The France international is aiming to win the trophy for the fifth time in his career after beating Manchester United in the semi-final.

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Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has set his sights on upsetting former side Arsenal to win another FA Cup final.

The Blues sealed their place in the final on Sunday as they beat Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley on Sunday, with Giroud opening the scoring shortly before half-time and Mason Mount doubling their lead early in the second period.

Untied defender Harry Maguire turned into his own net to make it 3-0 before Bruno Fernandes clawed one back with a penalty late in the game.

Giroud has already won four FA Cups during his career in England, having won three with Arsenal before helping Chelsea to the trophy in his first season at Stamford Bridge.

But the France international is fully motivated to add another winner’s medal to his collection and says it will be special coming up against his former team.

“I said to the boys I would love to win another one, it would be my fifth FA Cup and we are in another final,” he said.

“A big game against Arsenal which will be so special for me personally. We played very well and we want to finish in the top three in the Premier League now.

“We played three at the back, it’s been a while since we did but we started very well. We had them under pressure and they didn’t create much. We dominated the game.”

Mount scored his first goal since March when his effort from outside the box slipped by United goalkeeper David De Gea.

The midfielder was delighted with his side’s display as they turn their attention to sealing a top four finish in the Premier League before they take on Arsenal in the cup final.

“I tried to get it on target, anything can happen. It was maybe a bit fortunate to see it go in, it gave us room to express ourselves a bit more.

“I always want to score goals and create assists – it hasn’t happened for a while but you’re always looking to affect the game in different areas.”

He added: “You always want to turn up in big games and I thought we did that today. We came in with extra motivation and it will be a massive final for us – we want to win trophies.”

“The gaffer just said we’ve got two massive finals before we’re here again. We need that mindset to try and secure the top four.”

Source – Goal.com

After a double against Deportivo Alaves, the Argentina international finished the league season with 25 goals.

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Lionel Messi secured a record seventh Pichichi award after the Barcelona star finished the 2019-20 season as the leading scorer in La Liga.

The Argentinian equalled Athletic Bilbao great Telmo Zarra’s record of six awards last season, but he is now out on his own after another superb campaign in front of goal.

His double in the final-day 5-0 rout of Deportivo Alaves took him to 25 goals in 33 appearances, while his cross to Ansu Fati for the opening goal saw him set a new record for most assists in a single La Liga campaign, breaking the previous best set by former team-mate Xavi.

t was not enough to guide Barca to a third consecutive title, however, with Real Madrid pulling away in the final weeks to seal top spot.

“I always say that the awards and individual goals are secondary,” Messi said when asked about winning the award.

“It is true that it could have been taken as an important achievement for being the seventh Pichichi, but I would have liked it to come accompanied by the league title.”

Madrid striker Karim Benzema was four goals behind in the race for the award with 21, while Villarreal‘s Gerard Moreno was third with 18 goals, two ahead of Messi’s Barca team-mate Luis Suarez.

The Catalan side will turn their attention to the Champions League next, as they face Napoli in the second leg of their last-16 tie on August 8. The first leg ended in a 1-1.

“We need some peace of mind, which hopefully we will get with this little break between competitions,” Messi told reporters when asked about preparations for the return to European competition.

“As I said the other day, it’ll give us the chance to clear our minds a little. “We’ve said what needed to be said, we have been self-critical with ourselves. Nothing more needs to be said, now we just have to show it out there on the pitch.”

Source – Goal.com

World Cup winner Andre Schurrle says he doesn’t “need the applause any more” after announcing his retirement at 29.

Schurrle (lifting trophy) won the 2014 World Cup with Germany

The Germany forward had a year left on his deal with Borussia Dortmund but the two parties agreed to cancel it.

Schurrle, who helped his country win the 2014 World Cup, had a spell at Chelsea and was on loan at Fulham.

“The decision matured in me for a long time,” he told German newspaper Der Speigel. “The depths became deeper and the highlights less and less.”

Schurrle played for Chelsea from 2013-15 and won a Premier League winners medal in 2015 despite leaving the club for Wolfsburg part-way through the season.

“I want to let you know that I’m stepping away from playing professional football,” added on social media.

“On behalf of myself and my family I want to thank everybody who was a part of these phenomenal years.

“The support and love you shared with me was unbelievable and more I could have ever asked for. Now I’m ready and open for all the beautiful possibilities that are coming towards me.”

Source – BBC News

The return of the 38-year-old has prompted a surge in the Rossoneri’s fortunes – and the Croatia forward has explained why.

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Ante Rebic has lifted the lid on Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s influence on Milan, explaining that the veteran Swede is a “leader” in the dressing room and on the pitch.

The 38-year-old striker returned to San Siro in January after eight years away and his return has coincided with an upturn in the club’s success.

Ibrahimovic, who has enjoyed a storied career at the likes of Ajax, Juve, Inter, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, has played 13 Serie A matches in 2020, scoring five goals and laying on another three as Stefano Pioli’s side have climbed from 11th to seventh off the back of a fine run of results.

Among the players to benefit most from Ibrahimovic’s presence has been Croatia international Rebic, who hadn’t found the net at all in the league before then. Since, he has netted 10 times in 15 league outings.

Speaking to Sportweek, he explained the sense of confidence that Ibrahimovic brings the side, pinpointing the recent 4-2 success over Juventus as a particular example.

“We need him. Ibra is a leader. Before the Juve match he said to us: ‘I will show Juventus players how to play football.’ It was his way of firing us up,” he said.

“He has brought so much to everyone. When he says something, most of the players are silent but if I don’t hold the same opinion as him, I tell him,” Rebic added before citing two further January additions as key influences.

“Asmir Begovic and Simon Kjaer, too … They are mature players who know how to calm you down or encourage you.”

While Ibrahimovic’s future at San Siro remains in the balance, the Rossoneri captured Kjaer on a two-year deal from Sevilla earlier this week, ensuring that the Denmark captain will remain with the club after a loan deal was initially struck in January.

Milan are seeking to ensure European football for next season, with the next leg of their quest coming at home to Bologna on Saturday.

There are five matches of the Serie A campaign remaining, with Pioli’s side lying seventh in the standings on 53 points.

Source – Goal.com

Birmingham City midfielder Jude Bellingham’s move to Borussia Dortmund is set to be confirmed next week after he had a medical at the German club.

Jude Bellingham (right) has played at youth level for England

The 17-year-old travelled to Dortmund on Thursday to complete the latest stages of the transfer.

He then returned to England for Birmingham’s Championship game at Preston on Saturday.

Dortmund are Bellingham’s preferred choice ahead of a number of English clubs, including Manchester United.

United even arranged a meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson when Bellingham visited their training ground.

However, Dortmund’s recent impressive history of developing young players, most notably Jadon Sancho and Christian Pulisic, proved persuasive, in addition to Dortmund’s continuing presence in the Champions League.

In August 2019, Bellingham broke the record of former England striker Trevor Francis as Birmingham’s youngest player, when he made his first-team debut aged 16 years and 38 days.

He also scored the winner against Stoke on his home debut.

Source – BBC News

Spain’s health minister says he does not think fans will be able to return to football matches in the country when the new season starts in September.

La Liga returned to action behind closed doors on 11 June and Real Madrid are top of the division

The government’s department for sport and La Liga had hoped for fans to return at a reduced capacity.

But the threat of a rise in coronavirus infections is set to prevent the move.

“To be honest, I don’t see it, given the reality we are in,” health minister Santiago Illa told radio station Cadena Ser.

“We have seen some clusters of infections and, although we have fortunately been able to control them, I still don’t see [fans returning].”

La Liga resumed this season behind closed doors on 11 June, and plans to start the 2020-21 campaign on 12 September.

“We’re going to take our time and provide information so the sports department can make the decision when necessary,” added Illa.

“We have to step carefully with the virus, and concentrating large numbers of people at this time is not advisable at all.”

Source – BBC News

Solskjaer’s side are now unbeaten in 12 matches since defeat to Burnley in January and their academy hero has weighed in with his fair share of goals.

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Marcus Rashford feinted past two Crystal Palace defenders, calmly finished past Vicente Guaita from 10 yards out and the Manchester United directors at Selhurst Park punched the air.

It was huge moment in the club’s bid to finish in the top four and further evidence of Rashford’s progress this season towards becoming the main man up front.

His 46th-minute finish – which put United ahead just before the break after a slow start in South London – was his 17th Premier League goal of the season; that tally equals his total for for the last two league campaigns combined.

With Leicester beating Sheffield United in the early kick-off, United knew they needed a win to keep up the pressure in the race for the Champions League with just three games to play. But Crystal Palace, a team who hadn’t won in five league games prior to Thursday night’s encounter, caused them problems through Wilfried Zaha.

The ex-Man Utd man was unlucky not to have won a penalty when caught by a clumsy Victor Lindelof challenge and the visitors needed no second invitation to capitalise.

It was down to Rashford to give them the breathing space they needed. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has spoken before about how he wanted the academy graduate to improve.

When asked to compare Rashford with Cristiano Ronaldo in the past, the Norweigan had pointed to a developed maturity in the multiple Ballon d’Or winner’s game that was perhaps lacking in Rashford. But the Man Utd boss can have no complaints with the composure, ability and skill displayed by the 22-year-old for United’s opener.

His footwork and trickery took out Joel Ward and Patrick van Aanholt and he showed his calm as he side-footed past Guaita.

Rashford has found himself at the centre of a media spotlight after his selfless campaigning during lockdown. He helped ensure children would not go hungry and that the school meal vouchers scheme would be extended.

This week he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester for his efforts. And while the focus may have been on his fundraising, he has also been displaying a similar maturity on the pitch.

His performances at the beginning of the restart weren’t as effective as Mason Greenwood’s but he showed his apprentice exactly how it is done with a fine all-round display as United beat Palace 2-0.

The England forward has openly spoken about how Solskjaer has helped improve his game and the manager had been screaming on the touchline on the night for him to get inside more often. That instruction found him in the perfect position to score his 21st goal of the season.

Those chances that he might have missed before are now going in. “I am trying to be clever inside the box and find half a yard to get a shot off,” Rashford told BT Sport after the game.

His output has improved vastly under Solskjaer’s tutelage and he has the confidence to try new things. His development is clear – not just his finishing – but his overall contributions.

He was instrumental too in United’s second goal on the night, which sealed a big victory on a difficult night in their push for a top-four finish. He picked the ball up on the halfway line and beat two players before playing a nice one-two with Bruno Fernandes and feeding it back to Anthony Martial, who secured the three points.

Martial is level with Rashford on 21 goals for the season and, with the pair blossoming like never before, it’s a strike force to potentially push Man Utd back into Europe’s elite. The equation is simple; win both remaining matches and they are back at the top table.

Source – Goal.com

The Frenchman was quick to distinguish between the two competitions after celebrating more silverware on Thursday.

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Zinedine Zidane described Real Madrid’s latest La Liga triumph as one of his best days in the professional game and declared it sweeter than his Champions League triumphs.

Karim Benzema scored twice as Los Blancos defeated Villarreal 2-1 at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano to secure the trophy with a game to spare.

Madrid won 10 straight games since La Liga restarted after the break caused by the coronavirus pandemic, while it marks the first silverware they have won since Zidane returned for a second spell as head coach in March 2019.

Zidane has now won 11 trophies over his two spells and dedicated the title to Madrid’s supporters, who could only watch at home as restrictions remain in place due to Covid-19.

“We won the league in the end because we won the most points it’s as simple as that,” he told La Liga’s coverage of the game.

“Today is one of the best days for me as a professional and after everything that happened, the three-month break, it’s fantastic what’s been achieved.

“It’s strange for everyone, we can’t control the situation, we would have loved to be with the supporters, hopefully that can happen further down the line but for a question of health that can’t happen.

“But I’m sure the supporters are happy celebrating at home. I say hello to all those supporters watching at home.”

Zidane led Madrid to three straight Champions League titles during his first stint but when asked if this achievement was better, he replied: “Yes, yes.

“Look, the Champions League is the Champions League but the Spanish league requires such an amount of effort. 38 weeks and effort and at the end of those 38 weeks you have more points than everyone else. It’s fantastic.”

Zidane said Madrid’s achievement would not be possible if it were not for the entire efforts of everyone in his squad, including those on the fringe who have not featured as often as their core regulars.

“Well I have my role to play, I believe in the players and I’m just happy for them because they’re a group of humans before footballers, they’re good people,” Zidane added.

“I’m just happy, I’m very content.

“Even the players who didn’t play as much they were committed, there are always players who play more and players who play less but you have to give something to the team even if you’re one of those who’s not playing more.

“If you want to win things, everyone has to contribute, it’s difficult to win every week, there are 38 weeks – look at us we’re winning it on the penultimate match day.”

Source – Goal.com

Wesley Sneijder is considering coming out of retirement to play football next season, according to Dutch media.

Wesley Sneijder is trying to lose weight and make a comeback

The 36-year-old will start training later this month at amateur team DOS Holland Stichtse Boys (DHSC) in Utrecht, which could be lead to him joining hometown club FC Utrecht.

Sneijder, who won a record 134 caps for his country and played at Ajax, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, is to make a bid to return to fitness after a year out of the game.

Sneijder joined Galatasaray from Inter Milan in 2013

His brother Jeffrey Sneijder, who is part of DHSC’s technical staff, told reporters: “Wesley wants to lose weight and be busy. He did say that it might give him an itch to play again.

“He’s been out for a while. Wesley wants to experience what it is like to be back on the field after a while without football and regain the sense of enjoyment.”

Sneijder scored 31 goals and made a record 134 appearances for his country

Last week, Utrecht’s technical director Jordy Zuidam said he had spoken to Sneijder about a comeback.

“Let it be clear that a top fit Sneijder is very an interesting prospect for FC Utrecht but the ball is in his court,” he told reporters.

Robben, who is also 36, last month announced he was returning a year after retirement to play with boyhood club Groningen, where he has signed a one-season deal.

Robben played for PSV, Chelsea, Real Madrid and ended his career at Bayern Munich – winning trophies in the Netherlands, England, Spain and Germany – and was a runner-up at the World Cup in 2010.

Source – Sky Sports

The Spaniard believes his club have earned the right to regarded among Europe’s best sides despite the vast amount of finances used.

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Pep Guardiola has defended Manchester City‘s huge spending in the transfer market and says the club has earned the right to be regarded among Europe’s elite.

City’s finances have been under the microscope of late, with the club winning a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) appeal on Monday to overturn a two-year ban from UEFA competition for allegedly breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

Despite the club spending nearly £2 billion ($2.5bn) on transfers in the past 20 years, Guardiola feels City’s rise to success mirrors that of Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.

The Spaniard continued to deny his club had ever breached FFP rules, insisting that the right decision had been made during the legal process.

“I’m incredibly happy for the decision which shows what all the people said about the club was not true, and to defend on the pitch what we won on the pitch,” Guardiola said.

“We have made a step forward in 10 years. We invested a lot of money, like a lot of clubs. We did it the right way. We have not been banned because we followed the FFP rules. If we hadn’t we would have been banned.

“A lot of clubs invest. Manchester United and Arsenal in periods before when they won the leagues, they invested more than the others. Chelsea too when they won the league, they invested more money than the other ones.

“We have built a club in terms of the past decade to compete with the elite in Premier League and Champions League. For that I need the club to be financially strong – like a lot of clubs – to do it. Of course, we make mistakes. But we can spend as much money as our chairman or owners want but always, always in the FFP rules.”

Manchester City host relegation-threatened Bournemouth on Wednesday night with their second-place league position locked in with three matches to play.

They will resume their Champions League campaign as one of the favourites next month, with a 2-1 lead going into the home leg of their round-of-16 match against Real Madrid.

Source – Goal.com