on February 26 when a vote will be held to appoint a new president of world football’s governing body.

Blatter’s hearing is scheduled 24 hours after that of fallen UEFA president Michel Platini, who is also appealing against his eight-year suspension.

Asked by AFP whether Blatter, 79, would attend the hearing in person, spokesman Klaus Stoehlker responded: “I confirm.”

Both Blatter and Platini were banned for eight years on December 21 over a two million Swiss franc (US$2 million/€1.8 million) payment that Blatter authorised for Platini in 2011 for work done a decade earlier.

FIFA’s ethics committee said it would appeal against the sentence saying it is too lenient.

Anti-corruption investigators had originally sought a life ban from all football activity against Blatter and Platini.

Depending on the FIFA judges’ verdict, both men could take their respective cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, the highest tribunal in sports.

Blatter, who has headed FIFA since 1998, has spoken of his wish to preside at the upcoming presidential election, in which Platini was seen as the favourite to succeed the Swiss before the scandal erupted.

Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter will attend his Feb 16 appeal hearing against an eight-year ban from football, his spokesman confirmed on Friday (Feb 5).

Blatter’s appeal will be heard by FIFA’s appeals commission just 10 days before the extraordinary congress in Zurich on February 26 when a vote will be held to appoint a new president of world football’s governing body.

Blatter’s hearing is scheduled 24 hours after that of fallen UEFA president Michel Platini, who is also appealing against his eight-year suspension.

Asked by AFP whether Blatter, 79, would attend the hearing in person, spokesman Klaus Stoehlker responded: “I confirm.”

Both Blatter and Platini were banned for eight years on December 21 over a two million Swiss franc (US$2 million/€1.8 million) payment that Blatter authorised for Platini in 2011 for work done a decade earlier.

FIFA’s ethics committee said it would appeal against the sentence saying it is too lenient.

Anti-corruption investigators had originally sought a life ban from all football activity against Blatter and Platini.

Depending on the FIFA judges’ verdict, both men could take their respective cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, the highest tribunal in sports.

Blatter, who has headed FIFA since 1998, has spoken of his wish to preside at the upcoming presidential election, in which Platini was seen as the favourite to succeed the Swiss before the scandal erupted.

Source AFP

Robert Lewandowski netted twice on Sunday (Feb 14) to overtake Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as the Bundesliga’s top scorer as leaders Bayern Munich won 3-1 at Augsburg.

Poland striker Lewandowski netted either side of half-time with Thomas Mueller securing the points for the Bundesliga leaders before Raul Bobadilla pulled a goal back for Augsburg late on.

Lewandowski now has 21 goals to his name this season, one more than Borussia Dortmund striker Aubameyang on 20. He has now scored eight of Bayern’s last nine goals and has netted 31 times in all competitions.

Playing in front of Thiago Alcantara and Mueller, he showed clinical finishing on 15 minutes to open the scoring and calmly curled in his second on 62 minutes by converting Thiago’s pass.

Mueller added the third on 78 minutes for his 15th league goal of the season, leaving him and Lewandowski with 36 goals between them in Germany’s top flight this season.

Despite Bobadilla’s late consolation, Bayern are eight points clear of Dortmund at the top of the table. The win was a big boost for Bayern coach Pep Guardiola after he lost yet another defender on the eve of the Bavarian derby when Holger Badstuber fractured his ankle in training.

With Jerome Boateng, Medhi Benatia and Javi Martinez sidelined, it left Guardiola without a single fit centre-back as Badstuber underwent surgery on Saturday.

He misses the rest of the season after suffering his fourth major injury since 2012 including twice tearing his cruciate knee ligament. “We have had a lot of injuries this season, but we all love Holger and it is incredible what has happened to him,” said Guardiola.

The Spaniard, like the rest of the squad before the game, wore a t-shirt with a direct message to Badstuber: “We’re with you – you’ll manage it again (to come back)”. “We’ll support him on his way back to fitness,” said Guardiola solemnly.

He fielded a back four of Juan Bernat, David Alaba, Philipp Lahm and Joshua Kimmich – all of whom are under 1.80 metres.

HAMBURG PULL CLEAR

Earlier, Hamburg pulled clear of the relegation battle with a shock 3-2 comeback win at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach to end their six-game winless streak.

US international Fabian Johnson gave the visitors an early lead before Gladbach defender Martin Hinteregger stabbed the ball into his own net from a corner on 38 minutes to equalise for Hamburg.

And just three minutes later, Artjoms Rudnevs finished a Hamburg counter-attack to make it 2-1 at the break.

Midfielder Ivo Ilicevic extended Hamburg’s lead when he headed home from a corner with 10 minutes to go.

Brazilian striker Raffael gave Gladbach brief hope by making it 3-2 on 88 minutes.

On Saturday, Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s second-half goal sealed second-placed Dortmund’s 1-0 win over bottom side Hanover 96.

Aubameyang, who had a leg knock, missed his first league match of the season for Dortmund.

Wolfsburg warmed up for Wednesday’s Champions League last 16, first leg at Gent with a 2-0 win at home to Ingolstadt, their first victory since knocking Manchester United out of the Champions League in December.

Wolfsburg won for the first time in six games but stay eighth after first-half goals by Germany midfielder Julian Draxler and defender Robin Knoche.

Bayer Leverkusen moved up to third with a 2-1 comeback win at Darmstadt.

On a heavy pitch, Sandro Wagner stabbed home to give Darmstadt an early lead, but Leverkusen drew level when Darmstadt defender Aytac Sulu headed into his own net on 62 minutes.

Julian Brandt started the move he finished by tapping in Leverkusen’s winner on 77 minutes.

VfB Stuttgart’s impressive form continued as they picked up their fifth straight league win to go 10th, beating Hertha Berlin 2-0.

Ivory Coast’s Serey Die and winger Filip Kostic scored Stuttgart’s goals as Hertha drop to fourth.

The youngest manager in Bundesliga history made his debut when Julian Nagelsmann, 28, was on Hoffenheim’s bench for their 1-1 draw at Werder Bremen in a basement battle.

Nagelsmann took over after predecessor Huub Stevens resigned on Wednesday due to heart problems. The result leaves both teams in the bottom three.

Eintracht Frankfurt remain just above the relegation places after their 3-1 defeat at Cologne.

Source AFP

Sporting earrings, shades and posing for selfies with devoted fans, Brazilian superstar Neymar’s swagger was better suited to the red carpet than a grilling from Spain’s highest court on the growing scandal of how his transfer from Santos to Barcelona came about in 2013.

Neymar endured the toughest 90 minutes of his season as he and his father were interrogated by a judge on Tuesday over their role in the complicated web of contracts that sealed the transfer after a complaint of fraud and corruption by Brazilian investment fund DIS.

His biggest legal battle may yet come back at home, though, as Brazilian prosecutors have also filed tax fraud and forgery allegations.

Yet, Brazil’s golden boy, who is expected to captain his country on home soil at the Rio Olympics later this year, remains one of sport’s most marketable assets according to industry experts.

Major sponsors have flocked to the 23-year-old’s door for his good looks, happy-go-lucky nature and silky skills with Nike, Gillette, Panasonic and Volkswagen among Neymar’s big name brands.

“Neymar’s legal problems could affect his image in one way or another, but not to the point of breaking contracts or losing sponsors,” Erich Beting, director of Maquina do Esporte and an expert in football marketing in Brazil, told AFP.

“Neymar has had a teflon-like ability since the beginning of his career.”

The $17 million dollars he raked in from sponsors outweighed the $14 million he made from Barca in 2015, according to Forbes magazine, drawing comparisons with David Beckham.

“He is someone that everyone knows, from the 70-year-old grandmother to the five-year-old grandson,” continues Beting.

“When you reach the status where people want to be like you, that makes you priceless for brands and that is what he has managed.”

Neymar’s deeply religious and family orientated values are also a magnet for sponsors.

His four-year-old son Davi Lucca is often seen with his father at the Camp Nou on matchdays, whilst he has a giant tattoo of his sister Rafaella’s face on his right arm.

However, it is his father and agent, Neymar Sr, a former mechanic, who has drawn the attention of judicial authorities in Spain and Brazil, as well as accusations he has hijacked his son’s success for his own financial gain.

“My father is doing everything to ensure that I can just focus on playing football. He handles the books, but in the moment when you see someone you love suffering, it starts to hurt,” Neymar told Brazilian TV station Globo on Sunday.

NEYMAR’S FUTURE

Most importantly, it is his performances on the field that have kept Neymar’s earning potential bulletproof in the face of fiscal problems.

In 2015 he enjoyed by a distance his best year since moving to Europe as Barca won five trophies with Neymar matching Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as top scorer in the Champions League.

Messi and Ronaldo have dominated as the kings of world football for the past decade, but Neymar’s ascension as the heir to their throne was confirmed as he featured on the podium behind them at the Ballon d’Or gala to crown the world’s best player in January.

At Barcelona he has not only formed one of the deadliest strike forces the world has ever seen with Messi and Luis Suarez, but the three have bonded in a manner rarely seen in ego-driven dressing rooms at top clubs.

Neymar habitually speaks of the more soft-spoken Messi as his “idol” and stressed he is happy with his current surroundings in the Catalan capital.

Yet, his refusal to sign a new contract with Barca – which expires in 2018 – and significantly raise his 190-million-euro ($207 million) buyout clause has the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United on alert.

Indeed, Neymar Sr has sought tax and judicial reassurances from the hierarchy at the Camp Nou before considering committing his future to Barcelona.

“Living at a club like Barca can be hell, but Neymar has shown his ability to handle the fame and excess,” Ramon Miravitllas, writer of the book ‘The Political Function of Barca’, told AFP.

Ensuring his future remains at the Camp Nou won’t come cheap for the European champions.

Source AFP