The Football Association have fined Manchester United £20,000, for their player’s behaviour during their FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Chelsea on Monday. Ander Herrera was sent off after picking two yellow cards in the first half and several of his United team-mates surrounded Michael Oliver after the red card was shown. ***prbxselfnetwork***
Rangers International of Enugu would tomorrow at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, confront Zamalek of Egypt in a make-or-break round of 32 CAF Champions League match to determine who romps into the money spinning stage. The Egyptian outfit beat the Enugu Antelopes 4-1 in the first leg second round tie at the El – Salam Stadium in Cairo. Former Heartland FC of Owerri striker, Stanley Ohawuchi, scored the first goal of the game in the eighth minute for Zamalek. And things went from bad to worse for Rangers as two quick goals in the 29th and 31st minutes courtesy of Hossam Salama and Ayman Hefni respectively meant the Flying Antelopes had an almost impossible task of overturning the situation. The Egyptians made it 4-0 before Rangers’ Bobby Clement reduced the deficit seven minutes before full time to give the Nigeria representatives a fighting chance heading into the second leg. With this massive result, keen CAF Champions League watchers believe Rangers’ chance of reaching the group stage of the competition hangs in the balance. To underscore the huge importance the Egyptians attach to this encounter, the White Knights stormed Nigeria Thursday for the tie in which the overall winners will move to the group stage. Since arriving the shores of the country, Zamalek coach, Mohamed Helmy has been playing mind games telling whoever cares to listen that his side is not yet sure of their place in the next round of the CAF Champions League. He, however, expressed his satisfaction at Zamalek’s showing in the first leg. While Zamalek have already started looking beyond Rangers in their dream of winning the Champions League trophy, Rangers attacking pearl Edoh Ocheme, believes his side can upturn the huge deficit. “The task looks daunting but not insurmountable. It is going to be a-make-or mar game and we’re ready.” Nigeria’s other clubside in the race, Rivers United of Port Harcourt are however doing battle today in Sudan to keep a date with Al-Merrikh. The match which will take place at the 43,000 capacity Al-Merrikh Stadium, Omdurman will decide which of the two sides will progress. The Stanley Eguma tutored side is heading into the encounter brimming with confidence, having hammered the Sudanese outfit 3-0 in Port Harcourt last week. However, El Merrikh goalkeeper believes it is not over for his side, adding that they have the arsenal to shoot down the Nigerians on home soil. “We know it is going to be a tough game. But we are confident of up turning the table against the Nigerians,” he boosted. Speaking further, he said their aim is to score two goals in the first half and finish it in the second half. “We have our game plans and we hope to achieve it in the first half”, he concluded. ***prbxselfnetwork***
Real Madrid manager, Zinedine Zidane, has said he is looking forward to their Champions League quarter-final clash against Carlo Ancelotti’s Bayern Munich and labelled it as “master vs pupil”. Madrid will travel to Munich for the first leg on April 12, before welcoming Ancelotti to the Bernabeu the next Tuesday. ***prbxselfnetwork***
Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, has sarcastically said that Aitor Karanka deserves to be sacked as Middlesbrough manager. Karanka, who was Mourinho’s assistant at Real Madrid, was fired on Thursday with Boro in the Premier League relegation zone. Speaking at a news conference before United take on Boro this Sunday, Mourinho said: “In this case, […] Karanka deserves to be sacked – Mourinho
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Pep Guardiola has urged Manchester City to ease their Champions League pain by securing a vital win against Liverpool, while leaders Chelsea aim to move a step closer to the Premier League title this weekend. Guardiola Guardiola’s side were eliminated from Europe’s elite club competition in stunning fashion on Wednesday as they blew a 5-3 first leg advantage to go out on away goals following a 3-1 defeat at Monaco. It was another major setback for City manager Guardiola, who had never before seen one of his teams knocked out before the Champions League quarter-finals. Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola was heavily criticised for his tactics and team selection in Monaco. With third placed City just one point ahead of fourth placed Liverpool in the battle for a top four finish, Guardiola needs a lift at Eastlands on Sunday and he is eager to see how his team respond to the situation. “Qualification for the Champions League will be tough until the last game of the Premier League,” Guardiola said. “It will be good to see how everybody reacts, myself and the players, after going out of the Champions League. “It’s an important game before the international team break against one of the best teams in the Premier League.” ***prbxselfnetwork***
Mauricio Pochettino believes Tottenham are better equipped to cope without star striker Harry Kane than they were earlier this season, as they approach the defining point in their campaign. Kane is sidelined for several weeks with ankle ligament damage sustained against Millwall in the FA Cup quarter-finals last weekend. Tottenham last time failed to fill the void left by Kane’s 10-game absence with the same injury, going six matches without a win during a lean run in October and November. But Pochettino believes his title hopefuls, who host Southampton on Sunday, will ensure there isn’t another drop in form with England forward Kane back on the treatment table. “It was a different period,” he said. “We are finding our best form now and the team is more solid. We have improved a lot since then. “We had a very difficult pre-season with players returning from Euro 2016, so today is a completely different period and we are at a completely different level.” Kane will also miss England’s friendly against Germany on March 22 and the World Cup qualifier against Lithuania four days later. League matches in April against Burnley, Swansea City, Watford and Bournemouth could also come too soon, while an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea is looming next month. But Kane, who has 24 goals in all competitions this season, is confident he will return from injury ahead of schedule, according to Pochettino, and play some part in the run-in. “We need to assess him day-by-day. He’s very positive, he’s always joking about being fit after the international break or in three or four weeks,” Pochettino said. “He’s very positive and that is good, but at the same time we need to be careful with his injury. “We trust completely in our doctor and physios and department that looks after them in the best way. “We’ll see but we hope that yes, as soon as possible he will be available again.” – Form teams – In his absence South Korea forward Son Heung-Min and Vincent Janssen are vying to start up front as Spurs try to close the 10-point gap on leaders Chelsea. Son bagged a hat-trick in the 6-0 quarter-final win over Millwall, while Janssen scored his long-awaited first goal from open play. Pochettino expects the pair to seize their chance: “This is a great opportunity for Vincent and Sonny to play more in the starting 11.” Pochettino faces his former club in Southampton, who have seen Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse win their first England call-ups this week. Saints manager Claude Puel expects the pair to be flying at White Hart Lane on the back of their maiden international calls. “It’s fantastic for them and for the club,” he said. “They deserve it and we wish them well. Lately we’ve been in good form, scoring lots of goals and they have played a part in us achieving that.” Southampton chiefly have in-form striker Manolo Gabbiadini to thank for that with the Italian scoring six goals in his four appearances since joining from Napoli in January. But Southampton’s impressive recent run will be on line when they face a Tottenham side who have won nine successive league games on home soil. “They have a lot of wins at home, so it’s a good challenge for us,” Puel said. “It will be interesting to see our progress. They are a very good side who are very strong. “They have beaten a lot of teams, especially at home, so we need to concentrate and play to our ability that we are capable of.” ***prbxselfnetwork***
The draw for the quarter-final stages of this season’s Champions League was conducted on Friday afternoon in Nyon, Switzerland. Defending champions Real Madrid, have been handed a tough tie against Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich. Their La Liga rivals Barcelona will take on Serie A champions Juventus, for a place in the semi-final. ***prbxselfnetwork***
Yaya Toure’s agent, Dimitri Seluk, has suggested the player is ready to leave Manchester City in the summer and would consider a move to city rivals, Manchester United. Toure’s current deal at the Etihad runs out at the end of this season. And with manager Pep Guardiola looking to freshen up his squad ahead of next season***prbxselfnetwork***
Mario Balotelli has vowed not to grant any more interviews, lamenting that the French media twisted the recent sit-down with him. In a wide-ranging talk with French radio station RMC, where he spoke about racism and his return to the Italian national team, it was his comments about Paris Saint-Germain striker, Edinson Cavani, that made waves instead***prbxselfnetwork***.
Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger, has denied reports claiming that his first-team assistant Boro Primorac, is leaving the club and labelled the news as “a complete invention”. On Wednesday,press reported that Primorac, who has worked alongside Wenger at Arsenal since 1966, is set to take up the role of manager at Turkish club, ***prbxselfnetwork***
Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger, has hinted that his side may find it difficult making the top four in the Premier League this season. League leaders Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspurs, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United are all vying for four Champions League places. Arsenal have already dropped from the top four with Manchester United chasing ***prbxselfnetwork***
Manchester United forward, Zlatan Ibrahimovic says he is not ruling out a possible move to Napoli. The 35-year-old joined the Old Trafford outfit on a one-year contract in the summer with an option for a second year, but that has yet to be triggered and the striker’s agent, Mino Raiola, has made several references......***prbxselfnetwork***
Stoke City and Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Bony believes he should be getting game time for the Potters, and admits that his relationship with manager Mark Hughes is “not good”. The Elephants striker in on a season-long loan at the Potters from parent club Manchester City, but he has been frozen out of the first team after failing to impress. And Bony has now told press in an interview on Facebook that it is “crazy” that he is not getting game time. “It is really crazy when the people say you are fine and that everything is okay, but then you don’t play. I can say it is like maybe to p*** you off, that you don’t play,” Bony explained. When asked about his relationship with Hughes, Bony added: “Not good at the moment, because it is a crazy situation. The last time he says I need to be patient but patient of what? I don’t know. “I am not playing for no reason, and since he spoke about the Chinese clause in my contract I don’t play — it’s really strange.” Bony has scored just two goals in 11 appearances for Stoke since his move from the Etihad Stadium early in the season.***prbxselfnetwork***.
Nigeria and Chelsea player Victor Moses could miss his country’s friendly internationals against Senegal and Burkina Faso later this month due to injury, . The Super Eagles flyer limped off from Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup on Monday, with a suspected calf strain. If the Blues’ medical department confirms the severity of the injury, Moses could face up to three weeks on the sidelines. This would rule him out of the Super Eagles’ matches against Senegal on March 23 and Burkina Faso on March 27 – both at the Hive Stadium in London. Wolfsburg’s Victor Oshimen has already been ruled out of the matches due to injury and has been replaced in the squad by Olanrewaju Kayode of Austria Vienna.***prbxselfnetwork***
Former Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins has warned Everton star Romelu Lukaku that a return to Stamford Bridge would not be the right move at this stage of his career. Recent reports suggest the Belgium international, 23, has rejected the offer of an improved contract at Everton, fuelling speculation he could be on the move at the end of the 2016-17 campaign. Chelsea have been mentioned as a potential destination, but Wilkins is not convinced Lukaku should return to his former club. “If you look at Antonio Conte, when he was at Juventus he had [Fernando] Llorente, so he likes a big striker. So I would not put it past Chelsea to go back in for Lukaku,” Wilkins told Sky Sports. “They sold him at £28m, they are going to have to pay at least double [that] to get him back. They will probably have to pay £60m for him. But he would not play in front of [Diego] Costa. “He can develop his right side, his heading ability, this player has got a lot of scope in which to improve and I think he is at the best club to do it. He is going to start every game. If he is fit, he will start and he will play and he will score goals. “I think it would be wrong for him to move.” Lukaku’s existing contract with Everton runs until June 2019. ***prbxselfnetwork***
Borussia Dortmund were forced to evacuate their main offices on Wednesday after receiving a “suspicious envelope with white powder”, which turned out to be icing sugar. Emergency services were called to the building in Rheinlanddamm after a number of Dortmund employees noticed a white substance, with Ruhr Nachrichten reporting that 40 firemen were called to the scene. Tests were conducted in a mobile laboratory, which determined that the substance was harmless. Dortmund confirmed the details of the incident via their Facebook page, adding that the offices were reopened roughly one hour later and all employees returned to work safely. “Big thanks to the Dortmund fire department!” the club said. “We received a suspicious envelope with white powder today. For security reasons, we evacuated the building completely for about one hour. “The powder was analysed twice in a mobile chemical laboratory. We got the result at 17:20: icing sugar! All Borussen are now back at work.”***prbxselfnetwork***.
According to local media reports, the South African Football Association has hired former Orlando Pirates coach Ruud Krol to lead Bafana Bafana. The move follows months of speculation regarding the vacant coaching job as the association was searching for Shakes Mashaba’s replacement. Mashaba was axed in December last year after he was found guilty of gross misconduct following his utterances towards SAFA bosses after the 2-1 win over Senegal in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. Names such as Stuart Baxter, Gavin Hunt, Hugo Broos, Herve Renard and Carlos Queiroz have been mentioned as possible candidates to lead the side. However, according to The Mail & Guardian, SAFA have settled for the Dutch mentor as he is seen as someone with extensive knowledge of the African game, both at club and national level. It is reported that the ex-Oranje skipper has agreed terms and conditions with SAFA to take charge of Bafana after the organisation had initially flirted with Queiroz. After failing to secure their preferred candidate and with Bafana due to line-up against Guinea Bissau and Angola in friendly matches in the next seven days, SAFA opted for the ex-Zamalek and CS Sfaxien manager. “He has coached in his native Holland. But he has also worked mainly in Africa since 1994 when he took charge of the Egyptian U-23’s and later the senior team and what appears to have given him an added advantage is that he is available to start working without delay,” said a source to the Mail & Guardian. “SAFA stated openly when they advertised the post that the criteria required for a successful Bafana Bafana coach would be an intimate and extensive knowledge of the African game. “The criteria as elucidated by SAFA goes on to point out that the successful candidate must have an excellent understanding of the South African playing philosophy, or playing style, as some people like to describe our approach to the game. “In fact, it goes on to explain that he must have international coaching experience with a good track record allied to a vision and passion for football development and good player management to complete SAFA’s Vision 2022.”***prbxselfnetwork***
Former Super Eagles Coach Fanny Amun has urged the Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr to invite more home based players for subsequent friendly of competitive games.The list of 25 players recently announced for the March friendlies against Senegal and Burkina Faso has continued to draw condemnation from ex players and administrators for the apparent lack of opportunities to NPFL players in the Super Eagles. Speaking with press, Amun maintains that the list which has only one player from the NPFL is capable of demoralizing home based players.***prbxselfnetwork***
Jose Mourinho attacked Paul Pogba’s critics and claimed ‘envy’ is dictating an agenda against the most expensive player in world football. Pogba has been heavily scrutinised for his performances this season, something which came to a head after Monday night’s FA Cup defeat by Chelsea. Mourinho bemoaned that society has lost sight of reality after pundits suggested Manchester United were not enjoying value for money from the central midfielder, who celebrated his 24th birthday on Wednesday. “I feel that the world is losing values and we all know that and envy is coming into certain levels that I am scared about especially for the next generation if things go in this direction,” Mourinho said. “It’s not his fault that some of the pundits are in trouble with their lives and they need every coin to survive and Paul is a multi-millionaire. It’s not his fault. He deserves respect, his family deserve respect. He is a kid who comes from a working family, a family with three boys that I’m sure needed a lot of food on that table every day because they are big giants. So I’m sure the mum and dad had to work hard for many years for them. “A kid who came to Manchester as a teenager who fought for his career here, who wasn’t afraid to move and go to another country and look for better conditions; A kid who reached the top of the world with his work. Nobody gave him anything. I’m really, really worried with the previous generations because things are going in such a direction that envy is everywhere. “I’m very happy with Paul, the club is very happy with Paul. A good thing is that because of his personality he doesn’t give an ‘S’ to what people say.”***prbxselfnetwork***
Marouane Fellaini says Manchester United will give “everything” to secure a return to the Champions League, starting by reaching the Europa League quarter-finals. Jose Mourinho’s side meet Rostov at Old Trafford in a good position to reach the last eight, having secured a 1-1 draw in the first leg last week. United are locked in a tense battle to finish in the top four of the Premier League this season, as they lie in sixth place in the table and six points adrift of fourth-place Liverpool, although they have two games in hand. With victory in the Europa League final in May perhaps offering their most realistic route of a return to Europe’s top competition, Fellaini is determined to respond to Monday’s FA Cup exit at the hands of Chelsea with a victory on Thursday. “Monday was a hard game for us at Chelsea – 10 players for one hour,” Fellaini told a news conference. “It was difficult to win the game. But we lost, now we look forward. It is important we win the game. “It was a long trip [back from London] but we are professional. We know how to recover. We trained a little bit yesterday, a nice recovery. We will be ready. “All the players, staff and supporters want to be in the Champions League next season so we will do everything to be there. We have the squad and the players, we are confident. Everyone will see that against Rostov. We are confident. “We have played good teams in Europe. In the Premier League, every game is tough. Every game is difficult. We have to take it game by game. “We have had a lot of games, played all the competitions but all the players are ready to play. We have good fitness, we have good staff, a good recovery department so we are all ready. That’s football – to play a lot of games.”***prbxselfnetwork***
Pogba has been under an understandably intense spotlight since his world record £89.3 million return to Manchester United. Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has hit back at the mounting criticism being heaped upon Paul Pogba, saying the France midfielder is the victim of jealousy from former professional players now working in the media. Pogba has been under an understandably intense spotlight since his world record £89.3 million ($108.9 million, 102.4 million euros) pre-season return to United from Italian side Juventus. In recent weeks his form has been widely criticised, especially after Monday’s FA Cup quarter-final loss at Chelsea where Pogba seemed to shoulder much of the blame for what was just United's second defeat since early November. But Mourinho has launched a passionate defence of Pogba, still only 24, and insists his strong personality means that he 'does not give a 's’” about his critics. "It is not Paul’s fault that he gets 10 times the money some players did in the past," Mourinho told a news conference on Wednesday ahead of the second leg of United's Europa League tie against Russian side Rostov at Old Trafford on Thursday. "It is not his fault that some pundits are in real trouble with their lives and need every coin to survive and Paul is a multi-millionaire. It is not his fault." "I think he deserves respect, I think his family deserve respect. "He is from a working family, a family with three boys and I am sure they need a lot of food on their table each day because they are all giants so I am sure that the mum and dad had to work hard for many, many years for them. "A kid that came to Manchester as a teenager, who fought for his career here and was not afraid to move and go to another country (Italy) and look for better conditions for him, a kid that reached the top of the world with this work, nobody gave him anything." 'Envy is everywhere' The Portuguese manager added: "So I am really, really worried with the previous generations that things are going in such a direction that envy is everywhere. "And I am very happy with Paul and the club is very happy with Paul. And because of his personality he doesn't give a ’s’ to what people say." The disappointment of losing at Stamford Bridge -- in a last-eight tie which featured the controversial sending off of United midfielder Andre Herrera -- was compounded by former Chelsea manager Mourinho's current side facing travel problems on their return to Manchester. A delay to the team plane arriving in London meant Mourinho and his squad were forced into a long coach trip north which saw the team arrive back at their home base at 4:00am local time (0400 GMT), eight hours before their next scheduled training session. But Mourinho believes such adversity can bring United -- and supporters -- closer together. "The only thing I can tell you is that my players did what everybody could see on the Monday night and Tuesday 12 o’clock (1200 GMT), they were here to train again as they great professionals they are and the great commitment they have and the fantastic group of boys I work with,” said Mourinho. "We had one 'gift' and we thought one 'gift' was enough and we thought two was too much and then the third 'gift'. "The first 'gift' was to play Monday and then the next 'gift' is 10 men and then third was to have a promenade on the M6 (motorway), but we are professional so the next morning we were here to train and the same today and tomorrow (Thursday) "The fans will give us this extra energy so we believe that tomorrow we can cope with the situation and fight to be in the quarter-final.” Zlatan Ibrahimovic is available for the second leg against Rostov, with United having drawn 1-1 in Russia. However, fellow strikers Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney are both injured as United try to take another step towards winning the Europa League and qualify for next season’s Champions League.***prbxselfnetwork***
Andre Villas-Boas's SIPG kept their 100 percent record in Group F with a 3-2 win against Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds. Shanghai SIPG's prolific marksman Elkeson scored with an outrageous 45-yard effort as China's Brazilian imports justified their expensive price tags in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday. Hulk, a 55 million euro signing from Zenit St Petersburg, was another Brazilian on the scoresheet as Andre Villas-Boas's SIPG kept their 100 percent record in Group F with a 3-2 win against Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds. SIPG's rivals, Jiangsu Suning also dispatched Japanese opposition as former Chelsea midfielder Ramires was enjoying a carnival of his own at Gamba Osaka, scoring the only goal in a man-of-the-match performance. Elkeson's stunning strike past the stranded goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa put Andre Villas-Boas's SIPG 2-0 ahead on the stroke of half-time after Shi Ke's headed opener. With Brazil international and record 60 million euro signing Oscar pulling the strings in midfield it soon became 3-0 on 52 minutes when Hulk used all his strength to brush off three challenges before slotting through the hapless Nishikawa's legs. Urawa got one back against the run of play when Rafael Silva was hauled down in the box and got up to convert the penalty himself. And Wataru Endo's scrambled goal six minutes from time gave SIPG a few nervy moments before the full-time whistle. Meanwhile in Osaka, Ramires was running the show as Jiangsu, bankrolled by the giant Suning group that also controls Inter Milan, stayed on top of Group H with a 1-0 win as the big-spending club go in search of their first Asian title. The Brazilian midfielder, who cost Jiangsu 28 million euros from Chelsea in January 2016, struck a gorgeous finish with his left foot from 20 yards six minutes before half-time. Gamba threw everything forward in the second half as they went in search of an equaliser, but it was Jiangsu who went closest to another goal with some lightning counter-attacking led by Ramires and fellow Brazilian Alex Teixeira, who cost 50 million euros from Shakhtar Donetsk. The result put Jiangsu five points clear at the top of Group H with a perfect three wins from three games. Sydney stun Seoul Former Asian champions Western Sydney Wanderers had lost both of their opening Group F games but they stunned FC Seoul 3-2 in the Korean capital in the upset of the night. Goals from inside the box by Lachlan Scott, Terry Antonis from the penalty spot and a long-range Jaushua Sotirio effort put the 2014 AFC Champions into a shock 3-0 lead with just over an hour played. Yun Il-Lok gave the fans at the Seoul World Cup Stadium hope with a tight-angled finish on 66 minutes and when he got his second six minutes later an unlikely comeback was on. But Wanderers managed to hold firm in the face of a late siege to take the three points. Another Australian side, Adelaide United, got their first point of the campaign after coming from behind twice in a pulsating 3-3 draw at home to Korea's Jeju United in the other Group H match. After a goalless first half the South Australian side took the lead when Papa Diawara stroked home a 51st-minute penalty. Jeju hit back 10 minutes later through their giant striker Frederic Mendy and led when Brazilian Marcelo Toscano thumped home an unstoppable right-foot piledriver on 71 minutes. Adelaide pulled it back to 2-2 through Sergio Cirio's header to set up a frantic finale. Kwon Soon-Hyung fired Jeju 3-2 ahead with six minutes remaining only for never-say-die Adelaide to equalise within 60 seconds of the restart through Mark Ochieng.***prbxselfnetwork***
