Chukwu rallies support for Rangers, as team battles Algeria’s J.S Saoura

 

 New General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of Enugu Rangers Football Club, Mr. Christian Chukwu, has solicited the cooperation and support of all stakeholders as the team confronts Algeria’s J.S Saoura in the second leg of their CAF Champions League preliminary round in the ‘Coal City’ tomorrow.
Enugu Rangers held the Algerian side to a 1-1 draw in the first leg and need only a scoreless draw to qualify for the last qualifying round.
Speaking at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, on Thursday evening, the former Super Eagles’ coach told journalists that no club across the globe could succeed without the media.
He added: “For me to really succeed in this onerous task of taking Rangers FC to greater heights, I need your unflinching support and co-operation. The essence of this parley is for me to familiarize with you, the sports journalists, in Enugu State, as well rub minds on the way forward for our darling team, Rangers.”

Nigeria Coach Confirms Ghana Friendly

Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr has revealed that his side will play a friendly match against Ghana in England next month ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The Super Eagles have already secured a friendly with Senegal slated for March 23 and will lock horns with the Black Stars two days later ahead of Nigeria’s clash with South Africa in the 2019 Afcon qualifiers on August 12.

“Senegal, who are one of the strongest countries in Africa, will play us in March and also we are to play Ghana who were fourth at the last Nations Cup in Gabon," Rohr told Nigeria FA media.

“Senegal will help us play against Cameroon, but the game against Ghana will shape us up for the cracker against South Africa. We will use the two games to see some new players in some key positions. We don’t play these games for results. That is not to necessarily win but to see our team and the new players who will be invited,” he added.

Minnesota United unveils its new MLS kits

Once the smoke cleared on the stage Friday night, Minnesota United fans got their first glimpse of new Finnish midfielder Rasmus Schuller. But the Loons’ supporters were more interested in his fashion.
Schuller and eight of his teammates were models of United’s gray and blue primary kit, white secondary jersey and one of the goalie get-ups they will don when the Major League Soccer expansion franchise debuts in its inaugural regular season in two weeks. All feature logos of Target, the club’s primary corporate sponsor.
“At first you couldn’t see anything because there was so much smoke, but after a while you could hear the fans and see everybody that came out,” Schuller said. “It was real great.”
Schuller could hear hoots and hollers from the estimated crowd of 1,000 who attended the event at the Machine Shop in Minneapolis.
Diehard supporter Adam Wegner of North St. Paul couldn’t wait to see the jerseys and got in the roped-off line at 5:10 p.m. for an event that started 7. When the doors opened at 6, the line was around the block. Members of local hip-hop group Doomtree kept beat all night.
“Something you don’t get to experience every day,” said Wegner, who will be a season-ticket holder when the Loons make their home debut March 12 at TCF Bank Stadium. “I’m excited for the season to start.”

Atlanta United aims for playoffs in MLS expansion season

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga.

Gerardo "Tata" Martino isn't backing down from the high expectations that go with being the MLS expansion Atlanta United coach.

As the former coach of the Argentina and Paraguay national teams, Martino knows more than a little about trying to satisfy a demanding fan base. Atlanta's soccer-starved fans have bought more than 27,000 season tickets.

Six MLS expansion teams have failed to make the postseason since Seattle lost in the first round of the playoffs in its 2009 inaugural season.

"I can't comment on the other teams, but we're excited to try to be the second team to make the playoffs," Martino said Thursday through an interpreter.

Atlanta has been called the league's "Seattle of the South" due to the strong ticket sales. Seattle led the MLS with its average attendance of 42,636 last season while winning the MLS Cup.

More than 40,000 tickets have been sold for Atlanta's March 5 opening game against the New York Red Bulls at Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium. Atlanta could rank near the top of this season's attendance leaders.

"It's great that the reception has been what it has been," Martino said. "I hope the team can meet the expectations of the city."

Atlanta's roster includes a mix of young players from South America and veterans with MLS experience, including defender Michael Parkhurst, who served as the Columbus captain the last three years.

Parkhurst, 33, says this isn't a normal expansion team. The four-time MLS All-Star said he had "no apprehension" about joining the expansion team, even though history shows it has been difficult for new teams to win immediately.

Fury FC adding Thomas Meilleur-Giguère and Aron Mkungilwa to roster

Ottawa Fury FC added to its roster Friday with the signings of defenders Thomas Meilleur-Giguère and Aron Mkungilwa, both designated for the United Soccer League club by the Montreal Impact of Major League Soccer.
Those moves, which still require USL and federation approval, would bring the Fury FC roster up to 21 players, with two remaining spots to be filled.
Meilleur-Giguère, a six-foot 19-year-old from Repentigny, Que., led the Impact under-18 academy squad to first place in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy league in 2014-15 before making his professional debut in USL with FC Montreal in 2016. He also played with Canada’s under-18 national team in 2014-15 and was nominated for the Canadian under-20 player of the year award last year.
He is with the national squad participating in the CONCACAF men’s under-20 championship at San José, Costa Rica, until March 5.
“He will add depth to our centre back position and we hope he continues his development with us,” Paul Dalglish, Fury FC’s head coach and general manager, said in a media release.
Mkungilwa, 5-4 and 20 years old, played 28 USL games with FC Montreal over the past two years. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he made one appearance for Canada’s squad in the 2013 CONCACAF U-17 Championship.
“He’s going to come in and compete for minutes in our squad, as well as adding depth,” Dalglish added. “I’m very happy because we are bringing in two real-high quality players at the early part of their career.”
After commencing preseason game action with Friday night’s matchup against the Ottawa Internationals senior men’s squad, Fury FC will head south on Sunday for a weeklong camp and contests against Saint Louis FC (Feb. 21), OKC Energy (Feb. 23) and FC Cincinnati (Feb. 25) at Bradenton, Fla.

Professional Women's Soccer League Finally Arrives in Colombia

 

This is a major feat for female soccer players in Latin America, who often have less opportunities to play the beloved sport than their male counterparts.

In a long-sought-after accomplishment for women’s soccer in Latin America, female Colombian soccer players no longer have to look outside their home country for year-round professional opportunities. On Saturday, the South American nation kicked off their first female professional soccer league, an important milestone for gender equality within the sport. 
Colombia’s women’s national soccer team, known as Las Superpoderosas or the Powerpuff Girls, will now be able to carry out their dream of playing in a national championship, opening up more options for professional development in their home country than infrequent international tournaments.
“The national championship will help raise the standard of the national team,” Colombian soccer player Yoreli Rincon told FIFA.com. “We used to train every six months or every year even, and now we’ll be training twice a day every day, and playing every eight days. We’re all going to become better players and the national team will keep getting better too, because there are a lot more girls out there who want to have that opportunity and who’ll see that they’re going to get noticed now.”
The new league will have 18 teams broken up until three sub-group,s who will compete against each other until May. In June, the league will crown its first national champion.
Female soccer players from the U.S. and Latin America have in recent years called out gender discrimination without the sport and unfair disparities between the opportunities available to men and women who play soccer professionally.
Colombia has long had a women's national team, Las Cafeteras, which has qualified for two FIFA Women's World Cups, in Germany 2011 and Canada 2015, and is currently in 22nd place in FIFA's rankings.

Barcelona's Luis Enrique: PSG loss won't affect decision on my future

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said the 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday will have no impact on whether he decides to remain at the club beyond the summer.
Barca will look to pick themselves up on Sunday against La Liga strugglers Leganes following the demolition at the Parc des Princes, which left them on the brink of an exit from the Champions League at the round of 16 for the first time in a decade.
Their response to the resounding beating by Unai Emery's side will determine whether or not they can catch league leaders Real Madrid, although Luis Enrique said it would not alter his decision about whether to extend his contract, which expires at the end of the season, while adding he does not know if he will stay or go.
"What happens in these months will have nothing to do with my decision, not one game, not two or the 38 games in the league. I still haven't taken it," he told a news conference ahead of the game with Leganes.
Luis Enrique said he was unaffected by the criticism that has come his way after the heavy defeat to PSG.
"I have nothing to say about it, I feel for anyone who thinks I'd be affected by it. Criticism has zero effect on me, if it was any other way I couldn't be in this job for almost three years," he said.
"We are our own fiercest critics, the ones who most want to improve. The rest is just a circus, but fortunately there's a considerable distance between us and you [the media].
"I never listen to the media and I'm not going to start this week. I don't go within 10 metres of a television or a radio -- not even when I'm drunk."

PSG express 'shock' over reported doubts about Thiago Silva's injury

Paris Saint-Germain have expressed their "shock" at doubts in the French media over how genuine captain Thiago Silva's latest injury really is.
The French giants thrashed Barcelona 4-0 in their Champions League round-of-16 first-leg clash on Tuesday without the Brazil international, who was ruled out of the match with a left calf problem.
Following the famous victory over the Spaniards, L'Equipe cast doubt on the severity of Silva's latest injury -- suffered during the 2-1 home win over Lille -- and quoted an unnamed source as saying the skipper was "frozen with fear" ahead of the Barca encounter.
PSG have responded to L'Equipe's claims through a statement exclusive to Globoesporte and explained that his current injury is genuine.
"Thiago Silva was injured after the Ligue 1 clash with Lille," the statement from the French champions read. "The diagnosis was heavy bruising on his left calf -- he did not play against Bordeaux the week before the Champions League match at home to Barcelona.
"Thiago Silva is our captain, the man of great games, who is always there through the difficult times and is appreciated by the staff and his teammates. Everyone at the club is shocked by the doubts some have expressed about his motivation.

Monaco make offer to buy majority stake in Cercle Brugge

      Monaco have announced they have made an offer to buy a majority stake in Belgian First Division B club Cercle Brugge.
The move forms part of Monaco's development strategy in bringing young talent to the Ligue 1 club.
A statement on Monaco's official website said: "AS Monaco FC confirms that it has made an offer (subject to certain conditions) to purchase a majority stake in the club Cercle Brugge KSV, who play in Belgium's Ligue 1B.
"A general meeting of Cercle Brugge's shareholders will examine the proposal in order to take a decision by the end of February.

By Ben Gladwell Share Tweet 2 days ago Zlatan Ibrahimovic may coach Napoli one day - Aurelio De Laurentiis

              

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has hinted that he believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic could one day join the club as coach.
De Laurentiis held talks with Manchester United forward Inrahimovic before he opted to move to Old Trafford after his contract at Paris Saint-Germain had expired last summer.
He told Mediaset: "I would have liked him here as a player, but he's reached a certain age now and our fans are demanding -- and it's only right that they are like that.
"As a coach? Only time will tell. We met this summer and I found him to be a very relaxed, extraordinary man."
De Laurentiis saw his side beaten 3-1 at Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday and indicated that he was not happy with some of the decisions taken by coach Maurizio Sarri.
"I would never allow myself to give suggestions, and I don't want to go into the choices he made," he said.
"There are some things I might not have agreed with, but I will keep these to myself.
"I'm not saying that [Arkadiusz] Milik should have played instead of [Dries] Mertens. The problem was he [Sarri] should have looked at all the alternatives before the Champions League.
"If you experiment with all your 26 players at least it allows you to understand the players you have signed, the systems you can play and all the rest.
"If not, you get to the end of the season with somebody who has not played a single game.

"It's fundamental for me to know if I can count on some of these players or not, but this way I can never know if I made a mistake in investing certain figures."
He may have been referring to winter signing Leonardo Pavoletti, who was not even named among the substitutes and he has played only a handful of minutes since arriving from Genoa.
De Laurentiis said he felt Napoli had "lacked a bit of Neapolitan cazzimma" -- a word that translates as "opportunist shrewdness" -- at the Bernabeu

Diego Maradona gives Napoli team talk ahead of Real Madrid UCL clash

Pepe Reina has revealed that Napoli legend Diego Maradona gave the side a team talk before their Champions League game against Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Maradona, who inspired Napoli to two Serie A titles during his time at the club, was at the Santiago Bernabeu for the round-of-16 first leg, which Madrid went on to win 3-1.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis had invited the Argentina great to speak to the players in the dressing room, and Reina confirmed his presence ahead of kickoff.
"He came down to the changing room and gave us encouragement," Reina told Onda Cero. "He said that the city of Naples expected success from its team and that we had to do it for them. We knew the importance of this tie for our fans."
Napoli had taken an eighth-minute lead but were quickly pegged back by Karim Benzema and the defending champions ended up winning thanks to goals from Toni Kroos and Casemiro.
Napoli's defeat was the club's first since Oct. 29 when Juventus beat them in Serie A and Maurizio Sarri's side now face a tough challenge ahead when they host Madrid at the San Paolo on March 7 in the return leg.
"We faced a great Real Madrid and we have to congratulate them," Reina said. "Things didn't go well, not because of our deficiencies, but because of Real Madrid's merit, they played a complete game. They are firm favourites, but this is not over. The tie is still open."
History suggests that Madrid will seal a place in the next round in Italy. The La Liga leaders have progressed from each of their last eight Champions League ties in the round of 16 when they have won the first leg, while Napoli have been eliminated on each of the previous four occasions that they have lost the opening leg of a round-of-16 tie in European competition.

Old boy Dybala stars as Juventus go 10 points clear

TURIN - Juventus went 10 points clear at the top of Serie A on Friday with a 4-1 win over struggling Palermo in a perfectly-timed boost ahead of their Champions League trip to Porto next week.
Former Palermo star Paulo Dybala played a pivotal role as the Argentina international pushed his former employers closer to the drop by scoring twice, creating another and also seeing a free-kick come back off the woodwork.

"We ended the first half at 2-0 despite not playing well," said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri.

"It's one game less to winning the Scudetto and I congratulate the players for the way they approached the game."

Palermo started the day eight points from safety and they were under the cosh almost from the start on Friday.

Dybala, who moved to Turin after three seasons at Palermo in 2015, was just centimetres from the opener after only five minutes when he clipped the post with a left-footed free-kick.

But the Sicilians' resistance didn't last as Claudio Marchisio put Juventus ahead in the 13th minute, finding the net after goalkeeper Josip Posavec could only parry Gonzalo Higuain's close-range shot.

At the other end, veteran 'keeper Gianluigi Buffon got down low to keep out Palermo's top scorer Ilija Nestorovski's attempt from a tight angle.

Arsenal-linked Juventus coach Allegri jokes: How's my English?

      Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has played down speculation that he will take over from Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, insisting he has not started learning English again.
Allegri is the favourite, ahead of Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe and Borussia Dortmund's Thomas Tuchel, to take over from Wenger if he calls it quits at the end of the season when his contract expires.
While the Frenchman claims he will continue his management career, Allegri is not thinking about a move to the Premier League and is content to just listen to the mounting gossip.
"How's my English?" he joked with reporters after Juventus beat Palermo 4-1 on Friday night. "I started learning before [my time at] Milan -- now I have left it. They say I will go to Arsenal? You all say that, I just listen."
Juventus won their 29th consecutive home Serie A match with two goals and an assist from Paulo Dybala, and Allegri added that he was pleased his team are one step closer to winning the title.
"The lads ended the first half 2-0 up despite not playing well," Allegri said. "But we had a good game, even if we granted Palermo a few too many shots from outside the box. It was a league match and we got three points which are just as valuable as the ones we got against Inter.
"It is one game less to winning the Scudetto and I congratulate the lads for the way they approached the game."

Substitute Gameiro saves the day for Atletico Madrid as he hits a five-minute hat-trick

       80TH MINUTE, 81ST minute, 85th minute.
Kevin Gameiro came off the bench in the 62nd minute of play, and wasn’t long making an impact on the away fixture at Sporting Gijon.
Tied at 1-1, his devastating hat-trick was enough to keep Atletico Madrid’s hopes of a top-four finish alive. Yannick Carrasco broke the deadlock as the second half got underway to give the visitors the lead, but Sporting responded accordingly three minutes later through Sergio Álvarez.
He came close to doubling his tally, but Miguel Angel Moya pulled off an impressive save to deny the effort. Meanwhile, Antoine Griezmann had a goal disallowed at the other end.
Then came Gameiro, and the second-fastest hat-trick in La Liga history.

Greizmann set up his crucial first goal, as Atleti took the lead with ten minutes to play. A minute later, Thomas Partey sent Gameiro into the penalty area, where the impact sub fired into the bottom-left corner.
He then ensured his side won in style, completing his remarkable hat-trick when he raced in behind the defence and slotted the ball into the same area.
The crucial win sees Diego Simeone’s side close the gap between themselves and third-place Sevilla, with just a point between them. Sporting Gijon remain in 18th position.

Kevin Gameiro's five-minute hat trick gives Atletico win at Sporting

         Substitute Kevin Gameiro scored a five-minute hat trick to give Atletico Madrid a 4-1 win at Sporting Gijon.
After a quiet first half, Atletico went ahead just seconds after the restart when Yannick Carrasco latched on to a flick-on and managed to get enough power on his shot to beat Sporting keeper Ivan Cuellar.
The lead did not last long, though, as Sergio Alvarez fired home on 49 minutes, with defender Stefan Savic unable to block the ball on the line.
Atletico initially struggled to muster a response and brought Gameiro on as a substitute for the ineffective Fernando Torres just after the hour mark.
They might have re-established their lead in the 75th minute when Antoine Griezmann was denied by a marginal offside call, but they were ahead five minutes later when the France international's neat assist allowed Gameiro to go through.
Gameiro added his second barely a minute later, sending the ball across Cuellar and into the far corner after Thomas had intercepted a sloppy defensive pass, and the former Sevilla striker added his third from a similar angle on 85 minutes.
The hat trick was the fastest in La Liga since David Villa's for Valencia in 2006.
Victory ensures Atletico will finish the weekend in fourth place.

Sevilla waiting to welcome Leicester City fans, meeting already planned, gifts to be exchanged

Sevilla fans have already chosen a place to welcome Leicester City supporters before their Champions League clash next week.
As announced by the Federación de Peñas Sevillistas “San Fernando”, the fans will meet at La Peña Sevillista Al Relente, which is a traditional place for the locals to watch games and celebrate.
The group has made an official invite to the fans who are travelling from Leicester, which was accepted by the Foxes and then reported on Sevilla’s website.
The idea is to create a good atmosphere between both sets of fans, as they enjoy some food, exchange gifts and probably have a few beers together.

Leicester City put tickets for Sevilla Champions League clash on general sale

         Leicester City have put tickets for their Champions League second-leg last 16 clash against Sevilla on general sale today.
Tickets for the King Power Stadium tie on Tuesday, March 14, have been on sale to season ticket-holders and Fox members for the past 12 days.
However, the club announced today that some tickets for the game remain unsold and went on sale to the general public this morning.
Cheapest tickets available for adults are £50 in SK 1-4 and up to £65 in other parts of the ground.

The club has also announced that their tickets for the away ties in Seville next Wednesday and at Millwall in the FA Cup on Saturday are sold out, as is the home Premier League clash with Liverpool on Monday, February 27, at 8pm.
Tickets for the vital hone game against Hull on Saturday, March 4, are now on sale to season ticket-holders and Fox members.

Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli refuses to rule out replacing Luis Enrique at Barcelona

 

The Argentine has been making waves in Seville since arriving at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan last summer

Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli is keeping quiet over a potential summer switch to Barcelona.
The Argentine has impressed since taking charge at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan last summer, with his side sitting third in La Liga, just three points off leaders Real Madrid.
Barca were humbled in midweek, thrashed 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain, to intensify suggestions that Luis Enrique’s time at Camp Nou will end this summer.
The Spaniard has had something of a strained relationship with the media in Catalunya despite his successes since returning to the club as manager.
And now he looks almost certain when the current campaign reaches its conclusion.
Sampaoli leads his side into Champions League last-16 action against Leicester next week, and the ex-Chile boss has been mentioned as a potential successor - with some members of the Camp Nou hierarchy having pinpointed him as the No.1 choice.
However, when asked about speculation, he told Sevilla’s official website: "I do not have to explain anything to anyone. I have nothing to do with what is said.
"My mind is focused on continuing to work every day to consolidate an idea here, in the club that brought me to Europe.

Man United will not take FA Cup lightly, says Mourinho

 

FA Cup holders Manchester United will not be taking Sunday's fifth-round clash against second-tier Blackburn Rovers lightly despite their heavy fixture schedule, according to manager Jose Mourinho. 

In 2005, Mourinho's Chelsea were knocked out of the FA Cup by Newcastle United in the same week as wins in the League Cup final over Liverpool and Champions League against Barcelona.
"Yes, I threw it away. In the same week was Champions League against Barcelona and the cup final against Liverpool and in the middle of it we had FA Cup against Newcastle and I threw it away, I gambled too much," Mourinho told reporters.
Mourinho, whose side beat St Etienne 3-0 in the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie on Thursday, will resist the temptation to make wholesale changes for the game at Ewood Park as he tries to navigate through a hectic run of fixtures.

Manchester United star Juan Mata partly ‘influenced’ Mark Clattenburg Premier League departure

Manchester United star Juan Mata played a part in Mark Clattenburg’s controversial decision to leave the Premier League, according to former referees’ chief Keith Hackett.

Clattenburg has long been regarded as one of Europe’s top officials, highlighted by the fact he took charge of last season’s Champions League final as well as Portugal’s defeat of France in the final of Euro 2016.
The 41-year-old turned his back on the Premier League this week, however, and confirmed he was due to take up lucrative position as head of referees in Western Asia.

But Hackett believes an incident which occurred back in 2012 played a part in Clattenburg’s thinking. The referee was accused of calling Mata, then a Chelsea player, a ‘Spanish t***’ and of making a racist comment towards John Obi Mikel during a heated Premier League clash, during which he sent off two players.
The west London club ultimately dropped their complaints, and while the Football Association found no evidence to suggest Clattenburg was guilty of any wrongdoing, Hackett believes the lack of support he receivedin the immediate aftermath of the controversy has long played on his mind.
‘It’s bad news for English refereeing. The Premier League has lost the world’s best ref – it’s a massive blow,’ he told the Daily Star.

Arsenal or Barcelona: Which club has bigger issues at present?

It was a chastening midweek for two of Europe's biggest clubs, as Arsenal and Barcelona both suffered humiliating defeats in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. Inevitably, talk of crisis has followed for both, but which side has greater problems?
On the face of it, both Arsenal and Barcelona have plenty to play for this season. The Gunners are fourth in the Premier League, two points off second, and remain in the FA Cup.
The Blaugrana, meanwhile, sit second in La Liga, one point behind Real Madrid, and are through to the Copa del Rey final.
Plus, for a few more weeks at least, both sides are still in the Champions League.
But the feeling at present is that each club is underachieving and, no matter how the rest of the seasons unfold, changes are needed at both the Emirates Stadium and Camp Nou.

Uncertainty at Arsenal increases as doubts grow over future of 'transfer fixer' Dick Law

The uncertainty surrounding Arsenal has thrown up a new question mark over the long-term future of Arsene Wenger’s trusted transfer negotiator, Dick Law.
Sources have told Telegraph Sport that there are doubts over whether or not Law will stay at Arsenal beyond this season, despite a denial from the club on Friday evening.
Law has recently been in America, but is still working as normal alongside Wenger and chief executive Ivan Gazidis.

As revealed by Telegraph Sport last week, Arsenal chiefs are growing increasingly anxious that Wenger will leave at the end of the season when his current contract expires which, in itself, has created a feeling of uncertainty around the Emirates.
Having originally scouted for Arsenal in South America and helped take Gilberto Silva and Carlos Vela to the club, Law took up his current role as chief transfer negotiator based out of England eight years ago, following the departure of David Dein two years earlier in 2007.
Although he has never been given the title, Law operates much like a director of football for Arsenal in helping to clinch deals and negotiating with clubs, players and agents. One of his biggest successes has been the £42 million record signing of Mesut Ozil in the final days of the 2013 transfer window in which he managed to keep negotiations secret from Arsenal’s rivals.

Law was talking to Ozil’s father and then agent Mustafa in Germany while Gazidis brokered the deal with Real Madrid in Spain.
Arsenal would need to replace Law if he did leave and could appoint their first official director of football or could instead opt for somebody in a head of recruitment role.
Other than sweating over whether or not Wenger will leave, and having to deal with questions over claims that Law could go, Arsenal are yet to agree new contracts with either Ozil or Alexis Sanchez.

Arsene Wenger on his Arsenal future, defeat at Bayern Munich and what next for his side: full transcript

Arsene Wenger spoke at length today for the first time since Arsenal's midweek defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
The Gunners boss's future has been under increasingly levels of scrutiny following the 5-1 loss.
He was questioned at length over whether he will be leaving, what went wrong on Wednesday and more. You can read the full transcript from his pre-Sutton press conference here:

On Bayern defeat:

We were in an ideal position at half-time, because we scored a goal away from home. After that, it all went wrong for us. I think we looked quite defensively solid in the first half. We lost [Laurent] Koscielny in the second half and after that we lost our structure and our organisation a bit. We were a bit naive on the different goals we conceded. At 3-1, I felt we were mentally affected by the result and much more vulnerable.

On how long Koscielny is out for:

I don’t know, he has a scan today.

What sort of team we are likely to see against Sutton United:

A normal team.

On the team looking ‘mentally jaded’ on Wednesday and how that can be changed:

Just what I told you - rebuild confidence and belief in what we think is important in the game. That means the way we want to play football, the way we want to defend, the way we want to attack and the way we want to respond together.

On whether there was a row in the dressing room:

“No. Not at all. Everybody was of course deeply disappointed and affected but there was no incident in the dressing room apart from a huge sadness and disappointment.”

On whether the FA Cup is now the only trophy he can win:

“I don’t know, but the FA Cup is one of our targets. It’s the next game and for us to bounce back after the game we just had, it becomes a very important game. But it always was, in my head.”

On whether his selection for Sutton changes in light of recent games:

“No, I always had in my head that it was a very important game. In my head I have a team that will start and play there for a week or 10 days now. That result we had at Bayern Munich will not influence that selection.”

On why Alexis Sanchez has been given time off:

“He has a court case in Barcelona and he will be back in training tomorrow.”

On whether some of the stuff he reads or hears about himself annoys him after so many years:

"No. Because I am used to it. I am here for 20 years and I think in life it is important that you do what you think is right. All the rest of it is judgement and I am in a public job and I have to accept that. I have to behave with my values and with the way that I see my job and accept that everybody can have an opinion on it.”

Wayne Rooney could leave Manchester United for Chinese Super League transfer this month

Manchester United could be ready to allow Wayne Rooney a surprise transfer to the Chinese Super League before the end of this month, according to reports.
The England international’s future has been in some doubt for much of this season, though many expected that he would see out the rest of the campaign at Old Trafford after failing to move in January.
However, the transfer window in China remains open until 28 February, meaning clubs are still weighing up the possibility of moving for Rooney in the next few days, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Jose Mourinho has not found space for Rooney in most games this season, with the goals drying up for the 31-year-old and a move into midfield not going as planned.

Manchester United can qualify for Champions League, says Wes Brown

Wes Brown is backing his former club Manchester United to finish in the top four and says the fear factor is returning under José Mourinho.
The 37-year-old defender could face United in Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Ewood Park, though he expects to start on the Blackburn Rovers bench. Of United, he said: “Any team they put out will be a strong one and if they make changes all the players out there will be wanting to show what they can do. I don’t think they will take their foot off the gas but that means there is less pressure on us. We can go out and enjoy it.”
Brown secured two FA Cup winners’ medals with United, though he did not take part in the final in 1999, the year of the treble. “That was my first full season,” he said. “It was a good starting point but looking back I suppose I was able to take the club’s high standards for granted. Winning is everything when you are at a club like that, and most seasons we were coming first or second. That was what the gaffer [Sir Alex Ferguson] set up – he gave us mental strength and a winning mentality. If you keep winning and everyone’s playing well and there’s a good team spirit it just carries on and on.
“I always thought it would be difficult when Sir Alex left, because he’d been there so long and you couldn’t imagine the place without him. It was always going to be hard for people to come in and change stuff.”
David Moyes and Louis van Gaal found that to be true, even though they may have started with the intention of changing as little as possible, but Brown believes Mourinho was right to make a fresh start.

Man United must battle seven European giants to land £84m goal machine

   The Torino star has been in sensational form this season, netting 17 goals in 21 league appearances.
And Transfer Market Web claim eight of Europe’s biggest clubs want to sign him up.
The website seem to think Manchester United head up the list of teams keen to land Belotti.
But they say fellow giants Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Paris St-Germain, Bayern Munich and Roma are after him too.
Any side wishing to secure Belotti’s services will be forced to splash some serious cash though.

The Serie A goal machine put pen to paper on fresh terms at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino earlier this term.
And that new agreement, which tied him down until 2021, included an eye-watering £84m buyout clause.

It would be a disaster for Tottenham... Martin Keown reacts to rumours about Dele Alli's future

that it would be a disaster for Spurs to sell Dele Alli.
Tottenham have endured a difficult week, as their nine-game unbeaten run in the Premier League came to an end with a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Liverpool, before they also struggled in Europe.
Spurs travelled to Belgium on Thursday evening to take on Gent in their Europa League Round of 32 clash, and fell to a 1-0 defeat thanks to Jeremy Perbet's second half strike.
The attention now turns to this weekend's FA Cup clash with Fulham, as fans are desperate to see Tottenham win some silverware under Mauricio Pochettino, whether it's the Premier League, Europa League or FA Cup.
Some believe that Tottenham will have to win trophies to keep some of their top young players at the club, and The Express reported last weekend that Manchester City are keen to land Dele Alli in a world-record deal.

Stoke City at Tottenham: Top 5 games ahead of last visit to the old White Hart Lane

Stoke City play at White Hart Lane for the 43rd and final time next weekend before the old ground, which dates back to 1889, closes ahead of demolition and its replacement by a fabulous new stadium right next door.
Stoke's record at the Lane has been ordinary, to put it mildly, after 11 draws, 28 defeats and just three wins since their very first visit in April 1920.
But here we have dug out five memorable matches in chronological order, including those three victories, by way of a Stoke-style celebration of the old White Hart Lane...

And what a day for the prolific Joe Mawson after bagging all three of Stoke's goals that day.
Plucked from a Durham coal face and signing for Stoke in February 1929, Mawson would score an hugely impressive 50 goals in 93 appearances for Stoke before being moved on in September 1933.
That treble at Tottenham would contribute towards an eventual return for the club's leading scorer in 1931/32 of 20 goals in 34 games.
Others in the side that day included familiar faces of the time like Bobby Liddle, Harry Sellars and future team manager Bob McGrory.
Sorry to Stoke wives and girlfriends but Dubai works, says fans' favourite
Stoke's manager in 1932 was one Tom Mather whose decision to release some players, and tell others to take a pay cut, once caused a near riot that left the dressing room damaged and with broken windows.
Mather, spurred on by days like this one at White Hart Lane, would eventually put together a vintage Stoke side winning the Second Division championship in 1933 and housing the likes of Freddie Steele, Frank Soo, Tommy Sale and a young Stan Matthews.

Moussa Sissoko expects Tottenham to turn around Europa League tie against Gent: 'We will come back stronger'

Moussa Sissoko believes Tottenham's recent slump is just a blip and insists they can still turn around their Europa League loss to Gent.

Spurs' 1-0 defeat in Belgium means they have managed only two victories in their last six, having won their previous seven matches in a row.

It is a run that threatens to undermine their whole season given Tottenham face Fulham in the FA Cup on Sunday before the second leg against Gent at Wembley and a Premier League game at home to Stoke.

Three poor results could see Mauricio Pochettino's men exit both cup competitions and drop out of the top four - but Sissoko is backing Spurs to recover their groove.

'We won seven games in a row so it was a good performance,' Sissoko said. 'Everyone knows how we play and they try to give 100 per cent against Tottenham.

'We saw it against Gent - it was a hard game and they won but like I said it's only the first battle, we have another one soon so we have to do everything to get through to the next round.

'Every team we play has a different style but we have a philosophy of how to play. Sometimes it's working, sometimes it is a little bit harder, like against Gent.

'We still keep going in that way because that is how we work and how we did well in the past. It's just a bad moment but we will come back stronger.'

Jeremy Perbet scored Gent's winner at the Ghelamco Arena as an out-of-sorts Tottenham side struggled for their usual energy and creativity.

They will still be favourites to win at Wembley but one away goal there for Gent would leave Pochettino's men needing to score three to go through.

'It wasn't an easy game. We knew it wouldn't be,' Sissoko said. 'They played well, showed some character and fight. They tried to play and build from the back. We tried everything but they were aggressive and compact so it wasn't easy.

'They scored the first goal and we tried everything for 1-1 but we couldn't score.

'We lost and we are all disappointed but we play them again next week and we will do everything to win the game.'

Tottenham struggling with injuries and Pochettino's tactical tweaks

There was a time when Mauricio Pochettino was criticised for not having a Plan B; for being too tactically inflexible. Now it has become unclear what Plan A is -- if anything there has been too much tinkering.
Spurs started the season using his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation but after a spell with a 4-1-4-1 system and an unsuccessful trial of a 4-4-2 midfield diamond, he moved to 3-4-2-1.
The catalyst was the limp 1-0 defeat at Manchester United in December, when Kyle Walker and Danny Rose were neutralised. Pochettino opted to deploy the duo as wing-backs in the following game against Hull and the result was a 3-0 win.
It was not a permanent transition but, at the start of January, Tottenham triumphed 4-1 at Watford and then beat Chelsea 2-0 in successive games using that system.
They seemed to have found their optimum formation and the following league result -- an emphatic 4-0 win over bogey team West Bromwich Albion -- only served as further evidence as the north Londoners won their seventh match in a row.
Since then, however, Pochettino has abandoned the 3-4-2-1 system and Spurs have struggled, only winning two of their last six games -- narrowly, against Wycombe Wanderers (4-3) and Middlesbrough (1-0) -- and losing the last two against Liverpool (2-0) and Gent (1-0).
While Pochettino picked a strong lineup in Belgium on Thursday, his tactics were odd and Dele Alli spent the first half on the left flank while Moussa Sissoko played as a left wing-back for much of the second period.
They say you shouldn't change a winning formula, so what has happened and how has it come to this?

Tottenham underestimated Gent and must wake up, says Mousa Dembélé

Mousa Dembélé has suggested Tottenham Hotspur were guilty of underestimating KAA Gent in Thursday’s Europa League last-32 defeat in Belgium and hopes the first-leg loss “has opened our eyes” after recent slack form.
Spurs succumbed 1-0 at the Ghelamco Arena, with Jeremy Perbet scoring the only goal just before the hour. Whereas Mauricio Pochettino made a point of praising his players’ attitude and fight post-match, Dembélé’s assessment was rather more scathing as their hopes of making an immediate recovery from Saturday’s damaging loss at Liverpool in the Premier League were dashed.
“We knew it wouldn’t be an easy game but they were much sharper than us,” said Dembélé, whose side will aspire to overturn that narrow deficit in next week’s return at Wembley. “I think we underestimated Gent. Generally, I think they wanted it more than us. They were sharper, more motivated than us. I hope this game has opened our eyes. I hope we show double our attitude next week. And that we really want it.”

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner dismisses reports FSG are set to sell Boston Red Sox

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner insists owners Fenway Sports Group have no intention of selling the Boston Red Sox.
FSG have repeatedly dismissed speculation over a potential Chinese takeover of the Reds and now Werner and principal owner John W Henry have done likewise after rumours over the future of their Major League Baseball team.
“It’s not going to be forever, but we’re very proud of what we’ve done and yet we’re hungry to continue to do better,” Werner told the Boston Herald.
“I think when I say forever, I mean, we hope to be healthy and focused for a long long time.
“But we know that nothing is forever. But this is not something we’re going to be contemplating, and hopefully we’ll be having these conversations (with media) in 10 or 15 more years.”
This year marks the 15th anniversary of Werner and Henry buying the Red Sox. Since then they have won three World Series titles.
“I know every few years we have to swat down rumours that we’re perhaps sellers,” Henry said.
“We talk about how long can we do this, not when should we stop.
“There a few things we don’t enjoy. But almost every day we talk about how fortunate we feel to be involved with this organisation. It’s accomplished tremendous things.
“We really are focused on that fourth ring as much as we were focused on the first.”
Werner added: “I think we were cocky when we came in and we said we would win multiple World Series.

Marko Grujic - the inside track on his first season at Liverpool

It was the kind of moment to define a player’s career.
Wembley Stadium. Liverpool vs Barcelona. A crowd of 80,000. The final goal in a 4-0 romp. Even Carl Froch never managed that.
For Marko Grujic , the images will last a lifetime. Never mind that it came in a pre-season friendly – the International Champions Cup is not the Champions League, despite its admirable marketing efforts – this was one to remember.
It capped a pretty promising summer for the Serbian midfielder, who had offered a glimpse into why staff at Melwood were so excited about his signing.
There was a goal with his right foot at Fleetwood, one with his left at Huddersfield. At Wembley, he looped a precision header over Claudio Bravo to cap a wonderful afternoon in the sun for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Liverpool had waited six months for Grujic, having sealed his signing in January 2016. He was then loaned back to previous club Red Star Belgrade, staying to guide them to the league title before moving to Anfield at the end of the campaign.

Daniel Sturridge leaves Liverpool training camp due to illness

Daniel Sturridge will depart Liverpool's warm-weather training camp in Spain due to illness, the club have confirmed.
Sturridge did not participate in Liverpool's first day of training in La Manga, missing the two sessions on Thursday with a virus, and he will now return to Merseyside.
A statement on Liverpool's official website read: "Daniel Sturridge will return home from Liverpool's midseason training camp in La Manga on Friday due to a virus.
"The striker joined his teammates on the trip to Spain earlier this week eager to participate in the daily double sessions, despite feeling unwell.
"However, Sturridge's condition hasn't improved and he will fly back to Merseyside today before resuming training at Melwood as soon as he is well enough."
Sturridge has been enduring a difficult season so far this term, making just nine starts in total and only finding the back of the net on two occasions in the Premier League.

Klopp on the Champions League, and why Liverpool are desperate to be part of it

 

Exclusive: Reds boss talks about his side's top four hopes from their La Manga training camp

Jurgen Klopp was sat with his backroom staff in the Piano Bar of the Hotel Principe Felipe on Wednesday evening enjoying a quiet drink.
On the big screen in front of the Liverpool manager there was a familiar foe as he watched Bayern Munich’s ruthless 5-1 demolition of Arsenal at the Allianz Arena.
Klopp loves those big Champions League nights. He enjoyed plenty of them with Borussia Dortmund en route to the 2013 final at Wembley when Bayern’s late winner dashed his hopes of glory.
Now he has his sights set on leading Liverpool back to Europe’s top table.
This time next year he wants to be standing on the touchline rather than staying in a Spanish holiday resort when the knockout stages get underway.
“Things that I don’t have, I don’t miss,” Klopp told the ECHO during an exclusive interview at the club’s La Manga training base.

Arsene Wenger: Arsenal boss says he will manage next season

Arsene Wenger says he will definitely be managing next season, whether at Arsenal "or somewhere else".

Wenger, 67, was speaking at the end of one of the most turbulent weeks of his two-decade tenure as Gunners boss.
After Wednesday's 5-1 Champions League defeat by Bayern Munich, several ex-players said they believed his time in charge was coming to an end.
The Frenchman's contract expires at the end of this season and he said he would decide on a new deal in March or April.
"No matter what happens I will manage for another season. Whether it's here or somewhere else, that is for sure," Wenger said on Friday.
"If I said March or April it is because I didn't know. I do not want to come back on that.
"I am used to the criticism. I think in life it's important to do what you think is right and all the rest is judgement. I am in a public job and I have to accept that, but I have to behave with my values."

Wenger's main quotes

Wenger, who has been in charge of Arsenal since 1996, said: "We let everyone judge and criticise, we have to deal with that. We have to bounce back, that is what life is about.

Alexis out! Thousands of Chileans to march for Sanchez to ditch Arsenal

A group of thousands in Sanchez's homeland Chile have organised a peaceful protest to try and convince the star that he is wasting his time in London

It seems as everything is slowly falling apart at Arsenal.
Alexis heads to Italy after Bayern loss
Arsene Wenger's 20-year reign in north London is likely to come to an end at the end of the season after a Champions League capitulation and many of the Gunners stars are set to follow him out of the club.

Manchester United transfer news and rumours: 'Red Devils seal pre-contract agreement with Victor Lindelof'

 

PLUS: All the reaction to United's 3-0 win over Saint-Etienne as hat-trick hero Zlatan Ibrahimovic says the Red Devils are entering a crucial period of the season

Manchester United have reportedly sealed a pre-contract agreement with Benfica defender Victor Lindelof.
Calcio Mercato say the 22-year-old Swede will arrive at Old Trafford in the summer despite Roma's late attempt to hijack the deal.
United were expected to sign Lindelof in January but the transfer didn't materialise, due in part to the excellent form of previously doubted duo Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo.
However, it is claimed the deal will go through at the end of the season.

United 3-0 Saint-Etienne: 5 things we learned

Manchester United moved a step closer to the last 16 of the Europa League thanks to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's hat-trick, writes Simon Mullock.
The Swedish striker scored goals in each half as United claimed a vital first-leg advantage ahead of next week's return in central France.
Ibra gave United the lead in the 15th minute with a deflected free-kick.
He found the target again 15 minutes from the end, when he swooped on Marcus Rashford's brilliant cross to fire home.
And Zlatan completed his treble from the penalty spot two minutes from time after being fouled by Kevin Theopile-Catherine.

Jose Mourinho says Manchester United players were too relaxed in warm-up

Jose Mourinho had a feeling Manchester United would start slowly against St Etienne because his players "lacked focus" in the warm-up.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a hat-trick at Old Trafford as United beat their Ligue 1 opponents 3-0 to take control of their Europa League last-32 tie.
But Mourinho was unhappy by his side's poor first half, adding they were fortunate to reach half-time in front.
Ibrahimovic's deflected free-kick had given them the lead but only after a sloppy backpass by Eric Bailly presented Romain Hamouma with the game's first opportunity inside three minutes.
Despite not registering their first shot until the 30th minute, St Etienne had 11 attempts before the break, the most by an opponent at Old Trafford in the first half since Athletic Bilbao had 13 in March 2013.
"I had the feeling immediately in the dressing room," Mourinho said. "Too noisy, too funny, too relaxed.

Yanga CAF opponent Ngaya arrive

YOUNG Africans opponents in the CAF Champions League, Comoro’s Ngaya de Mde jetted into the country yesterday, ready for their preliminary round, return leg match to be held at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam tomorrow.

The Comoro Island champion face an uphill task, as they need to overturn a 5-1 defeat they suffered in-front of their supporters in the first leg tie in Moroni last Sunday. Goals from Justin Zullu, Simon Msuva, Obrey Chirwa, Amissi Tambwe and Thaban Kamusoko apiece wrapped a massive win for George Lwandamina’s side at the Stade de Moroni.
 

The Tanzanian champions, who returned home from Moroni on Tuesday now have a comfortable lead to take into what appears to be a mere formality return fixture. To eliminate Yanga from the continental top tie tournament in club level, the visitors will need to score four unanswered goals.

It will certainly be difficult for them, especially with Yanga playing at home with thousands of their supporters backing them. However, the Jangwani Street lads will go into the match without the services of several key players -- Donald Ngoma and Amis Tambwe, who are both nursing injuries.

They will also miss the service of their Rwandese maestro midfielder Haruna Niyonzima, who is reportedly sick. Commenting on the game, Yanga Assistant coach Juma Mwambusi insisted that they will not get carried away by the mammoth first leg win. “It is not over yet, we beat them at home and they can come with a different approach

Mavugo sends Simba to last eight

SIMBA eased into the last eight of Azam Sports Federation Cup (ASFC) after edging out African Lyon 1-0 in their round of 16 tie at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Burundian striker, Laudit Mavugo scored the only goal of the match in the 57th minute, in a match largely dominated by Simba side, who squandered many scoring chances. However, Simba’s Cameroonian tactician Joseph Omog would be pleased with his side’s passage into the quarter-finals of the reinstated Federation Cup.

The game followed similar script to the previous encounter between the two teams in terms of possession. Simba enjoyed the lion’s share of possession but without turning their dominance into result as the first half ended in goalless draw.

During their last meeting, a league game in November, Lyon produced a solid defensive performance before upsetting Simba with a last-gasp winner. But Charles Otieno’s boys this time opted for open game, but maintained their defensive discipline for most part of the encounter.

Cameroonian goalkeeper Rostand Youthe was a solid rock between the posts throughout the encounter and denied Simba attackers a couple of chances with stunning saves. Simba expectedly were on the offensive from the word go and created a couple of half chances early on without testing Youthe. Their first attempt on goal came after 13 minutes courtesy of Said Ndemla, whose shot from outside the area was easily saved by the Lyon keeper.

Man City and Chelsea eye £30m Monaco star ahead of potential summer bidding war

The impressive 21-year-old winger is attracting plenty of interest ahead of this summer's transfer window.
French outlet L'Equipe claim Manchester City and Chelsea are both keen on the ex-Caen sensation.
It is said that Atletico Madrid could also join the hunt for him should Manchester United target Antoine Griezmann leave the club this summer.

Monaco will demand upwards of £30m for Lemar who is under contract until June 2020.
The France international has scored 10 goals and provided seven assists in all competitions this season.

The midfielder who could save Pep Guardiola and Man City a fortune this summer

 

Pep Guardiola expected to sign at least one midfielder this summer - but Manchester City could have a cut price alternative

Pep Guardiola famously once claimed he’d sign ‘a thousand midfielders’ if he had the chance.
With Yaya Toure and Fabian Delph expected to leave Manchester City at the end of the season, he could be in the market for one or two more this summer - with Jack Wilshere already linked,
And while a host of Europe’s leading stars will be on his radar, Guardiola has been told that he has a cut price option much closer to home.
Australian Aaron Mooy was one of the more peculiar pieces of business in the Catalan’s first transfer window at the Etihad.

Manchester City fined £35,000 for breaching FA anti-doping rules

Manchester City have been fined £35,000 after admitting a breach of the Football Association's anti-doping rules, the governing body has said.

Clubs are required to provide accurate details of training sessions and player whereabouts so they are available for testing at all times.
City failed to ensure their information was accurate on three occasions.
It is understood the information was not updated following a change to training routines.
The punishment was imposed following an independent regulatory commission hearing, with the club also warned about future conduct.

Liverpool ready to pay £8m for Chelsea youth striker — report

Of Chelsea’s vast squad of first-team players, development squad hopefuls, and loan system warriors, a grand total of four (4!) have contracts expiring at the end of this season.

Third-choice goalkeeper Eduardo and academy graduate Alex Davey are basically footnotes to the season, while club legend John Terry has been in this situation many times before. Whether he stays or not might entirely depend on whether he’s ready to retire. But then there’s young Dominic Solanke, and his situation might be the most intriguing of all.

Solanke, once the most promising goalscorer in the Academy with 41 goals in 39 games in 2014-15 (and a Chelsea senior debut at 17), has practically disappeared off the radar (he’s made the bench three times so far this season for Conte). After a decent loan spell at Vitesse last season, he’s spent most of the current one in the development squad, embroiled in a contract stand-off with the club that started way back in April of last year. It’s this impasse that supposedly prevented any loan moves this season, with the club unwilling to send him out unless he agreed to something a little less than his £50,000 per week demands.

Mesut Ozil: Arsenal forward is being made scapegoat, says agent

Forward Mesut Ozil believes he is being made the scapegoat for Arsenal's problems, according to his agent.

Ozil, 28, was criticised again after Arsenal suffered a 5-1 defeat at Bayern Munich in Wednesday's Champions League last-16 first leg.
"Criticism is normal if a player plays badly," Dr Erkut Sogut told BBC Sport.
"But Mesut feels people are not focusing on his performance; they are using him as a scapegoat for the team after bad results."
Ozil joined Arsenal from Real Madrid in 2013 for a club-record £42.4m, and came with a reputation as one of the game's leading playmakers.
But his displays have often been questioned and the Germany international has come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks.

Arsenal players involved in heated dressing room inquest after Bayern Munich humiliation

Arsenal’s players were involved in a heated dressing room inquest after their 5-1 mauling at the hands of Bayern Munich, it’s been reported.
The Gunners were humiliated at the Allianz Arena, conceding four second-half goals without reply after a relatively promising first half which ended 1-1. The result means the Round of 16 Champions League tie is effectively already over and the frustration and anger among the players spilled over in the immediate aftermath.
According to the Daily Mail the inquest was led by Arsenal’s senior players.
Captain Laurent Koscielny was forced off with an injury early in the second half and within 14 minutes of him being replaced by Gabriel the Gunners had conceded three goals.

Lionel Messi is bigger than Barcelona and indispensable - Javier Mascherano

Lionel Messi is the exception to the rule that no player is bigger than their club, his Barcelona teammate Javier Mascherano has said.
Mascherano's comments came as he pointed out the Barcelona had continued to enjoy success despite the departures of key figures such as Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernandez and Dani Alves in recent years.
But he said Messi -- who has won 28 trophies with Barca since 2005 -- is so good that he breaks the rule that says no individual is more important than a club.

Mascherano: I don't see any reason for a Messi-Barcelona divorce

The relationship between Lionel Messi and Barcelona hasn't changed at all, according to Argentine teammate Javier Mascherano, and he believes the Rosario native still has a lot to offer the Blaugrana.
If he were to leave, the ex-Liverpool man only sees Argentina as a possible destination, and that would only come at the end of Messi's career, not anytime before that.
"I don't see any reason for a Messi-Barcelona divorce," Mascherano said. "Like any other relationship, it is like a marriage that has brought a lot of joy for a long time and can bring even more happiness.

Barcelona Transfer News: Latest Aleix Vidal Replacement Rumours After PSG Defeat

Barcelona are reportedly no longer in the market for a right-back to replace the injured Aleix Vidal, after their shock 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday left the club on the brink of Champions League elimination, per Luis F. Rojo for Marca.

The Catalan club's hierarchy had compiled an eight-man shortlist, including Villarreal duo Antonio Rukavina and Mario Gaspar, per Sport, but their urgency has been cooled now that Luis Enrique's team are likely to have fewer games remaining this season.

Vidal is set for five months on the treatment table after dislocating his ankle during the club's 6-0 win over Alaves on Saturday. Here, he is filmed leaving hospital: