Kane keen for strong finish with Spurs ahead of World Cup

London (AFP) – Harry Kane admitted it has taken him time to recover top form after an ankle ligament injury, but believes he still has time to rediscover his best ahead of shouldering England’s World Cup hopes.

Kane scored his 38th goal of the season as Tottenham Hotspur edged closer to a third consecutive season in the Champions League by opening up a five-point lead on fifth-placed Chelsea with just three games of the Premier League season to go thanks to a 2-0 win over Watford at Wembley on Monday.

But Kane was again far from his best and believes he should have scored more in a laboured Spurs performance that was characteristic of the dip in form from Mauricio Pochettino’s men in recent weeks.

“Obviously, I would have liked to play better over the last few games or so but I think the whole team feel like that,” said Kane.

“I feel good, I feel sharp, I probably could have scored a couple more out there today.

“I’m looking forward to the last three games. Hopefully I can finish strong like I did last year going into a big summer.”

Kane was sidelined for just three weeks after suffering ankle ligament damage at Bournemouth last month.

But on top of trying to get back into top physical shape, he has also had to cope with public ridicule for claiming a goal in a 2-1 win at Stoke to aid his chances of beating Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah to the Golden Boot award for the league’s top scorer.

“Of course it is a mix about different things. It wasn’t a great period for him the past few weeks, he is human like everyone else, and was a little bit affected,” said Pochettino.

However, the Argentine has no concerns over Kane’s mental toughness to lead England in Russia.

“He scored. He needs to improve his performance still, but 150 games in the Premier League, 105 goals, what we can say more? He is a fantastic striker.

“He’s a strong guy, physically and mentally. I am sure he is going to perform for us in a very good way and arrive in a good condition for the World Cup.”

An 11th defeat in their last 12 away games leaves Watford still in need of a point to mathematically secure survival.

But the visitors were left to rue a host of missed chances after matching the under-par hosts for long spells.

A bright start from Watford was undone on 16 minutes when goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis spilled a simple cross from the right and Christian Eriksen teed up Alli to tap home his fourth goal in five games.

Watford had more than enough chances to be at least level at the break, but were denied by a return to form by Hugo Lloris.

The French number one had cost his side with a series of errors in recent weeks, but Lloris stood up well to save from Andre Grey, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Jose Holebas.

The post Kane keen for strong finish with Spurs ahead of World Cup appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2rdrshc

For Bosnian fans, Dzeko is a man for great moments

Sarajevo (AFP) – Roma supporters may harbour only slim hopes their team can once again overturn a three-goal Champions League deficit, but Bosnian fans of Edin Dzeko are convinced their hero will once again rise to the challenge.

In Bosnia, Roma striker Dzeko is known as the “Dijamant” — diamond.

“People love him because he has proved that it is possible to succeed even from this country as it is,” his friend Jasmin Ligata, 32, told AFP. 

“Because he always stayed there with his heart and with his soul.”

Dzeko is one of Sarajevo’s ‘war children’.

The day after scoring what would prove to be a crucial away goal at Barcelona in the quarter-finals, Dzeko posted on Facebook, not about the match but about the anniversary of the start of the siege of his home town, which began on April 5, 1992, when he had just turned six.

The siege lasted almost four years. 

“In a city where you didn’t know if you were going to see your best friend tomorrow, whether you’d hug your father or your mother again, whether you’d open your eyes or even go out to play with your friends, I spent every one of those 1,425 days under siege,” Dzeko wrote.

Bombs rained down, Serbian snipers spared no-one. Of the estimated 11,000 deaths, between 1,500 and 1,600 were children. 

– ‘I survived’ –

“I was lucky and I survived, while many of my peers were wounded or are no longer with us,” he added. “To them in remembrance, I dedicate my goal against Barcelona in the Champions League.”

Dzeko’s parents still live in Sarajevo, a city even now dealing with the shadow of the siege.

The Sarajevo Memorial for Children Killed during Siege opened in a city park in 2010 carrying the engraved names of victims that relatives come and touch. The War Childhood Museum opened in the town last year.

Even amid the violence, the young Dzeko went out to play in their neighbourhood of Otoka.

“When he went out to play football,” his mother Belma recalled in 2010, “I was very scared.

“I did not forbid him to go out to play, even if it was crazy. He was playing all the time, the war meant nothing to him.”

One day, she did say no.

“He was crying, it hurt me.” But, she said, “a shell fell exactly where Edin played with other children, there were dead, wounded”. 

Although he’s gone on to play in some of Europe’s biggest football league’s, Dzeko has never forgotten his humble beginnings.

“Edin was often there when we needed him the most,” said Ligata, a Bosnian sports press advisor who ran through a list of the times when Dzeko showed an uncanny ability to make unlikely triumphs possible. 

There was the 92nd minute equaliser against Queens Park Rangers in 2012 that made possible the 3-2 victory that won Manchester City’s first English title since 1968. There were the 26 goals in 2008/09 that propelled Wolfsburg to their only Bundesliga title. 

The post For Bosnian fans, Dzeko is a man for great moments appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HEVINl

Tottenham emerges from Arsenal shadow but faces similar stadium issues

Even if you have no love for Tottenham, it’s been hard to overlook just how good the team have been under Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino over the past couple of seasons.

He has drilled the team into hard work on and off the pitch. Bought some wonderful players. And installed a winning mentality to a team that have had a history of being in the shadow of their neighbors, Arsenal.

And, it’s that last line that resonates, because Tottenham are not in the shadow of the Gunners anymore. Make no mistake, Tottenham have pushed on and will once again finish the season ahead of their eternal rivals. Something, that only two seasons ago, they had not achieved since Arsene Wenger had been coach.

Of course, the one lingering doubt on everyone’s minds is that as good as Tottenham have been they have, trophy wise, nothing to show for it.

A switch this season from White Hart Lane which was being redeveloped to Wembley Stadium on the face of it didn’t help. Nevertheless, after some initial teething problems Tottenham have been superb at their temporary home.

Next season, the club return to White Hart Lane, which will have undergone a huge change and look unrecognizable.

It’ll be different than the old famed stadium that once hosted Barbara Stanwyck. It was a ground that resonated with the cherished memories of Jimmy Greaves’ goals, Danny Blanchflower’s tackling and Glenn Hoddle’s creative passes. Not to forget Paul Gascoigne’s dribbles and the international charisma of Ossie Ardiles amongst many others.

Time equals change

Tottenham enter the 21st century on equal footing as bitter rivals Arsenal did in 2005. When Arsenal made the move they were coming off of perhaps the greatest moments in the clubs history. The double came in 2002 (their third one overall) and the 2003/04 season saw the club go the whole season unbeaten.

The first time this had been done since Preston North End achieved an unbeaten record in 1888.

Then came the Emirates Stadium

The ‘Invincibles’ were soon to be no more. Patrick Vieira was gone, Thierry Henry left soon after for Barcelona. After which, the debts of the stadium started to take their toll. It was clear for everyone to see that this new dawn for the club was actually going to be a long and hard struggle.

In the years that ensued Arsenal reached a Champions League final in 2006 and have won 3 FA Cup’s. For this club, that wasn’t good enough and it’s now been 14 years since they last won the league.

Getting back to Tottenham, they will have their new stadium ready to play this coming season. However, new reports suggest that the cost for the stadium is spiraling higher and higher. So much so that close to a billion dollars at final estimate would not be a major surprise.

Pochettino has already been told that he must sell before he buys next season. This is depressing news for an EPL team that receives hundreds of millions of dollars from revenues and TV money each season.

The post Tottenham emerges from Arsenal shadow but faces similar stadium issues appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2FvJ5hp

Alli, Kane help Spurs close on Champions League return

London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur edged closer to a third consecutive season in the Champions League despite a laboured performance as goals from Dele Alli and Harry Kane saw off Watford 2-0 at Wembley.

A first win in four games re-establishes Spurs’ five-point lead over fifth-placed Chelsea with just three games of the Premier League season to go.

An 11th defeat in their last 12 away games leaves Watford still in need of a point to mathematically secure survival.

But the visitors were left to rue a host of missed chances after matching the under-par hosts for long spells.

A bright start from Watford was undermined on 16 minutes when goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis spilled a simple cross from the right.

The loose ball fell kindly to Christian Eriksen and he teed up Alli to tap home his fourth goal in five games.

Watford had more than enough chances to be at least level at the break, but were denied by a return to form by Hugo Lloris.

The French number one had cost his side with a series of errors in recent weeks, but Lloris stood up well to block from Andre Grey with Watford’s first opportunity.

A purposeful run and deflected shot from Abdoulaye Doucoure then stung Lloris’s palms.

And the Spurs captain got down well low to his left to deny Jose Holebas before rushing from his line to tackle Doucoure as Tottenham lost control of midfield for the latter part of the opening half.

However, having escaped unscathed, Mauricio Pochettino’s men doubled their lead within three minutes of the second period.

An inopportune slip prevented Kane turning home Son Heung-min’s initial cross, but the England international quickly picked himself up to slot home when Kieran Trippier flashed the loose ball back across goal for his 38th goal of the season.

Watford have now not scored in eight straight away games, and it was easy to see why as more chances came and went for the visitors, most notably when Richarlison blasted well over with the goal at his mercy.

And even when Watford did finally put the ball in the net through substitute Gerard Deulofeu, the on-loan Barcelona winger was flagged for offside.

Kane was also denied a second by the offside flag, but it made little difference to the outcome as Spurs bounced back from their FA Cup semi-final disappointment at the hands of Manchester United last weekend.

That defeat ensured Pochettino will still be without a trophy as Spurs boss after four seasons in charge.

However, sustained progress in terms of Champions League qualification ahead of a move to the club’s new 62,000 capacity stadium could be confirmed as early as this weekend should Chelsea fail to beat Liverpool.

The post Alli, Kane help Spurs close on Champions League return appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HBI90R

Schalke suspend Meyer over bullying allegations

Berlin (AFP) – Schalke on Monday hit back at allegations from Max Meyer that senior club officials bullied him by suspending the Germany midfielder for their last two games.

Meyer’s contract expires at the end of the season and despite being linked to Arsenal, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, he has yet to reveal his  plans.

Schalke moved quickly after Meyer told German daily Bild that he “felt bullied” out of the club by sports director Christian Heidel and chairman Clemens Toennies.

“We cannot tolerate this approach and these statements – even more so the incorrect allegations which disturb us and we strongly reject,” said Heidel.

Schalke’s coach Domenico Tedesco, who has steered the club to second in the Bundesliga behind Bayern Munich, also slammed Meyer.

“I am disappointed with his personal attacks and I cannot understand them, because they just are not true,” said Tedesco.

Meyer, 22, has been suspended from the first-team squad, effectively cutting his ties after nine years with the German club he joined as a junior.

Having made the last of his four appearances for Germany in 2016, Meyer recently informed Schalke he will not renew his contract.

His suspension follows a season-long stand off as Schalke tried to persuade him to stay after losing Germany midfielder Leon Goretzka to Bayern for next season.

Heidel publically confirmed last week that Meyer will leave and the relationship quickly soured.

The box-to-box midfielder reportedly rejected an offer of 5.5 million euros ($6.6m) per season to stay and insists his motivation to leave is not based on money.

“I has never been about money, otherwise I would have accepted the second improved offer,” Meyer told Bild on Monday.

“That’s why I find it a mess that Clemens Toennies went on television and said it was all about money.

“I simply did not want to stay with Schalke and work under Mr Heidel.

“That is what it’s all about — lately it has felt like bullying to me.”

Just hours after the interview was posted on Bild’s website, Meyer was suspended.

The post Schalke suspend Meyer over bullying allegations appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2KqqgjB

Italian league probe Matuidi racist abuse claims

Milan (AFP) – The Italian league are investigating reports that Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi was the victim of racist abuse during Saturday’s Serie A game against Inter Milan at the San Siro.

Serie A disciplinary officials said Monday all three of their observers present in the San Siro heard “chants expressing racial discrimination… which lasted for a few seconds” aimed at the French international.

The chanting reportedly came from all three levels of the ‘Curva Verde’ occupied by Inter Milan fans and took place 55 minutes into the game, which Juventus won 3-2 with two goals in the final three minutes.

But before any ruling can be made officials, in accordance with rules governing discrimination in the Italian game, have to gather data to ascertain how many fans were involved.

“We must acquire the data, even an approximate estimate, on the occupancy of the sectors involved, as well as receive confirmation that the chants heard came from all three sectors of the Curva Verde, as indicated in the report,” Serie A said in a statement.

The punishment will depend on how many fans took part and how loud the chanting was, it added.

Midfielder Matuidi has been the victim of similar abuse twice this season, by fans in Verona and Cagliari.

Verona were handed a 20,000 euro ($24,000) fine and a suspended partial stadium ban, but Cagliari were not punished although the club issued an apology to the 31-year-old French player.

Matuidi, who has 64 caps for France, joined Juventus before the start of the current season from Paris Saint-Germain and has scored three times for the Italian champions.

The post Italian league probe Matuidi racist abuse claims appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2Kr91i4

Trump tells Nigeria, other Africans to back US World Cup bid

Washington (AFP) – President Donald Trump called on Nigeria and other African countries Monday to endorse the US-Canada-Mexico joint bid for the World Cup in 2026, tying it to US support for them.

“I hope all African countries and countries throughout the world, that we also will be supporting you, and that they will likewise support us in our bid along with  Canada and Mexico for the 2026 World Cup,” Trump said in a White House press conference with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We will be watching very closely, and any help they can give us in that bid we would appreciate,” he said.

The call comes as world football’s governing body FIFA prepares to choose between the US-led joint bid and Morocco’s at a vote in Moscow on June 13.

Trump appeared to tie the issue to trade, saying just ahead of his mention of the World Cup that the United States hopes “to be the economic partner of choice for nations across the continent and all around the world.”

“You see what’s happening with respect to trade and the United States. We are being respected again,” he said.

It was the second time in a week that Trump weighed in on the bid, suggesting a quid pro quo for the support of other countries.

“The U.S. has put together a STRONG bid w/ Canada & Mexico for the 2026 World Cup,” Trump tweeted on Thursday.

“It would be a shame if countries that we always support were to lobby against the U.S. bid. Why should we be supporting these countries when they don’t support us (including at the United Nations)?”

Trump’s comments however risk incurring the wrath of FIFA, which has strict guidelines forbidding government intervention in football matters.

With strong infrastructure already in place, the North American joint bid has long been as the clear front-runner for what will be the first 48-team World Cup.

But Morocco has secured support from the influential Confederation of African Football as well as countries in Europe, notably France.

Some analysts say Trump’s heavy-handed intervention could tilt support away from North American bid.

Jaimie Fuller, one of the founding members of the New FIFA Now advocacy group, believes Trump may weigh heavily on the North American bid, while cautioning that the vote remains finely balanced.

“I wouldn’t be stunned if Morocco won this,” Jaimie Fuller, one of the founding members of the New FIFA Now advocacy group, told AFP in an interview last week. 

“And I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of that was down to the fact that Trump has waded in.”

The post Trump tells Nigeria, other Africans to back US World Cup bid appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2jmUM1D

Barcelona celebrates La Liga, Copa del Rey double win

Barcelona (AFP) – Thousands of Barcelona fans lined the streets of the city Monday to celebrate the club’s La Liga and Copa del Rey double, although the pain of an early Champions League exit was omnipresent.

Wearing the club’s trademark blue and claret-coloured shirts, fans cheered as an open-top bus passed by carrying Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and other stars who were taking photos with their mobiles, throwing confetti or singing “champions, champions.”

It is the eighth time Barca have achieved the feat, although the celebratory parade through the city centre was not as well attended and less exuberant than in past years.

Not only did it take place in the middle of a long weekend, when many locals leave the city, but Barca fans are still reeling from their shock elimination by Roma in the Champions League quarter-finals.

“It’s an incomplete season, it feels like two titles is not enough,” says Enric Vilalta, a 57-year-old supporter who went to the victory parade with his two children wearing Barcelona shirts.

“The Copa (del Rey) is not the biggest award and La Liga is good but the Champions (League) is what generates excitement. You can lose in semi-finals or in the final, but not in the quarter-finals and against a lesser team.”

“What happened with Roma is a thorn in our side,” says Javier Gibello, a 37-year-old civil servant who also brought his son.

“But if I had to mark them, I’d give them a B plus.”

As arch-rivals Real Madrid continue their bid for a record-extending 13th Champions League title, Barca fans are left pondering what might have been had their turbulent season gone differently.

The departure of Brazilian star Neymar last summer came before defeat to Real in the Spanish Super Cup.

Barcelona regrouped, dominating their rivals on the pitch to win the Copa del Rey with a 5-0 demolition of Sevilla last week and then securing the league title, in their first season with Ernesto Valverde as coach, with a 4-2 win at Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.

It is Barca’s seventh La Liga title in 10 years and their fourth consecutive Copa del Rey victory.

“The problem is we always want more,” says Trini Lorente, a 58-year-old supporter.

“But the season is really good, especially if tomorrow (Tuesday) Real Madrid loses,” joked her husband Jordi Olive, referring to the semi-final between their arch-rival and Bayern Munich.

Real, who beat Bayern 2-1 in the first leg of their semi-final last week, host the Bundesliga giants for the second leg on Tuesday.

The post Barcelona celebrates La Liga, Copa del Rey double win appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2r9wlYQ

Russia seeks monkey chant solution ahead of World Cup

Moscow (AFP) – Russian football’s anti-racism chief wants the World Cup hosts to start using fan ID cards at league matches to combat monkey chants.

Ape noises have turned into one of the most serious dilemmas facing Russia in the run-up to the June 14-July 15 showpiece.

The incidents have blighted some of the biggest games played in Russia and aired live on national TV.

The most recent case resulted in defending champions Spartak Moscow receiving a partial stadium ban last week over fan abuse hurled at an African player in a league cup semi-final.

The football federation simultaneously fined Zenit Saint Petersburg for “Nazi slogans” heard during a league match against the north Caucasus side Anzhi.

And world governing body FIFA launched disciplinary proceedings against Russia over monkey chants heard during a friendly against France in March.

Anti-discrimination inspector Alexei Smertin said on Monday the same Fan ID cards being used at World Cup matches should be applied to domestic Russian games.

Russia first tried out the system with FIFA’s approval at lasts year’s Confederations Cup.

“I am in favour of the Russian championship using the Fan ID system, just as we did at the Confederations Cup,” Smertin told Russia’s RT television.

“There were no incidents during that tournament.

“Every fan understood that if something happened, that person would have been easily identified.”

Each fan getting World Cup tickets must also apply for a special ID card with the Russian authorities.

The security services then conduct background checks with the help of their foreign counterparts.

Supporters’ identities are matched up against CCTV screen grabs taken when they first enter the stadium.

Smertin said the system would enable the Russian football federation to start zeroing in on specific offenders instead of issuing blanket penalties to teams.

“The way it works now, the clubs are being held responsible instead of the fans — and the fans know this perfectly well,” said Smertin.

The Russian football union said last month that it had forwarded the names of suspects at the French match to the security services.

The police are yet to take action and no Russian supporter has been banned from a stadium this year.

“We need to introduce personal responsibility so that fans who violate rules start being denied the right to go to stadiums and support their teams.”

Smertin added that he was working closely with the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) anti-discrimination network.

The London-based group reported 89 racist and far-right incidents at Russian games in the 2016/17 season.

The number was about the same as in each of the previous three seasons and suggests that Russia’s current approach was not having the desired results.

The post Russia seeks monkey chant solution ahead of World Cup appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2FtQCO0

Mancini ‘proud’ if appointed Italy coach

Milan (AFP) – Roberto Mancini said Monday he would be proud to coach Italy but insisted he had not yet had any contact with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

Zenit Saint Petersburg coach Mancini is seen as the favourite to take over the four-time world champions after Carlo Ancelotti reportedly turned down the job offer.

“Am I in pole position to become coach? From St Petersburg it’s difficult to be aware of everything,” Mancini told Italian radio on Monday.

“I personally have never spoken with the federation, but coaching the national team would be prestigious and a source of pride for me because Italy are one of the most important teams in the world.

“If one day I got the chance to sit on the national team’s bench it would be something beautiful, but until now there hasn’t been anything.”

Italy have been without a permanent coach since Gian Piero Ventura was sacked after failing to qualify the Azzurri for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years after losing to Sweden in a two-legged playoff in November.

Mancini travelled to Rome this week and according to reports in Russia the 53-year-old has told Zenit Saint Petersburg players he will be leaving at the end of the season.

“It won’t be the same World Cup (without Italy),” said Mancini, who believes Italian football needs to be rebuilt from grassroots level to return to the glory days.

“I feel that at this time the national team doesn’t have the champions it always had but it has good players.

“You have to be patient. The youth sections of Italian teams have some players who can do well in the national team in the future.”

Mancini led Manchester City to their first English title in 44 years in 2012, and won three Serie A titles with Inter Milan and Italian Cups with Inter, Fiorentina and Lazio.

The former Lazio and Sampdoria forward never became a regular with Italy during his 10-year international career, during which he won 36 caps and scored four goals.

He reached the semi-finals of Euro 1988, and was in the squad that finished third in the 1990 World Cup on home soil.

Italy’s under-21 coach Luigi Di Biagio has been filling the position on an interim basis with the FIGC saying Ventura’s successor will be named on May 20.

Among the other names being touted are Chelsea manager Antonio Conte and former Leicester coach Claudio Ranieri, now in charge of French club Nantes.

The post Mancini ‘proud’ if appointed Italy coach appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HI5TwD

Five talking points in Serie A football

Milan (AFP) – Juventus have one hand on a seventh straight Serie A title after Napoli’s title hopes unravelled with a shock 3-0 defeat at Fiorentina.

Kalidou Koulibaly’s sending off and a hat-trick by Fiorentina’s Giovanni Simeone mean Juventus have a four-point lead on Napoli and can wrap up yet another ‘Scudetto’ next weekend.

Here are five talking points after the weekend’s Serie A action in Italy:

Simeone inspired by dad Diego

Argentina forward Simeone’s hat-trick could have cost Napoli the Serie A title. And the 23-year-old revealed his motivation comes from his dad — Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone. “When I want a lift, I look at my dad’s videos and I see all the determination that he put in,” said the 22-year-old who has scored 13 goals in Serie A this season. “My father will be very happy with the hat-trick!” Diego Simeone himself proved a key player in the Serie A title chase during his playing days when his header sparked the comeback that saw Lazio win the title in 2000, and again in 2002 when his side ended Inter’s title bid on the final day of the championship.

Sarri fears fans getting bored

Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri fears that Serie A fans are getting bored as Juventus’ domination looks set to continue just a week after the wild celebrations sparked by his side’s 1-0 win in Turin.

“I must say, seeing the Premier League have this constant alternation of winners every year, it grows the love for teams and makes everyone have hope of success,” said Sarri.

“It’s a different situation here in Italy. The risk is that we’ll lose many fans, because they cheer on teams that will never win.

“The only hope is that in life, everything has to end sometime. Sooner or later, the domination will end.”

Icardi tears as Inter tumble

Captain Mauro Icardi could not hold back the tears as a last-gasp 3-2 defeat at home against Juventus dealt a potentially damaging blow to Inter Milan’s bid to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Argentine Icardi had opened the scoring with his 27th Serie A goal this season putting him just two goals behind Lazio’s Ciro Immobile in the top scorers this season.

Inter are fifth — four points behind Lazio and Roma in third and fourth — and if Luciano Spalletti’s side fail to make the elite European football next season the 100 million euro-valued Icardi could be sold to ease the financial blow.

Immobile record at risk

Lazio striker Ciro Immobile’s bid to finish the season as top Serie A scorer looks doubtful as the 28-year-old looks certain to miss the final three games after picking up a muscular injury in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Torino.

Immobile has scored 29 goals in the league this season — two more than Inter’s Icardi — and six more than he netted last season when he finished sixth on the list which Edin Dzeko led with Roma (29).

Gruesome gash floors Mandzukic

The post Five talking points in Serie A football appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HHkVa0

Balotelli wants to return to Italy

Milan (AFP) – Italian international striker Mario Balotelli said on Monday he wants to return to play in Italy after two years in France with Nice.

Balotelli has scored 39 goals since arriving at the Ligue outfit on a free transfer in August 2016 following dismal spells at Liverpool and AC Milan.

“I’d like to go back to Italy,” the 27-year-old told Calciomercato.com.

“There are many teams following me, but I can say that AC Milan aren’t one of them. There’s no chance of me returning to the Rossoneri.

“Nice? I almost definitely won’t stay, even if I don’t know yet for certain. More than likely, this will be my final season here, despite it being my best one in France.”

Balotelli, who has scored 15 goals in Ligue 1 this season, is out of contract this summer and has been linked with a return to Italy or England.

Balotelli started his career at little Lumezzane before moving to Inter Milan while still a teenager.

He was part of the Inter side coached by Jose Mourinho, now of Manchester United, that won the Champions League in 2010.

He also won three Serie A titles with Inter before switching to Manchester City and helping them claim the Premier League crown.

But subsequent spells with Milan and Liverpool were much less successful before he started to resurrect his career at Nice.

Balotelli has scored 13 goals in 33 appearances for Italy but has not been picked since the 2014 World Cup. 

The post Balotelli wants to return to Italy appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2raa6Sx

Ferrari are faster admits lucky Hamilton

Baku (AFP) – A subdued Lewis Hamilton admitted he had been lucky Monday after taking the drivers’ championship lead with his opportunistic victory in Sunday’s chaotic crash-strewn Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

There were no whoops of delight and no celebrations following his first win in seven races dating back to last October, but a serious realisation that he and his Mercedes team have their work cut out to stay on top.

On a day of gusty wind, unlikely accidents, abandoned debris interventions and two safety cars, the defending four-time world champion had struggled for pace, but avoided serious trouble.

While his team-mate Valtteri Bottas fell victim to a puncture caused by a piece of metal debris and title rival Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari out-braked himself in a wild lunge for glory, Hamilton tip-toed through the mayhem.

As Red Bull’s two battling tyros Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen resolved their tussle by crashing and others banged wheels, hit walls and ran off, the 33-year-old Englishman relied on concentration and perseverance.

“I remember my dad always told me ‘never give up, always keep going’,” he said afterwards as others wept and argued. “I never expected it, but I had to take it.

“Valtteri deserved to win. That’s why I went to see him and console him straight after the race. He was so unfortunate.”

It was Hamilton’s 63rd victory and curiously confirmed that he is not racing with the same raw elan as his youth, but with a more measured sense of craft and aplomb – a mixture that may be less spectacular, but could assist him more in gathering the points for a fifth title.

He knows, however, that in Sunday’s race he was hardly the leading man and that his car was unable to match the Ferraris in an unpredictable contest that maintained the craziness of the season to date.

“That was just a brutal race and it was probably exactly what the fans want to see at a Grand Prix,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. 

“It was twists and turns at every point.”

As the teams packed up to return to Europe and the Spanish Grand Prix next month, it was clear to Hamilton and Wolff that they need to find an upgrade for their car that makes the tyres work faster.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, definitely,” said Hamilton.

“We are still behind. Today I was lucky. I struggled all weekend and I am struggling to find the car’s potential. Their pure pace is ahead of ours at the moment.

“There were a lot of faults in the race, which is rare for me. I struggled with the car, struggled with the tyres.

“I’ve definitely got to go away from here and work even harder to make sure that there’s not a repeat performance-wise of this weekend.”

“The biggest issue is the tyres,” he added. “I don’t believe their car is much better than ours, if at all, it’s just that they are using their tyres better.”

The post Ferrari are faster admits lucky Hamilton appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HB8hcd

Zidane says pursuit of history galvanises Real Madrid

Madrid (AFP) – The possibility of reaching a third straight Champions League final is “galvanising” Real Madrid for their semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich, Zinedine Zidane told a press conference on Monday.

“It’s an extra motivation,” the Real Madrid coach said. 

“What drives this club is to try to do the maximum, all of us, to regret nothing,” he said. 

Real is at home on Tuesday and leads 2-1 after the away leg. 

“If we execute well with desire and motivation we have a great chance of reaching our objective.” 

Sergio Ramos, the Real captain, added that the chance to play in a third final was “reward for all our work, our perseverance”.

“We are making seem easy what is practically impossible. No one has won two in a row,” he said, which hasn’t happened since 1990, before the competition was enlarged switched a to a group format. “What motivates us, is to keep breaking records and winning titles.

“One of the strengths of Real is that opponents are not all the same and we study them carefully to learn how to hurt them,” Ramos explained. 

“At 1-1 in the first leg, Bayern had to chase a victory and we knew we could do damage on the conter-attack. We would have liked to score more, but the result was good. The scenario tomorrow is very similar, the other team must overcome a bad result and we will try to exploit that. I hope we stay committed in defence.”

While Ramos, the defender, emphasised defence, his boss talked of attack.

“The key is to try to win the match,” Zidane said. “Not to retreat and not to do anything stupid. We must try to score quickly.

“Bayern will not be worried,” he said. “They will come to play without inhibitions. We must be ready. 

– ‘We have not won anything yet’ –

While Real are still chasing the Champions League, their chief Spanish rival, Barcelona, completed the Spanish domestic double on Sunday, clinching the league title to go with their cup victory.

Sergio Ramos and Zidane were asked which achievement was greater.

“Barcelona deserved to be a champion, we have to congratulate them, nothing more,” said Zidane. “We have not won anything yet, they have won two trophies and have had a great season. We do not minimise what they have done, but what interests us is what we’re going to do.” 

Ramos could not resist a dig. 

“Barca have done the double and that’s a good year for them,” he said. “But winning the Champions League, that’s worth two titles, maybe more.” 

Against Leganes on Saturday, Zidane coached his 200th match (57 with Real’s reserves and 143 in charge of the club). 

He was asked how has he improved. 

“Of course I have a little more experience, but experience of big moments, because I experienced them last year,” he said. “There are tons of coaches more competent than I am. But I have experience of being there and of the changing room.” 

The post Zidane says pursuit of history galvanises Real Madrid appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2jg28Up

FA critical of Burnley fans over Bong taunts

London (AFP) – The Football Association has condemned the Burnley fans who taunted Brighton defender Gaetan Bong during Saturday’s goalless draw at Turf Moor.

Cameroon international Bong accused West Bromwich Albion forward Jay Rodriguez, a former Burnley player, of racially abusing him during a match in January.

That charge was found not proven but the FA said it was satisfied the complaint was “made in absolute good faith”, prompting a disagreement between the feuding players on social media.

Bong was subjected to prolonged booing throughout the match against Burnley and also had to endure ugly chants from Clarets supporters.

“The FA considers the behaviour of some supporters on Saturday towards Gaetan Bong to be unacceptable,” a statement read.

“It needs repeating, following the recent disciplinary matter, that there was no suggestion by any party involved in that case that the player made a malicious or fabricated complaint. 

“The FA was wholly satisfied that the complaint was made in absolute good faith.

“The FA takes all allegations of discrimination extremely seriously and continues to encourage all participants who believe that they have been the subject of or witness to discriminatory abuse to report this through the appropriate channels.”

Speaking after the game, Brighton manager Chris Hughton had said: “I would have to say that I thought the reaction of the Burnley supporters towards Gaetan every time he got the ball was shameful, I really do.”

The post FA critical of Burnley fans over Bong taunts appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HGpyg6

Emre Can set for Juventus move – reports

Milan (AFP) – Liverpool defensive midfielder Emre Can has agreed a five-year contract with Italian champions Juventus, according to reports in Italy on Monday.

The 24-year-old German international, who is sidelined with a back injury, will sign with the six-time Italian champions as early as this week, Gazzetta dello Sport reported.

The midfielder can leave Liverpool on a free transfer at the end of the season, and Gazzetta reported that the German has already agreed a deal worth six million euros ($7.5 million) per year. 

French champions Paris Saint-Germain were also reported to be interested in signing Can who preferred a move to Italy with fellow Germans Sami Khedira and Benedikt Howedes already in Turin.

Can arrived in Liverpool in 2014 from Bayer Leverkusen, having previously won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 2013.

The post Emre Can set for Juventus move – reports appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HB8zzY

Bayern need ‘cool heads and hot hearts’ to shock Real

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich need “cool heads and hot hearts” if they are to learn from Juventus and pull off an unlikely Champions League victory at Real Madrid, says chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Bayern face an uphill task in Tuesday’s semi-final, second leg, at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium after losing 2-1 in Munich last Wednesday when a defensive slip let Marco Asensio hit the winner.

To compound their problems, Bayern have lost both key defender Jerome Boateng and creative winger Arjen Robben with groin injuries.

Nevertheless, the Germans jetted to Madrid on Monday determined to pull off an unlikely win.

They can take solace from Juventus who went down fighting with a 3-1 win in Madrid in the quarter-finals after losing 3-0 in Turin, bowing out 4-3 on aggregate.

“Juve are a good example of putting pressure on Real in Madrid,” said Rummenigge.

“We need cool heads and hot hearts.”

Defender Niklas Suele, who will step in for Boateng at centre-back, added: “It’s a difficult starting position, but we trust ourselves to do it.

“It will be important to switch well between attack and defence.

“We also did well against (Cristiano) Ronaldo (who failed to score) in the first leg.”

– Pressure to score –

Rummenigge says the loss of Boateng and Robben gives their replacements the chance to step up and shine.

“Boateng and Robben will not make the trip and we can’t change that,” said Rummenigge.

“I think lamenting makes no sense, we have other players who can step in.

“When I look at the development of Niklas Suele, that’s been top notch.

“Whoever stands on the pitch will have to go to their limits if we want to be successful.”

Bayern must score at least two goals to have any chance of reaching the final on May 26 in Kiev.

“We’re confident,” said right-back Joshua Kimmich, who scored in the first leg.

“We did not play at our top level and still had some chances.

“The aim is to score two goals and conceding wouldn’t change much.”

In the first leg, the Germans were kicking themselves for converting just one of their 17 shots on goal, compared to Real’s seven, two of which Marcelo and Asensio put away.

“We will get some chances and when we get them, we will have to use them,” said Bayern president Uli Hoeness.

Rummenigge defended Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski, who was criticised in the German media for struggling in front of goal in the first leg.

“I find this discussion ridiculous, as we all actually find it ridiculous at Bayern Munich,” fumed Rummenigge, a former striker.

“He has scored 39 goals again this year and we are glad that he is with us and that next year he will play with us.”

Rummenigge pointed to legendary Bayern striker Gerd Mueller, who scored 68 goals in 62 games for West Germany in the 1970s. 

“He (Lewandowski) is a goal machine and I can remember Gerd Mueller for example, who is the number one in all (goal) statistics, not only at Bayern Munich, but throughout Germany.

The post Bayern need ‘cool heads and hot hearts’ to shock Real appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2rawYS2

Ferrari are faster admits lucky Hamilton

Baku (AFP) – A subdued Lewis Hamilton admitted he had been lucky Monday after taking the drivers’ championship lead with his opportunistic victory in Sunday’s chaotic crash-strewn Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

There were no whoops of delight and no celebrations following his first win in seven races dating back to last October, but a serious realisation that he and his Mercedes team have their work cut out to stay on top.

On a day of gusty wind, unlikely accidents, abandoned debris interventions and two safety cars, the defending four-time world champion had struggled for pace, but avoided serious trouble.

While his team-mate Valtteri Bottas fell victim to a puncture caused by a piece of metal debris and title rival Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari out-braked himself in a wild lunge for glory, Hamilton tip-toed through the mayhem.

As Red Bull’s two battling tyros Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen resolved their tussle by crashing and others banged wheels, hit walls and ran off, the 33-year-old Englishman relied on concentration and perseverance.

“I remember my dad always told me ‘never give up, always keep going’,” he said afterwards as others wept and argued. “I never expected it, but I had to take it.

“Valtteri deserved to win. That’s why I went to see him and console him straight after the race. He was so unfortunate.”

It was Hamilton’s 63rd victory and curiously confirmed that he is not racing with the same raw elan as his youth, but with a more measured sense of craft and aplomb – a mixture that may be less spectacular, but could assist him more in gathering the points for a fifth title.

He knows, however, that in Sunday’s race he was hardly the leading man and that his car was unable to match the Ferraris in an unpredictable contest that maintained the craziness of the season to date.

“That was just a brutal race and it was probably exactly what the fans want to see at a Grand Prix,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. 

“It was twists and turns at every point.”

As the teams packed up to return to Europe and the Spanish Grand Prix next month, it was clear to Hamilton and Wolff that they need to find an upgrade for their car that makes the tyres work faster.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, definitely,” said Hamilton.

“We are still behind. Today I was lucky. I struggled all weekend and I am struggling to find the car’s potential. Their pure pace is ahead of ours at the moment.

“There were a lot of faults in the race, which is rare for me. I struggled with the car, struggled with the tyres.

“I’ve definitely got to go away from here and work even harder to make sure that there’s not a repeat performance-wise of this weekend.”

“The biggest issue is the tyres,” he added. “I don’t believe their car is much better than ours, if at all, it’s just that they are using their tyres better.”

The post Ferrari are faster admits lucky Hamilton appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2r9PtGa

Egypt football star Salah signals progress in image dispute

Cairo (AFP) – An image rights storm that has seen star Mohamed Salah lash out at Egyptian football authorities is on the way to being settled, the Liverpool playmaker has signalled.

“We were promised a solution and God willing the issue is on its way to being resolved,” the midfield maestro tweeted late Sunday, while thanking his fans for their “unreal” support. 

The dispute has centred on an advertising campaign by the national team’s main sponsor, Telecom Egypt’s mobile arm WE, which has relied heavily on photos of Salah, who has his own contract with global telecom giant Vodafone.

An initial hint of major discord came on April 20, when Salah’s representative Ramy Abbas Issa tweeted “we are having a very serious issue with the Egyptian Football Association”. 

Salah had signalled his growing frustration earlier on Sunday by tweeting “unfortunately the way it is being dealt with is very insulting. I was hoping the interaction would be classier than this.”

Issa on Saturday complained that he and Salah had not even been contacted by the EFA. “Complete silence! What’s the plan?! We just see more and more billboards and ads coming out which we have never authorised!” he tweeted. 

But on Sunday Egypt’s Minister of Youth and Sports Khaled Abd Elaziz announced that “an agreement has been reached” with the football association “to carry out all the requests” by Salah.

“I affirm that we will all stand beside him to implement all the contracts he signed in England, so that he does not face any problems,” the minister said on his Twitter account.

The Twitter storm has marked a departure from Salah’s usual genteel online presence, which has generally been limited to photos of him in action and on the training field, or compliments for peers on the Liverpool and Egyptian national teams. 

The player has scored 43 goals so far this season, including a stunning brace in Liverpool’s 5-2 Champions League semi-final first leg demolition of Roma earlier this month.  

The post Egypt football star Salah signals progress in image dispute appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HDoy0A

Pochettino says Spurs years ahead of schedule

London (AFP) – Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham are victims of their own success as they scramble to finish in the top four of the Premier League ahead of deposed champions Chelsea.

Fourth-placed Spurs, who host Watford on Monday, have stumbled in the league in recent weeks and crashed to their eighth successive FA Cup semi-final defeat against Manchester United last week.

But Pochettino, targeting Champions League qualification for a third straight year, said his approach would not change as he strives to take the club to the next level and win silverware after a barren decade.

Spurs are two points clear of Chelsea, with four games remaining. Antonio Conte’s side, who have won three successive league matches, have three games left.

“Tottenham needed when we arrived here to have a clear idea about discipline, rules, principles, a project to develop, to use young players, and that was how we created this project all together,” he said.

“Whether it is me or another, that is the right project to keep pushing, don’t be disappointed if we still don’t win a trophy, the expectation always is massive.

“We are victims of our own success because we are ahead in our project. I remind you that in my first meeting with (chairman) Daniel Levy and (owner) Joe Lewis, the target was to arrive in the new stadium in four years and to create a team to have the possibility to fight for the top four and the second year to play Champions League.”

Pochettino, whose club will move into their new stadium next season, raised eyebrows following the defeat to Jose Mourinho’s United by saying the project at Spurs will go on “with me or another”.

The Argentine still has three years to run on his contract and was coy about whether a new deal is in the offing.

“Am I going to sign? It’s a question for Daniel,” he said. “I am not (Arsene) Wenger or (Alex) Ferguson who decides about their own future. I decide only about the starting XI in this football club. That is up to Daniel, does he want to offer or not?

“I am a person who is never going to ask to improve my salary or extend my contract or anything like this.”

The post Pochettino says Spurs years ahead of schedule appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HCvriG

Real and Zidane look to overcome Bayern in Champions League semis

Madrid (AFP) – Zinedine Zidane may have won two consecutive Champions League titles but he refuses to admit a third would brand this his very own era at Real Madrid.

Real stand on the brink of a trio of finals ahead of their second leg against Bayern Munich in the last four on Tuesday, when they will carry a 2-1 lead, and two away goals, to the Santiago Bernabeu.

It makes them favourites to go through and, for many, heavy favourites to win the tournament after already beating Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus in the knock-out stages.

For Zidane, a third European crown as coach is now in sight, which would put him level with Carlo Ancelotti and Bob Paisley in the pantheon of successful managers.

Only the three triumphs of Paisley, however, came at one club, Liverpool, and over a single era, in 1977, 1978 and 1981. Ancelotti’s treble stretched across 11 years, with two clubs, Real and AC Milan.

“We cannot talk about this,” Zidane said on Friday. “Coaches like this were given a lot of time, they did a lot of things.

“I am comfortable, we have done well, it is two and a half years that have been good but the rest, ‘Zidane’s Real Madrid’, let’s wait a bit.” 

Even Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola have lifted Europe’s biggest prize only twice, all with more years in management under their belts. 

But Zidane’s merits as a coach and tactician continue to be downplayed, at least in part because the Frenchman owns arguably the most talented squad in the world and, in Cristiano Ronaldo, the Champions League’s greatest ever player.

– Zidane’s brave call –

Ronaldo’s 15 goals in this year’s competition have certainly been key, but it was Zidane who made the brave call to leave out Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema at the Allianz Arena against Bayern. 

The preferred but less established duo of Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio combined brilliantly for the winning goal, with the former also switched to right-back late on, where he held off the threat of Franck Ribery. 

Bale, harshly treated in recent weeks, may not agree but the majority of Real’s first team are now regularly hailing Zidane’s man-management, his preparation and his tactics. 

“When Zizou has to gamble, he does, because he is the boss,” captain Sergio Ramos said. “We are very happy that he is steering the boat.”

There is certainly work still to be done to overcome Bayern, who dominated large parts of the first match and perhaps deserved to emerge with a more flattering result.

“We earned a lot of extra credit for winning the match,” Zidane said. “But we cannot make the same mistakes again and I think on Tuesday we’ll have to go into the match with more determination than we’ve ever had before.”

Real are likely to be without Isco and Dani Carvajal, who sustained shoulder and hamstring injuries respectively during the first leg. 

“We are always damaged losing two players but at the same time we cannot do anything about it,” Zidane said.  

The post Real and Zidane look to overcome Bayern in Champions League semis appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2r93P9M

‘The war isn’t over’ — Ribery issues Bayern battle cry

Berlin (AFP) – Franck Ribery has issued a battle cry before Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg at Real Madrid where Bayern Munich know they must be ruthless in front of goal to stage an unlikely comeback.

Bayern have it all to do at the Santiago Bernabeu after wasting several chances in last week’s 2-1 first-leg loss in Munich.

“The battle is lost, but the war is not over,” the Frenchman wrote on Twitter, borrowing from the famous Charles de Gaulle quote.

“We will get our chances in Madrid.”

The 35-year-old Ribery was one of the few Bayern stars to shine in the defeat at the Allianz Arena.

A dreadful error from Bayern defender Rafinha let in substitute Marco Asensio to score a second-half winner, handing holders Real a significant advantage.

After Joshua Kimmich gave Bayern an early lead, Ribery twice came agonisingly close to scoring for Munich.

He stumbled at the crucial moment in a one-on-one with Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas in the first half before Marcelo equalised for Real.

Ribery wreaked havoc on the left wing and also forced Navas into an excellent second-half save.

The winger and his Bayern team-mates fly to Madrid on Monday vowing to upset the odds.

“We’ll give it everything we have,” insisted Bayern left-back David Alaba, back from a thigh injury.

Bayern are in an identical position to last year’s quarter-finals, when Real knocked them out.

After losing the first leg 2-1 in Munich, they won by the same margin over 90 minutes in Madrid only to bow out 6-3 on aggregate after losing 4-2 after extra time.

On Saturday, Ribery was among a host of players rested as a weakened Bayern team beat their incoming coach Niko Kovac’s Eintracht Frankfurt 4-1.

– Real ‘all at sea’ –

Sandro Wagner scored in the Bundesliga victory and pin-pointed how Bayern can win in Madrid.

Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes dubbed the striker ‘a fighter’ and Wagner could get the chance to be on the end of Ribery’s crosses at the Bernabeu.

“I think Real were all at sea defending every cross, so we know what we have to do,” said Wagner, the back-up for top-scorer Robert Lewandowski.

“We all want revenge and have all vowed to give it absolutely everything in Madrid.”

The match could be Ribery’s last chance to show his trademark sprints with the ball at his feet on the European stage.

Along with Arjen Robben, he has yet to sign a one-year extension to his contract which expires in June.

Ribery joined Bayern in 2007 and holds the club record for a foreign player of 247 Bundesliga appearances, scoring 80 goals.

He also holds the joint-record of eight Bundesliga titles with Oliver Kahn, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mehmet Scholl.

Thomas Mueller, Javi Martinez, Alaba and Ribery are the four survivors from the team which won the 2013 Champions League final set to play on Tuesday.

Martinez and Alaba have shaken off head and thigh injuries respectively.

According to reports, Robben will not fly to Madrid on Monday after coming off early with a groin injury in the first leg.

The post ‘The war isn’t over’ — Ribery issues Bayern battle cry appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2JBFpNB

Roma coach believes in Champions league comeback

Milan (AFP) – Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco insisted Sunday his side firmly believe in their ability to pull off another Champions League comeback despite trailing Liverpool 5-2 after the semi-final first leg.

“We’ve done something extraordinary in the Champions League this season,” Di Francesco told Italian television on Sunday.

“I also came here to send a message — this team has had a great journey and we don’t want to stop now. We want to believe in this comeback, because that is my attitude to life.

“I’m an optimist by nature, football is joy and it must be lived as such. What pushes me on is passion and giving joy to people. I like to leave the celebrating to others at the final whistle, because that’s part of the job.”

Roma need a 3-0 win in the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday to qualify for the final in Kiev, the same situation as in the quarter-finals when they overturned a 4-1 first-leg deficit to beat La Liga champions Barcelona.

Liverpool dramatically beat Roma on penalties in the 1984 European Cup final in the Stadio Olimpico.

Di Francesco added he did not believe the Serie A title race was over despite Juventus opening up a four-point lead on Napoli who lost 3-0 to Fiorentina at the weekend.

“I don’t think the championship speech is over yet but, after today’s match for Napoli, I think Juventus are favourites, even if Juve must come and play us.” 

Third-placed Roma will host Juventus on the penultimate day of the league season.

“Us determinants? Yes, but for ourselves, not for the others,” he added.

The post Roma coach believes in Champions league comeback appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2Ft8qsm

Barcelona have been far superior in La Liga, says Messi

Madrid (AFP) – Lionel Messi revelled in Barcelona’s seventh La Liga title in 10 seasons on Sunday, saying his team were “far superior” to their domestic rivals during their double-winning campaign.

The Argentinian star scored a brilliant 30th La Liga hat-trick as Barca survived a scare to beat Deportivo La Coruna 4-2, wrapping up the club’s 25th league title with four matches to spare and keeping their hopes of an unbeaten season alive.

“We have been far superior to our rivals, we haven’t lost a match during the whole season,” Messi told Barcelona’s in-house television channel.

“It’s a very special Liga in that sense, because we haven’t lost a single match. We’ve had some tough times and we’ve overcome everything without losing, which is unbelievable.”

Regaining the top-flight crown from Real Madrid also secured Barcelona their third double in four years after thrashing Sevilla 5-0 in last weekend’s Copa del Rey final.

The only blemish on their season was a stunning Champions League quarter-final loss to Roma when they blew a 4-1 first-leg lead to be dumped out at the Stadio Olimpico.

“We lost just one in the Cup and disappointingly another in the Champions League,” added Messi, who leads the La Liga scoring charts with 32 goals this term.

“That was an unexpected result in view of our shape. But we take a lot of merit to win a title as difficult as this without losing a game.”

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner also paid tribute to captain Andres Iniesta.

The 33-year-old midfielder came off the bench in the 87th minute at Deportivo to make his 670th Barcelona appearance just two days after announcing that he will leave the club at the end of the season.

“It’s a shame for us and the club, but he deserved to go like that,” said Messi.

“We deplore what happened in the Champions League, it prevented him from going out with a treble, but he’s leaving in an impressive fashion.

“This double is more than deserved for Andres, for all he has given to this club. I am very happy for him and wish him all the best.”

The post Barcelona have been far superior in La Liga, says Messi appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2r7zI2z

‘Indescribable emotions’ for Barca skipper Iniesta

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona icon Andres Iniesta said his team were worthy winners of a 25th La Liga title as the veteran skipper prepares to leave the Spanish giants.

The 33-year-old revealed Friday that he will leave Barcelona at the end of the season, bringing the curtain down on a phenomenally successful career at the club he has served since he was 12.

On Sunday, he came off the bench for a brief cameo appearance as Barcelona defeated Deportivo La Coruna 4-2 at a Riazor stadium which stood to honour him.

“This feels good. The championship is a competition that lasts all year, it is about consistency and the team deserved this title,” said Iniesta.

“It has been a great season with the Copa del Rey and now La Liga.”

On the ovation he received from Deportivo fans when he made his 87th-minute entry, he said was overwhelmed, especially as the home side had been relegated as a result of the defeat.

“These are indescribable emotions. On a personal level, as a sportsman, there are no words when you receive such affection in such a difficult situation for the fans.

“I am eternally grateful for all the messages received from the heart. In all my career, I tried to be a good sportsman, a good person, being respectful.

“I have been fortunate to experience unique situations. I am very grateful.”

The post ‘Indescribable emotions’ for Barca skipper Iniesta appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2FshjT7

Simeone treble buries Napoli as Juventus close on seventh straight title

Milan (AFP) – Napoli’s title hopes looked in tatters on Sunday after a shock 3-0 defeat at Fiorentina, complete with an early sending-off for Kalidou Koulibaly and a hat-trick from Giovanni Simeone, edged Juventus closer to a seventh successive Serie A title.

With just three games left, Juventus have a four-point lead on closest challengers Napoli and could wrap up yet another ‘Scudetto’ next weekend.

Argentina forward Simeone — the son of Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone — scored all three goals in a spectacular display to keep Fiorentina’s Europa League hopes alive.

Koulibaly, labelled a hero when he scored the last-gasp header that kept Napoli’s ambitions alive with a 1-0 win over Juventus in Turin last week, turned villain in Florence when he was sent off after just eight minutes.

“We lost tactical certainties after the sending off, and faced with adversity we lost our way and our nerve too,” said Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri.

“The entire team had a bad performance. We won as a team at other times, today we lost as a team. I didn’t see any positives.”

Juventus battled past 10-man Inter Milan in a San Siro thriller on Saturday to prevail 3-2 thanks to two late goals in three minutes.

Massimiliano Allegri’s champions host Bologna on Saturday and will be assured of the title if they win and Napoli lose at home against Torino on Sunday.

“I want the whole team to fight back straight away,” said Sarri as Napoli chase a third title after 1987 and 1990. “If we always focus on the next game, we can have a good season.”

Napoli never recovered from Koulibaly’s dismissal, the towering Sengalese defender initially shown a yellow card for kicking out at Simeone as he charged towards goal.

But a video assistant referee (VAR) review at the Stadio Franchi upgraded the yellow to red, with a free-kick given instead of a penalty.

Sarri replaced midfielder Jorginho with central defender Lorenzo Tonelli.

But Napoli struggled to contain their rivals, Simeone breaking the deadlock by firing through the legs of goalkeeper Pepe Reina after 34 minutes.

Simeone pounced to drive home the second on 62 minutes after the ball initially bounced off Elseid Hysaj and Reina saved with his leg.

The 22-year-old completed his hat-trick three minutes into injury-time to claim his 13th goal this season.

– Champions League suspense –

The suspense remains over who will join Juventus and Napoli in the Champions League next season.

Both Roman clubs occupy the two remaining places with Roma beating Chievo 4-1 and Lazio edging past Torino 1-0 to remain third and fourth respectively level on points, with Inter Milan four points behind in fifth.

Luis Alberto saw his penalty saved and Serie A top-scorer Ciro Immobile went off injured, with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s header giving Lazio all three points at Torino.

The final game of the season will see Lazio host Inter.

AC Milan maintained their Europa League hopes with a 2-1 win at Bologna to end a six-game winless streak including last week’s shock reverse to bottom club Benevento.

The post Simeone treble buries Napoli as Juventus close on seventh straight title appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2Kns8tn

Draw dents Marseille Euro bid, Cavani sets PSG record with rescue act

Paris (AFP) – A late leveller from Ismael Traore put the brakes on Marseille’s bid for Champions League football next season as the southern giants were held to a 1-1 draw at Angers on Sunday.

Marseille travelled west hoping to move into the Ligue 1 top three after Monaco were held to a scoreless draw at home to Amiens on Saturday as Lyon took second by beating Nantes.

Paris Saint-Germain, who battled back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Guingamp on Sunday, wrapped up the title with plenty of room to spare two weeks ago.

On paper, three points were well within Marseille’s grasp.

Coach Rudi Garcia certainly appeared to believe so as he left both Dimitri Payet and Kostas Mitroglou on the bench ahead of Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg at Salzburg.

But despite a third-minute penalty from Florian Thauvin, misfiring Angers finally got back on level terms thanks to Traore’s header from a free-kick on 79 minutes.

Marseille remain fourth, one point behind Monaco in the third and last Champions League qualifying position.

But Garcia remained confident that Marseille will reach their objectives both at home and in Europe.

“We’ve dropped two points, which is a regret because we’re approaching the end of the season,” he said.

“But we still have three matches to play, and Monaco also dropped points. It’s not over yet.”

He added: “Now, we’ll turn our focus to the Europa League and do everything we can to make the final. Then we host Nice (in Ligue 1) and we’ll start our bid to move up one or two places in the table.

“Everything is possible.”

– Marseille fail to build on Thauvin strike –

After Monaco’s slip-up, motivation should not have been an issue for Marseille at the Raymond Kopa stadium.

But Garcia’s men struggled to build on the early lead provided by Thauvin after Abdoulaye Bamba had fouled Valere Germain during the first corner of the game.

In wet and slippery conditions both keepers were kept on their toes.

Marseille shot-stopper Yohann Pele produced a great one-handed save to thwart Flavien Tait from a tight angle minutes before the interval.

But Ludovic Butelle was the busiest of the pair, the 35-year-old forced into action quickly after the restart to charge down Jordan Amavi’s angled strike before palming a wicked curling effort from Thauvin over the bar moments later.

The greasy pitch made for a scrappy affair with passes, and shots, going astray.

But not even those challenges were an excuse for Angers missing a golden chance to level on 70 minutes.

Karl Toko Ekambi’s run through the middle into the area saw the ball stop dead, with Pele stranded.

Yet, faced with an empty goal, Thomas Mangani sent his effort high over the bar from 16 yards out.

But the home fans were finally given reason to celebrate when Traore rose highest at the back post to meet Tait’s free-kick from deep on the left and fire a header past a rooted Pele and into the bottom corner.

The post Draw dents Marseille Euro bid, Cavani sets PSG record with rescue act appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HCjkCb

Five matches that clinched Barcelona the title

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona won their 25th La Liga title on Sunday after a 4-2 win against Deportivo La Coruna. 

Here AFP Sport picks out the key matches of the season that propelled the Catalans to be crowned champions:

– October 1: Barcelona 3 Las Palmas 0 

Already four points ahead of their closest rivals, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona hosted Las Palmas on a day when political tensions were at their highest following an illegal independence referendum in Catalonia. 

Barca staged the fixture behind closed doors in protest as a 3-0 thrashing of their Canarian opponents in an empty stadium maintained the leadership, while striking an early chord for team unity.

– October 14: Atletico Madrid 1 Barcelona 1 

On a strong winning run after seven victories in seven games, Barca suffered their first stumble away to Atletico Madrid. 

But Luis Suarez equalised in the 82nd minute to avoid what would have been Barcelona’s first defeat, and a potentially momentum-swinging win for Diego Simeone’s men. 

– December 23: Real Madrid 0 Barcelona 3 

Still unbeaten heading into Christmas, Barca visited the Santiago Bernabeu for the first ‘clasico’ of the season, where Real Madrid were desperate to kickstart their stuttering campaign. Instead, Barca inflicted a knock-out blow as Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Aleix Vidal ran riot and stretched their lead over Los Blancos to a commanding 14 points.

– February 4: Espanyol 1 Barcelona 1 

After suffering their first defeat of the season against Espanyol in the Copa del Rey, Barca returned to face their local rivals a few days later in the league, looking to ensure their blip was not extended. Under heavy rain at the Cornella Stadium, it very nearly was, as Gerard Moreno put the home side in front only for a late header from Gerard Pique to secure a draw, in what felt like a victory. 

– March 4: Barcelona 1 Atletico Madrid 0 

Unexpected slips from Barca against Getafe and Las Palmas had given hope to Atletico Madrid, who arrived on the back of an eight-match winning run and with genuine hopes of reducing the gap at the top to five points. But instead, Ernesto Valverde’s side moved 11 points clear as a bending Messi free-kick took the wind out of Atletico’s sails and all-but sealed the Catalans the title. 

The post Five matches that clinched Barcelona the title appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2r8Umz8

Barcelona storm to La Liga title but work to be done this summer

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona will bid a glorious farewell to Andres Iniesta after winning La Liga on Sunday to seal a domestic double but this season may mark the end for more than just the 33-year-old midfielder.

Iniesta is calling time, for some prematurely, on his 22-year association with the club he joined as a 12-year-old and he goes out on a high after Barca turned what threatened to be a transitional, even turbulent, campaign into a tremendous one. 

They wrapped up the title with four games to spare, 11 points ahead of Atletico Madrid and 15 clear of Real. 

They have been top since beating Espanyol in their third game on September 9. They are 41 league matches unbeaten and four away from becoming the first ever side to finish a single La Liga calendar as invincibles. 

As title races go, this one was a whitewash but all the more surprising then, that this Barca side will not be remembered particularly fondly, even by their own supporters. 

Before last weekend’s Copa del Rey final against Sevilla, which they won 5-0, Barcelona’s daily sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo wrote Ernesto Valverde’s future as coach could be in doubt if they missed out on the double. 

When Barca threw away a 4-1 advantage to lose to Roma in the Champions League quarter-finals, the same publication described it as a “disaster”, “disgrace” and, most damaging of all, “deserved”. 

That collapse will still hang over the title celebrations, because it was not a one-off — this was Barca’s third consecutive exit in the last eight — and because Real’s march towards the final has heightened the sense of absence. 

But more than their departure in Europe, Valverde’s team have departed from tradition in the way they have won. 

Barca have scored 87 goals, with four matches left. Since Pep Guardiola’s first season in charge, they have won the title seven times, with their goals scored column for those years reading 105, 98, 95, 115, 110 and 112. 

This team was not always entertaining and occasionally it was even dull, but it was organised, disciplined and never knew when it was beaten. 

Late escapes against Espanyol, Atletico and Sevilla preserved the undefeated run and maintained momentum. The dogged 1-0 victory over Atletico in March all-but delivered the title.   

Lionel Messi’s free-kick proved decisive that day and the Argentinian has arguably been the difference all season, offering creativity, penetration and a league-high 32 goals to a team not so blessed with attacking imagination. 

But even if underwhelming on the eye and perhaps over-reliant on Messi, Valverde and his team deserve even greater credit considering where they began in August. 

When the unexpected sale of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain was followed by Super Cup defeats home and away by Real Madrid, many concluded Barca’s squad had been worsened by the transfer market, not improved. 

Despite the impressive job Valverde has done since, that will have to be rectified this summer. 

In the Copa del Rey final, only three players in the starting line-up were younger than 29 — Samuel Umtiti, Sergi Roberto and Philippe Coutinho.

The post Barcelona storm to La Liga title but work to be done this summer appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HDLBrO

Three players who inspired Barcelona to win La Liga

Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona won their 25th La Liga title on Sunday with four games to spare. Here, AFP Sport looks at the three key players behind their latest league triumph:

Lionel Messi 

Of course, the Argentinian striker, top scorer in the league with 32 goals, led from the front and, at times, dragged his team to victories they did not deserve. Messi not only scores goals, his assists and build-up play are also crucial. The number 10 has often played through spells in matches like a central midfielder this season and he also scored the goal which all but settled the title race, his bending free-kick against Atletico Madrid in March securing a pivotal 1-0 win. “If we took Messi and put him in an Atletico shirt, we would have won this match 1-0,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said.

Andres Iniesta 

Iniesta will bid farewell to Barcelona after 22 years with a La Liga-Copa del Rey double. He has been the brain of the team on the field and a figure of calm off it in a season when Ernesto Valverde managed the midfielder’s minutes carefully. “Iniesta has symbolised an era,” said Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu after Iniesta scored in the brilliant 5-0 victory over Sevilla in the final of the Copa del Rey. Iniesta was again the soul of the team this term. He will be sorely missed.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen 

Barcelona’s ascendancy this season has more often been based on resilience and defensive discipline than attacking gusto, and at the heart of their backline has been ter Stegen. Barca have conceded the second fewest goals in the league, second only to Atletico, and their German goalkeeper has managed 18 clean sheets in the 34 games that he has played in the league. Ter Stegen, who is also exceptional with the ball at his feet, has enjoyed a season to mark himself out as one of the finest goalkeepers in the world.

The post Three players who inspired Barcelona to win La Liga appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2ra3Yd5

Messi hat-trick seals Barca’s 25th title in style

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona claimed their 25th La Liga title on Sunday as a Lionel Messi hat-trick secured a thrilling 4-2 victory at Deportivo La Coruna that wrapped up the league with four matches to spare.

Ernesto Valverde’s men completed a league and cup double after thrashing Sevilla 5-0 in last week’s Copa del Rey final, regaining the Spanish crown from Real Madrid and relegating Deportivo in the process.

Barca knew they just had to extend their record unbeaten streak to 41 La Liga matches to seal a seventh title in 10 seasons, and Philippe Coutinho fired them into an early lead.

Messi’s 38th-minute volley made it two, but Lucas Perez pulled one back for Deportivo before half-time and Turkish winger Emre Colak stunned Barca with an equaliser midway through the second period.

Barca finally saw off their stubborn hosts, though, as Messi pounced after a brilliant one-two with Luis Suarez before slotting in to complete his 30th La Liga treble.

The Catalan giants now hold an unassailable 11-point lead over second-placed Atletico Madrid, who have just three games to play, and are closing in on becoming the first Spanish side to go through a top-flight season without tasting defeat.

Andres Iniesta was surprisingly left on the bench after the midfield great announced earlier this week that he will leave the club at the end of the season.

But it was his expected long-term successor Coutinho who broke the deadlock in the seventh minute, bending an exquisite finish into the top corner for his third La Liga goal for the club since signing from Liverpool in January.

Deportivo had to win to stave off relegation for another week, but Clarence Seedorf’s men were denied an equaliser when Perez was flagged offside after tapping in from close range.

Messi went close to doubling the advantage just before the half-hour mark, only for home goalkeeper Ruben to pull off an excellent one-handed save to turn his free-kick around the post.

– Deportivo cause problems –

Deportivo were causing Barca plenty of problems at the back, though, and centre-back Fabian Schaer should have levelled as he headed over when unmarked inside the six-yard box.

But Messi drilled a curling Suarez cross past Ruben at the keeper’s near post to score his 30th league goal of the campaign, before on-loan Arsenal striker Perez swept home to halve the deficit just two minutes later.

Despite the close scoreline, Barca were playing as if the second half was a pure title party, with centre-back Gerard Pique even performing a few ‘keepie uppies’ on the left wing.

Their complacency cost them in the 64th minute, as Celso Borges unselfishly squared for Colak to score.

Suddenly the champions-elect were desperately trying to hang onto their unbeaten record, as goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a smart stop from another Schaer header.

But Barcelona showed their class as Suarez and Messi combined to terrific effect with eight minutes to play — the latter clipping the ball in off the post.

The post Messi hat-trick seals Barca’s 25th title in style appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HzPHBj

Simeone hat-trick buries Napoli as Juventus close in on seventh successive title

Milan (AFP) – Napoli’s title hopes looked in tatters on Sunday after a shock 3-0 defeat at Fiorentina, complete with an early sending-off for Kalidou Koulibaly and a hat-trick for Giovanni Simeone, edged Juventus closer to a seventh successive Serie A title.

With just three games left, Juventus have a four-point lead on closest challengers Napoli and could wrap up yet another ‘Scudetto’ next weekend.

Argentina forward Simeone — the son of Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone — scored all three goals in a spectacular display to keep Fiorentina’s Europa League hopes alive.

Koulibaly, labelled a hero when he scored the last-gasp header that kept Napoli’s ambitions alive with a 1-0 win over Juventus in Turin last week, turned villain in Florence after he was sent off after just eight minutes.

“We lost tactical certainties after the sending off, and faced with adversity we lost our way and our nerve too,” said Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri.

“The entire team had a bad performance. We won as a team at other times, today we lost as a team. I didn’t see any positives.”

Juventus battled past 10-man Inter Milan in a San Siro thriller on Saturday to prevail 3-2 thanks to two late goals in three minutes.

Massimiliano Allegri’s champions host Bologna on Saturday and will be assured of a seventh straight title if they win and Napoli lose at home against Torino on Sunday.

“I want the whole team to fight back straight away,” added Sarri as Napoli chase a third title after 1987 and 1990.

“If we always focus on the next game, we can have a good season.” 

Napoli never recovered from Koulibaly’s expulsion, the towering Sengalese defender initially shown a yellow card for kicking out at Simeone as he charged towards goal.

But a video assistant referee (VAR) review at the Stadio Franchi upgraded the yellow to red, with a free-kick given instead of a penalty.

Sarri replaced midfielder Jorginho with central defender Lorenzo Tonelli.

But Napoli struggled to contain their rivals, Simeone breaking the deadlock by firing through the legs of goalkeeper Pepe Reina after 34 minutes.

Simeone pounced drive home the second on 62 minutes after the ball initially bounced off Elseid Hysaj and Reina cleared with his leg.

The 22-year-old completed his hat-trick three minutes into injury time to claim his 13th goal this season.

“My father will be very happy with the hat-trick!” said Simeone as Fiorentina moved to within four points of the Europa League places.

– AC Milan back winning –

Earlier, AC Milan maintained their Europa League hopes with a 2-1 win at Bologna.

Milan had dropped to seventh after a six-game winless streak including last week’s shock reverse to bottom club Benevento.

But first-half goals from Hakan Calhanoglu and Giacomo Bonaventura ensured Milan — one point behind sixth-placed Atalanta, who beat Genoa 3-1 — keep touch with the Europa League places. 

Turkish midfielder Calhanoglu latched onto a Patrick Cutrone cross after 34 minutes at the Stadio Dall’Ara.

Riccardo Orsolini thought he had equalised but the VAR disallowed the goal for a Rodrigo Palacio handball in the build-up.

The post Simeone hat-trick buries Napoli as Juventus close in on seventh successive title appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2r7oMlq

Simeone hat-trick buries Napoli as Juventus close in on seventh title

Milan (AFP) – Napoli’s title hopes looked in tatters on Sunday after a shock 3-0 defeat at Fiorentina, complete with an early sending-off for Kalidou Koulibaly and a hat-trick for Giovanni Simeone, edged Juventus closer to a seventh successive Serie A title.

With just three games left, Juventus have a four-point lead on closest challengers Napoli and could wrap up yet another ‘Scudetto’ next weekend.

Argentina forward Simeone — the son of Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone — scored all three goals in a spectacular display to keep Fiorentina’s Europa League hopes alive.

Koulibaly, labelled a hero when he scored the last-gasp header that kept Napoli’s ambitions alive with a 1-0 win over Juventus in Turin last week, turned villain in Florence after he was sent off after just eight minutes.

“We lost tactical certainties after the sending off, and faced with adversity we lost our way and our nerve too,” said Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri.

“The entire team had a bad performance. We won as a team at other times, today we lost as a team. I didn’t see any positives.”

Juventus battled past 10-man Inter Milan in a San Siro thriller on Saturday to prevail 3-2 thanks to two late goals in three minutes.

Massimiliano Allegri’s champions host Bologna on Saturday and will be assured of a seventh straight title if they win and Napoli lose at home against Torino on Sunday.

“I want the whole team to fight back straight away,” added Sarri as Napoli chase a third title after 1987 and 1990.

“If we always focus on the next game, we can have a good season.” 

Napoli never recovered from Koulibaly’s expulsion, the towering Sengalese defender initially shown a yellow card for kicking out at Simeone as he charged towards goal.

But a video assistant referee (VAR) review at the Stadio Franchi upgraded the yellow to red, with a free-kick given instead of a penalty.

Sarri replaced midfielder Jorginho with central defender Lorenzo Tonelli.

But Napoli struggled to contain their rivals, Simeone breaking the deadlock by firing through the legs of goalkeeper Pepe Reina after 34 minutes.

Simeone pounced drive home the second on 62 minutes after the ball initially bounced off Elseid Hysaj and Reina cleared with his leg.

The 22-year-old completed his hat-trick three minutes into injury time to claim his 13th goal this season.

“My father will be very happy with the hat-trick!” said Simeone as Fiorentina moved to within four points of the Europa League places.

– AC Milan back winning –

Earlier, AC Milan maintained their Europa League hopes with a 2-1 win at Bologna.

Milan had dropped to seventh after a six-game winless streak including last week’s shock reverse to bottom club Benevento.

But first-half goals from Hakan Calhanoglu and Giacomo Bonaventura ensured Milan — one point behind sixth-placed Atalanta, who beat Genoa 3-1 — keep touch with the Europa League places. 

Turkish midfielder Calhanoglu latched onto a Patrick Cutrone cross after 34 minutes at the Stadio Dall’Ara.

Riccardo Orsolini thought he had equalised but the VAR disallowed the goal for a Rodrigo Palacio handball in the build-up.

The post Simeone hat-trick buries Napoli as Juventus close in on seventh title appeared first on World Soccer Talk.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2HyWCdX