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Showing posts from April, 2015

ZENIT SET TO RELEASE ARSHAVIN

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Zenit St Petersburg are set to release Andrey Arshavin and Anatoly Tymoshchuk at the end of the season. The duo's contracts are both set to expire in the summer and Zenit coach Andre Villas-Boas says the Russian Premier League leaders are unlikely to offer them extensions. "The situation is developing so that their contracts [will] run out," Villas Boas said on the club's official website. "We have, from my understanding, not had any talks, although we did have one talk with Tymoshchuk. "I am not sure how things stand with the club regarding their position, but at the moment it is likely that they will finish the contract." Arshavin, 33, is in his third spell with Zenit and has mostly been deployed as a substitute in 17 appearances this season. The former Russia captain, one of the stars of Euro 2008, rejoined the club in 2013 after his spell at Arsenal came to a disappointing end. Arshavin signed for the Gunners for a repo...

JUVENTUS MOVE CLOSE TO SERIE A TITLE

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Juventus moved to within a point of a fourth consecutive Serie A title as Carlos Tevez's double helped them come from behind to beat Fiorentina. The Old Lady were denied sealing the championship on Wednesday by Lazio's 4-0 win over relegated Parma. But Juve, who are 14 points clear with five matches to go, will be champions with a draw at Sampdoria on Saturday. Fernando Llorente was also on target for the hosts, while Gonzalo Rodriguez and Josep Ilicic scored for Fiorentina. Treble-chasing Juventus face Real Madrid in their first Champions League semi-final since 2003, while they are also in the Italian Cup final against Lazio. Their head-to-head record against second-placed Lazio means a point will be enough for the Scudetto at the weekend. Rodriguez put Fiorentina ahead from the penalty spot but, from the moment Llorente levelled with a header, the result was never in doubt. Tevez struck either side of the break, taking his league tally t...

BAYERN WIN 25TH GERMAN TITLE

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Bayern Munich won their third straight Bundesliga title thanks to Wolfsburg's 1-0 loss to Borussia Monchengladbach. Pep Guardiola's side beat Hertha Berlin 1-0 on Saturday to put them within sight of the title. Wolfsburg had to beat Gladbach to make Bayern wait another week for a 24th Bundesliga title and 25th overall championship, but lost to a Max Kruse goal. The Bundesliga started in 1963. Bayern are still in the Champions League and German Cup semis. They will have little time to celebrate this success as they face rivals Borussia Dortmund in the last four of the domestic cup on Tuesday. Bayern are bidding for their third consecutive domestic double, and second treble in three years. Guardiola has won five domestic titles in his six years as a manager; three out of four with Barcelona and now two in two for Bayern. The Bavarians face Barca in the Champions League semi-finals in May. Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: "Retaining the...

GOSSIP: REAL MADRID WANTS OBI MIKEL

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John Obi Mikel was once rated so highly that Chelsea and Manchester United fought a bitter battle over the midfielder's future. Unfortunately for the Blues and Mikel, he never really fulfilled his potential, yet has become a solid squad option for Jose Mourinho. That dependability is an enticing prospect for other clubs though, with Italian website  Tuttomercatoweb  reporting that none other than Real Madrid are interested in the 28-year-old's services. It seems an odd move for a side that has built its transfer policy on signing Galacticos, especially given Mikel has made just 12 Premier League appearances this season. But Real have been lacking solidity in the middle after the sale of Xabi Alonso and injuries to key midfielders, and Mikel could offer Carlo Ancelotti a stable presence in front of his centre-backs. The move wont be a surprise anyway as the player worked under Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti during his reign as the Manager of...

MAYWEATHER SHOULD RETIRE AFTER FIGHT - FATHER

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Floyd Mayweather should retire after Saturday's super-fight against Manny Pacquiao, according to his father. Mayweather, 38, has said he will fight one more time after the clash with Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The unbeaten American's fight with Pacquiao is the fifth of a six-fight contract with broadcaster Showtime. "I hope he walks away after this fight." said Mayweather Sr. "This is a gambler's game and I don't think Floyd should be gambling too much." WBA and WBC champion Mayweather has won all 47 of his fights, 26 by knockout, in his 19-year professional career. After his defeat of Oscar de la Hoya in May 2007, Mayweather relinquished his WBC light-middleweight title, only to come out of his brief retirement in July to announce his fight with Britain's Ricky Hatton. Mayweather also retired in 2008 but returned 21 months later in May 2009 to fight Juan Manuel Marquez. The fight against Pacquiao ...

HAZARD NAMED PFA PLAYER OF THE YEAR

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Chelsea winger Eden Hazard has won the 2014-15 PFA Player of the Year award.   Hazard, 24, was the favourite to take home the prize after scoring 13 goals and adding eight assists for the champions-elect this season. The Belgian star has been a revelation at Stamford Bridge since arriving for a fee of £32 million in 2012 and finished top of the six-man shortlist which is voted for by players in the Premier League. Tottenham striker Harry Kane, who is the joint-top scorer in the Premier League this season with 20 goals and 30 in all competitions, missed out on the main prize, finishing second. But the 21-year-old did beat Hazard to be named Young Player of the Year. Hazard also finished ahead of third-place Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, the only defensive player on the list, as well as Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho and Premier League newcomers Alexis Sanchez, of Arsenal, and Chelsea striker Diego Costa. Hazard said of his award success: ...

NIGERIAN PREMIER LEAGUE WEEK 6 ROUND-UP

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On a match day that produced 22 goals, and two away draws, it was a case of two teams with the sobriquet of Elephants that set the pace at the top of the Glo Premier League. Giwa FC also known as the Elephant of Jos and their Enyimba counterparts, nicknamed the Peoples Elephant, are tied on 11 points in first and second positions respectively. Enyimba 3-2 Sharks Enyimba raced into a two-goal lead inside 23 minutes through Chinonso Okonkwo and Mfon Udoh . Jackson Daniel pulled one back for Sharks just before the hour mark but last season's top scorer, Udoh , restored the Peoples Elephant's two-goal lead to take his goals count to four. Daniel scored a late consolation for Sharks as Enyimba claimed their third win of the season. Bayelsa Utd 0-0 Gabros FC Gabros FC moved into third position after a 0-0 draw against Bayelsa United at the Oghara Township Stadium. Both teams just could not produce the firepower in the final third of their first-eve...

NIGERIAN PREMIER LEAGUE WEEKEND FIXTURES AND TABLE

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WEEK 6 FIXTURES Enyimba vs Sharks Bayelsa United v Gabros International Lobi Stars v Giwa FC Akwa United v Dolphins Rangers International v El Kanemi Warriors Sunshine Stars v Wikki Stars Abia Warriors v Shooting Stars Kwara United v Nassarawa UNited Warri Wolves v Heartland Kano Pillars v FC Taraba Rank Teams Pl     W D    L    Pts  SF     SA      +/- 1 (1) Giwa FC 5    3 1    1   10     6 3  3 2 (2) Wikki Tourists 5 3 1    1   10     6 4  2 3 (3) Heartland FC 4 3       0    1     9    10 5  5 4 (4) El-Kanemi Warriors 4 3 0    1     9     6 3  3 5 (5) Gabros United 5 3 0    2     9    6 3  3 6 (6) Enyimba FC 5 2 2     1     8    3 2    1 7 (7) Sunshin...