Messi breaks Chelsea duck to earn Barca 1-1 draw

If at first you don’t succeed the saying goes and it proved fitting for Willian and Lionel Messi as both scored in an absorbing 1-1 draw between Chelsea and Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Tuesday.

Chelsea’s outstanding performer Willian could hardly believe his bad luck as twice before halftime he rattled the woodwork.

But the Brazilian was finally rewarded for his persistence in the 62nd minute when he fired Chelsea into the lead on an electrifying night at Stamford Bridge.

Barcelona’s talisman Messi had fired blanks on eight previous occasions against Chelsea, most notably in a shock semi-final defeat six years ago, and he rarely had a glimpse of goal on his ninth meeting with the Londoners.

When home defender Andreas Christensen suffered a rush of blood in the 75th minute, however, Messi pounced.

It edged the tie towards Barcelona, although they could count themselves fortunate after being out-manouvered against a Chelsea side who, apart from one lapse, played a ‘perfect’ game according to manager Antonio Conte.

”It is a pity. I am very proud for my players. They followed what we prepared,“ Conte said. ”Tonight we were a bit unlucky.

“I think when you play this game you must have a plan and respect the characteristics of the opponent. Our plan was really good. We are talking about 1-1 and maybe we deserved more.”

Unbeaten La Liga leaders Barcelona enjoyed suffocating possession, especially in the first half, but despite the probings of Messi and Andres Iniesta, they could provide precious little ammunition for striker Luis Suarez.

“It was a clash of styles, two different teams,” Barca coach Ernesto Valverde said. “We had the game under control when they scored their goal. Perhaps we didn’t create many clear-cut chances, but we managed to force an error and get the draw.”

A rivalry that had been dormant for six years resumed with a gripping game of cat and mouse.

Barcelona zipped the ball around in eye-pleasing style but apart from Paulinho’s wasteful header they struggled to lure Chelsea into mistakes.

Despite spending long periods diligently shutting doors, the hosts were the more clinical in possession, with Eden Hazard and Willian both menacing outlets.

Willian fully justified his starting berth after being used chiefly as a substitute this season and could have been celebrating a stunning hat-trick.

In the 34th minute Paulinho lost the ball and as Chelsea worked it to Willian, he shuffled to his right and sent a curling right-footer thudding against the post.

Shortly before halftime Willian again proved elusive but this time the opposite post rescued Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who was a mere spectator for both attempts.

Conte resembled a manic orchestra conductor throughout the match, going through his full repertoire of gesticulations.

He was pumping his fists with joy midway through the second half as Hazard teased the Barca defence and fed Willian who engineered a yard of space before firing a low right-foot shot inside the left-hand post.

Chelsea deserved their lead and even threatened a second goal before young defender Andreas Christensen betrayed his relative inexperience with a moment of madness.

The 21-year-old’s aimless ball across his own area was seized upon by Iniesta and when he cut it back to Messi the Argentine duly delivered to send Barca’s travelling fans wild.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of the hosts and, although they avoided any more damage, they will need a repeat of their 2012 exploits to keep alive their European hopes.


source: news agency

Barca reach King's Cup final again as Coutinho strikes

Barcelona reached the King’s Cup final for a record fifth year in a row on Thursday with a 2-0 second leg win at Valencia in which Philippe Coutinho scored his first goal for the club as they secured a 3-0 aggregate semi-final success.

Valencia bossed the first half at a packed Mestalla as the hosts chased down a 1-0 deficit but their hopes of a comeback were dashed when Brazilian Coutinho slid in to turn home a cross from his old Liverpool team mate Luis Suarez in the 49th minute.

Coutinho, who joined Barca from Liverpool for a club record 142 million pounds ($197.66 million) in January, had been on the pitch less than three minutes when he scored, while Ivan Rakitic stretched the visitors’ lead eight minutes from time.

Barcelona have won the trophy for the last three years and face Sevilla in the final on April 21, a re-run of the 2016 showpiece which the Catalans won 2-0 after extra time.

Sevilla beat Leganes 2-0 on Wednesday in the other semi-final to advance 3-1 on aggregate.

”I feel very happy to be able to play in a final while being at the club for only a couple of months,“ Coutinho told reporters. ”We still have to play it and we’ve got a lot of things to do before the final.

”I have been trying to score since my first game and I‘m happy to have done that, although the most important thing is that the team won the game and we are able to leave here happy.

“Everyone told me we could be the first team to reach five finals in a row, we all knew it and it’s a great achievement.”

Valencia were looking to reach the final for the first time in a decade and coach Marcelino deployed an attacking 4-3-3 formation which helped his side put Barca on the back foot in the early stages of the game.

Rodrigo Moreno came closest to scoring for the hosts when he crashed a header against the bar in the 13th minute and the Spain international was thwarted again later in the half by Barca goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen.

“We played a very good first half and we had some very good chances to score and level the tie, but when you’re playing against these teams if you don’t score the chances you get you pay a price,” said Valencia keeper Jaume Domenech.


source: news agency

Ronald Koeman named new Netherlands coach

ZEIST: Ronald Koeman has been appointed as coach of the Netherlands national team up to and including the 2022 World Cup, the Dutch football association (KNVB) announced.

The 54-year-old former international defender is the seventh coach in eight years for the Dutch team, who were runners-up at the 2010 World Cup and finished third in Brazil four years later but failed to qualify for the 2018 finals in Russia.

He will be expected to help the Dutch to qualify for the next European Championship in 2020 and World Cup two years thereafter, reviving the team's fortunes in the process.

Koeman, who earned 78 caps for the Netherlands, succeeds Dick Advocaat, who had been brought in midway through last year after the sacking of Danny Blind in March.

His first assignment will be a friendly against England at the Amsterdam Arena on March 23, followed by a meeting with Portugal in Geneva three days later. The Dutch are helping the two Russia-bound teams prepare for this year's World Cup.

Koeman has been out of work since being dismissed by Everton last October after a poor run of form in the Premier League.

He did, however, enjoy significant success as a club coach in his homeland winning three Eredivisie titles - two with Ajax Amsterdam (2001-02, 2003-04) and one with PSV Eindhoven (2006-07).

He has also coached Vitesse Arnhem, Benfica, Valencia, AZ Alkmaar, Feyenoord and Southampton.

His coaching career began as an assistant to Guus Hiddink with the Dutch side in 1997 but he left after a year to take up a similar role under Louis van Gaal at Barcelona.

Former Dutch international Kees van Wonderen will be Koeman's assistant with Patrick Lodewijks as goalkeeper coach.


source: news agency

Suarez header puts Barca on course for another Cup final

BARCELONA: Barcelona beat Valencia 1-0 on Thursday thanks to a diving header from insatiable striker Luis Suarez to stay on course for a place in the King’s Cup final for a record fifth consecutive year.

Suarez broke Valencia’s resolve in the semi-final first leg by leaping to meet a cross from Lionel Messi in the 67th minute, scoring a 12th goal in 10 games in all competitions to leave Valencia needing to win by two goals in next Thursday’s second leg at Mestalla to advance to their first final in a decade.

Despite being a Cup semi-final against one of the top teams in the league, only 50,000 fans made it to Barca’s 99,000-capacity Nou Camp stadium after heavy rain throughout the day.

Barca defender Sergi Roberto risked getting sent off but was only booked for a wild lunge on Andreas Pereira, who was unable to come out in the second half and had to be substituted.

“We dominated the play but they had a plan, which was to leave here with a result that kept the tie open and they defended well. It’s not a big advantage and there’s still a long way to go in the tie,” Barca coach Ernesto Valverde told reporters.

Valencia were trounced 7-0 on their last Cup visit to Barcelona when Gary Neville was in charge and coach Marcelino opted for a cautious approach, with his side having under 20 percent possession at one point in the game.

The visitors’ best chances came from distance strikes at goal, with Martin Montoya and Francis Coquelin narrowly missing the target either side of halftime.

“It’s not a good result for us but we deserve credit for how we competed,” Marcelino said.


source: news agency

Premier League clubs splash cash, but Coutinho deal trumps all

The January transfer window slammed shut on Wednesday after a frantic month of activity during which Barcelona completed the biggest deal by signing Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool and Premier League clubs spent heavily across the board.

ENGLAND

The Premier League clubs’ purchasing power was evident again in January but unusually the big money went on defenders.

Early in the window, Liverpool made Virgil van Dijk the world’s most expensive defender by splashing out a world record 75 million pounds ($106 million) to sign the Dutchman from Southampton.

Liverpool badly needed more quality in their back line but the improvement in the squad was undermined by the departure of Brazil attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona for a transfer fee reported at about 142 million pounds.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has also not been afraid to spend big on defenders - his signing of French centre-half Aymeric Laporte from Athletic Bilbao for a club record fee of 57 million pounds means they have spent more than 200 million pounds on defenders and a keeper since the end of last season.

City lost out on some attacking talent, though, with Chile forward Alexis Sanchez, long linked with a move to The Etihad, opting instead to join rivals Manchester United with Armenia midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving the opposite way.

City also failed to agree a deal with Leicester City for midfielder Riyad Mahrez.

While Arsenal fans were disappointed to see Sanchez go, the London club splashed out a club-record transfer fee to sign Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for a reported 65 million pounds from Borussia Dortmund.

They also got a pleasant surprise when Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil signed a new contract until 2021, though their France striker Olivier Giroud was shipped out to rivals Chelsea.

Tottenham Hotspur were also active on deadline day, signing Brazilian winger Lucas Moura from Paris St Germain for 25 million pounds.

SPAIN

Barcelona will feel the most pleased of all the Liga sides with their January transfer business after capturing coveted playmaker Philippe Coutinho for a club record 142 million pounds and signing Colombia defender Yerry Mina.

The signings of Coutinho, 25, from Liverpool and Mina, 23, from Palmeiras will rejuvenate Ernesto Valverde’s ageing squad and buttress his already brilliant side, which has an 11-point lead in the table and look destined to win a 25th league title.

Cup-tied Coutinho cannot help Barca in the Champions League but the Brazilian already looks to be on the same page as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez and has been praised by team mates for his early performances, with Gerard Pique saying he has “Barca DNA”.

Colombian defender Mina, 23, was signed as a direct replacement for the departing Javier Mascherano, who is 10 years his senior, while Barca have temporarily cut loose inconsistent winger Gerard Deulofeu, loaning him to Premier League Watford.

Champions Real Madrid have strangely not boosted their squad to help their crumbling campaign, with coach Zinedine Zidane saying he did not want new signings despite his side sitting in fourth place an embarrassing 19 points adrift of Barca.

The Frenchman’s stance may have blocked a move for Spain goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga who according to local media had passed a medical with Real and was on the verge of a move but eventually signed a new contract with Athletic Bilbao.

Bilbao made their most expensive sale ever with French defender Aymeric Laporte moving to Manchester City for 65 million euros and then swiped Inigo Martinez from local rivals Real Sociedad for 32 million.

Barca’s closest title challengers Atletico Madrid made no high profile signings in January but got a huge lift with Spain forwards Diego Costa and Vitolo able to play after the ban on the club registering new players expired.

Costa has added extra aggression to their underperforming attack although he has also reminded Atletico of his infamous problems with fitness and discipline, getting sent off on his full debut and sustaining a muscle problem later in January.

Perhaps the most eye-catching moves, however, saw Saudi Arabia’s Fahad Al-Muwallad, Yahia Al-Shehri and Salem Al Dawsari join Levante, Leganes and Villarreal respectively as part of an agreement between La Liga and the Arab state’s authorities.

ITALY

Serie A clubs largely stayed out of the transfer window in another indication of their relatively limited spending power.

The main moves were outwards with AS Roma selling full back Emerson Palmieri to Chelsea for around 22 million euros and Genoa letting 16-year-old prodigy Pietro Pellegri leave for AS Monaco for slightly more, according to Italian media.

Roma forward Edin Dzeko was also the subject of speculation over a move to Chelsea, with every game reported as being possibly his last, but that move fell through.

Neither of the leading pair, Napoli and Juventus, made any signings although the former had been chasing Sassuolo winger Matteo Politano.

AC Milan, having splurged 230 million euros in the summer, spent nothing at all in January after UEFA rejected the club’s request to waive its breakeven “Financial Fair Play” rules under a so-called voluntary agreement.

UEFA cited “uncertainties in relation to the financing of the loans to be paid back in October 2018 and the financial guarantees provided by the main shareholder.”

Neighbours Inter Milan, also being monitored by UEFA over the breakeven rule, had warned beforehand that there would be no spending spree on their part.

Their only signings were Brazilian midfielder Rafinha and Argentine defender Lisandro Lopez on loan from Barcelona and Benfica respectively. They also chased Paris St Germain midfielder Javier Pastore without success.

Underachieving Portuguese Euro 2016 winner Joao Mario was loaned out to West Ham United and forward Gabriel Barbosa to Santos, the club he arrived from 18 months ago, although the Brazilian had already been on loan at Benfica.

“We can do better by making sure that our players play to their potential,” said Inter coach Luciano Spalletti. “That gets over difficult moments.”

GERMANY

The sale of Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Arsenal for 56 million pounds ($79 million) dwarfed any signings made by Bundesliga clubs, again showing the remarkable spending power of their English counterparts.

The biggest buys by Bundesliga sides were Dortmund’s 21.5-million-euros capture of Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji from FC Basel, and Germany forward Sandro Wagner’s move to Bayern Munich from Hoffenheim for 13 million euros.

Wagner, 30, began his career at Bayern and returned after a 10-year absence, having played at half a dozen clubs, all in the Bundesliga.

In a similar move, another veteran striker, Mario Gomez, returned to his first club VfB Stuttgart nine years after departing.

Dortmund, who are sixth in the table and 19 points behind leaders Bayern, were the most active team, also signing Michy Batshuayi on loan from Chelsea while defenders Marc Bartra and Neven Subotic both left.

Most other clubs forked out one or two million euros at most while RB Leipzig, Hoffenheim, Hertha Berlin, Borussia Moenchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen, FC Augsburg and Hamburg SV spent nothing at all.

Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong, a player with a bruising reputation, signed for Mainz 05 at the age of 33 and the same club also signed Nigerian Anthony Ujah from Liaoning FC.

source: news agency

Messi credits coach for Barcelona's success

New manager Ernesto Valverde deserves credit for FC Barcelona's improved performance, Lionel Messi has said.

Under Valverde, who joined the club last summer, Barça have built a 11-point lead at the top of La Liga, reached the Champions League round of 16 and qualified for the semifinals of the Copa del Rey, Efe news report.

"Since the new coach's arrival, he was very clear from the beginning about what he expected from the squad and we adapted fast to his instructions, ...," Messi said at a promotional event.

"We became defensively stronger and in the attacking line we have high quality players," the Argentine superstar said.

Messi said that he was optimistic about Barcelona's season, noting that the club is still alive in all competitions.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner said that the squad was delighted with the arrival of Philippe Coutinho and Yerry Mina, who joined the club during the winter transfer window.

Asked about the possibility of winning another Ballon d'Or, he said: "Individual awards are not my aims.

source: News Agency

Barcelona through to Cup semis as Coutinho makes debut

BARCELONA: Lionel Messi scored what proved to be the winner as Barcelona beat Espanyol 2-0 to reach the Copa del Rey semi-finals on Thursday in a game that saw Philippe Coutinho make his long-awaited debut. Valencia beat Alaves on penalties while Sevilla beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday for a 5-1 aggregate success.

Luis Suarez scored an early opener in the quarter-final second leg before Messi's deflected effort gave Barcelona a 2-1 aggregate advantage as the holders overturned a 1-0 deficit from last week's first leg.

Messi had missed a penalty in that match as the leaders of La Liga were beaten for the first time since August, but they did enough on Thursday to join Sevilla, Valencia and Leganes in Friday's draw for the last four.

Coutinho was named on the bench for the first time since his 160 million-euro ($192 million) transfer from Liverpool earlier this month.

The 25-year-old Brazilian was introduced midway through the second half in place of Andres Iniesta, entering the Camp Nou pitch to a huge roar from the home crowd.

By that point Ernesto Valverde's men had already turned the tie around against the club for whom Coutinho played on loan from Inter Milan in 2012.

Suarez headed in Aleix Vidal's cross from the right at the back post in the ninth minute to open the scoring on the night and level the tie on aggregate.

The Uruguayan has now scored seven times in Barcelona's last six matches.

Messi scored in the 25th minute, his shot beating goalkeeper Pau Lopez with the help of a sizeable deflection off Brazilian defender Naldo.

It was Barcelona's 4,000th goal at the Camp Nou in an official game.

Barcelona, who have won the Copa del Rey in the last three seasons, had a host of chances to put the tie to bed but saw out the victory, with Espanyol unable to get the away goal that would have swung the tie.

On Wednesday, Real Madrid were eliminated by Leganes, a 2-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu seeing them go out on away goals and increasing the pressure further on coach Zinedine Zidane.


Source: News Agency

Neymar's PSG move a 'backward step', feels Ronaldo

London: Brazilian football legend Ronaldo has described national team superstar Neymar's club world record move to Paris Saint-Germain from FC Barcelona as a "backward step".

Neymar became the most expensive footballer in history when he joined the Ligue 1 outfit in August in a deal worth 222 million euros ($263 million), reports Xinhua news agency.

The former Santos forward has since scored 20 goals in 22 matches across all competitions for PSG, but Ronaldo believes the 25-year-old made the wrong career choice.

"He's now at PSG but from a sporting perspective his decision was a backward step," the 2002 World Cup winner said in an interview with former Brazil captain Zico published on Youtube.

"But each to their own. I was at Barcelona and went to Inter Milan (in 1997). At that time the Italian league was a lot more competitive," added Ronaldo, who won the FIFA World Player of the Year award three times in a stellar career that also included spells at Real Madrid and AC Milan.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo heaped praise on Manchester City young forward Gabriel Jesus, who he believes is Brazil's best central striker in several years.

"We have been waiting a long time for a No. 9 in the national team," the 41-year-old said. "Adriano filled the void for a little while and had the potential to stay for a lot longer.

Source: News Agency

Messi double helps Barca reach King's Cup quarter-finals

BARCELONA: Lionel Messi scored twice as King’s Cup holders Barcelona moved comfortably into the quarter-finals by thrashing Celta Vigo 5-0 at the Nou Camp in their last 16 second leg game on Thursday.

The Argentine and his strike partner Luis Suarez were recalled by Barca coach Ernesto Valverde who put out his strongest team against the Galicians, with the tie delicately poised at 1-1 after last week’s game in Vigo.

Messi again showed his special understanding with Jordi Alba by meeting the left back’s low cross first time for the opener in the 13th minute and moments later played a one-two with the Spain international and slammed the ball into the bottom corner.

Alba has set up seven goals for Messi this season in all competitions and Barca’s all-time top scorer returned the favour with a curling pass from deep which his team mate slid in to poke inside the near post for the third goal after 28 minutes.

Suarez stretched the lead in the 31st by capitalising on Pione Sisto’s sloppy back pass to score for the fifth game running and Ivan Rakitic completed the rout with a header in the 87th against ex-Barca assistant coach Juan Carlos Unzue’s team.

Sevilla defeated fellow Andalusian side Cadiz 2-1 at home for a 4-1 aggregate win, while Espanyol overturned a 2-1 deficit from the first leg by beating Levante 2-0 away to join Barca in Friday’s quarter-final draw.

Barcelona sign defender Yerry Mina from Palmeiras

Madrid: La Liga leaders Barcelona have signed centre-back Yerry Mina from Palmeiras on a 5-1/2 year contract for a fee of 11.8 million euros ($14 million), the Spanish club said on Thursday.

The Colombia international has made 33 appearances for Palmeiras over the last two seasons, helping them win the league title in 2016. He also won the Copa Sudamericana with former club Santa Fe.

“Yerry Mina now comes to Barca with the opportunity to continue developing as a footballer following his move to Europe. Without a doubt the Colombian has the potential to make it,” Barcelona said in a statement on their website. (www.fcbarcelona.com)

The promising 23-year-old is expected to reinforce Barcelona’s defence with Spanish media reports saying veteran Javier Mascherano is close to leaving to join Chinese side Hebei China Fortune.

Mina’s contract at Barcelona has a termination clause worth 100 million euros.

Source: News Agency

Zidane's credit running out for failing to shake Real up

MADRID: Zinedine Zidane’s ability to manage the tempestuous Santiago Bernabeu dressing room has always been seen as one of his main strengths but with Real Madrid struggling, his good relations with his “galacticos” is starting to look like a liability.

Real have slipped a remarkable 16 points behind Barcelona in the Spanish league and sit in the unfamiliar position of fourth in the standings, with their hopes of retaining the title long gone.

A place in next season’s Champions League is also far from secure as sixth-placed Villarreal, who have a strong record against Real, visit the capital on Saturday trailing the faltering European and Liga champions by only four points.

Anything but three points against Villarreal, who have taken seven off them in their last four games, would pile more pressure on Zidane despite his eight trophies in two years as Real coach.

The Frenchman was slammed in the Spanish media after the 3-0 loss at home to Barcelona and there was no let up after Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Celta Vigo or Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with second-tier Numancia in the King’s Cup - even if Real won on aggregate.

An article in Wednesday’s edition of newspaper El Pais berated the coach for persisting with the same team selections and tactics after disappointing results.

“Zidane has preferred to not anticipate risks and has bypassed any uncomfortable diagnosis, no matter how obvious,” it said.

“Zidane has kept faith in his starting players, with (Karim) Benzema despite the anger of the supporters, with Marcelo and his intrepid adventures, with Kroos and his downward displays.”

The coach’s declaration on Tuesday that he would not “throw anyone in the mud” has been taken as another sign that he is not strong enough to make the tough decisions his team need.

Zidane’s unwillingness to shake things up can be traced to Real’s limited activities in the last transfer window.

According to media reports, the club pulled out of a bid to sign French teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe to avoid upsetting Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, who have only mustered up 10 league goals between them this term.

Mbappe joined Paris St Germain instead and Real weakened their attacking options by relinquishing James Rodriguez and Alvaro Morata, who did not start most games last season but made invaluable contributions from the bench.

The only new arrivals were youngsters Theo Hernandez, Dani Ceballos and Diego Llorente, who have barely featured this season as Zidane’s faith in the so-called ‘B’ team that did so well last season has faded.

So too has Real’s form, and unless Zidane can whip his team into shape again, his time in charge could prove to be as short as it was successful.

Source: News Agency

Zidane pens new Real Madrid deal until 2020

Madrid: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane on Wednesday confirmed that he has signed a contract extension which will keep him at the European champions until 2020.

"It's signed," said the French star after his side drew 2-2 with Numancia to progress to the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey 5-2 on aggregate.

After a dream start at Real, with eight trophies out of a possible 10, Zidane has endured a tough season with his side 16 points behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race.

And the 45-year-old cautioned: "I'm enjoying what I do every day, because that's the way it is. I can't imagine myself as a coach in two, three years, because things are not like that.

I know how it goes, nothing more, even with this contract it does not change anything."

On Wednesday, Real fielded an almost unrecognisable team and struggled into the Copa del Rey last-eight.

Zidane could afford to rest his superstars with one eye on La Liga and the Champions League last 16 with a clash against Paris Saint-Germain next month.

However, they were far from convincing at the Bernabeu. Lucas Vazquez scored both of Real's goals after the 11th and 59th minutes.
But on both occasions, their modest visitors fought back thanks to a brace from Guillermo on the stroke of half-time and then after 82 minutes.

Numancia ended the game with 10 men after captain Dani Calvo was red-carded in the dying moments.
Leganes, a modest club from the Madrid suburbs, reached the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey for the first time in their 89-year existence.

Despite losing 2-1 at Villarreal, who are currently sixth in La Liga, Leganes progressed on away goals having won the first leg 1-0. Moroccan international Nabil El Zhar scored the crucial away goal for mid-table Leganes on the half-hour mark.

In the night's other early second leg tie, last season's runners-up Alaves downed third division Formentera 2-0 for a 5-1 aggregate win.

On Thursday, three-time defending champions Barcelona host Celta Vigo with the two sides locked at 1-1.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde insisted that despite the high-profile capture of Philippe Coutinho, who can't play for around three weeks due to a thigh injury, his team's character will not change with the Brazilian's arrival.

"The Barca model will stay the same," he said Wednesday.

"The club always has the chance to go into the market to buy the great players. But at the same time, Barca will continue to nurture young players at the training centre to maintain the style and identity.


Source: News Agencies

Real Madrid stumble against Numancia but reach Cup quarters

Madrid: Troubled Spanish champions Real Madrid stumbled to a 2-2 draw with third tier Numancia on Wednesday but qualified for the King’s Cup quarter-finals 5-2 on aggregate.

With a comfortable first-leg advantage, Zinedine Zidane rested much of his first team, making 10 changes from the line-up that struggled to a disappointing draw at Celta Vigo on Sunday to fall 16 points behind league leaders Barcelona.

Madrid opened the scoring in the 11th minute, Vazquez heading home Dani Carvajal’s deep cross when left unmarked at the back post.

Numancia hit back in the 45th minute, however, with substitute Guillermo, just on for the injured Higinio Marin, applying the finishing touch to a stunning breakaway goal.

Dani Nieto charged into space and fed Marc Mateu on the left, who delivered the perfect low cross for Guillermo to finish and delight the small band of travelling fans at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Vazquez, who won two penalties for Madrid in the first leg, slammed home his second from close range in the 59th minute, but Guillermo pegged back Madrid again with a brilliant header to cap a superb display and a fine result for his team.

Numancia’s Dani Calvo was sent off in the dying minutes for a cynical foul to stop Isco that earned him a second yellow card.

Earlier, Leganes reached the quarter-finals for the first time in their history after losing 2-1 at Villarreal but progressing on away goals after their 1-0 first-leg win at Butarque.

Leganes winger Nabil El Zhar scored a delicious chip to break the deadlock, with Dani Raba’s well-taken strike and Denis Cheryshev’s late winner completing a Villarreal comeback that was not enough to send the hosts through.

Last season’s King’s Cup runners-up Alaves beat third division Fomentera 2-0 to wrap up a 5-1 aggregate win thanks to second-half goals from Ermedin Demirovic and Alfonso Pedraza.

On Thursday, Levante host Espanyol, Cadiz travel to Sevilla and holders Barcelona welcome Celta Vigo to the Nou Camp.


Source: News Agencies

Liverpool, without Philippe Coutinho, out to halt Manchester City march

The form table suggests Liverpool have realistic hopes of disrupting Manchester City’s waltz towards the Premier League title when they meet on Sunday, although they must quickly learn how to cope without Philippe Coutinho.

The Brazilian playmaker completed a 142 million-pound ($192 million) move to Barcelona on Monday, meaning Juergen Klopp’s “fab four” up front is now just a three.

Unbeaten City are 15 points clear at the top of the table, having scored more goals than anybody with 64, but fourth-placed Liverpool come second on that count with 50.

Klopp’s side are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions since they were thrashed 4-1 by Tottenham on Oct. 22.

Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah is set to return from injury and he and Sadio Mane are likely to play either side of striker Roberto Firmino.

Although Coutinho will no longer be able to provide the trio with ammunition, they still have the speed and guile to trouble Pep Guardiola’s side at the back.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer believes the Reds can get at City’s defence.

“We know Manchester City’s quality, we know that they’re running away with (the league) at the minute, but I think, on their day, Liverpool can match anybody,” McAteer told the Liverpool website.

”They’re so good going forward. You’ve got to be (wary) of the attacking prowess that they’ve got but there are areas of weakness.

“If you can get in between the lines and at the two centre-halves, which I feel we can, then there are chances and goals there.”

City, however, will look to repeat their dominant 5-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad in September, although they will be without injured striker Gabriel Jesus, who scored a brace that day.

This time they will have Virgil van Dijk in their way with the Liverpool defender set to make his Premier League debut after his move from Southampton.

Van Dijk enjoyed a dramatic debut for his new team in the FA Cup, scoring late on against Everton to earn Liverpool a derby victory.

City’s Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne said his team would just focus on their own performance.

”We go there to win the game,“ he said. ”They will have a very strong team and they want to be there for the Champions League (places).

“We just try to do the things that we do well and then we will see what happens.”

Second-placed Manchester United host Stoke City on Monday, the visitors currently without a coach after sacking Mark Hughes following their FA Cup defeat by League Two Coventry City.

Coach Eddie Niedzwiecki is in temporary charge of the team for the trip to Old Trafford, with Jose Mourinho’s side anxious to keep ahead of the chasing pack behind Manchester City.

The Portuguese has been embroiled in a war of words with Chelsea coach Antonio Conte, whose side host Leicester City on Saturday when a victory would see them provisionally move above United into second.

Tottenham host Everton on Saturday and Arsenal travel to Bournemouth on Sunday. Crystal Palace face Burnley, Huddersfield meet West Ham United and Newcastle United entertain Swansea City in other weekend matches.


Source: News Agencies