(GSM) Atlético Madrid eased their way into the 2009/10 Copa del Rey final on Thursday with a 6-3 aggregate win over Racing Santander, despite losing the second leg 3-2.
Carrying a 4-0 lead from last week s first leg in Madrid, Racing squeaked back into the tie after two minutes when Atlético defender Juan Valera put past his own goalkeeper, David de Gea.
Six minutes later, though, Atlético were let back in when José Moratón returned the favor with an own goal of his own.
Carrying a comfortable 5-1 aggregate advantage into the second half, Atlético sealed the tie in the 51st minute as José Manuel Jurado headed a Sergio Agüero cross beyond Mario Fernández.
Xisco and Mohammed Tchité scored in the dying moments to give Racing a second-leg win, but …
Stevan Jovetic has no regrets about leaving Manchester City for Inter, despite feeling the Premier League is easier to play in than the Serie A.
The Montenegrin forward signed for City from Fiorentina in 2013 for £22million but would quickly become frustrated with a lack of playing time, having only featured in 39 games in all competitions over two seasons, scoring 11 goals.
When I was fit they didn t play me, when I scored I went off after a maximum of 60 minutes and it s difficult, Jovetic told Undici.
I had a normal relationship with [Manchester City manager Manuel] Pellegrini, we never argued.
It was just that I deserved to play more. I thought that then and I thought that now.
I like the Premer League. It s easier to play there than in I…
Lyon have announced Hubert Fournier will be replaced as head coach by assistant Bruno Genesio until the end of the season.
Speculation mounted concerning Fournier’s future over recent days following a disappointing campaign to date, with Lyon languishing ninth in Ligue 1 and five points shy of the top three having been eliminated from the Champions League.
Club president Jean-Michel Aulas pledged to announce a certain number of changes following Sunday s 2-1 loss at Gazelec Ajaccio, which continued a dismal run of one point from six matches following the 3-0 derby triumph over Saint-Etienne on November 8.
Fournier enjoyed an impressive first season in charge, establishing Lyon as title contenders before they fell away to finish as runners-up to Paris Saint-Ge…
Julian Nagelsmann reiterated he has not held talks about the Bayern Munich job – and likened speculation he has to breaking up with a German model who has never actually been his girlfriend.
RB Leipzig head coach Nagelsmann was speaking a day after Hansi Flick announced he was set to leave Bayern at the end of the season.
Flick has been strongly tipped to take over as Germany national team coach with current boss Joachim Low stepping down after the rescheduled Euro 2020 tournament.
Nagelsmann is among the leading contenders to succeed Flick at the Allianz Arena with former Bayern and Germany international Lothar Matthaus indicating he was a shoo-in for the job.
The 33-year-old has won 52, drawn 21 and lost 15 of his 88 matches in charge of Leipzig with…
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been ruled out of Milan s clash with Lazio, but head coach Stefano Pioli is confident fit-again Mario Mandzukic is ready to step up and fill the void.
Sweden international Ibrahimovic sat out Wednesday s 2-1 home loss to Sassuolo with a muscular problem and is not ready to return for Monday s Serie A trip to Stadio Olimpico.
The 39-year-old, who this week signed another 12-month extension with Milan, also missed the recent win against Genoa through suspension.
Rafael Leao filled in for Ibrahimovic in those two matches, but Mandzukic a second-half substitute in both games is in line for a first league start since joining in January after shaking off an injury issue of his own.
Ibrahimovic is better but he won t be there tomorrow. H…
Germany and Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has credited a change of position to his improved fortunes on the pitch.
At just 25-years-old Schweinsteiger is already a veteran of 79 caps and if he continues like this he could well break German legend Lothar Matthaus s record of 150 appearances for his country.
But having spent most of his early international career on the wing, where although highly competent he didn t exactly excel, Schweinsteiger is now the heartbeat of the German midfield and a permanent fixture in the middle of the park.
The big difference for me is being able to play in my favourite position in the centre of midfield, he said before thanking his club coach for the switch.
Louis van Gaal gave me that chance, it s gone…
French outfit Paris Saint-Germain have signed Brazilian striker Nene on a three year contract. The forward, whose full name is Anderson Luis de Carvalho, arrives at Parc des Princes from Ligue 1 club AS Monaco. PSG have reportedly paid Monaco 5.5 million euros for the Jundai born striker s services.
PSG have become Nene s sixth European club. After stints with Paulista and Palmeiras in his native Brazil, Nene moved to La Liga with Mallorca in 2003. Spells with CD Alaves and Celta Vigo followed before Monaco signed him in 2007. He spent the 2008-09 season on loan at Espanyol.
Nene told PSG s official website that he was delighted to sign for the club and said that the supporters and the stadium reminded him of life back in Brazil.
[Source:- PSG]
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that Everton’s hat-trick hero Steven Naismith has admitted that he was tempted by a move to Norwich City during the recently closed transfer window.
The Scotland international was the subject of a £5m bid from the Canaries, though the offer was rejected by Toffees boss Roberto Martinez.
Naismith has struggled to hold down a regular starting berth for the Merseyside club since signing from Rangers in the summer of 2012.
All five of his league appearances so far this season have come as a substitute, including his outing at the weekend when he replaced Muhamed Besic after just nine minutes.
He went on to score a perfect hat-trick in a famous win which lifted Everton up to seventh place in the table.
Next up for Martinez’s men is a trip …
Arsenal made Everton pay for their weekend slip-up by picking up a 3-0 Premier League win over Newcastle United on Monday.
Roberto Martinez s men scored two own goals as Everton fell to a 2-0 defeat at Southampton on Saturday, meaning victory for Arsenal over beleaguered Newcastle sees the north London club pull four points clear in the chase for a UEFA Champions League berth with two games remaining.
The result never looked in doubt after Laurent Koscielny s simple finish sent the hosts into a 26th-minute lead at the Emirates Stadium, with Mesut Ozil doubling the advantage before the break.
And the three points were in the bag midway through the second half, when Ozil turned provider to tee up an Olivier Giroud headed goal.
A sixth consecutive defeat for Newcast…
Chelsea s grip on the Premier League title strengthened after West Ham battled to a shock 1-0 win over second-placed Tottenham.
Mauricio Pochettino s side headed into the match on a superb run of nine consecutive victories that had prevented Chelsea from turning their bid for glory into a procession.
But they were short of their best at the London Stadium and Manuel Lanzini s goal 20 minutes into the second period ensured Spurs would remain four points behind Chelsea, having played a game more.
Victory over lowly Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge on Monday would put Antonio Conte s men seven points clear with three games remaining and Chelsea s seemingly favourable run-in comprises matches with West Brom, Watford and Sunderland.
Lanzini further enhanced h…