The Uruguayan forward believes his success in Spain speaks for itself.

Photo by Getty Images

Luis Suarez believes that he has proven himself worthy of Barcelona‘s No. 9 shirt while also discussing the pressure and criticism that comes with being the club’s star forward.

Suarez joined Barcelona from Liverpool in 2014 after scoring 82 goals in 133 games during his stay at Anfield.

Since, he’s gone on to make 245 appearances for the La Liga powerhouse, scoring 177 times while winning La Liga three times, a Champions Leaguetrophy and four Copa del Reys.

That scoring tally has him fifth on Barcelona’s all-time list, behind only Lionel Messi, Cesar, Laszlo Kubala and Josep Samitier, while he sits third all-time on their La Liga scoring chart.

And Suarez says that success has exceeded even his own expectations.

“I have won a lot of trophies — maybe more than I would have expected — but it goes with the territory when playing for this club,” he told the Daily Mail.

“And Barcelona’s third highest scorer in La Liga – imagine that, with all the great players that have passed through this club.

“I think I have produced the goods. I think I have been worthy of this club’s No 9 shirt.”

Still, there has been criticism, especailly when it comes to the Champions League.

Suarez has not scored Champions League goal since 2015 as his side prepares to take on former club Liverpool in the semi-final round.

That criticism hasn’t been a detriment, Suarez says, and his perceived struggles, in his eyes, are just that: perceived.

“That doesn’t keep me awake at night,” he said. “I know I’m the only player in Europe who has been able to get anywhere near Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo in the race for the Golden Shoe in the last five years. And twice I won it.”

He added: “They say everything. I laugh at it. You have to learn how to live with the criticism. Here, you go a couple of bad games and it’s: ‘Oh, a bad run’. They are the demands here.”

Suarez and Barcelona, who can lock up another La Liga title this weekend, host Liverpool on Wednesday in the first leg of their semi-final match.

Source – Goal.com

Paris St-Germain forward Neymar has been banned by Uefa for three European games for insulting match officials on Instagram after the Champions League last-16 defeat by Manchester United.

Injured Neymar watched the Manchester United game from the stands

The Brazilian called referee Damir Skomina’s late penalty decision made using the video assistant referee system, a “disgrace” on social media.

Neymar, who was injured, watched United overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit.

He will now miss half of next season’s Champions League group stage.

Neymar said the penalty, which was scored by Marcus Rashford, “doesn’t exist”.

And the 27-year-old then went on to add: “It’s a disgrace. Four guys who know nothing about football watch a slow-motion replay in front of the television.”

The referee reviewed footage of the ball striking the hand of PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe before awarding the visitors an injury-time penalty that gave them a 3-1 win in the second leg on 6 March, enabling them to progress on the away goals rule.

“What can he do with his hand while his back is turned?” asked Neymar, who missed both legs with a broken metatarsal.

Neymar returned to action after a three-month injury absence as a half-time substitute as PSG celebrated winning Ligue 1 by beating Monaco on Sunday.

Source – BBC News

The Liverpool duo both scored twice as Huddersfield were battered 5-0 at Anfield on Friday evening.

Photo by: Oli Scarff

It’s not just the title race which is going down to the wire.

The battle for the Premier League Golden Boot is hotting up too. And as with the big prize, Liverpool are looking to land it.

Heading back to the top of the table, for 48 hours at least, the Reds had far, far too much for Huddersfield here, administering a 5-0 thrashing that, had it been a boxing match, would have been waved off inside 20 minutes.

Or 20 seconds, maybe.

Naby Keita’s goal, timed at just 15 seconds, set Jurgen Klopp’s side on their way. After that, it was down to the familiar faces to have their fun.

Sadio Mane headed home a second midway through the half, a goal which took him level with Mohamed Salah, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sergio Aguero at the top of the Premier League scoring charts.

Not to be outdone, Salah got in on the act before half-time, his assured lob taking him to 20 in the league for the second campaign in a row. Not since Luis Suarez in 2014 has a Liverpool player managed that particular feat.

Liverpool had two players on 20 or more that season, and they can boast the same this time around too as Mane headed home his second of the night from a Jordan Henderson cross on 66 minutes. He should have had another soon after, too, only this time he headed against the post from close range.

That could prove costly in the race for the Golden Boot, as Salah regained top spot soon after, converting another Andy Robertson assist in front of the Kop. The Scot now has 11 league assists for the season, tying a Premier League record for a defender. If there’s a better left back around right now, he’s well hidden.

For Liverpool, the simplicity of this win was remarkable. They didn’t even play particularly well in the first half, but they walked through the evening. They got five and could have had more. With a Champions League trip to Barcelona on the horizon, it was the perfect scenario. They could manage their fitness, in-game.

Klopp left Roberto Firmino, his third attacking musketeer, out of this one, the Brazilian having complained of a muscle injury after training on Thursday. Firmino’s absence afforded Daniel Sturridge a rare – and perhaps farewell? – Anfield appearance. He couldn’t mark it with a goal.

They were able, too, to give Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain his first competitive minutes since the knee injury he suffered against Roma, a year and two days ago. The England midfielder got the loudest cheer of the night as he replaced Sturridge for the last 17 minutes. Had Jonas Lossl not been in party-pooping mode, he would have marked his return with a goal, too.

Huddersfield arrived having taken just four points of the last 69 available. Their plan, you suspect, was to stay compact, to frustrate, to keep it tight and see where it took them.

You can imagine the shouts as Jan Siewert’s men left the dressing room.

“First 10, eh? Nothing silly.”

In fairness, they held out for the first 10.

Seconds.

But then Jon Gorenc Stankovic attempted a lazy pass across his own box and found Salah. Not advisable.

Salah found Naby Keita who, via the inside of the far post, found the net. Timed at 15 seconds, it was the quickest goal Liverpool have scored in the Premier League, the second-fastest in the club’s history. Only Paul Walsh, who found the net after just 14 seconds against West Ham in August 1984, can better it.

Game over? It certainly felt that way, although Huddersfield did at least rally after the setback. Well, they forced a few corners. Liverpool, in second gear at best, buried them by half-time, and cruised through the second period.

Focus will now turn to Sunday, and Manchester City’s trip to Burnley. Liverpool have done all they can do for another week. Their deadly duo have them top of the league, and are fighting it out among themselves for the personal prize.

Source – Goal.com

The European Club Association has called a Special General Assembly in June for talks over European club competitions beyond 2024.

Long-term future of the Champions League and other European competitions will be discussed in June

Topics up for discussion will include a pyramid-based pan-European League system, enhancement of movement between any league through promotion and relegation, and the use of a platform based on “sporting meritocracy not historical privilege”.

The ECA said in their agenda that their plans for the longer term would see any leagues become open to all – one of their fundamental principles stating that any changes would be “keeping the dream alive” for clubs.

A statement from the ECA read: “This very early stage in the process is the right time to engage with ECA Member Clubs directly, in an open and constructive manner, to share ideas that are being discussed and the overall vision that is being considered and elaborated, and to receive feedback.

“This meeting fits into the board’s clear intent to maintain a process around UEFA Club Competitions post 2024 which is undertaken in a transparent, direct and engaged manner.

“The shape of the competitions is now determined for 2021-2024 including the refining of the Europa League from 48 to 32 teams and the addition of a third competition to expand the number of participating teams.

ECA chief Andrea Agnelli says promotion and relegation in European competitions ‘might be logical’

“The ECA meeting in June will provide the opportunity for ECA Member Clubs to debate and share views on principles which are fundamental to the future of European Football beyond 2024, and around which ECA will seek to work with UEFA to continue to evolve the Club Competitions.”

ECA chairman Andrea Agnelli previously said promotion and relegation across European competition “might be logical” but the Premier League’s 20 clubs have vowed to “vigorously defend” the English domestic game amid reports that Champions League games could be moved to weekend slots.

“All clubs unanimously agreed it is inappropriate for European football bodies to create plans that would alter the structures, calendar and competitiveness of the domestic game and will work together to protect the Premier League,” a Premier League statement earlier this month read.

“In England, football plays an important role in our culture and everyday life. Millions of fans attend matches across the country, with allegiances and local rivalries often passed down through generations. We have a fantastic combination of competitive football and committed fans that we will vigorously defend.”

UEFA chief executive Aleksander Ceferin said earlier this month that more detail on long-term competition structure would take time to discuss with key stakeholders and that talk of weekend Champions League football was wide of the mark.

Source – Sky Sports

Liverpool won the FA Youth Cup final for the first time in 12 years with a penalty shootout victory over Manchester City.

Liverpool needed a shootout to beat Manchester City in the FA Youth Cup final. Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images

The Reds were heading for a 1-0 defeat at City’s Academy Stadium with just four minutes of normal time remaining when Bobby Duncan, the cousin of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, equalised.

The 18-year-old, who left City’s Academy for Merseyside last year, hit a swerving 25-yard strike that deceived City goalkeeper Louis Moulden and slipped through his fingers.

Both sides pushed for a winner but with no more goals in extra-time, the game headed to a shootout and City youngster Cole Palmer was the only player to miss, striking his spot kick against the bar.

With first team boss Pep Guardiola watching from the stands, City were the better side in the first half of a youthful version of the rivalry between the two clubs, who are battling for the Premier League title.

City had lost the final in three of the past four years but were ahead just before half-time when a cross from former Barcelona winger Adrian Bernabe was turned in at the nearpost by Nabil Touaizi.

But Liverpool fought back in the second half deserved their equaliser from Duncan and it was his strike partner Paul Glatzel that hit the winning penalty to secure a 5-3 shootout victory.

Source – ESPN

The former Albiceleste boss believes the Barcelona forward is unable to replicate his club form with his country because too much is demanded of him.

Photo by: Pierre-Philippe Marcou

Lionel Messi “suffers a lot” with Argentina because society in the Barcelonastar’s homeland “enjoys destroying things more than it enjoys success”, says Jorge Sampaoli.

Throughout his distinguished career, an all-time great has faced questions over his contribution at international level.

He has taken in 129 appearances for his country and recorded 65 goals, but is still waiting on a first senior honour.

Final heartache has been suffered at the World Cup and Copa America, with Messi unable to provide the required level of inspiration to drag others over the line.

Criticism has come his way as a result, with the 31-year-old conceding that some countrymen want to “kill” him, but Sampaoli believes expectations are far too high.

A coach who failed to end Messi’s barren run on the trophy front at the 2018 World Cup told a conference in Brazil when asked about a mercurial talent: “I coached the best player in the world, I don’t [know] if he’s the best in history, because he now has more than 600 goals in Europe, he’s broken all the records, but he arrives in his country and he’s criticised.

“Beyond his ability, he’s a human being, Argentinians struggle to enjoy Messi as Barcelona fans enjoy him.

“The boy suffers a lot, from what I’ve gone through, he suffers that reality a lot.

“He cannot show the world all that he is when plays for Argentina.

“[Argentine] society enjoys destroying things much more than it enjoys success.”

The Albiceleste were not expected to challenge for global honours on Russian soil last summer but disappointed before falling at the last-16 stage to eventual winners France.

Sampaoli was sacked on the back of another frustrating showing at a major tournament, with Lionel Scaloni having since taken the reins.

A former Chile and Sevilla boss is now back in club management at Santos and claims he was always destined to fail when taking charge of his demanding homeland.

Sampaoli said of his time with Argentina: “Being the coach of a South American national team is almost impossible because the best players in our teams are in Europe and we cannot speak to them for the necessary amount of time.

“We only have them for very little time to instil the values that we want and our playing philosophy.”

Messi took a break from international duty after the 2018 World Cup.

He made a brief return during the March internationals, before picking up a knock in a 3-1 defeat to Venezuela, but will be back for another shot at Copa America glory in Brazil this summer.

Source – Goal.com

The injury-prone megastar has not represented value for money since his shock €222 million move from Spain to France two years ago.

“Today the investment that we did is long-term and I am sure in two years, three years maximum, everyone will say ‘look at Paris Saint-Germain, they did a fantastic job’.”

Those were the words of Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi to The Telegraph after the world record signing of Brazilian superstar Neymar from Barcelona.

The €222 million spent by PSG to sign Neymar in 2017 is still the biggest transfer fee ever paid by a club and, at the time, more than doubled the most spent on a footballer.

It was a decision that came about because PSG’s owners, Qatar Sports Investment (QSI), needed to make a statement at the end of the 2016-17 season. The club had just lost the Ligue 1 title to Monaco and had suffered a humiliating capitulation to Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16.

Despite PSG thrashing Barca 4-0 in Paris in the first leg, Neymar sparked an incredible comeback in the return at Camp Nou. He scored in the 88th and 91stminute before Sergi Roberto’s strike on 95 minutes condemned PSG to a remarkable 6-1 loss on the night (6-5 on aggregate).

It was decided that the Samba icon was the man to inspire PSG to glory in the Champions League, the one trophy QSI are obsessed with winning.

The world record transfer fee was sanctioned by the Qataris to bring Neymar to Paris and also a clever loan and buy option (€180m) was arranged to secure another future superstar in Kylian Mbappe from Monaco.

Fast forward two years to the present and Mbappe celebrated PSG’s second consecutive Ligue 1 title on Sunday with a hat-trick against Monaco. He now has 30 Ligue 1 goals this season in 27 games, second only to Lionel Messi in Europe. Neymar, meanwhile, came on as a substitute in the second half to play his first match since breaking his foot in January.

Once again Neymar, who was signed to be PSG’s main man, was cast into a supporting role with his younger teammate Mbappe doing the heavy lifting on the score sheet.

The concern for PSG is that too often Neymar isn’t even able to be part of the first team because of a wide range of fitness issues that have plagued him since moving to Paris.

It was only Neymar’s 14th league appearance of the season. He has been absent for 17 of PSG’s last 19 Ligue 1 matches because of the aforementioned foot injury and adductor issues – also missing both legs of the club’s extraordinary Champions League round-of-16 defeat to Manchester United.

While it was initially suggested by some critics that PSG profited from Neymar’s absence in the counter-attacking 2-0 victory at Old Trafford, there was no doubt he could have made a vital difference as they squandered chance after chance in the home leg before eventually losing to the Red Devils on away goals.

What makes the situation even more worrying for PSG is that it was the same story last season with Neymar’s injury problems causing him to miss significant amounts of football.

Even though PSG won the title back from Monaco in 2017-18, Neymar only played 20 league matches as a metatarsal injury caused him to miss the last three months of the campaign – which also included the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 exit to eventual winners Real Madrid.

In total, since joining the club, Neymar has missed 50 of PSG’s 105 competitive matches for a variety of reasons including injury, suspension and being rested.

It must be said that when fit enough to take to the field, Neymar has performed at an extraordinary level, scoring 48 goals and getting 27 assists in his 54 games as a PSG player – winning two Ligue 1 titles and both domestic cups last season.

But Neymar wasn’t signed as a player to bring domestic glory to a club that had won four of the last five league championships before his arrival. Indeed, Al-Khelaifi said as much at the player’s unveiling as a PSG player.

“Today, with the arrival of Neymar Jr, I am convinced that we will come even closer, with the support of our faithful fans, to realizing our greatest dreams,” Al-Khelaifi said .

Every European club dreams of winning the Champions League and PSG are no nearer to lifting the famed trophy since Neymar made the jump.

The sheer enormity of Neymar’s transfer fee means he will be judged on his performances in PSG’s biggest matches – just like Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventusand Paul Pogba at Manchester United.

Al-Khelaifi believed he was getting value for money when he presented the player to the world :  “Today, it might seem expensive. But in two years’ time it might not anymore.”

So far that has proved to be a doomed prophecy.

Source – Goal.com

Man City and Liverpool stars dominate the top-flight selection, with Manchester United also having one representative in the XI.

Photo by: Getty

Paul Pogba has joined Virgil van Dijk and Raheem Sterling in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, with the Manchester United midfielder the only non-Liverpool or Manchester City player to be included in a star-studded XI.

The World Cup winner has faced questions over his consistency during the 2018-19 season, but the Frenchman has done enough to impress his peers with 13 goals and nine assists.

He is picked alongside City pair Fernandinho and Bernardo Silva in the midfield of the latest English top-flight selection.

Silva and his team-mates inflicted derby pain on United and Pogba in their most recent outing on Wednesday night, with Pep Guardiola’s side taking another positive step towards the defence of the record-breaking title they secured last season.

England winger Sterling has starred for the Blues in that quest, with a 17-goal return seeing him become a key man for club and country.

He is a leading contender for the individual PFA Player of the Year prize alongside Liverpool defender Van Dijk.

The Dutchman, who was taken to Anfield in a £75 million ($97m) deal back in January 2018, has been a revelation on Merseyside.

His performances are considered to have contributed significantly to Jurgen Klopp’s side being in contention for a first league crown in 29 years with just three more fixtures to take in.

The Netherlands international is partnered at the heart of the PFA team’s defence by City star Aymeric Laporte.

Liverpool also fill the two full-back berths, with Andy Robertson on the left and Trent Alexander-Arnold lining up on the right.

Behind them, Ederson gets the nod over fellow Brazilian Alisson despite the City goalkeeper boasting fewer clean sheets than his fellow countryman at Anfield.

The remaining attacking berths are also split between star players from Merseyside and Manchester.

Sterling, who is predominantly used on the left by Guardiola, is included on the opposite flank in the PFA selection.

That is because Sadio Mane lines up in his favoured position.

The Liverpool forward has been a go-to man for the Reds at times this season, registering a personal best 18 Premier League goals.

That return has him just one behind Sergio Aguero in the race for the Golden Boot.

City’s star striker leads the line for the PFA side, with the Argentine edging out the likes of Mohamed Salah and Arsenal frontman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Chelsea talisman Eden Hazard is among the other notable absentees, with the Belgian overlooked despite recording 16 goals and claiming 13 assists, with him also making the six-man shortlist for the Player of the Year award.

Source – Goal.com

MANCHESTER, England — Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted Manchester United’s place in the Premier League’s big six will be under threat if their slide from the top of English football does not stop soon.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer leaves the pitch after losing to Manchester City. Getty Images

United lost for the seventh time in nine games after Manchester City took a significant step towards retaining their title with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford.

It left Solskjaer’s side 24 points behind their rivals and the Norwegian admitted there is a danger they could be overtaken by the likes of Wolves, Leicester and Everton in the coming years if the right decisions are not made off the pitch.

“We can’t linger along many years because the Premier League is so competitive you’ll suddenly be caught up,” Solskjaer told a news conference.

“I’m concerned about lack of results and in times like this it’s not time to point fingers at anyone. We have got to stick together and the strange reality is we’re in a shout for top four.”

Roy Keane, working as a pundit on Sky Sports, criticised United’s current squad for throwing former manager Jose Mourinho “under the bus” and suggested they would do the same to his former teammate Solskjaer.

In response, the United manager insisted he had seen the right reaction from his players after the embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Everton but ensured Keane there would be changes at Old Trafford over the summer,

“With Roy I’ve always had a great relationship with him and I value his opinion very highly,” said Solskjaer. “He’s got his opinion, we played together for many years, he’s a Man United guy, he hurts just as much as anyone else connected that we’re so far behind City.

“It’s my job that when we come back to preseason that I have the right characters in and around. When you’re at Man United the spotlight will be on you and you’ve got to make sure you come into work every single day with the effort like today. That’s your duty.”

In the short-term, United, who have not kept a clean sheet for 12 games or scored from open play for nearly nine hours, have three games to book a place in the top four — a race that is still wide open after Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat to Wolves.

Despite the miserable run of form, they are still just three points behind Chelsea in fourth and face Maurizio Sarri’s side at Old Trafford on Sunday.

“We’re three games away from end of the season, three points behind top four and no one would have given us a chance a few months ago,” said Solskjaer.

“We want to get into the top four. We’re not thinking or planning on Thursday nights [in the Europa League]. We’ll have to see on May 12 when it’s done.”

Striker Marcus Rashford was harsher on himself and his teammates, saying after the match they all failed to respect the shirt.

“Today we didn’t play like Manchester United. It’s not right. The bare minimum is to work hard and give all for the badge, the supporters, the club and yourself,” Rashford said.

“It has been a tough road to get to where we are, to get there and not be putting up the same performances as we were in January is disappointing.

“We know what’s been going wrong, it’s mentality and willingness to run for your team. Forget the league and top four, you don’t lose this game. It’s that simple as a Manchester United fan. We [the players] never call each other out but we have to be real with each other.”

Defeat left United in sixth spot, three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who they face this weekend.

“Forget the top four and the Champions League. We have to get to the bottom of it and start playing like Manchester United for ourselves,” Rashford said.

Source – ESPN

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich beat Werder Bremen 3-2 with two goals from Robert Lewandowski on Wednesday to advance to the German Cup final for the second straight year and keep the domestic league and cup double firmly in their sights.

The Bavarians, who also beat Werder in the league last week, will now face RB Leipzig in the final on May 25. Bayern had lost last year’s final to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Werder scored twice in two minutes to come back from two goals down to level at 2-2 before Lewandowski hit an 80th minute penalty to secure victory for Bayern, who are chasing a record-extending 19th cup victory.

Robert Lewandowski netted a brace as Bayern Munich saw off Werder Bremen on Wednesday

The Polish striker scored a second-half penalty to put Bayern into the German Cup final

‘We knew it would be tough. We had the penalty but we also had the chances. We deserved to go through,’ said Bayern’s Niko Kovac, who can become the first coach to win the German Cup in consecutive years with different teams.

‘We were caught napping in those two minutes and suddenly Bremen are level,’ said Kovac, who won the Cup with Frankfurt last year. ‘The penalty may have been a bit lucky but overall we fully deserved the win.’

Bayern opened their account with the Bundesliga’s leading scorer –Lewandowski — who stabbed in from close range after a looping header from Thomas Mueller had bounced off the post in the 36th minute.

Milot Rashica celebrates scoring the equaliser as Bremen staged a second-half comeback

It wasn’t enough as Bayern will face Leipzig in the final to keep domestic double hopes alive

The hosts had their share of chances but it was Bayern who scored again with Mueller in the 63rd.

Werder, however, fought back through Yuya Osako in the 74th minute and Milot Rashica in the 75th.

Lewandowski, however, silenced the home crowd with his spot kick, which was awarded for a foul on Kingsley Coman by Theodor Gebre Selassie that left the Bremen players furious with the decision.

The Poland forward should have had a hat-trick but he hit the post from a metre out in stoppage time.

Source – Daily Mail