The former Fifa technical committee member has tasked
the Madagascan to be firm if he hopes to be successful as head of
African football
Chief Adegboye Onigbinde has thrown his weight behind the change in leadership of the Confederation of African Football.
Ahmad Ahmad defeated incumbent Issa Hayatou 34 votes to 20 at
the 39th Caf Ordinary General Assembly held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
And the former Fifa technical member who feels the change was long
overdue has tasked Ahmad not to repeat the mistakes of Hayatou if he
hopes to succeed.
"I congratulate him. I believe he will come in with new ideas. The
only thing that is constant in this life is change and the situation of
African football has been expecting some changes," Onigbinde told Sportmasta.
"There should be more emphasis on development because in
Fifa regulations under objectives, the opening sentence reads - to
improve the game of football constantly. Competition is supposed to be a
by-product, it should be used to assess the level of development so if
you’re concentrating on competition without development, you are wasting
your time.
"Well, Mr. Hayatou is a gentle man and he is a man who was flexible
with everybody but maybe there was a need for a little bit of more
dynamism for him.
"He was easily buttoned, not dynamic enough, probably that is his own
nature. Inspite of that, I think he did a lot of good work for African
football, but football just like other sports needs dynamism and when
you are in leadership especially in Africa, you need to be a man of
yourself but if you are one that they can push around, of course you
will be like a leaf on top of a flowing river. I think the new man
should improve from that because there is need for more dynamism and
self-confidence.''
Onigbinde who guided the Super Eagles to the 2002 Fifa World Cup also
expressed his delight with the victory Amaju Pinnick - challenging him
to put the nation's interest first at all times.
"Pinnick’s victory is a good one for Nigeria, once again we have
another person there after Amos Adamu and we hope he can do some good
works for Nigeria,'' he continued.
''I was in Caf technical committee for about 25 years and I know a
few areas where I had to push things through for Nigeria, so I think if
he takes more of Nigeria than of self, he should be able to do more for
the country."
The Nigerian forward weighed in with a last-gasp winner to ensure the Wolves share the spoils at the Nordjyske Arena
Paul Onuachu scored as Midtjylland battled to grab a 1-1 draw at AaB in a Danish Superliga encounter on Monday evening.
Morten Wieghorst's men took the lead in the 54th minute through
Frederik Børsting but the Wolves had to count on the 22-year-old's
strike on the stroke of regulation time to get a share of the points.
His compatriot, Rilwan Hassan played for 75 minutes before being substituted for Jonas Borring.
The goal was Onuachu’s eighth in 24 league appearances for Jess
Thorup’s side. And they are placed fourth on the log with 38 points
garnered from 25 games.
In their next Danish topflight encounter, they welcome eight placed Nordsjælland to the MCH Arena on March 19.
The Liverpool legend continues to be impressed by the
puzzling Nigerian claiming he never gave him a chance to excel at the
Stamford Bridge
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has praised the rise of Chelsea right wing-back Victor Moses in the Premier League this season.
Moses stepped up and sealed a place in Conte's first team this season
after enduring three loan spells with Liverpool, Stoke City and West
Ham since he signed for the Stamford Bridge outfit from Wigan in 2012.
As a result of his impressive record this season, the Nigeria
international was rewarded with a two-year contract extension earlier
this month, and was on parade for 70 minutes in the Blues' 2-1 defeat of
Stoke City.
The former Reds skipper was not only amazed by his development this
season but by his quick adaptation in the new defensive role he finds
himself this season.
"Another thing you want a manager to do is improve players — and look
at Victor Moses. I never expected him to have a future at Chelsea,"
Carragher wrote on Daily Mail.
"Given he had been out on loan so much, and the levels he has shown
have taken me by complete surprise. He has been excellent in his new
role of right wing back."
The long-serving Caf President was voted out of power
on Thursday as African football's leaders voted for his Madagascan
adversary
Issa Hayatou's 29-year grip in African football ended on Thursday
when Caf voted for Madagascan football administrator Ahmad Ahmad as the
confederation's new president.
Ahmad defeated Hayatou by 34 votes to 20, thus bringing to an end
Hayatou's reign, which began when he replaced Abdel Halim Mohammad in
1988.
The surprise result, which was announced Caf’s 39th General Assembly
in Addis Ababa, prompted shock and celebration across social media, with
many fans, pundits and observers celebrating the departure of the
70-year-old, who has been accused of various controversies during his
long stint at the helm.
However, the Cameroonian has overseen significant improvement in
Caf’s standing within the global football community and
considerable.growth within the continental game.
After a vote at the governing body's Congress in Addis Ababa, the Madagascan was named as the new leader, replacing Issa Hayatou
Madagascan football administrator
Ahmad Ahmad has been named the new Caf President after defeating
incumbent Issa Hayatou in Thursday’s vote.
In the election, which was held at Caf’s 39th General Assembly in
Addis Ababa, Ahmad defeated Hayatou in a shock result after picking up
34 votes to the 70-year-old’s 20.
Hayatou had been in power since 1988 when he replaced Abdel Halim
Mohammad, and has overseen significant growth in the continental game
and in Caf’s standing within the global football community.
The incumbent President of the Confederation of African Football, Isa Hayatou, has been defeated.
Hayatou was floored by the man who has simply requested to be called Ahmad.
Ahmad defeated Hayatou by 34 votes to 20.
Nigeria before the election had declared support for Hayatou.
Nigeria’s position was made know by the Minister of Youth and Sport, Solomon Dalung.
As the Nigeria international continues to shine, the Foxes could be forgiven for thinking their midfield crown jewel never left
The immediacy of N’Golo Kante ’s success at Chelsea , allowing for a initial brief toe-dipping period, has given ammunition to the notion Leicester City
were wrong to let him leave following last season’s title win. Arguably
the Foxes’ most impressive performer in all phases, Kante was the hound
in their midst, not just hunting down opponents but also injecting
urgency into his own ranks. His skill set is so unique as to be bespoke.
And yet, on Monday night against Liverpool, and in victory over Hull
City on Saturday, there was the Leicester of old: Darth Vader, wheezing
and improbably reanimated, but undoubtedly alive. As they hammered
Liverpool, transferring the ball quickly into the channel to savage
makeshift centre-back Lucas Leiva, it looked for all the world like
Kante had never left.
It was a similar story on Saturday, as Leicester moved five points clear of the relegation zone with their second win in a week.
Enter Wilfred Ndidi .
The Nigeria international has started impressively at the King Power,
getting off the mark with a rasping effort in the FA Cup against Derby
County, but amidst the general entropy within the ranks, he has been
unable to truly shine. Against Liverpool, he delivered his most complete
performance to date, before following that up with a commanding showing
against Hull.
The role of the Leicester rank and file in the latter-day
vicissitudes of Claudio Ranieri will forever be the subject of debate
and speculation.
There was something rather soul-destroying in watching the group,
previously hapless and supine, leap into battle against their Scouse
visitors. Whether that was to do with the nature of the challenge Jurgen
Klopp put forward, or with the fact the Premier League’s reigning
champions were stirred to battle by the cry of Craig Shakespeare, we may
never know for certain.
What we do know is that the entire team put in a performance worthy
of last season, finding in Ndidi a willing and able replacement for
their departed French enforcer. In place of Kante’s Energizer bunny
scurrying came Ndidi’s long-limbed contortionism; concerned, as was his
predecessor, simply with winning the ball and laying it off to the more
expansive ball players.
His passes were not simply square though. Against Liverpool, the
20-year-old completed only 20 of them in total – demonstrating the
immediacy of the home side’s approach - but 10 of those were to Matthew
Albrighton and Riyad Mahrez in the wide positions. To reach the latter
especially, from his left-of-centre positioning, saw Ndidi play some
impressive diagonals to pick out the Algerian.
Against Hull, he completed 49 passes, the third highest in the Foxes team.
He stacks up excellently in the combative stakes too; eleven tackles
won, six clearances, and seven aerial duels, just the one foul committed
on Monday. The numbers are scarily Kante-esque, and indeed, no player
had managed more tackles in a Premier League match since the France
international against the Reds in January.
However, the biggest pointer to the player’s value and ability came before the game even began.
Amid concerns over the club’s purchases under Claudio Ranieri this
season, as well as a certain perceived loyalty to underperformers, it is
no surprise that caretaker boss Shakespeare reverted to the line-up
that contested the majority of games last season, even reinstating
alienated Japan international Shinji Okazaki, with Islam Slimani
available for selection.
This in spite of the fact that, of the lot, the club record signing from Sporting could most be considered useful.
However, it was Ndidi, not Daniel Amartey, who was called upon to
fill the Kante-hole. Considering Shakespeare’s public avowal of a
consensual management style, with all its suggestions of undue player
influence and cliquism, this is remarkable for a player just out of his
teens, and who only joined in January.
More than anything else, it was a loud, ringing endorsement by the
squad of his immediate impact and ability, and the esteem in which he is
held. He is not Kante, might or might not be as good in the long run,
and he most definitely will win no league titles with Leicester City.
However, Ndidi is something special in his own right.
The country's senior national team stars have paid tribute to the amazing work of the women in their lives
Odion Ighalo , Moses Simon , Sone Aluko , Anthony Ujah
and the Nigerian Football Federation are celebrating women that have
influenced them as the world commemorates women for their outstanding
role in global development.
International Women's Day is day set aside to globally
celebrate women on every March 8 of every year and pay tribute for the
movement for women's rights in the world.
The Super Eagles players joined the world to salute the women who
have supported their struggles and their rise to stardom while the
Nigeria Football Federation appreciated eight-time African Champions,
the Super falcons as their pride.
Pep Guardiola will rue his men missing the
opportunity to overtake Tottenham in second place after his side failed
to break down their stubborn guests
Leroy Sane missed a great chance to score the winner as Manchester City were held to a 0-0 draw against Stoke City on Wednesday.
The Germany international, who came into the match at the Etihad
Stadium having netted in three consecutive appearances, was once again a
livewire down the wing.
However, he was left holding his head when he skied his shot after
Kevin De Bruyne's cross escaped Joe Allen's reach and found him on the
hour mark.
Sane's chance proved to be one of City's best chances of the night,
with the youngster unable to make contact with a great delivery for what
would have been a guilt-edge chance in stoppage time.
David Silva – introduced for the ineffective Jesus Navas – had
already spurned a glorious chance 18 minutes from the end, though he did
make a big difference to City's attacking play.
But ultimately Guardiola introduced Silva too late and Stoke held on for a draw despite City's desperate late onslaught.
Stoke were much quicker out of the blocks than their hosts and should
have taken an early lead through Mame Biram Diouf when the Senegal
forward scuffed a first-time effort straight at Willy Caballero from
Erik Pieters' cross.
The visitors continued to look bright in attack and caused problems again in the 15th minute.
Ramadan Sobhi cleverly turned Nicolas Otamendi on the left side of
the area and darted towards the danger zone, but Bacary Sagna made a
vital intervention before Diouf could pounce.
Diouf was then involved at the other end shortly after, tracking the
run of Leroy Sane and producing a marvellous last-ditch tackle to deny
him a clear run at Lee Grant and the Stoke goal.
Otherwise, Stoke did a fine job of keeping City at bay, with only an
Aleksandar Kolarov free-kick – which Grant saved comfortably – troubling
them.
City attacked with more intent after the break and crafted a good
opening early on, but Sergio Aguero – captain on the night – saw his
20-yard effort deflected just over after being picked out by Sane.
The in-form German winger then went close with a chance of his own in
the 60th minute, receiving De Bruyne's cutback and blazing over from 12
yards as Silva's entrance injected a little more urgency to City's
attack.
Silva went close twice in quick succession as the match approached
its final 15 minutes – first agonisingly missing the bottom-right corner
from just inside the box, before drilling wide of the opposite post
from distance.
Aguero almost stunned Stoke at the death when slipped into the left
side of the box, but the Argentinian could only find the side-netting as
Stoke secured a solid point.
The wing-back has been impressive at Chelsea so far
this season but has now claimed that there was also interest in him from
the Catalan giants
Marcos Alonso has revealed that he could have joined Barcelona prior to his move to Chelsea. Is Sergio Ramos the best big-game player in the world?
The wing-back moved to Stamford Bridge from Fiorentina for a fee of
around £24 million in the summer and has since impressed with a series
of dynamic performances for Antonio Conte’s side.
However, the 26-year-old could have moved to Barcelona instead,
revealing that the Catalan club were also interested in securing his
services prior to completing the signing of Lucas Digne from Paris
Saint-Germain.
"Well, I think there was some conversations [with Barcelona] but the
truth is that at that point it was not in my plans to leave Fiorentina,"
he told IbTimes. "It was only when the interest from Chelsea arrived in
the summer when I started to consider to make a change."
Alonso has previously played for Bolton and Sunderland in England,
hence surprise at the deal among a swathe of Blues supporters.
Alonso, though, is confident that he can continue his form as Conte’s
side maintain their title push, with Chelsea currently 10 points clear
of second-placed Tottenham following Monday’s 2-1 win over West Ham.
"There were some great teams interested in me in the summer but I
decided to join Chelsea because they are a team that I had always
liked,” he added. Ibra should have received 12-match ban
"I saw a possibility of succeeding here. I had some other offers from
other teams from Italy and Spain but when Chelsea came to get me, I did
not think twice. Chelsea are a club that had always attracted me.
“From my early years at Bolton I knew that Chelsea were a great club
and the truth is that I was right to come here. Things are going well
but I have to continue this way because I think I still can give much
more. Now with the tranquility of not having to prove anything I have to
keep improving.”
The former England midfielder summarily failed to
draw on his similar experience when analysing Paul Pogba's unconvincing
start at Manchester United
When Paul Pogba’s worth to Manchester United was brought into
question by two former England players on national television this week,
it was hard not to think that one of them at least should have known
better. Frank Lampard said the Frenchman could become a “£90 million
problem” for United, pairing clips of Pogba finding it hard to put his
stamp on proceedings with grand statements about the club’s world-record
outlay last summer. Zlatan deserved a 12-match ban
But it felt like a missed opportunity on Lampard’s part to actually
speak from first-hand experience of the difficulties involved when being
signed for a big fee, with a huge reputation, and with a label he
hadn’t asked for coming as part of the bargain.
After all, Lampard himself had been in a very similar situation to
Pogba back in 2001. Chelsea splashed out £11 million to sign him one
week before his 23rd birthday in a move which attracted plenty of
attention. His time at West Ham had been dogged by claims that he got a
helping hand into the first team from his uncle, Harry Redknapp, who was
the club’s manager at the time.
It was criticism which stung him, especially as he also looked to
follow in the footsteps of his very successful father, Frank Sr, by
making his name with the Hammers. To identify between the two, some
supporters would call him ‘Fat Frank’. Like Pogba’s £90m transfer fee,
it was a label Lampard had not invited, and a video from 1996 of a West
Ham fan challenging Redknapp on his nephew’s worth is now YouTube gold.
“Some people forget that it was tough or they try to change history and say it wasn’t like that. It was,” he told The Independent some years later.
“I had the nepotism one thrown at me regularly there and as a kid I
found it quite hard to deal with. Certainly that day I did. I watched it
back and not only my embarrassing curtains hairstyle and my chubby
face, but the whole moment was brought back.”
Like Pogba, Lampard had his own cross to bear and hardly hit the
ground running at Chelsea. When fellow analyst Jamie Carragher slammed
Pogba’s return of four Premier League goals and three assists so far for
United, comparing it to the volume of goals delivered by Lampard and
Steven Gerrard over the course of their careers, Lampard chose not to
defend Pogba despite the fact that he himself had struggled to find the
net regularly after a big move at the same age.
Lampard scored just five goals and laid on three more in the 37 games
he played in his first Stamford Bridge season at the age of 23, and
would follow up one year on with a paltry six goals and three assists.
It was in his third campaign with the Blues at the age of 25 that he
would really begin to take flight as a blockbusting midfielder. Future bleak for abject Arsenal
But rather than provide this context, Lampard claimed Pogba was both
too attacking and too defensive before again turning the conversation
back to his price tag. “The problem he has is that when we think of £90m
we think of Gareth Bale,” he said. “Who would you pay £90m or £100m
for? Suarez, Ronaldo, Messi… They bring 40 to 50 goals a season and win
games on their own week-in, week-out.”
The £90m problem here is Lampard’s, not Pogba’s, and it is certainly
not United’s. The Red Devils clearly believe their £89.5m outlay, which
could rise to £93.8m in time, was worth every penny. They wouldn’t have
paid it otherwise.
It is not up to Lampard or any other pundit to decide whether United
will get their money’s worth. He has no idea how much Pogba brings into
the club every time he steps on the field, or greets a disabled
youngster through the Manchester United Foundation, or simply posts on
social media. It is the job of Ed Woodward and the United board to
decide whether Pogba is worth the money or not.
And the tendency to keep judging Pogba in the context of his transfer
fee is nothing but divisive. Only a couple of weeks ago people were
lauding the 23-year-old for having completed over 1,000 passes in the
final third this season, more than any other Premier League player. So
why is he a “£90m problem” this week just because Zlatan Ibrahimovic
missed a penalty against Bournemouth?
“He’s not giving the numbers, Zlatan is giving the numbers,” was
Lampard’s rather course analysis of the difference between the two, but
why would he make such a link? Nobody in 2001-02 was comparing his five
goals to Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink’s return of 23 and claiming Frank
‘isn’t giving the numbers’ at Chelsea. Mourinho fumes at Rostov pitch
It is right that former players should have their right to criticise
without their own record being held up in mitigation against them. Gary
Neville must not be judged by his spell as Valencia coach every time he
questions a manager’s tactics, and Carragher shouldn’t have to defend
his abilities as a defender for Liverpool every time he analyses Jurgen
Klopp’s back line. Similarly, Lampard has every right to say Pogba isn’t
yet the midfielder he could become and many expect him to be.
But Lampard, Carragher and presenter David Jones returned to the
subject of Pogba’s transfer fee 12 times in a feature lasting less than
10 minutes, and the over-riding theme was that the Frenchman’s first job
is to justify United’s outlay. It is a capitalist fetishist who spends
his time constantly worrying about what other people are spending, and
the world and his wife seem to have had a go at explaining why Pogba
isn’t worth the money. To argue the point over and over again is lazy.
So why couldn’t Lampard have used his unique insight to highlight the
realities of Pogba’s situation by drawing on his own personal
experience? That would surely have given the viewers a far greater
insight and added something new to the discussion. After all, Lampard
wasn’t ‘giving the numbers’ either at 23, but he was only an £11m
problem, not a £90m one.
The champions of Greece and Turkey - historic foes -
face off in the Europa League and times have changed since they were
last drawn together
The beauty of the open draw in tournament football is that you never
know what you’re going to get. Yet sometimes it can feel like the hand
of history is at work, intricately weaving an intriguing new narrative. Move over Messi - This is Neymar's night
That’s how fans of Olympiakos and Besiktas would have felt when
Patrik Andersson paired the Greek champions with the Turkish giants in
the last 16 of the Europa League.
The presence of Premier League behemoths Manchester United in the
competition is sure to capture the imagination of those who are paying
attention, while clashes between powerhouses such as Lyon and Roma, or
the all-German stand-off awaiting Borussia Monchengladbach and Schalke
are equally exciting prospects.
But the Greco-Turkish encounter is arguably the most interesting tie as the various teams battle to whittle 16 down to eight.
Both sides come into the game at the top of their national leagues
but, while Besiktas enjoy the comfort of consistency with five straight
wins under their belt, Olympiakos are without a manager, having
inexplicably dispensed with former Portugal boss Paulo Bento earlier
this week.
However, the intrigue of this clash does not really arise out of the
sort of prosaic themes that too frequently accompany many aspects
of modern football.
Historically, relations between Greece and Turkey have been fraught,
with social, political and religious divisions, which have their roots
in ancient times, stretching right through to the 21st Century; an
age-old problem, so to speak.
So, when Andersson selected Olympiakos and Besiktas as foes in Nyon
back in February, there were echoes of this particular historical
conflict, which actually prevented the two teams from playing against
each other in the European Cup back in 1958. Verratti: Barcelona players told me it was over
With political tensions heightening in the Aegean theatre, the Greek
side emphatically refused to play in Istanbul, subsequently allowing
their Turkish counterparts a bye into the next round, where they lost to
eventual victors Real Madrid.
Times have changed though, and, as it happens, the March 9 game in
Piraeus will be the first ever competitive meeting between the clubs. It
is not by any means the first time Olympiakos have been paired with
Turkish opposition. Remarkably, however, it is the second time this
season alone, after drawing and eventually overcoming Osmanlispor –
affectionately known as The Ottomans - in the last round.
George Orwell once disparagingly referred to international sporting
contests as "mimic warfare" suggesting that they inevitably lead to
"orgies of hatred" but the feeling from Olympiakos and Besiktas could
not be further from this notion.
After learning the identity of their last-16 opponents, Olympiakos’
Director of International Relations Konstantinos Vernikos was mindful of
history when he suggested that the game can show the capacity of
football to bring people together. “It is not very common to draw an
opponent from the same country in two consecutive draws,” said Vernikos.
“I think that, as against Osmanlispor, hospitality in Athens and Ankara
were impeccable, the same will happen now in Istanbul. It will prove
that sport unites.”
Indeed, Besiktas and Olympiakos have been to the fore in terms of
fostering good relations in recent years, playing friendly games against
each other in 2015 and 2016, and, at the Europa League draw Besiktas
board member Erdal Torunogullari was keen to emphasise the connection
that had been established between the two teams, joking that he would
have preferred to meet later in the competition.
Nevertheless, even after all the positive rhetoric from club
officials, some concerns clearly remain ahead of the tie, with both
clubs agreeing, with the backing of UEFA, not to permit any away fans at
either of their home games. Such a decision betrays a sense of unease
regarding the potential for a flare up of supporter violence, which
could land both clubs hefty financial penalties, but it also
encapsulates the oft-fragile nature of international diplomacy.
Despite the unique backdrop of the match, historical considerations
are a million miles away from the minds of the players, who remain
focused on the game itself. “The Olympiakos matches will be very
difficult,” said former Chelsea striker Demba Ba, who will be among
those attempting to assert Besiktas’ claim for a place in the next
round. “But we have a very good advantage: we have developed a habit of
winning. We need to continue this habit.”
Every now and then these games come along, bringing with them the
opportunity for football to play its part in the development of a
particular strand of the world’s social fabric. And, with luck, new
narratives will eventually unfold.
Opta provide the stats as the French champions find
themselves on the wrong side of history after the Catalans' remarkable
turnaround
Barcelona defied the odds to pull off the greatest escape in
Champions League history as they beat Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 at Camp
Nou to become the first side to overturn a 4-0 first-leg deficit in
Europe's top-tier competition. Move over Messi - This is Neymar's night
Barca's hopes appeared to be dashed when Edinson Cavani scored for
PSG in the 62nd minute to make it 3-1 on the night and ensure the hosts
needed to score another three to progress.
But, as Luis Enrique suggested was possible on Tuesday, Barca
incredibly hit that target and they did so in the most dramatic of
circumstances, scoring three times after the 88th minute – Neymar
getting two before Sergi Roberto sealed progression five minutes into
stoppage time.
Highlighting the sheer significance of the match are Opta's key stats.
KEY OPTA STATS
- Barcelona are the first side in Champions League and European Cup history to overturn a four-goal first-leg deficit.
- Barcelona have progressed past the round of 16 in each of the last 10 seasons, the longest run in the competition's history.
- Edinson Cavani is now PSG's joint-highest scorer in the Champions League alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic (20).
- Only three players to have played 20-plus Champions League games have
scored in 50 per cent or more of their appearances; Ruud van Nistelrooy
(58), Lionel Messi (51) and Cavani (50).
- Cavani has now scored in 22 different Champions League matches – the
only South Americans to score in more are Kaka (23) and Messi (58).
- Messi scored his 37th Champions League goal in the knockout stages; only Cristiano Ronaldo has more (44).
- Luis Suarez has scored 65 goals in 64 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona at Camp Nou.
- Neymar has scored in three consecutive home games for Barcelona for the first time since January 2016 (four in a row).
- Since his Champions League debut on September 18 2013, no player has
provided more Champions League assists than Neymar (15 – level with
Ronaldo).
The Catalans secured an astonishing 6-1 win at Camp
Nou to knock out Paris Saint-Germain and keep their Champions League
hopes alive
"If Paris Saint-Germain scored four, we can score six." That is what
Luis Enrique said in the pre-match press conference ahead of this match
and his team did exactly that to produce perhaps the greatest comeback
in football history. Barca make history with 6-1 win
The Barcelona boss was written off and called every name under the
sun after the Catalans' capitulation in the first leg at the Parc des
Princes. Since that 4-0 loss, he has announced that he will not continue
in the summer and in many ways, the pressure was off.
Could Barca really do it? The Blaugrana beat Sporting Gijon 6-1 last
Wednesday and then thrashed Celta Vigo 5-0 at the weekend. Paris
Saint-Germain would be a different test, but belief was building. "Yes
we can," the supporters sang on Saturday.
And yes they did. Luis Suarez scored inside three minutes to give
Barca a dream start and an own goal from Layvin Kurzawa before half-time
made it 2-0 at the break. The comeback was on. And when Lionel Messi
added another from the penalty spot four minutes after the interval, it
looked like Barca would go on to achieve a historic turnaround.
But then PSG scored. Edinson Cavani's fine finish meant it was now
5-3 on aggregate, but Barca needed three because of the away goal. The
Uruguayan's strike knocked the stuffing out of the Catalans for a while -
but they never stopped believing. M essi equals Ronaldo's CL penalty record
Perhaps Luis Enrique's words were ringing in their ears. "If PSG
scored four, we can score six." Now they needed to do just that, but
time was running out and when Neymar hammered home a fantastic free-kick
with two minutes left, Barca still had to convert twice more.
Suarez then earned a penalty in the final minute, which Neymar
netted. PSG complained, but to no avail and Barca threw everything at
the French champions through five minutes of added time as even
Marc-Andre ter Stegen piled forward.
Again Neymar's contribution was vital as the Brazilian produced a
perfect delivery into the box for Sergi Roberto (who had been exposed by
PSG in the first leg) to apply the finish. Emery grimaced as the Camp
Nou erupted. History had been made.
Asked about Barca's 4-0 loss in Paris, former coach Pep Guardiola
said last month: "Be careful not to criticise Barca and Luis [Enrique]
too much - because they may end up proving you wrong." Special Report: La Masia in decline
And they did just that in incredible circumstances. This was
wonderful, magical, unbelievable - the greatest comeback in the history
of the Champions League and perhaps in the history of football itself.
What a game. What a night. What a turnaround. And as Alex Ferguson
said after his Manchester United side turned it around at this same
stadium with two late goals against Bayern Munich to win the 1999
Champions League final: "Football. Bloody hell!"
Motherwell have announced the departure of manager Mark McGhee.
The 59-year-old Scotland assistant manager leaves his second stint at Fir Park with the club sitting 10th in the Premiership.
Motherwell have won just two of their past 13 league games and lost 5-1 at home to Dundee on Saturday.
Coach Stephen Robinson will take temporary charge, with help from assistant James McFadden and Under 20s boss Stephen Craigan.
The Merseysiders were utterly abject as they were
once again bullied by a side struggling at the wrong end of the table in
a 3-1 defeat
Jurgen Klopp had spelt out Liverpool’s task at the King Power Stadium
on Monday night in big, bold lettering. The job of his players, the
German underlined at Melwood last week, was “not to let Leicester’s
confidence grow.” REPORT: Leicester surge past Liverpool
By the 40-minute mark, his eyes were transfixed to the ground, his arms flung out in frustration.
The Foxes had scored more goals in that period against the Reds than
they had managed in their last eight Premier League fixtures combined.
They were no longer sleepwalking through the division, they had rediscovered their swagger and smarts.
Twenty minutes later, the hosts had completely revived their party
spirit from last season, with Liverpool so kindly gifting them
invitations to exploit a flimsy rearguard.
Leicester were made to wait 637 minutes for a league goal, but they
had three with half an hour to spare on Monday night courtesy of a Jamie
Vardy double and a stunner from Danny Drinkwater.
Klopp had anticipated the defending champions would “show a few
things” following Claudio Ranieri’s sacking and their five top-flight
defeats on the spin, but he believed his charges, refreshed after a
16-day break, would crush any revival.
Instead, Liverpool accomplished a new level of embarrassing in the
East Midlands. They were utterly dire out of possession and too loose
with it as Leicester - sharper, fiercer - punished them over the top and
in the duels.
The failure to protect their own high defensive line and the absolute
mismatch in the battle between Vardy and Lucas Leiva - both the same
age despite the Brazilian looking like he was carrying an extra 10
years in his legs - led to a carnival for the home side. Leicester spark back into life
In truth, the scoreline flattered Liverpool, especially since
Philippe Coutinho managed to oust Kasper Schmeichel with the game
already gone.
It could have been a lot more dismal than 3-1 for those already dazed
in the away section, with Klopp admitting afterwards: "It was not good
enough in the beginning, it was not good enough in the middle and it was
not good enough in the end."
Liverpool's plans for the encounter had been disrupted by a foot
injury to captain Jordan Henderson on Friday, with the Reds boss already
sans the services of Dejan Lovren and Daniel Sturridge.
As already evidenced this season, most especially in the 2-2 draw at
Sunderland, the visitors fail to assert themselves in their skipper’s
absence given his excellence in directing their attacks, and organising
the blocks against counters.
That Liverpool are without anyone remotely close to matching his
energy and intelligence as their No.6 is a priority to correct in the
summer.
But that they are so charitable against struggling sides could see
their business in the off-season affected, with premier players not
quite inclined to move without a diet of Champions League football.
There should be a few within Klopp's squad nervous that they may no
longer be at Anfield in the new campaign. "The thing is we all play,
myself included, for our future," the German explained.
"We get judged every day, especially on matchdays. And of course, performances have influences on these things.
"It’s not the moment to make assessments like this, especially not in
public as you can imagine. But I try to say the truth as often as
possible and bad performances doesn’t help anybody. That’s clear."
Liverpool arrived at Leicester confident that they could deliver a
strong marker of their top four aspirations. Their display only served
to highlight the very flaws that may see them criminally miss out after
such a sterling start to 2016-17. Barcelona plan Isco move
Ranieri stated his dream had died after being relieved of his duties
on Thursday night and here, Klopp’s fantasy of his side winning every
game until the end of the season was laid to rest.
The 2-0 triumph over Tottenham remains their only league victory of
2017 and four of the club’s five defeats in the competition have
come against teams who started the day in the relegation zone.
If Liverpool are serious about their ambitions at the top end of the table, they need to learn how to bully those at the bottom.
Claudio Ranieri was relaxing in
Rome on Monday following his sacking as Leicester manager nine months
after an historic Premier League title win - but the Italian's presence
was everywhere around the King Power Stadium as the Foxes dominated
Liverpool on a night of high emotion.
Ranieri spent the day with
his grandson at the Bioparco Zoo while the team he took to the title in
arguably British sport's greatest story battled their way out of the
relegation zone with a 3-1 win against Liverpool.
And
if he managed to find himself in front of a television screen he will
have witnessed a familiar sight. It was the return of the Leicester team
that won the title last season but one that has been missing in action in the events that led to the dismissal.
The 65-year-old may be gone but he was never forgotten on a
night Leicester's fans gave thanks to the manager who made their dreams
come true. Ranieri guided the Foxes to the title despite them being rated 5,000-1 shots at the start of the 2015-16 campaignHours
before kick-off, as a rainbow formed over the stadium that saw such
gloriously unexpected success last season, Leicester supporters were out
in force to publicly express their gratitude to Ranieri amid criticism -
fairly mild it must be stated - of the club's Thai owners.
Jack Stephens, an 11-year-old Foxes fan, led the way by organising a pre-match march
of celebration for Ranieri. But there were dissenting voices too with a
small group of fans holding up a placard outside the stadium which
read: "Honest. Humble. Full Of Integrity. LCFC What Have You Done?"
The
stadium was awash with Ranieri face masks and more banners ranging from
"Hero Godfather" to "Ranieri Your Players And Owners Let You Down.
Disgraceful".
Leicester's Thai owners were in attendance,
exchanging warm greetings with England manager Gareth Southgate and
several fans who approached them as they waited in their seats before
kick-off.
Some Leicester fans looked close to tears in the moments
before the start when the strains of Nessum Dorma played over the
loudspeaker. It revived memories of the glorious day in May when the
triumphant Ranieri stood alongside tenor Andrea Bocelli in the centre
circle as he started the celebrations on the afternoon the Foxes
received the title trophy.
The moment was relived on the big
screen along with highlights from last season, its conclusion greeted
with prolonged, thunderous applause.
It lifted an atmosphere that
had been subdued pre-match, with Leicester's fans nursing a genuine
sense of sporting loss for their departed manager Leicester 3-1 Liverpool: Players reacted to criticism - Craig Shakespeare
And then the game began.
Leicester's players knew they would face searching questions and unforgiving scrutiny no matter how this night played out.
Lose and they would be asked 'had they lost last season's magic forever'? Win and they would face inevitable claims - vehemently denied by members of the squad - that they had downed tools to force Ranieri out, only to pick them up again once he had gone.
There
was a show of strength before kick-off with hugs and a pre-match
huddle, with the answer about their attitude revealed within seconds of
the kick-off with a fierce tackle from a fired-up Jamie Vardy that took
the ball and flattened Sadio Mane in one movement.
"There has been
a lot of unfair stuff written and you've seen a reaction from
everyone," said Vardy. "It definitely got us fired up in a good way to
put in a reaction on the pitch."
Working harder or a different style? Leicester's running stats in past five games
Fixture
Distance covered (km)
Sprints
% of time spent high-speed running
3-1 win v Liverpool
117.75
547
1.88
2-0 loss to Swansea
109.58
422
1.44
3-0 loss to Man Utd
108.61
546
1.92
1-0 loss to Burnley
104.80
486
1.68
3-0 loss to Southampton
103.28
490
1.78
A
reminder of what Leicester had been missing this season came with their
opening goal - made from a title-winning template, long ball from Marc
Albrighton, Vardy away and clear with pace before a drilled finish.
Vardy
had only scored five league goals before this game but he did not
simply hit the target twice, this was a flashback to last season as he
terrorised Liverpool all night with dash and a real air of menace.
The
England striker, misfiring almost all season, was one of those forced
to defend himself amid stories of dressing-room rebellion and he slumped
to his knees in a mixture of celebration, exhaustion and relief at the
final whistle.
This was a Leicester performance that would have
sat easily among some of their best last season but the question remains
- why has it taken the departure of the manager to coax it out of these
players?
It was the perfect night for Leicester's caretaker
manager Craig Shakespeare, who opted for default title settings by
effectively selecting those who brought the Premier League to the King
Power Stadium, the excellent Wilfred Ndidi for N'Golo Kante apart. Craig Shakespeare was Ranieri's assistant and is popular with the club's playersShakespeare
went with what he knew, played to Leicester's old and obvious strengths
and was rewarded with a performance plucked from last season's
catalogue of successes that will step up his own claims to succeed
Ranieri.
Leicester owners appear to have no obvious instant replacement, although the names of Guus Hiddink and Roberto Mancini still warranted mention around these parts on Monday.
So
Shakespeare is the first cab off the rank and the manner in which he
turned the dial back to last season will surely have impressed the
decision-makers.
Despite clear unease, and in some cases
unhappiness, among Leicester supporters about the circumstances
surrounding Ranieri's exit, this was not transmitted to the pitch as
they set those emotions aside to help inspire a vital victory.
It was a night of triumph tinged with regret - elation at a crucial win but sadness for an absent friend.
On
a night where unity was a narrative, the abiding memory will be the
scene in the 65th minute when the whole ground rose, thousands of
torches lit up The King Power Stadium and every banner held aloft, as
the name of Ranieri resounded around the ground.
The prolonged
applause and standing ovation was an indicator of Ranieri's stature. He
may have been at home in Rome but he was here in spirit.
Leicester's
players mended fences broken in the fallout from this damaging episode
that has brought so much criticism and removed much of the goodwill
earned last season.
This was a night, however, that was as much about Ranieri as the players he left behind.
And
amid the delight, there will be lingering regret it took his departure
to prompt the return of the side he took so wonderfully, so
unexpectedly, to the Premier League title.
It was a night to say, in the words of the biggest banner on show: "Grazie Claudio." Fans hold up a poignant message for Ranieri
The manner in which Arsenal capitulated in Munich was
typical of a Wenger side who continually to show defensive naivety in
crucial games
As Thiago Alcantara’s shot deflected off Granit Xhaka and past
goalkeeper David Ospina to put Bayern Munich 4-1 up against Arsenal, the
visitors' heads went down, fingers were pointed at one another and
coach Arsene Wenger sat to ponder another Champions League last-16 exit
at the hands of Germany’s finest. Only, it wasn't over yet; the
all-too-familiar humiliation not yet complete, with Thomas Muller adding
a fifth Bavarian goal just before full-time.
It was déjà vu all over again: the same scoreline as their November
2015 meeting at the same stadium, accompanied by the same Arsenal
vulnerabilities and the same naivety that is seen at the same stage of
the same tournament for the previous six seasons. 'Wenger must go' - Arsenal fans round on boss
One could only feel sorry for the Arsenal fans who once again made
the trek to Munich only to see their team squander the spirit and
endeavour that had seen them cancel out Arjen Robben's wonderful open
with Alexis Sanchez’s rebounded penalty.
Football is an unpredictable sport but there was a sense of
inevitability about this result as soon as Laurent Koscielny hobbled off
injured minutes after the second half began. Arsenal needed to
demonstrate resolve and resilience; instead, they displayed their usual
defensive and mental frailty.
Unsurprisingly, a resigned Wenger could offer no answers afterwards.
"If you ask me would have I loved to have kept Koscielny on the pitch, I
would say yes - but after that, it’s difficult to measure the actual
impact [of his exit]," the forlorn Frenchman told reporters in his
post-game press conference.
The impact was immediately noticeable, though, as the Gunners didn’t win
a tackle in the 15 minutes after the Frenchman exited the pitch, and
Gabriel’s obvious lack of preparation undeniably unsettled the back
four.
An Opta stat showed that despite having 21.2 per cent possession in
the first half, Arsenal managed to get more shots on target (5) than
Bayern (3). The grit and intent were certainly there (at least for a
while) but the lack of discipline and inability to cope with adversity
only serve to undermine Wenger’s assertion that this is his most mature
team in years.
It has, therefore, become almost impossible to justify the offer of a
new two-year contract to the Frenchman after the now seemingly annual
collapse in continental competition. Lewandowski right to shun sorry Arsenal
While Granit Xhaka made his return to the starting line-up and
accrued his customary card, greater criticism could be levelled at
Francis Coquelin, given the defensive midfielder shockingly failed to
win a tackle during his time on the pitch. The latter's decision to show
Arjen Robben inside on to his favoured left foot was also baffling. It
is not as if the Dutchman is an unfamiliar foe!
Of course, questions need to be asked of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who
gave away the fifth goal, which put the outcome of the tie beyond all
doubt, but, in all honesty, qualification was out of sight long before
then.
In fairness to Chamberlain, he and Hector Bellerin were the only
players to go directly over to and applaud the Arsenal away fans in an
apologetic scene which once again put the focus on an angry Alexis
Sanchez, who trudged off the pitch as the Gunners hopes of progressing
past the last-16 once again came to dismal end.
"The real problems we faced were after the third goal because we lost
our organisation, we looked mentally very jaded from that moment on,"
Wenger lamented. "The last 25 minutes was a nightmare for us because we
looked like we had no response."
In truth, the whole game was a nightmare, a recurring one that
Arsenal seem unlikely to awake from while Wenger remains at the helm.
The end of his tenure, thus, looks more likely than ever before.
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The chances of the Barca boss renewing his contract,
which expires at the end of the season, now look very slim after
Tuesday's humiliation
"I am the only one responsible." That is what Barcelona boss Luis Enrique told Jordi Grau, a journalist with Catalan station TV3, in the flash interview on Tuesday night after he was handed the worst defeat of his reign at the Catalan club. Shocking stat exposes missing Messi
Few witnesses were present, but those there claim the coach had to be
separated from the reporter following the interview, in which he
complained of the tone of the questions. Tensions were running high at
the Parc des Princes and the 4-0 humiliation leaves the Asturian very
much on the brink after a forgettable night in Paris.
Luis Enrique is out of contract in the summer and has put aside all
talk of a possible renewal up until now. It already looked likely he
would walk away following this, his third season as coach at Camp Nou.
Now his chances of staying appear even slimmer than before.
Because Barca were completely lost out on the pitch in Paris. There
was no sign of a plan, let alone of a positive result, as PSG were
superior in absolutely every aspect. Lionel Messi disappeared from
action as Barca were outrun and overrun, their only tactic to get the
ball to a willing but far too isolated Neymar.
Luis Enrique again benched Ivan Rakitic and for many, that was one of
the key factors in this game. The Croat is not at his best right now,
but his replacement Andre Gomes endured a frustrating night and left the
pitch visibly disappointed with his performance.
Summer signings such as Gomes, Lucas Digne and Paco Alcacer have
struggled badly and it is no longer a question of adaptation for these
players, but a lack of a clear model under Luis Enrique. Luis Enrique: PSG loss my fault
Last season, the Asturian coach complained of the small squad at his
disposal as he refused to trust his fringe players. But at the start of
the current campaign, he claimed that "a priori, this is the best squad I
have ever had".
However, that group was unable to compete in Paris and were soundly
beaten by a team with far more passion. And that, from a Luis Enrique
side, is unheard of. As a footballer, the current Barca boss was
characterised by his unbreakable spirit and winning mentality, something
that was not in evidence at all at the Parc des Princes.
The MSN, unlike the others have hardly been rotated at all, and the
only obvious plan is to send balls up top to those three, without caring
about the route and that, right now, is the biggest problem for a Barca
side that has never been comfortable going after a result.
Traditionally, this club has always had to play well to win matches. Messi to PSG? Never say never
But in Paris, Barca did not play at all and the future of their coach
is now very much up in the air. None of the players spoke about Luis
Enrique in the mixed zone after the game, while he did not give any
tactical explanation either in his press conference following the
debacle. "I have to watch the match again," he insisted when asked by
journalists.
His situation at Camp Nou right now is more fragile than ever before.
Motherwell have announced the departure of manager Mark McGhee.
Claudio Ranieri was relaxing in
Rome on Monday following his sacking as Leicester manager nine months
after an historic Premier League title win - but the Italian's presence
was everywhere around the King Power Stadium as the Foxes dominated
Liverpool on a night of high emotion.
