Monday, June 30, 2014

John Obi Mikel: 'Cesc Fabregas arrival won't force me out of Chelsea'

John Obi Mikel has said that he plans to remain at Chelsea despite the arrival of Cesc Fabregas at Stamford Bridge.

The Spanish international's signing has fueled speculation that Mikel could leave the club in order to increase his chances of playing first-team football next season.

Howeer, the Nigeria international told Goal.com: "I don't have a problem with the signing of Cesc Fabregas. We have played against each other a lot of times. We don't play in the same position anyway.

"Chelsea are my home away from home, my second home. You never know what's going to happen in football, but I'm very happy at Chelsea and I want to remain at Chelsea.

"I still have three years left on my contract and want to stay there. I want to congratulate Cesc with his transfer and I'm looking forward to playing with him."

Mikel has spent the last eight years at Chelsea.

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John Obi Mikel expecting "spectacular" last-16 tie against France

John Obi Mikel is expecting a "spectacular game" when Nigeria come up against France in the last 16 of the World Cup tomorrow night.

The Super Eagles, who have never progressed into the quarter-finals, advanced through Group F despite losing 3-2 against Argentina last time out.

"It will be a spectacular game and we are very motivated," Mikel is quoted as saying by Goal.com. "The match could be decided by small details. It will be a close encounter.

"I have played against some of the France players before in the Champions League. The coaches have also done their homework on how to approach the game and have given us all the details we need."

The winner of the encounter in Brasilia will face either Germany or Algeria.
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Louis van Gaal: 'Netherlands were lucky'

Louis van Gaal has admitted that his Netherlands team are lucky to remain in the World Cup following the dramatic 2-1 win over Mexico this evening.

The Oranje were minutes away from exiting the tournament to a Giovanni Dos Santos goal, only for Wesley Sneijder to drill home an 88th-minute equaliser.

Arjen Robben won a penalty in controversial circumstances minutes later, which Klaas Jan Huntelaar duly dispatched to send the Dutch through to the quarter-finals, and Van Gaal admits that his side had an "escape".

"It was an escape yes, but in the second half we showed we could create many opportunities," he told reporters.

"It's always food for thought, we will analyse the next opponents and see what's best to do. It's not only to do with our qualities but also those of our opponents."

Van Gaal's side will face Costa Rica in the last-eight stage following their penalty shootout victory over Greece.
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Nigel De Jong set to miss quarter-final

Netherlands manager Louis Van Gaal has said that Nigel De Jong is unlikely to play in the country's World Cup quarter-final on Saturday.

The AC Milan midfielder was forced off the pitch with an injury less than 10 minutes into his side's 2-1 victory against Mexico.

"De Jong had a small groin strain and I was forced to substitute him," Van Gaal told reporters.

"I don't know if he will be available for the quarter-final, though to be honest it's very unlikely he will be able to play the next match.

"He is one of my most important players, so this is an enormous loss for us."

The Netherlands will face the winners of Costa Rica and Greece's last-16 tie in the next round.
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Jose Mourinho: 'Luis Suarez ban is deserved'

Jose Mourinho has insisted that Luis Suarez's ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup is "deserved".

The Liverpool striker was handed a four-month ban from all football-related activities, and will also miss the next nine internationals for Uruguay.

The Chelsea manager told Yahoo: "I think the punishment is deserved because it is an accumulation of the same negative act on the football pitch.

"What I really don't like in football is the stadium ban. What's the problem for Suarez to be in the stadium, in the middle of the Uruguay supporters watching the game between his country and Colombia? It's too hard, it's something that I really don't understand.

"If his punishment comes as a sequence of three similar mistakes in three different situations, it is something that he deserves. It has to stop."

Suarez has previously served two bans for biting opponents.
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Sunday, June 29, 2014

WC Preview: Netherlands vs. Mexico (29 June, 17:00HRS)

Netherlands go into their last-16 fixture with Mexico having emerged from the group stages as one of four teams who hold a 100% record.



Louis van Gaal's team opened the tournament with a 5-1 success over reigning champions Spain before registering victories over Australia and Chile.

Robin van Persie will return to the starting lineup after missing the Chile game through suspension, but Bruno Martins Indi remains a doubt after suffering concussion earlier in the competition.

Mexico qualified for the knockout stages after scoring three second-half goals to earn a 3-1 victory over Croatia on Monday evening.

That triumph over Croatia was El Tricolor's second win of the tournament, and after keeping a clean sheet against Brazil in their other fixture, Mexico are regarded as an outside tip to reach the semi-finals.

Coach Miguel Herrera will be without Jose Juan Vasquez, who is missing through suspension, so former Fulham man Carlos Salcido could deputise in his place.

Recent form

Netherlands: DWWWWW

Mexico: WLLWDW

Possible starting lineups

Netherlands: Cillessen; Janmaat, Blind, Vlaar, De Vrij; De Guzman, De Jong, Sneijder; Van Persie, Robben, Lens

Mexico: Ochoa; Aguilar, Layun, Marquez, Rodriguez; Moreno, Herrera, Salcido; Dos Santos, Guardado, Peralta

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WC Preview: Costa Rica vs. Greece (29 June, 21:00HRS)

Costa Rica have caused one of the surprises of the World Cup by topping a group that included Uruguay, Italy and England.

However, Jorge Luis Pinto's side are fully deserving of a place in the last 16, and they will fancy their chances against a Greece side that only qualified for the second round in the final minute of their match with Ivory Coast.

Pinto is likely to keep changes to a minimum as he looks to maintain his team's momentum in the tournament.

Greece looked down and out against Ivory Coast on Tuesday evening before Georgios Samaras struck from the penalty spot in added-on time to help his team reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

However, the win came at a price as goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis and midfielder Panagiotis Kone both picked up injuries during the game, which leaves them as huge doubts for the showdown in Recife.

Recent form

Costa Rica: WLDWW

Greece: DWLDW

Possible starting lineups

Costa Rica: Navas, Gamboa, Diaz Campbell, Miller, Gonzalez, Duarte, Ruiz, Borges, Campbell, Tejeda Valverde, Brenes

Greece: Glykos, Torosidis, Holebas, Karagounis, Manolas, Papastathopoulos, Salpingidis, Maniatis, Samaras, Samaris, Christodoulopoulos

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Brazil 1-1 Chile (Pen 3-2) : World Cup hosts Brazil beat Chile on penalties to reach quarter-finals

Hosts Brazil have progressed to the quarter-finals of the World Cup by edging out Chile in an enthralling penalty shootout at the Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte.



After a feisty start to the game, early efforts from Marcelo and Marcelo Diaz at either end flew wide before Brazil appealed wildly for a penalty in the 13th minute.

Hulk tumbled under the challenge of Mauricio Isla, but English referee Howard Webb didn't feel that there was enough contact to warrant the fall.

Brazil took the lead in the 18th minute when Neymar's corner was flicked goalwards by Thiago Silva and bundled home at the back post by centre-back partner David Luiz - his first goal for his country.



Replays indicated that it may have been an own goal by Gonzalo Jara, but Luiz was credited with the goal as it was unclear who diverted the ball into the net.

The men in yellow were only ahead for a quarter of an hour before Alexis Sanchez levelled the scores with his second goal of the tournament.

Hulk gave away possession cheaply in the corner and Sanchez was found by Eduardo Vargas before coolly rolling the ball past Julio Cesar into the corner.



Brazil had several chances to go back in front before half time, but Neymar headed wide, Fred shot over and Dani Alves was denied by an acrobatic Claudio Bravo save.

Ten minutes after the break Hulk thought that he had restored Brazil's lead, but his finish was ruled out as he appeared to control the ball with his right bicep before finding the bottom corner.



The hosts' energy levels then dipped and Chile had a spell on top, with Charles Aranguiz spectacularly denied a goal by Cesar's instinctive save.

Jo was sent on to replace Fred up front for Brazil, and the former Manchester City striker had a clear-cut chance to get on the scoresheet when Hulk picked him out, but he couldn't make contact at the back post.



With 10 minutes on the clock, Neymar was then picked out from the other wing by Barcelona teammate Alves and, although he headed the ball goalwards, it was straight at Bravo.

Next to try his luck was Hulk, but he too was denied by Bravo after dancing his way into the box and striking towards the top corner with his right foot.

Both sides needed a break to take in some fluids, and Webb blew the whistle to signal the end of 90 minutes and send the pulsating tie into half an hour of extra time.



There were very few chances in the extra period, but Chile almost stunned the hosts with a 120th-minute winner when substitute Mauricio Pinilla rattled a shot against the crossbar.

Penalties would be required to separate the duo and Luiz started Brazil off with a firm strike into the corner.

Cesar then saved Chile's first from Pinilla before Willian dragged wide with Brazil's second.

Sanchez was also denied by Cesar before Marcelo and Aranguiz put theirs away. Bravo kept Hulk out and then Diaz scored his to make it 2-2 after four penalties.

Neymar coolly slotted home Brazil's fifth and then Jara fired against the post to send Brazil through.

They will next face another South American side - the winner of tonight's last 16 tie between Colombia and Uruguay - in the quarter-finals.
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Colombia 2-0 Uruguay : James Rodriguez brace fires Colombia into quarter-final encounter with Brazil

Two goals from James Rodriguez have fired Colombia into a quarter-final encounter with World Cup hosts Brazil, after Jose Pekerman's side earned a comfortable 2-0 victory over Uruguay at the Estadio Maracana this evening.



Colombia were the first to threaten in a tame first half, with Juan Zuniga making use of Jackson Martinez's through ball, only to smash his effort straight at the keeper from distance.

With both sides defending resolutely, chances were hard to come by in the opening period, however Rodriguez made his mark in the 28th minute as he took the ball down on his chest before dispatching a left-footed volley into the top corner of goal.



Edinson Cavani looked to make use of one of Uruguay's few opportunities in the first half when he cannoned in a free kick from the edge of the area, though it was just a little too high as it went whistling over the crossbar.

Uruguay might have equalised just before the interval, but for David Ospina, who pulled off a strong save to keep out Alvaro Gonzalez's acute volley.

Things were to get even worse for Oscar Tabarez's men after the break when first-half hero Rodriguez capped off some fine team play to convert past a helpless Fernando Muslera.



The second goal injected a little bit of urgency into Uruguay as Cristian Rodriguez marauded forward, however Ospina was on hand to make another good stop to his left.

The Colombian keeper was in form yet again in the closing stages to keep out Cavani, who sought out a mere consolation with a stinging first-time effort towards the bottom corner, leaving the final score to end 2-0.
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Arsenal target move for Clement Grenier

Arsenal are reportedly keen on bringing Lyon midfielder Clement Grenier to the Emirates this summer.

The 23-year-old was set to be part of the France squad at the World Cup, but was injured less than a week before the tournament started.

According to The Mirror, Arsene Wenger has been keeping an eye on Grenier's recovery and will make a bid for him if he is fit by the start of the season.

Grenier scored four goals for Lyon in Ligue 1 last season.

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Olivier Giroud set for new Arsenal deal

Arsenal are reportedly set to offer Olivier Giroud a two-year extension to his contract.

The 27-year-old joined the club from Montpellier in 2012 and scored 16 goals in the Premier League last season.

He is currently representing France at the World Cup and according to The Mirror, he will sign a new deal with the Gunners when he returns home from Brazil.

Giroud found the back of the net for France in their 5-2 win over Switzerland last week.
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Alexis Sanchez agrees personal terms with Juventus

Juventus have reportedly moved closer to securing the signing of Alexis Sanchez after agreeing personal terms with the Barcelona winger.

Sanchez, who is currently representing Chile at the World Cup finals, has been strongly linked with a transfer to Liverpool, but reports in Italy are suggesting that the 25-year-old could be making the move to Italy.

According to Tullosport, Sanchez has agreed to sign a five-year contract with Juventus, but despite his reported willingness to join the Serie A champions the two teams are yet to agree a price.

Juventus has offered a fee in the region of €18m (£14.4m), but Barcelona are said to be holding out for €25m (£20m).
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Paul Lambert restricted to £10m budget

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has been handed a summer transfer budget of just £10m, according to a report.

Villa owner Randy Lerner has decided to cut his side's spending ahead of 2014-15 season and has put a limit on the resources available to the Scot to bring in new players.

Lambert had reportedly eyed deals for Joleon Lescott and Javier Hernandez but both players were out of his price range and was forced to settle for cut-price deals for Joe Cole and Philippe Senderos.

The 44-year-old now has just £10m to spend on transfer fees and wages to help strengthen his side, who finished 15th in the Premier League last season, reports The People.

Lambert is entering his third season at Villa Park after taking over from Alex McLeish in 2012.
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Chelsea weighing up £60m Paul Pogba move

Chelsea are reportedly weighing up a £60m swoop for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba.

The France international impressed for the Serie A title winners last season and has continued to enhance his reputation with Didier Deschamps's side at the World Cup.

Jose Mourinho wants the 21-year-old to bolster his midfield options to help his side contend on four fronts again next season.

The Portuguese also sees extra value in his training at former club Manchester United which aids the club's compliance to UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations.

Chelsea could launch the bid later this summer but are still considering whether to pay the £60m that Juventus would want for his signature, reports the Daily Mail.

Pogba made 51 appearances for Antonio Conte's side in all competitions last season, scoring nine goals.
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Real Madrid to launch Raheem Sterling bid

Real Madrid are ready to launch a bid to sign Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling, according to a report.

The European champions have been tracking the 19-year-old's progress at the Reds for the past season and also at the World Cup with England.

Carlo Ancelotti's side are now prepared to test Liverpool's resolve with a bid in the region of £25m to land Sterling this summer as fears continue to grow over Cristiano Ronaldo's persistent knee injury, reports The Mirror.

The 19-year-old scored nine goals in 33 appearances for Liverpool last season and also played in all three of England's World Cup matches.
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