Новости за 22.04.2018

Pep Guardiola acknowledged the pitch invasion after Manchester City's 5-0 victory over Swansea City on Sunday was not ideal, but had no problem with it. City swept the struggling Swans aside in their first outing since been crowned Premier League champions, with a large section of their supporters making their way onto the Etihad Stadium field at full-time. Although Guardiola admitted he would rather not see fans on the pitch, he does not believe the City faithful should be punished for their celebrations. Читать дальше...

David Moyes says his Manchester United experience should not deter potential Arsenal managers from applying to become Arsene Wenger's successor. Gunners boss Wenger this week announced his impending departure after 22 years at the helm, drawing comparisons with Alex Ferguson's retirement following over a quarter of a century at Old Trafford. Then-Everton manager Moyes was hand-picked by his fellow Scot to take over, but the succession plan ended in disaster as he was sacked just under 12 months later. Читать дальше...

Pep Guardiola has told his title-winning Manchester City side to keep improving and set new records. City made light work of Swansea City in their first game since being crowned champions - David Silva, Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus getting on the scoresheet in a 5-0 win. But Guardiola, who gave his players time off to celebrate their league triumph, says City must not rest on their laurels. "You have to keep improving, if you think okay we are already champions... Читать дальше...

Las Palmas' long-looming relegation was confirmed following a crushing 4-0 defeat at home to Alaves on Sunday. Despite losing coach Quique Setien to Real Betis and captain Roque Mesa to Swansea City in pre-season, there was an air of optimism around the club at the start of the campaign when they managed to secure the return of Vitolo, on loan from Atletico Madrid. But the Spain international was injured for most of his six months at the club and had little impact, as Las Palmas struggled. When... Читать дальше...

Manchester City broke their own Premier League record for the most completed passes in a single match since 2003-04, as well as recording the highest possession of any side, in the 5-0 thumping of Swansea City on Saturday. Having wrapped up the title last weekend after Manchester United's defeat to West Brom, it was suggested Pep Guardiola's men might be impacted by complacency. But they provided an emphatic response to such thoughts, crushing Swansea thanks to goals from David Silva, Raheem Sterling... Читать дальше...

Luciano Spalletti called for Inter to show character and courage after admitting they "gave up" towards the end of their 2-1 victory over Chievo. Goals from Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic gave Inter a second-half lead over struggling Chievo, but a late lapse in concentration allowed Mariusz Stepinski to pull one back in the 90th minute and Nenad Tomovic went agonisingly close to snatching a draw in stoppage time. Spalletti praised the fifth-place Nerazzurri for the positive spell in which they took the lead... Читать дальше...

Managers Paul Lambert and Sean Dyche both reflected on Stoke City's second goal that never was after Mame Biram Diouf missed a huge chance in their 1-1 draw with Burnley. In a game that Stoke desperately needed to win to boost their Premier League survival hopes, Diouf miscued just before the break to pass up the opportunity to add to Badou Ndiaye's opener. And that was to prove costly for the Potters as Ashley Barnes struck after the break to earn a share of the spoils, although Lambert was keen not to criticise front man Diouf. Читать дальше...

Mark Hughes felt VAR should have been used to award Southampton a goal and a penalty during their FA Cup semi-final loss to Chelsea on Sunday. Second-half goals from Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata sent Antonio Conte's men into the final for the second year in a row, with Manchester United awaiting. Hughes was frustrated with the decision to disallow a Southampton goal with the score at 1-0, when Willy Caballero spilled the ball into his own net after a challenge from Charlie Austin. Referee... Читать дальше...

Manchester City turned on the style in their first match since being confirmed Premier League champions, as Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne led the way in a 5-0 win over Swansea City. Having already wrapped up the title, motivation had been highlighted as a potential problem for City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, but Pep Guardiola's men produced a professional display befitting of their remarkable campaign, sweeping Swansea aside in straightforward fashion. Although a 2-0 lead famously proved... Читать дальше...

Antonio Conte does not believe Chelsea will be the favourites in the FA Cup final against Manchester United. A sensational goal from Olivier Giroud and superb header from Alvaro Morata sealed a 2-0 victory for Chelsea against Southampton in their semi-final at Wembley on Sunday. United saw off Tottenham 2-1 on Saturday, and Conte – whose side lost to Arsenal in last season's final – claims the Red Devils will likely be the favourites. "It will not be easy," Conte, whose side sit fifth in the Premier League and 11 points behind United... Читать дальше...

Benevento's 1-0 victory over AC Milan on Saturday was not enough to prevent their relegation from Serie A, which was confirmed by Crotone's 2-1 win at Udinese on Sunday. Roberto De Zerbi's side picked up their first away league triumph of the season at San Siro courtesy of Pietro Iemmello's strike, keeping their slim survival hopes intact despite Cheick Diabate's dismissal with 10 minutes remaining. However, their maiden campaign in Italy's top flight was guaranteed to end in relegation after Davide... Читать дальше...

Arsene Wenger says the response to his decision to leave Arsenal has given him a glimpse of what his own funeral will be like, and does not expect to take up another position in England. It was announced on Friday the veteran manager will step down at the end of the season, having helped to transform the club by winning three Premier League titles, seven FA Cups and overseen the move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, since his appointment in 1996. The Gunners beat West Ham 4-1 at home on Sunday... Читать дальше...

A jarring demonstration of the difference between the Chelsea of last season and this came shortly after the half hour in an opening 45 minutes of fruitless dominance against Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. At this stadium last May, Chelsea were reduced to 10 men but equalised against Arsenal in the final. Diego Costa sent an opportunistic strike spinning past David Ospina and, even though he had no involvement, David Luiz charged into the goal after the ball and shook the netting around in a celebratory fury. Читать дальше...

Arsene Wenger feels Arsenal are more respected around the world than in England and found the recent divisions among supporters "hurtful" after giving the best years of his life to the club. It was announced on Friday Wenger will step down at the end of the campaign, despite having a season remaining on the two-year contract extension he agreed in May 2017. The veteran manager's position has been a cause of fierce contention among fans of the Gunners in recent years, the team having failed to meaningfully... Читать дальше...

*Note: for a counterpoint to this optimism, read Tim Stillman tomorrow on why rebuilding Arsenal is a more difficult, long-term projectFor years, it has been suggested that succeeding Arsene Wenger would prove to be ‘the impossible job’; a poisoned chalice similar to that which Alex Ferguson’s immediate successors faced at Manchester United.On the contrary. For the right man, it’s an opportunity to be seized with relish. Arsenal fans yearn for change and a hero’s welcome awaits the next man to enter the dugout. Читать дальше...

Jack Butland says Stoke City have to win at Liverpool next weekend after dropping four points in the space of a week against West Ham and Burnley. As at West Ham last time out, Stoke took the lead at home to Burnley but could not hold on, Ashley Barnes' scruffy strike deservedly cancelling out Badou Ndiaye's opener in another 1-1 draw. And with the Potters four points adrift of safety with three games remaining, Butland concedes the time for taking the positives from a hard-earned point is gone. Читать дальше...

Arsene Wenger passed up the chance to reject speculation that he was forced to stand down as Arsenal manager after overseeing Sunday's 4-1 Premier League win over West Ham at Emirates Stadium.  It was announced on Friday that the Frenchman's 22-year reign would come to a close at the end of the season, but not everyone is convinced he made that call entirely of his own volition. Rumours over the 68-year-old's future had lingered for a long while before this week's news amid growing fan unrest,... Читать дальше...

Aaron Ramsey believes Arsenal owe it to Arsene Wenger to end the season on a high after the Frenchman's farewell matches began in style with a 4-1 win over West Ham. Arsenal announced on Friday that Wenger's 22-year stint as manager will come to an end at the conclusion of the campaign. However, for long spells of Sunday's clash at Emirates Stadium, Arsenal were second best - Marko Arnautovic cancelling out Nacho Monreal's opener to put West Ham deservedly level. That changed when Ramsey's cross... Читать дальше...

Benjamin Mendy was named among Manchester City's substitutes for the match against Swansea City on Sunday after the wing-back completed his recovery from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.  France international Mendy made a swift impact following his arrival from Monaco in July for a reported fee of £52million. He suffered a ruptured ACL in his right knee during a 5-0 win over Crystal Palace in September and has been out of action since, although his absence did not prevent Pep Guardiola's... Читать дальше...

Mauro Icardi had the video assistant referee to thank for allowing his 26th Serie A goal of the season to stand in Inter's 2-1 victory over Chievo. The 25-year-old Argentine, who is hot on the heels of Lazio's Ciro Immobile in the hunt for this season's Capocannoniere, thought his 50th-minute strike had been ruled out for offside but referee Paolo Valeri consulted replays before confirming its legitimacy, setting Inter on course for a crucial win. Luciano Spalletti's men had been disappointing... Читать дальше...

Steven N'Zonzi has issued an apology to Sevilla fans after he was spotted at a nightclub just hours after his side suffered a humiliating 5-0 Copa del Rey final defeat to Barcelona. N'Zonzi played 90 minutes in Saturday's match as Barca ran out comfortable winners in a crushing victory. Coach Vincenzo Montella has received significant criticism for the team's listless display, but N'Zonzi perhaps took some of the attention off him when he was photographed in a Madrid nightclub in the early hours of the morning. Читать дальше...

South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs are "worried about the safety of the players, the coach and supporters" after rioting at the end of Saturday's 2-0 Nedbank Cup defeat to Free State Stars forced coach Steve Komphela to resign. The Chiefs were denied a place in the cup final as a result of the loss at their own Moses Mabhida stadium, meaning their season will end without silverware, while they are also in danger of missing out on continental football next season. Fan frustration reached boiling point... Читать дальше...

Barcelona star Andres Iniesta should join Real Betis instead of departing LaLiga for the Chinese Super League, according to Quique Setien. Iniesta is expected to announce his move to China in the coming days, with the 33-year-old set to call time on a stellar Barca career. The Spain playmaker put in a typically imperious display in Barca's 5-0 annihilation of Betis' arch rivals Sevilla in Saturday's Copa del Rey final, netting the fourth goal as Ernesto Valverde's side ran riot at Wanda Metropolitano. Читать дальше...

Argentina are awaiting further news on the status of midfielder Lucas Biglia after he fractured two vertebrae in club action for AC Milan. Biglia, who made 13 appearances in World Cup qualifying, was substituted after 72 minutes of Milan's shock Serie A defeat to Benevento on Saturday with a back complaint. And initial tests have shown the 32-year-old to have suffered a fracture of the transverse processes of the first two lumbar vertebrae, with additional examinations to follow. "AC Milan inform... Читать дальше...

Arsene Wenger has hinted he will reveal extra details of the circumstances surrounding his imminent Arsenal departure at the end of the season amid suggestions he is being forced out. Wenger stunned the Premier League on Friday when he and Arsenal released a joint statement confirming his 22-year association with the club will end when the season concludes. The Frenchman has overseen one of the club's most successful periods, having won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups, but the Gunners... Читать дальше...