Luis Suarez scored twice as Barcelona won at Real Madrid in a smash-and-grab El Clasico to reach a sixth consecutive Copa del Rey final.

Luis Suarez is Barcelona’s third top El Clasico scorer with 11 goals – behind Lionel Messi (26) and Cesar Rodríguez (14)

Real dominated with 14 shots to Barca’s four but the visitors were clinical when it mattered.

Suarez smashed home Ousmane Dembele’s cross before Raphael Varane’s own goal put Barca in control.

An audacious chipped penalty from Suarez after he was fouled by Casemiro put the game beyond any doubt.

Both sides – who had drawn the first leg 1-1 – meet again at the Bernabeu on Saturday in La Liga.

The Copa del Rey final takes place on 25 May, when Barcelona will face either Real Betis or Valencia, with that tie to be settled on Thursday after the first leg finished 2-2.

Clinical Barca leave Real reeling

Suarez scored a hat-trick as Barca hammered Real Madrid 5-1 in El Clasico back in October, a result which cost Julen Lopetegui his job.

While this was another thrashing, the scoreline was not an indication of how the game went.

Ernesto Valverde’s side rode their luck at the Bernabeu to reach the final again as they look to win an unprecedented fifth successive Copa del Rey.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen made several fine stops to keep out Real before Barca scored with their first shot on target.

Suarez netted his 10th Clasico goal as he blasted home from 14 yards and he was involved in their second as Varane put Dembele’s cross into his own net in a desperate bid to stop the ball reaching the Uruguayan.

And Suarez scored again – with a Panenka penalty, a technique associated with Real captain Sergio Ramos this season – after he had won the spot-kick himself.

It was a relatively quiet night for Lionel Messi, who had scored a hat-trick in Saturday’s 4-2 win over Sevilla.

Now over to Saturday’s Clasico back in Madrid, with Barcelona looking to expand their seven-point lead at the top over Atletico Madrid.

Frustrating night for Real

Raphael Varane tried to stop a cross reaching Luis Suarez and put it past his own keeper

Real Madrid knew a goalless draw would take them to a first Copa del Rey final since 2013-14 because of their away goal in the 1-1 first-leg draw at the Nou Camp.

But they played like the team who wanted to score, with teenager Vinicius Jr in explosive form, especially in the first half.

The Brazilian, who has been one of his team’s stars under Santiago Solari, caused defender Semedo numerous problems and had five of the seven shots in the first half – as well as a strong penalty appeal turned down.

His best chance came when Ter Stegen denied him from close range, while he also lashed over twice from inside the box.

Real continued to push after Suarez’s opener as they searched for the goal which would force extra-time.

Another youngster, left-back Sergio Reguilon, had their best chance with a wonderful diving header which Ter Stegen expertly saved. The other full-back, Dani Carvajal, also had a fierce drive saved by the keeper.

Gareth Bale came on moments before Varane’s own goal which killed the tie and rarely had a chance as the flow of the game had changed in Barca’s favour.

Now Solari faces a big test to lift his players for the repeat fixture on Saturday evening (19:45 GMT).

Defeat in that would see Real – who have already lost seven La Liga games this season – slip 12 points behind the champions. But there is no suggestion Solari’s job is under threat, with Madrid having won eight of their previous 10 games in all competitions.

Source – BBC News

Roberto Firmino may have been missing but the Reds rediscovered their goalscoring touch in a thumping 5-0 win over Watford at Anfield.

Photo by: Getty Images

Nerves? What nerves?

If Liverpool are feeling the pressure of leading the Premier League as Spring looms into view, it didn’t show here.

Underwhelming at Old Trafford on Sunday, Jurgen Klopp’s side were inspired at Anfield three days later. If a reaction was required, Klopp got precisely the one he craved. “It was exactly the game we wanted,” the Reds boss admitted afterwards.

Watford, who arrived as a team in form, were simply swept away as Liverpool, to the delight of their supporters, rediscovered the attacking spark which makes them one of the most dangerous sides around.

“A pure opportunity,” Klopp had called this on Tuesday, urging his players to “use it on the front foot” if they could.

They could. Gone was the lethargy, sloppiness and indecision which had infected their performance against Manchester United. Instead, we got the archetypal Klopp team; energetic, forward-thinking, deadly.

They looked, dare we say, like a team with the title in their sights, one which believes it can win it. Their dominance was total, their 5-0 victory could have been even more convincing.

Ben Foster, the Watford goalkeeper, summed it up as he walked through the Anfield mixed zone. “That,” he grimaced, “was no fun at all!”

The transformation from last weekend was remarkable, and nowhere was it more evident than in the performance of Liverpool’s No.10.

Sadio Mane had been abject on Sunday, but he came to the party in a big way here. Pressed into action as a central striker in the absence of Roberto Firmino, the Senegalese star delivered for his manager, who got all of his big selection calls spot on. This was a good night for the manager, as well as his players.

Mane’s two first-half goals – both wonderfully taken, one with his head and one with a sublime backheel – settled any residual nerves among the home fans. His performance – aggressive, confident, direct – was that of a man with a point to prove.

Prove it he did. He has six goals in his last seven appearances now, Mane, and 15 for the season. With 14 league strikes, this is now his most productive Premier League scoring campaign, and it isn’t finished yet.

Anfield was appreciative of his efforts. The standing ovation he got when replaced late on by Adam Lallana was richly deserved.

He was ably assisted though. Trent Alexander-Arnold, restored at right-back, produced his best performance of the season. The England man provided two pin-point assists for Mane’s goals, another for Virgil van Dijk’s first, and defended like a veteran throughout. Having scored in the reverse fixture back in November, the 20-year-old clearly enjoys playing against Watford.

Everyone did here, to be fair. Divock Origi, given his first league start since December, repaid Klopp’s faith with a second-half goal. The Belgian’s work on the left wing should not go unnoticed when analysing his side’s victory. He did everything that was asked of him.

So too did Fabinho, whose muscle and poise in midfield enabled Liverpool to dominate, and James Milner, who looked more at home as a scuttling No.8 than he ever will as a full-back. Milner, captain for the night, drove Liverpool forward in the first half particularly.

Mohamed Salah, meanwhile, should not be allowed within 50 feet of Adam Masina in future, such was the way in which he tormented the shell-shocked Watford full-back,

Masina was barely that close to Salah here, to be fair. The mismatch was horrific. The Egyptian couldn’t decorate his performance with a goal of his own, but he was back on song, no doubt. He hit the post, he dribbled and he ran and he terrorised his marker. His work rate was faultless.

Van Dijk provided the crowning glory with a pair of headers buried emphatically at the Kop End. It added a deserved gloss to the scoreline, and chopped Manchester City’s goal difference advantage to six in the process. Come May, such details may count for everything.

For now, though, this was a night simply to savour for Liverpudlians, who can park their doubts and their fears and their worries for a few days at least.

Before kick-off here, the sound of Nirvana could be heard wafting across Anfield.

“Here we are now, entertain us.”

Job done, you’d say!

Source – Goal.com

Chelsea’s players showed they are still behind their under-pressure boss, impressing in a crucial victory over Spurs at Stamford Bridge.

Photo by: Getty Images

“It’s a choice. It’s a message for my group,” stated Maurizio Sarri before kick-off as the under-fire Chelsea coach explained his decision to drop his record signing against Tottenham Hotspur.

Kepa Arrizabalaga was left out for the first time this season, punished for his refusal to be substituted at Wembley in the penalty shootout loss to Manchester City on Sunday.

The Spaniard has also been fined a week’s wages, but the big question mark ahead of Wednesday’s game was whether Sarri would re-assert his authority over his squad by bringing in Willy Caballero between the posts.

Sarri did just that and he was fully vindicated for his decision as Chelsea not only won a crucial game 2-0 but his players showed that they are still behind their boss with a courageous display.

Arrizabalaga’s actions had overshadowed Chelsea’s unlucky loss to Man City, a team that Sarri described as the ‘best team in Europe’.

A win against Spurs was absolutely vital and Sarri was left thanking another Spaniard in Pedro for breaking the deadlock with a wonderful goal after half time. The winger cut in from the right and shot through the legs of Hugo Lloris.

A comical own goal from Kieran Trippier, who back-passed the ball into his own net after a miscommunication with Lloris, sealed a deserved win for the home side.

Star man Eden Hazard displayed some tiredness here after playing a gruelling 120 minutes at Wembley just three days ago and was substituted in the 57th minute. The Belgian didn’t perform as we usually expect, so it was down to others to take the limelight.

Marcos Alonso has been criticised more than most recently but put in a well-balanced display on the left-hand side. David Luiz was an outstanding performer at centre-back, as the whole defensive unit operated brilliantly together for the second straight game.

Chelsea changed their usual approach against Man City at the weekend, but they turned back to a more typical high-pressing style versus Spurs.

Jorginho received groans from the home support after a few misplaced passes, but his defensive contribution was excellent as Chelsea showed the kind of determination that they have been accused of lacking in recent months.

The Italo-Brazilian was man marked again by Erik Lamela but the attention didn’t stop him influencing the game as Mauricio Pochettino’s side suffered back-to-back defeats which have dragged them back into the top-four battle.

It is Sarri, though, who will go to bed happiest on Wednesday night. He re-asserted his authority over his squad, won the hearts and minds of many fans and critics with his conduct of recent days, and bought more time to implement his football revolution in west London.

And in doing all that, he also made it clear that he “doesn’t want to kill” Kepa. The Spaniard will be back sooner rather than later. Sarri, meanwhile, is still alive and kicking, too.

Source – Goal.com

The Belgian struck two of United goals in the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace, serving a timely reminder that he still has something to offer.

Photo by: Getty

Manchester United headed to Selhurst Park on Wednesday shy of a host of first-team players and with Romelu Lukaku supposedly heading nowhere but the exit door.

But the Belgian’s pair of goals which led United to a 3-1 win over Crystal Palaceshowed once more that if he can round out his game with a little more finesse he can still be a deadly Manchester United number nine.

With United missing Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial, and with Marcus Rashford not fit to contribute more than a cameo appearance, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needed to see that there was more to his attacking options than his regular front three.

And Lukaku’s double after nine appearances without a goal was evidence enough that the Norwegian has plenty to fall back on in a crisis.

Lukaku had spent the majority of his United career until recently as an “untouchable” centrepiece of the attack under Jose Mourinho, but since Solskjaer has taken the reins he has been deployed largely as a secondary option with Rashford favoured at the head of their system.

It has understandably led to some speculating as to Lukaku’s future at Old Trafford, but more nights like this one in south London are likely to give his manager plenty to think about.

It didn’t look as though it was going to be his night when he somehow blazed over from close range in the opening moments after being left unmarked to get on the end of a left-wing cross.

But shortly after the half-hour mark he was able to leave a far more positive impression on proceedings.

After Luke Shaw had gone on a stirring run from halfway, Lukaku took the ball off his team-mate’s toe and promptly drove home clinically with his weaker right foot.

He wasn’t done there either. When Palace failed to clear an Ashley Young corner early in the second half, the Belgian latched on to Victor Lindelof’s header and hooked past Vicente Guaita into the net.

There remain weaknesses in his play at times, especially in the channels when U

nited are looking to build up play. But few United players in recent years have had quite the success rate of Lukaku in front of goal. Despite his difficulties over the past few months, he has netted 38 goals in 86 appearances for the club.

Others were worthy of mention on the night too. Shaw caused problems for Palace throughout, while Scott McTominay’s performance of real maturity at the heart of midfield helped to carry Fred through as he struggled to find the pace of the game early on.

Joel Ward pulled one back for Palace when United failed to clear the danger in their own box and allowed Jeffrey Schlupp to deliver to the far post, and there were moments when an equaliser looked as though it could be on the cards.

But Lukaku would again have something to say, linking well with Paul Pogba before the Frenchman took Lukaku’s return pass and teed up Ashley Young to drill the ball home from a tight angle seven minutes from time.

And in truth United were well worth a 12th win in 15 games under Solskjaer, and Lukaku every bit deserving of his match-winning role.

Source – Goal.com

Holders Paris Saint-Germain eased into the French Cup semifinals after two goals from Angel Di Maria and another by Thomas Meunier gave them a 3-0 home win over Dijon in an action-packed last-eight clash on Tuesday.

PSG are on course to retain the French Cup again after reaching the last four. Getty

PSG were without their potent three-pronged attack of Edinson Cavani, Neymarand Kylian Mbappe, but the league leaders’ makeshift side made light work of the contest and could have won by a much bigger margin.

Dijon’s Icelandic keeper Runar Runarsson made a string of superb saves in the first half but could do nothing about Di Maria’s brace, with both goals created in sublime fashion by German playmaker Julian Draxler.

Di Maria opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a brilliant lob from the edge of the penalty area after a defence-splitting pass by Draxler, who also set up the second with what was almost a carbon copy of his earlier assist.

Di Maria showed a different kind of composure this time, with his mistimed pass to Eric Choupo-Moting rebounding kindly to the Argentina winger who swept the ball home past the stranded Runarsson.

Dijon defender Fouad Chafik denied Di Maria a firsthalf hat-trick as he cleared the livewire forward’s shot off the line while Julio Tavares hit the post at the other end after a rare Dijon break.

The busy Runarsson twice kept out superb Draxler chances before Choupo-Moting, who missed three good opportunities, set up Meunier with some fine footwork and the Belgium midfielder responded with a clever 76th-minute finish to put the icing on the cake.

In the other quarter-finals, Rennes are at home to second division Orleans and Olympique Lyonnais take on Caen on Wednesday, while fourth division Vitre are at home to Nantes on March 6.

Source –  ESPN

Sergio Ramos has been charged by Uefa with “receiving a yellow card on purpose” in Real Madrid’s Champions League last-16 first leg with Ajax.

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has played a key role in their three consecutive Champions League triumphs

Ramos fouled Kasper Dolberg in the 89th minute with Real leading 2-1, meaning he is suspended for the second leg.

Uefa opened an investigation into the Spaniard when, after the match, he told reporters he would “be lying if I said I didn’t force [the booking]”.

The case will be dealt with on 28 February.

Ramos later clarified his post-match comments, saying: “I was referring to forcing the foul, a foul that was inevitable. Not to forcing the booking.

“It was a very dangerous counter-attack in the 88th minute, with an open match and the tie as well.”

He added: “That’s why I said that I would lie if I said I did not know that I was carrying a penalty, just as I knew that I had no other choice than to make a mistake. And that’s what I meant when I said that in football you have to make complicated decisions.”

By picking up a suspension at this stage Ramos reduces the risk of missing a potentially more important match later in the competition, as all bookings are wiped following the quarter-final stage.

However, a player who is found to have obtained a booking deliberately can be banned for two games.

When asked if he knew the foul was likely to lead to a yellow card and a ban, Ramos said: “Yes, but I had no choice.”

Source – BBC News

Last season’s Coppa Italia runners-up put in a below-par attacking performance at the Stadio Olimpico according to their manager.

Photo by: Marco Rosi/Getty

Gennaro Gattuso felt AC Milan made too many mistakes in attack but praised his team’s defensive work after a 0-0 Coppa Italia draw with Lazio on Tuesday.

The Rossoneri arrived at the Stadio Olimpico on a three-match winning run yet struggled to make an impact in the first leg of the semi-final, leaving striker Krzysztof Piatek an isolated figure up front.

Lazio made sure Tiemoue Bakayok

was shackled by consistently pressing the deep-lying midfielder when Milan had possession, though Gattuso criticised his side for not finding alternative ways to build attacks from deep.

However, the stalemate leaves Milan in a strong position to progress to the final at the expense of their opponents for a second straight year.

They needed penalties to prevail in Rome after two scoreless games between the clubs last season but have home advantage for the second leg this time around, with the fixture taking place in late April.

“It was a step back in terms of quality from recent games, but we knew it would be

decided over 180 minutes,” Gattuso told Rai Sport.

“We were up against a physical side in Lazio who always push four or five men up, so we did very well in defence. Unfortunately, we made a lot of mistakes in the final third and gave Piatek no service at all.

“[Joaquin] Correa was marking Bakayoko and we should have tried to play through the other midfielders, but we kept trying that central channel.

“We didn’t pass it properly, we allowed five or six dangerous counter-attacks. I don’t agree with those who said Lazio weren’t in good shape either, as they have a way of acting sleepy and lowering the tempo, then hurting you.”

Lazio had 16 shots in the contest but too often made life easy for visiting goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, managing to hit the target only four times.

Yet despite the result leaving them with work to do at San Siro, boss Simone Inzaghi was pleased with the home side’s performance, particularly as they nullified opponents who have been in such excellent form.

“We were only missing a goal, but the lads put in a great performance, were always very focused against Milan, the form team in Serie A right now,” Inzaghi said in his post-match interview with Rai Sport.

“We allowed Milan nothing, not even a save for a corner, but the regrets are that we didn’t manage to score. At least if we were to draw at home, 0-0 was the best result.”

Source – Goal.com

The Norwegian could be without 10 players on Wednesday, but it is a natural consequence of demanding more from his squad than his predecessor did.

Photo by: Getty Images

“My injury record is very low,” boasted Jose Mourinho on the day he was unveiled as Manchester United manager in July 2016. “So I never promote because of a need. I did it because of conviction and decision.”

In defending claims that he never gives chances to young players, Mourinho gave a nod to a problem which is currently hanging over Manchester United barely a couple of months after the Portuguese’s departure.

His successor, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is currently wrestling with the loss of 10 players from his first-team squad due to injury ahead of Wednesday’s visit to Crystal Palace. It is the worst medical crisis United have faced since the season before Mourinho’s arrival, when Louis van Gaal was shorn of 14 senior stars due to injury at a similar time of the campaign.

But far from adding weight to Mourinho’s argument, the present crisis has seemingly come about in large part due to the sacked boss’ tactical approach during his two-and-a-half years at Old Trafford.

Under Mourinho, United had embarrassingly low returns for distance covered in the Premier League, with their 4023.4 kilometres in 2016-17 ranking worst in the division and last season’s 4099.8km placing them 19th out of 20.

And following his departure, caretaker-boss Solskjaer warned that he would be expecting a more energetic mindset on the pitch.

“One of the things I talked about today is that a Manchester United team should never ever be outworked,” he said after the 5-1 win at Cardiff in his first game in charge. “It doesn’t matter what team you play, you should run more than them and then your skills will give you a chance of winning.

“I said the same to these lads as I do back home in Molde: ‘Just work harder than them, enjoy yourselves, pass it forward, run forward, if you lose the ball I don’t mind, as long as you work to win it back.’”

The Norwegian’s return of 11 wins, two draws and just a Champions Leaguedefeat to Paris Saint-Germain in 14 matches has more than justified the changes he has made. But the recent losses of Nemanja Matic, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard, Antonio Valencia, Ander Herrera and Juan Mata due to muscle injuries have led some to believe that Solskjaer’s approach has asked too much of his players.

Whereas United averaged 98 sprints per game in the 17 games under Mourinho in the league this season, they have upped that to 108.6 per game in Solskjaer’s 10 Premier League matches. Yet the former centre-forward is right not to compromise in the quest for better returns in the win column.

“It’s probably linked, yes, because when do you make that change?” he mused when questioned on Tuesday on the higher standards he has employed. “Do you wait until pre-season and think you will change results by just not asking them to run, or do we start now and show them what the demands of intensity are and how we want to play?

“Well you have seen what I have chosen, I have chosen that we need to play as a Man United team and if you want to be a part of  Man United, it’s survival of the fittest isn’t it?”

The more thrilling football dished up at Old Trafford over the past 10 weeks has certainly come at a cost, but the fact that United’s players have not been physically prepared for the kind of high-intensity games that are common in the Premier League should go down as a black mark not against Solskjaer’s name but alongside that of Mourinho.

What other options did Solskjaer have open to him? As he says, he could have sent the players out with the same stultifying tactics as Mourinho until such time as he had been able to put his squad through a more intense physical regime, but that would more than likely have led to the same disappointing results and disaffected air around Carrington.

He has been entirely right in increasing the demands on the players and appears prepared to deal with the consequences, calling up promising youngsters TahithChong, Jimmy Garner and Angel Gomes for Wednesday night’s game at Selhurst Park.

It will undoubtedly take a full pre-season to put the players through the kind of paces which will make them the feared attacking threat of old again, without widespread injuries being a natural consequence, but the very fact that such a change in emphasis has resulted so quickly in a worrying trend of muscular problems does not reflect well on Mourinho.

It just goes to show how far off the pace United were during his tenure, and also underlines the different standards Manchester United should be demanding compared to those Mourinho had put in place for his forgettable 30-month spell in charge.

He was right about one thing: his injury record is very low. But maybe that’s because his default setting is to always play far too safe.

Any United fan would gladly take Solskjaer’s more risk-taking, thrill-seeking football, whatever the medical fall-out may be in the short term.

Source – Goal.com

Karim Benzema says he is enjoying life at Real Madrid without Cristiano Ronaldo, as he can play his “true football” rather than continually serve the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Karim Benzema says he is now a leader without Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo spent nine years at Real and became a talismanic figure at the Santiago Bernabeu, leaving for Juventus in the summer as the club’s all-time leading scorer with 450 goals in 438 games.

Benzema also moved to the Spanish capital in the summer of 2009, joining from French club Lyon, and was forced to adapt his game to accommodate Ronaldo – often facing criticism for his lack of goals.

Benzema and Ronaldo won a record three consecutive Champions League titles

However, in his first season at Real without Ronaldo, and with no marquee replacement signed in the summer, Benzema has stepped up in front of goal, scoring 20 times in his 40 appearances.

The striker told France Football: “Before, there was a guy who scored more than 50 goals a season and I was in a role of provider.

“I played geared to Cristiano. We formed a good duo. I looked for him continually with the objective to help him score even more goals.

“Now, I am the leader of the attack. It is up to me to make the difference. I am very happy because I can play my true football.”

Ronaldo is the leading scorer in Serie A with 19 goals

Benzema, 31, has won two La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey twice and four Champions League trophies since joining Real from Lyon.

“There have been many sacrifices. Everyone knows that in a career there are some highs and lows and, when I arrived at Real in 2009, I was initially surprised. Because Lyon, in comparison with Madrid, is small, the institution, administration, everything which goes around the club.

“I knew there would be barriers to overcome because it is the best club in the world. And I have succeeded.”

Source – Sky Sports

The World Cup winner has stepped up when needed most, but his boss deflected a question over whether he is the most talented player he has trained.

Photo by Getty

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Thomas Tuchel has refused to rank Kylian Mbappe as the best player he has ever trained, instead opting to praise current and former charges such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ousmane Dembele.

Injuries have ravaged the French champions this season and Mbappe has often been called upon to deliver results during times when Neymar and Edinson Cavani have been sidelined, perhaps most notably in PSG’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Manchester United.

There can be no doubt that the World Cup-winning forward should be counted amongst the planet’s current greats, but Tuchel would not be drawn on whether he is the most talented player he has ever had the pleasure of coaching.

“That’s a dangerous question!” Tuchel laughed. “I’ve coached Aubameyang, Ousmane Dembele… Auba will always remain in my heart.

“Kylian is exceptional, but Neymar and Cavani are also up there. Incredible players. I don’t like phrases like ‘the best’ or ‘better than’. We’ve very happy with our players.

“Everyone in the locker room knows how reliable and super important Mbappe is, but I don’t rank players. He still has things he needs to improve, even if that’s hard to believe!

“Everyone pushes him to his limits and he is able to do that. He’s of massive importance this season.”

The German boss was also questioned by the press with regards to his ability to spot qualities in personnel that others may have missed, pointing to the likes of Marquinhos – who has been reborn as a No.6 this term – as well as improvements in Angel Di Maria and Thilo Kehrer.

“It’s a combination of things,” Tuchel told reporters. “You have to push, push, push – and protect them too. Marquinhos has the qualities to become one of the best players in the world.

“I can’t always take credit. It’s a good time, which we savour, but it’s the hard work that allows us to do that. The mentality of the players allows us to do that too.

“Those things are necessary for us to achieve great things – that’s down to the merits of the players. We get a little bit of luck here and there but we have quality. Not just technical and tactical, but in character and mentality.

“I’m just doing my best.”

Source – Goal.com