Новости за 20.02.2018

Stefan de Vrij has confirmed he intends to leave Lazio on a free transfer at the end of the season after failing to come an agreement regarding a contract extension. The Netherlands international joined Lazio after impressing at the 2014 World Cup and has subsequently gone on to make himself a crucial part of the team. His performances have not gone unnoticed, with the 26-year-old often linked with a move elsewhere, particularly since entering the final year of his contract in July. Lazio were keen not to lose De Vrij... Читать дальше...

The northern city's Noordlease Stadium can hold 23,000 supporters, yet the club are currently getting in lower than their season's average of 18,000 for league games.Attendance numbers have declined in recent weeks as they've failed to win a match since Christmas Eve - a 4-0 win over Sparta Rotterdam -and currentlysit13th in the 18-teamleague table.So, in an effort to get the place rocking for their clash against relegation-threatenedBredaon February 23, the Dutch club are giving their fans an extra... Читать дальше...

Roma's Alessandro Florenzi has a stomach bug and is a doubt to face Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday. Versatile Italy international Florenzi, who typically plays on the right side of defence for Roma, has started 20 Serie A games out of 25 for Eusebio Di Francesco's side this season. But illness could keep Florenzi out of the game and, with right-back Rick Karsdorp out long-term, Bruno Peres is an option to fill in, the Brazilian having been sent off against Atletico Madrid in the group stage. Читать дальше...

Vincenzo Montella joked that Sevilla's best hope of nullifying Alexis Sanchez on Wednesday will be to "kill" the Manchester United star. Sevilla host United in their Champions League round of 16 first leg in a tie the Premier League side are favourites for. The match will likely see Sanchez make his first appearance in the competition for United following his January move from Arsenal, and he appears to have settled in quickly. Sanchez claimed an assist in United's 2-0 FA Cup defeat of Huddersfield... Читать дальше...

Chinese Super League powerhouses Shanghai SIPG beat the A-League outfit 4-1 on Tuesday with Oscar scoring twice to ensure the hostsremain top of Group F after two games.The 26-year-old'ssecond goal - and Shanghai's fourth - summed up an excellent game for the Brazilian midfielder who left Chelseafor China in January last year.In the 76th minute, Oscar played a neat one-two with Lu Wei before fabulously bending the ballinto the bottom corner past the helpless Lawrence Thomas in goal.1:49 for Oscar's... Читать дальше...

Lionel Messi vs ChelseaGames: 9, goals: 1It’s among the great mysteries of our times. What happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370? How does bitcoin work? Why couldn't Lionel Messi score against Chelsea?While their supporters would answer: “Because Chelsea are great”, consider that Atletico and Real Madrid have also been pretty decent over the past decade or so, and Messi has scored 52 (!) times in 72 (!!) matches against the pair. Do English teams give The Flea the willies? Nine goals in six meetings... Читать дальше...

Lionel Messi vs ChelseaGames: 8, goals: 0It’s among the great mysteries of our times. What happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370? How does bitcoin work? Why can’t Lionel Messi score against Chelsea?While their supporters answer: “Because Chelsea are great”, consider that Atletico and Real Madrid have also been pretty decent over the past decade or so, and Messi has scored 52 (!) times in 72 (!!) matches against the pair. Do English teams give The Flea the willies? Nine goals in six meetings with Arsenal and six in six with Manchester City... Читать дальше...

The former Liverpool midfielder, who has made sevenappearances for Barcelona so far this season, did not have a great Monday.After his Audi was towed away by the authorities earlier in the day, Coutinho returned home at around 1.30am to find he'd been burgled.Coutinhohas reportedly contacted the police to get to the bottom of it while his team-mates prepare for a Champions League last-16 first leg tie against Chelsea.The 25-year-old chose to remain in Spain as he is ineligible to compete in the knockout... Читать дальше...

Wolfsburg have appointed Bruno Labbadia as their new head coach on an 18-month contract. The 52-year-old takes charge at Volkswagen Arena following the sacking of Martin Schmidt on Monday. Wolfsburg's loss to Bayern Munich last weekend left them 14th in the table, with just four wins from 23 matches. "I feel well rested and look forward to working with my new team," Labbadia told the club's official website. CEO Dr. Tim Schumacher added: "We're very pleased to have got Bruno Labbadia. Now we... Читать дальше...

Wigan Athletic have promised a full investigation into the pitch invasion that marred their FA Cup win over Manchester City on Monday. Will Grigg scored the only goal of the game after 79 minutes to book a quarter-final tie against Southampton for Paul Cook's side and end the runaway Premier League leaders' prospects of a quadruple. Hundreds of fans streamed onto the pitch in celebration after the final whistle, with City striker Sergio Aguero involved in an altercation with one individual who approached the player from behind. Читать дальше...

Chelsea great Didier Drogba has welcomed the news that son Isaac has signed for Guingamp. The 17-year-old, who has been playing in Chelsea's academy, was announced as the Ligue 1 club's new signing on Monday. Drogba is delighted to see his son follow in his footsteps, with the former Ivory Coast striker having spent the 2002-03 season at the club. "Couldn't be more proud of you," he wrote on Instragram, alongside a picture of Isaac at his presentation. Guingamp are 10th in Ligue 1 after 26 matches. Читать дальше...

Isaac, who also plays as a striker and has spent time at Chelsea's academy, will join up with the club's U19s as he bids to break into the senior squad.His father, Didier, enjoyed an immensely successful time at the Ligue 1 club before moving to Marseille then Chelsea. Drogba scored 164 goals in 381 appearances for the Blues."Couldn't be more proud of you Isaac Drogba," the 39-year-old wrote on Instagram.Couldn’t be more proud of you @isaacdrogba11 @eaguingamp Fiers de toi @isaacdrogba11 @eaguingampA... Читать дальше...

John Stones says Manchester City have only themselves to blame for their shock FA Cup defeat to Wigan Athletic on Monday. A second-half goal from Will Grigg secured a 1-0 win for the League One side at the DW Stadium and ended hopes of a quadruple for Pep Guardiola's side. Stones admits it has come as a major blow to the squad, coming just six days before their EFL Cup final meeting with Arsenal at Wembley. "They got one chance and scored it. It's our own fault we're out of the FA Cup," said the centre-back... Читать дальше...

Inter were lucky at the start of the season and are now paying the price for a dreadful transfer policy, according to former defender Mauro Bellugi. A 2-0 defeat to Genoa last Saturday saw Luciano Spalletti's side slip out of the top four in Serie A, having won just one of their last 10 league matches. Their dismal form is in stark contrast to the first half of the season, when a 16-game unbeaten run prompted talk of a surprise title challenge. But Bellugi, who won the Scudetto in 1971 during a five-year spell with Inter... Читать дальше...

The reserves side were leading 4-2 heading into the final minutes of theMultiChoice Diski Challengematch at theKing Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday.In order to preserve their lead, the hosts forced Platinum Stars to witness some outrageous showboating. The routine is certainly unique andsome of the moves are just baffling.The fans were loving it and, perhaps even moresurprisingly, their coach on the sideline did too.Unbelievably their silky skillsdid the trick as they finished the game with the scoreline intact. Читать дальше...

Ivan Rakitic says Barcelona star Lionel Messi works at "100 per cent" in training but spends little time in the gym. Messi, 30, has played every match for Barca this season apart from the first three rounds of the Copa del Rey, scoring 27 goals in the process. Head coach Ernesto Valverde has sought to give Messi some rest at key times this season, notably leaving him out of the starting line-up for Champions League group games with Juventus and Sporting CP and the LaLiga derby with Espanyol. The... Читать дальше...

There must be dozens of coaches who would love to work with Jose Mourinho just once. Arguably the most successful man to step into the dugout in the last 20 years, he has won league titles in four countries, as well as two Champions Leagues, while blazing trails and scorching the earth at almost every turn. He is a divisive figure, but indisputably one from whom so much can be learned. He knows how to win, how to bring down those who won before, how to pick his battles on and off the pitch.  Jose Morais... Читать дальше...

Famously, Lionel Messi hadn't scored against a certain London club, despite eight attempts to do so. Until 2018, at least. That was a rarity however, because most of the clubs Messi has faced in the Champions League, he’s scored against.The 30-year-old has netted hat-tricks, four-goal hauls and once even five in a game on his way to reaching 97 Champions League goals; the most ever except for a certain Portuguese pal of his.So what we’re quizzing you on is the sides Messi has scored past in the Champions League. Читать дальше...

Famously, Lionel Messi hasn’t yet scored against Chelsea in Champions League competition despite several attempts to do so. We should add: at time of writing. Because Messi being Messi, there’s every chance he’s banged in a crafty four and left Antonio Conte pulling his new hair out very soon.Yet it is – until 2018 – a record the Blues can be rightly proud of. Because most of the clubs Messi has faced in the Champions League, he’s scored against. The 30-year-old has netted hat-tricks, four-goal hauls... Читать дальше...

Barcelona star Lionel Messi may be the world's best but he is "not invincible", according to Chelsea forward Pedro. Pedro spent eight seasons playing alongside Messi at Camp Nou, but he faces the Argentina international when Chelsea host Barca in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday. While the Spain international talked up Messi, he hopes his team-mates can find a way to stop the 30-year-old – who has failed to score in eight games against Chelsea. "Messi is the best player in the world... Читать дальше...

Pep Guardiola had no complaints over Fabian Delph's red card after Manchester City crashed out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic. Will Grigg's 79th-minute goal gave Paul Cook's League One side a remarkable upset triumph, ending City's hopes of an unprecedented quadruple in the process. Guardiola was involved in a heated exchange with Cook as tempers also boiled over on the field following Delph's rash lunge on Latics midfielder Max Power during first-half stoppage time. The City boss... Читать дальше...