Thursday, 1 June 2017

Football | La Liga : Valverde 'lucky' to count on Messi

New Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde believes more is to come from Lionel Messi as he spoke of his excitement at working closely with the Argentine, whom he called the best player he has ever seen.

Messi finished top scorer in Europe's top five leagues last season with 37 strikes in La Liga and produced a vintage performance as he helped fire Barca to a 3-1 victory over Alaves in the King's Cup final last Saturday.
Outgoing coach Luis Enrique spoke of his gratitude after that game of being able to enjoy Messi at the peak of his powers and Valverde also heaped praise on the five times world player of the year in his official unveiling as Barca coach.
"I still haven't met him but I feel very lucky and it will be a unique experience, he's the best player I've ever seen on a football pitch," Valverde told a news conference on Thursday.
"Whenever it looks like he has reached his peak the next day he surprises you even more. I hope I can help him in any way possible and that I'll enjoy the experience."
Valverde, who is nicknamed "the ant" and is a respected photographer in his spare time, joins Barca after six seasons in charge of Athletic Bilbao, where he was the longest serving manager. He has also coached Barca's city rivals Espanyol in addition to Olympiakos Piraeus, Valencia and Villarreal.
He said he had not yet devised a plan on how to get the best out of Messi, who assumed a deeper role on the pitch in the last campaign, often dipping into midfield, yet still hit 54 goals in all competitions.
"He's decisive in whichever position he plays, although seeing him from the inside will be different from the outside. I've never trained a player of his quality. He will set the tone of our play, in a positive way," added Valverde, 53.
Messi's contract with Barca expires next year, although Valverde said he had been told the club's directors were confident the Argentine will agree a new bumper, long term deal in the coming months.
"I'm not worried about it, the information I have is that everyone is optimistic about it," he said.

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo says he loves enjoying his greatest rival Lionel Messi play. The Barcelona and Real Madrid forwards have won the Ballon d'Or the past nine years, and are regarded as the two greatest players of this generation.
The Portuguese forward told Fox Sports Argentina that Messi was one of few players he enjoyed watching on the pitch. "I like to see all good players and Messi is one of them. He is a player," Ronaldo said ahead of the Champions League final on Saturday. "I really enjoy seeing him on the pitch and all the great players." Ronaldo has scored 40 goals in all competitions in campaign to help Madrid reclaim the La Liga title and get to the Champions Leagie final. Cristiano Ronaldo admits admiration for rival Lionel Messi Madrid are into the final of the Champions League due to the efforts of Ronaldo in the latter stages of the competition The 32-year-old said he had a decent relationship with Messi, although he disliked the constant comparisons. "Whenever I'm with him, I have a very good relationship with Messi," Ronaldo said. "It's not that I go to his house and eat together. He is not a friend, but I consider him a companion by profession and not a rival because I don't like it, like comparisons. "It is part of the work and the world of football."

(C) Naij

Football | Super Eagles : Eagles fly higher in rank

Nigeria have climbed two places in the latest FIFA ranking released by the football governing body on Thursday.

The Super Eagles are now ranked 38th in the world as against the 40th position in the last ranking. The team is also rated fourth best in Africa, a testament to the growth of the team since Gernot Rohr took over.
Rohr has not lost any game since he took charge and has seen Nigeria climb almost 19 places since his he began his reign.
Nigeria are on 730 points, four more than the previous month and can climb higher with a win against Togo and South Africa whom the team will face in June.
Egypt are top dogs in Africa and they are tailed by Senegal and current African champions Cameroon.
Brazil are the world leaders and are followed by South American rivals Argentina, Germany, Chile and Colombia to make the top five teams in the world.
Top Ten in the World
Brazil
Argentina
Germany
Chile
Colombia
France
Belgium
Portugal
France
Spain
Top Ten African Teams
Egypt
Senegal
Cameroon
Nigeria
Congo DR
Tunisia
Burkina Faso
Ivory Coast
Ghana
Algeria

Football | Premier League : Man Utd cool interest in Griezmann

Manchester United have cooled their interest in signing Atletico Madrid's French forward Antoine Griezmann, according to British media reports on Thursday.

Europa League winners United were reported to be plotting an approach for 26-year-old Griezmann.
But several media outlets, including the BBC and Britain's Press Association, said United were instead shifting their focus towards a more conventional centre-forward, citing an internal source.

United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has sustained a long-term knee injury and is due to be out of contract at the end of the month.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday upheld a transfer ban against Atletico over irregularities in the signing of foreign players under the age of 18.
It means the Madrid club will not be able to register new players until January 2018.
Atletico were reportedly intending to sell Griezmann and replace him with his France teammate Alexandre Lacazette of Lyon.
Griezmann is close friends with United midfielder Paul Pogba and has dropped hints about wanting to move to Old Trafford in recent weeks.
In a recent French television appearance, he said there was a "6/10" chance of him joining United and a "7/10" chance of him staying at Atletico.
Griezmann joined Atletico from Real Sociedad in 2014 and has scored 83 goals in 160 games for the club, with whom he reached the Champions League final in 2016.

Football | Premier League : Mou will adapt to suit United - Anderson

Former Manchester United defender Viv Anderson believes Jose Mourinho will look to return to the club's traditional footballing values after securing a Champions League place in his first season in charge at Old Trafford.

The 20-time English champions defeated Ajax Amsterdam in the final of the Europa League last week to secure direct entry into the group phase of next season's Champions League, the first time the club has acquired automatic passage to that stage of the competition since the retirement of Alex Ferguson in 2013.

Victory over the Dutch side brought a successful end to a challenging campaign that saw Mourinho's United finish sixth in the Premier League as well as winning the League Cup, and Anderson is confident the Portuguese manager will build on that achievement.
"It's not been pretty to watch this season but, if you look at the stats, at the end of it he's won two trophies in his first season, so whatever he does he wins trophies," Anderson, who was Ferguson's first signing for the club in 1987, told Reuters.
"I think he can improve on the way they play, but I think that will come in time. It's a nice stepping stone by getting to the Champions League and he will adapt to the way Manchester United are expecting to play.
"I think it was a means to an end and he's got his trophies. He's taken some criticism this season from all sides because of the way they play, but I think he will adapt and change his style now they're in the Champions League."
Mourinho"s United struggled at times throughout the season, with the club drawing 10 times at home and scoring on only 54 occasions during the league season but, as Anderson points out, the lure of the biggest competition in European club football will allow the Portuguese coach to further strengthen his squad.
"The Champions League is a massive pull for Manchester United," said Anderson, who won the FA Cup in 1990 with United.
"Set aside the money side, it attracts players to the club again and it's a massive advantage for United.
"It's vitally important Man United are competing in these tournaments. The Champions League is a massive tournament and they have to be there. It's in the DNA of the football club and I think Mourinho will build on this now."

Football | U20 World Cup : Mexico sink Senegal in U20WC

Substitute Ronaldo Cisneros came off the bench to score the winning goal in the 89th minute in Mexico's 1-0 victory over ten-man Senegal in the Round of 16 at the Fifa U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017.

Cisneros grabbed his first goal since Mexico's first match at Korea Republic 2017 in a 3-2 win over Vanuatu. This time, the Santos Laguna forward had to produce coming off the bench. Two substitutes were involved in the goal. Diego Aguilar whipped in a low cross that found its way through Senegal's six-yard box and to the feet of a waiting Cisneros, who made no mistake from close range.
The first half was cagey and produced very little in clear goalscoring opportunities. Ibrahima N'diaye came closest to scoring when he won possession in Mexico's defensive half before firing a low show, which forced a save from Abraham Romero. Akhibou Ly had the opportunity to put away the rebound, but he failed to steer his close-range effort on target.
The game took a significant turn in the 71st minute when Alioune Gueye received his second yellow card of the match and therefore, his marching orders.
Mexico were the stronger side for much of the second half, producing a few clear chances, but it was not until the 89th minute until they found the breakthrough courtesy of Cisneros. El Tri will now face England in the quarterfinals on 5 June in Cheonan.

Football | Premier League : Ibrahimovic to consider rival offers

Ibrahimovic to consider rival offersManchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will hold talks to extend his stay at the Premier League club despite receiving offers from other clubs, the 35-year-old's agent Mino Raiola has said.

Ibrahimovic joined United on a year-long contract before the 2016-17 campaign and was vital to their League Cup and Europa League triumphs, scoring 28 goals in 46 appearances before sustaining a season-ending knee injury in April.
"He wants to stay in England, he wants to stay at the top and if he sees that he can be a valuable asset for Manchester United, then why not Manchester United?" Raiola told British radio broadcaster TalkSPORT on Wednesday.
"He can be a valuable asset for some other top clubs also. But I think it is respectful to talk to Manchester United and to see what all parties want."
Raiola said no talks had been held so far as the striker looks to recover from his injury.
"We have a lot of offers and ideas and we have to evaluate them," Raiola said.
"He has had a fantastic time at Manchester United and it is up to the club and myself to see what the future brings.
"For now, it is important he recovers well and then we will see."
There has been no set timeline for Ibrahimovic's recovery but the Swede posted a video of himsel at training on his Instagram account on Wednesday, just 42 days after sustaining the serious injury.