Goal Zone

Thursday, May 01, 2014

GOAL ZONE 'PLAYER OF THE WEEK' is..........

Congratulations CRISTIANO RONALDO, GOAL ZONE 'PLAYER OF THE WEEK'.........

The Electrifying Paced Portuguese CRISTIANO RONALDO wins Our Player Of the week,after scoring 2 spectacular strikes to help Real Madrid beat Osasuna at the Bernabeu to maintain their title chase and keep La decima dream alive.

The 29-Year Old Forward,collected from Di Maria before rifling home from Yards out inside the opening 6 minutes and went on to double his tally on the night as well as Madrid's lead finishing off brilliantly from Isco's set up,6 minutes after the restart to help Real Madrid to a 4-0 rout against Osasuna.

GOAL ZONE 'PLAYER OF THE WEEK' POLLS......

2%CUADRADO

16%YAYA TOURE

53%RONALDO

25%MATA

4%PIZARRO

Hatem Ben Arfa wants Newcastle United stay

Newcastle United winger Hatem Ben Arfa has insisted that he is keen to remain at the club next season.

The Frenchman has suffered numerous injury setbacks and struggled to hold down a first-team place since joining the Magpies, but remains determined to prove himself.

"If the manager says to me he doesn't believe in me for next season, I want to stay, but if the chairman wants to sell me I have to go," he told the Daily Mail.

"I want to stay here even if the manager doesn't believe in me because I will show him I can play here."

Ben Arfa was reportedly made to train by himself after clashing with Newcastle boss Alan Pardew, and was dropped for Monday's 3-0 defeat to Arsenal.

Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer: 'Thibaut Courtois is world class'

Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has hailed his Atletico Madrid counterpart Thibaut Courtois as "world class".

Courtois, on loan at the Spanish club from Chelsea, produced a string of impressive saves during Atletico's 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

In the wake of the game, Schwarzer declared that the young Belgian is capable of challenging Petr Cech for a place in the Blues' starting XI next season.

"I thought he was outstanding," Sky Sports News quotes him as saying. "He had a great game tonight. If we'd been a bit lucky and he'd been a bit unlucky we could have got back in the game and there could have been a few more nervy moments towards the end for them. It wasn't the case.

"They are both world class goalkeepers and I wouldn't say that they are at different ends of their careers because Petr still has a long way to go with his career."

Atletico's victory at Stamford Bridge set up an all-Madrid final against their city rivals Real Madrid.

Everton plot summer move for Mohamed Diame

Everton manager Roberto Martinez has reportedly set his sights on Mohamed Diame ahead of this summer's transfer window.

The West Ham United midfielder is believed to be unsettled at Upton Park, with recent reports suggesting that he wants to play for one of the top six clubs in the Premier League.

According to The Mirror, Everton would be willing to match the 26-year-old's £3.5m buy-out clause to secure his services as they look for potential alternatives to Gareth Barry.

Barry has impressed on a season-long loan deal from Manchester City, but it remains unclear whether the Toffees will be able to pay the wages the midfielder may ask for in the summer.

Martinez worked with Diame at Wigan Athletic after signing the Senegal international in 2009.

Carlo Ancelotti urges players to win Champions League for Xabi Alonso

Carlo Ancelotti has urged his Real Madrid squad to win the Champions League for Xabi Alonso.

Alonso was denied the opportunity to play in May's final when he was shown a yellow card in the emphatic victory over Bayern Munich in Tuesday's semi-final, which resulted in a suspension.

"The thing for Xabi is very unlucky," Ancelotti, who won the competition twice during his time in charge of AC Milan, told members of the media.

"The important thing is that we will play the final, and we also need to win for him."

Atletico Madrid set up a meeting with their rivals after beating Chelsea in the second semi-final on Wednesday.

Eden Hazard: 'Chelsea not made to play football'

Chelsea winger Eden Hazard has raised fresh questions about his future at Stamford Bridge with comments made in the wake of his side's exit from the Champions League.

The Belgian declared that the Blues are "not made to play football" following their 3-1 aggregate defeat to Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the competition.

"I don't know what we lacked," he told beIN Sport. "After scoring, we had the game in our hands. Maybe they wanted it more than we did... It was an intense game. Beautiful to watch with opportunities.

"I'm sad but logic has been respected because they deserved to qualify. Chelsea is not made to play football. We're good on the counter, a little bit like Real against Bayern.

"We did it well tonight since we scored. But their goal hurt us before the break. We failed to make the difference in the second half."

The midfielder also insinuated that Chelsea's style of play places too much demand on him, claiming that he is "often asked to do it all by [himself]".

He added: "Often, I'm asked to do it all by myself and it's not easy. It was a complicated game. It will be a lesson for us regarding next year."

Atletico's victory at Stamford Bridge has set up an all-Madrid final against their city rivals Real Madrid.

Diego Simeone praises Atletico Madrid 'fighting spirit'

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone believes that his side rightly deserve to be in the final of the Champions League following their resounding victory against Chelsea.

The Rojiblancos, who have never previously reached the final of the competition, set up an all-Madrid showdown in Lisbon by winning 3-1 at Stamford Bridge last night.

Fernando Torres fired Jose Mourinho's side ahead on the night, before Adrian, Diego Costa and Arda Turan scored the goals to send the La Liga leaders through.

"We did everything within our power to get through to the final and we deserve to be there, as do Real Madrid," Simeone is quoted as saying by Sky Sports News. "Fernando Torres got the opener but we knew that one of our goals would count for double and so we had to fight to score it.

"We had to work so hard in order to find ourselves playing the type of game that suited us, which came from the second goal onwards. Tonight was the result of a big collective effort. We generated that possibility of us reaching a beautiful final.

"It was a smashing game in the first half, tactically speaking, until the first goal opened it up. They had the first chance but we managed to equalise relatively soon afterwards."

Atletico return to league action on Sunday with a visit to face Levante.

Roma 'join race to sign Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku'

Roma have reportedly joined the race to sign Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku.

The Italian club's sporting director Walter Sabatini has travelled to England to hold a meeting with the Blues about the Belgian forward, according to The Mirror.

Lukaku, who is currently on loan at Everton, has previously attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur and been linked with a permanent move to Goodison Park.

Roma are also said to be interested in Spurs midfielders Erik Lamela, Paulinho, and Sandro with Sabatini alleged to have already held talks with the club and offered the loan of youngster Tin Jedvaj as part of any potential deals.

Jose Mourinho: Thibaut Courtois save was "amazing"

Jose Mourinho has said that an "amazing save" by Thibaut Courtois allowed Atletico Madrid to knock his Chelsea side out of the Champions League this evening.

The Atletico keeper, who is on loan from Stamford Bridge, denied John Terry just moments before the Spanish side won a penalty to give them a 2-1 lead, before going on to seal a 3-1 win.

The manager told Sky Sports News: "I think the game, until a certain minute it was very, very, very, very equal. The first half was more ours than theirs but finished with a 1-1 which was a completely open result. One minute in the second half decided everything. A minute where the Atletico goalkeeper makes an impossible save to a John Terry header then the penalty that kills the game.

"After that 2-1 against Atletico is almost impossible, after that there was only one team, a team with morale high. Obviously it is disappointing to lose a Champions League semi-final with a second leg at home, but I am proud of them. We never really had Atletico in a position where we had an advantage and they had to chase the game, we had that for 10 minutes and they equalised.

"I think until the penalty they were not the best team. We conceded a poor goal, we knew that in set pieces we had a chance, John Terry had a header and the save was amazing. After that there was only one team."

Atletico will face Real Madrid in next month's final in Lisbon.

Marc Wilmots: 'Manchester United to blame for form of Marouane Fellaini'

Belgium manager Marc Wilmots has blamed Manchester United for Marouane Fellaini's disappointing form ahead of the World Cup.

Fellaini has struggled to adjust to life at Old Trafford since joining from Everton last summer, but Wilmots believes that the midfielder has been unable to make an impact while playing in a deeper role under David Moyes, who was sacked last week.

"I don't understand why Manchester United bought him to play him in a system of two No. 6s," Wilmots told members of the Belgian media. "Marouane is a box-to-box player.

"I have no doubts about Marouane. The World Cup is a good chance for him to take revenge."

Fellaini was left out of the United squad for last Saturday's 4-0 victory over Norwich City.

Aston Villa 'plotting summer swoop for Javier Hernandez'

Aston Villa are allegedly planning to table a bid for Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez when the transfer window reopens this summer.

The Villans would be expected to pay around £12m for the Mexico international, but face competition for his signature, according to the Daily Star.

Hernandez, who has become a fringe player at Old Trafford, is also said to have attracted interest from Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur.

Meanwhile, Villa boss Paul Lambert has reportedly identified Manchester City's Joleon Lescott and Lewis Holtby of Spurs as his other summer targets.

Chelsea's David Luiz: 'Our best was not good enough'

Chelsea defender David Luiz has conceded that the Blues lost to a better team following their defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

The Brazilian declared that the Blues' best was not good enough after a 3-1 reverse at Stamford Bridge saw them bow out of the competition at the semi-final phase.

"They scored when they needed to score," Sky Sports News quotes him as saying. "We controlled the game for the first 40 minutes and then we conceded a goal at the end of the first half and they were able to counter attack and they dictated the game.

"In the second half, they scored the second goal and then we headed the ball against the post. If it is 2-2, it is a different game and we are back in it but then they scored the third goal and that is it.

"They have a a fantastic philosophy and a very good team. We gave it our best but it was not enough; that is football."

Atletico's victory at Stamford Bridge set up an all-Madrid final against their city rivals Real Madrid.

Diego set for return to Brazil

Atletico Madrid's attacking midfielder Diego could be set for a return to Brazil this summer, according to his father.

The 29-year-old, who joined Atletico on a short-term deal in January, is believed to be attracting interest from former club Santos, and his father claims that a move is a possibility at the end of the season.

"The interest is mutual, there is a big chance of him returning to Brazil," Djair Ribas told Globo Esporte. "Other Brazilian clubs are interested, but he prefers Santos.

"We will wait until the last games to talk, Diego is under contract with Atletico Madrid and a lot of things can happen."

Diego started his professional career with Santos before moving to Porto in 2004.

Chelsea 1-3 Atletico Madrid : Rojiblancos wreck Blues to set up Madrid derby final

Atletico Madrid have reached the final of the Champions League for the first time after beating Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge this evening, setting up a match against local rivals Real Madrid in next month's showpiece.

The visitors struck the crossbar just five minutes into the match when Mark Schwarzer misread a Koke cross, which was eventually put behind for a corner.

Chelsea tried to apply pressure down the other end, but a long ball forward from David Luiz intended for Fernando Torres was claimed by Thibaut Courtois in the Atletico goal.

The La Liga leaders had another chance to take the lead later in the half when Gary Cahill gave away a free kick just outside the box, but Koke's delivery was headed away by John Terry.

Torres, who was making his 50th appearance in the Champions League, managed to break the deadlock with a deflected tap in from a Cesar Azpilicueta cross to give Chelsea the lead against his former club.

The hosts' advantage was short-lived though, as Adrian turned the ball in at the post just before the break from a Juanfran cross, giving the Spanish side a potentially vital away goal.

Chelsea had a chance to regain the lead early in the second half when Terry tried to finish from a Willian free kick, but Courtois, who was playing against his parent club, denied the captain.

Atletico were awarded a penalty on the hour mark when Samuel Eto'o, who had only just come off the bench, gave away a penalty for a foul on Diego Costa.

The striker elected to take the spot kick himself, but was booked in the build up after taking too long to place the ball on the spot, before he eventually fired it into the roof of the net for the team's second goal of the night.

Chelsea almost got back on level terms just five minutes later when another Willian free kick fell to Luiz, but his finish was kept out by the post.

The miss allowed the visitors to head back down the other end, dominating possession before adding their third goal through Arda Turan, who initially hit the crossbar before slotting in the rebound.

Chelsea continued to push forward in the closing minutes, but they were unable to trouble Courtois again until the final seconds when Eden Hazard tried to drill the ball in from the edge of the box, but the Belgian kept it out.

May's final in Lisbon will be the first to feature two clubs from the same city.

Gareth Bale delighted with first season at Real Madrid

Gareth Bale has admitted that he would never have imagined his first season at Real Madrid going so well after they reached the Champions League final on Tuesday.

The Welshman moved to the Santiago Bernabeu from Tottenham Hotspur in a world-record £85m deal last summer and has since scored 20 goals in 35 appearances, including a late winner in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona.

His form has helped Madrid stay in the La Liga title race and a 5-0 aggregate victory over Bayern Munich in a European semi-final means that Carlo Ancelotti's side are still in with a chance of the treble.

At the Allianz Arena, Bale feels that Sergio Ramos's early headed goal was a pivotal moment as it allowed Real to play on the break, which they did to great effect, thrashing the Bavarians 4-0 in Germany.

"It's an amazing feeling," he told Sky Sports News. "At the start of the season it's hard to imagine. We set out to try and win every competition we're in and we're in a great position now.

"We always have belief in ourselves. To get an early goal was very important for us to give us confidence. They were going to come at us then and we could exploit the counter-attack.

"It was a perfect game-plan for us and thankfully we got the win. I think we played a good game in both legs and we're happy to be in the final now.We're just focused on each and every game as it comes. We don't get carried away with ourselves too easily."

Madrid are six points behind leaders Atletico Madrid in the Spanish table, but do have a game in hand.

Thursday, May 01, 2014

Wednesday, April 30, 2014