Wales international Gareth Bale has extended his Real Madrid contract until 2022, the Spanish club said on Sunday.

Bale joined Real for a then world-record fee of 100 million euros ($110 million) in 2013 and has won two Champions Leagues and a King&#39;s Cup in three seasons with the La Liga club.

The 27-year-old winger, whose previous contract ran until 2019, has made 135 appearances in all competitions since he joined the club, scoring 62 goals.&nbsp;

&quot;Real Madrid C. F. and Gareth Bale have agreed to the extension of the player&#39;s contract until June 30, 2022,&quot; the club said on its website.

(Reuters)

The 27-year-old Welsh winger was previously contracted with Real Madrid till 2019

Wales international Gareth Bale has extended his Real Madrid contract until 2022, the Spanish club said on Sunday. Bale joined Real for a then world-record fee of 100 million euros ($110 million) in 2013 and has won two Champions Leagues and a King's Cup in three seasons with the La Liga club. The 27-year-old winger, whose previous contract ran until 2019, has made 135 appearances in all competitions since he joined the club, scoring 62 goals. "Real Madrid C. F. and Gareth Bale have agreed to the extension of the player's contract until June 30, 2022," the club said on its website. (Reuters)

Gareth Bale extends Madrid stay till 2022

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to goalscoring form with his first hat-trick of the season and also missed a penalty as Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of La Liga with a 4-1 win at Alaves on Saturday.

Barcelona move up to second, just two points adrift, despite a below-par display in edging past bottom-placed Granada 1-0 thanks to Rafinha&#39;s spectacular winner.

Atletico Madrid remain three points back of city rivals Real thanks to doubles from Yannick Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro in a 4-2 win over Malaga despite playing with 10 men for the final half hour.

Ronaldo&#39;s wayward form in recent weeks had come under the spotlight &#39; even drawing whistles from the Santiago Bernabeu crowd last weekend &#39; but he turned the game around after Deyverson had put Alaves into a shock early lead.

&quot;We are always going to demand goals from Cristiano, but he was good in all aspects,&quot; said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.

&quot;We knew how to suffer because the first half and the start of the second weren&#39;t comfortable or easy.

&quot;But playing like this, if you know how to suffer and then add a bit of movement, we know what we can do.&quot;Real&#39;s unbeaten run stretches to 26 matches, but their defensive struggles continued in Vitoria as Zidane&#39;s men got off to the worst possible start when Deyverson pounced on an error from goalkeeper Keylor Navas to slot Alaves into a seventh-minute lead.

The visitors needed two slices of fortune to turn the game around before half-time.

Firstly, Deyverson was adjudged to have handled a Gareth Bale free-kick inside his own area and Ronaldo slotted home the penalty.

Ronaldo&#39;s second came 16 minutes later when his low effort from outside the area deflected off Zouhair Feddal and flew into the far corner.

The Portuguese missed the chance to seal his hat-trick when his second spot-kick was saved by Fernando Pacheco 12 minutes from time.

However, Alvaro Morata again made his presence felt off the bench as he raced onto Marcelo&#39;s through ball and lobbed the onrushing Pacheco for his fourth goal as a substitute this season.

And Marcelo was involved again in the fourth as he and Ronaldo exchanged passes before the latter smashed home two minutes from time.

An injury-ravaged Barcelona named Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in attack against winless Granada, but had to rely on free-scoring midfielder Rafinha in a much closer contest than anticipated at the Camp Nou.

&quot;It is clear it wasn&#39;t a brilliant match on our part,&quot; admitted Barca boss Luis Enrique. &quot;Sometimes the players aren&#39;t machines.&quot;

Rafinha&#39;s overhead kick broke the deadlock three minutes into the second-half after Barca toiled to break down Granada&#39;s deep-lying defence before the break.

Neymar, Suarez and Messi all missed chances to add a second, but Granada never threatened to end their record of losing in every one of their now 24 visits to the Camp Nou.Atletico bounced back from their first defeat of the season at Sevilla last weekend, but made life difficult for themselves against Malaga.

Carrasco fired home his sixth goal in his last six games to put Atletico in front before Gameiro took advantage of some slack Malaga defending to double the lead inside 25 minutes.

Sandro Ramirez&#39;s stunning free-kick brought Malaga back into the game, but Gameiro restored Atletico&#39;s two-goal lead when he latched onto Antoine Griezmann&#39;s flick-on to make it 3-1 just before the break.

However, Stefan Savic picked up two quickfire yellow cards to leave Atletico a man short for the final half hour.

Ignacio Camacho headed home from a corner to cut Malaga&#39;s deficit once more, but Carrasco showed stunning speed and produced an unerring finish into the far corner to seal the points four minutes from time.

&quot;I think he has improved with a lot of hard work and sacrifice. He has understood his own potential,&quot; Atletico boss Diego Simeone said of Carrasco.

&quot;Today he scored a goal with his left foot and then another one on his right on the counter-attack with the finish of a striker.&quot;

Sevilla slip to fourth after being held 1-1 at Sporting Gijon.

(AFP)

The 4-1 win against Alves helped Real Madrid hold off Barca and Atletico in the La Liga standings

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to goalscoring form with his first hat-trick of the season and also missed a penalty as Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of La Liga with a 4-1 win at Alaves on Saturday. Barcelona move up to second, just two points adrift, despite a below-par display in edging past bottom-placed Granada 1-0 thanks to Rafinha's spectacular winner. Atletico Madrid remain three points back of city rivals Real thanks to doubles from Yannick Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro in a 4-2 win over Malaga despite playing with 10 men for the final half hour. Ronaldo's wayward form in recent weeks had come under the spotlight ' even drawing whistles from the Santiago Bernabeu crowd last weekend ' but he turned the game around after Deyverson had put Alaves into a shock early lead. "We are always going to demand goals from Cristiano, but he was good in all aspects," said Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane. "We knew how to suffer because the first half and the start of the second weren't comfortable or easy. "But playing like this, if you know how to suffer and then add a bit of movement, we know what we can do."Real's unbeaten run stretches to 26 matches, but their defensive struggles continued in Vitoria as Zidane's men got off to the worst possible start when Deyverson pounced on an error from goalkeeper Keylor Navas to slot Alaves into a seventh-minute lead. The visitors needed two slices of fortune to turn the game around before half-time. Firstly, Deyverson was adjudged to have handled a Gareth Bale free-kick inside his own area and Ronaldo slotted home the penalty. Ronaldo's second came 16 minutes later when his low effort from outside the area deflected off Zouhair Feddal and flew into the far corner. The Portuguese missed the chance to seal his hat-trick when his second spot-kick was saved by Fernando Pacheco 12 minutes from time. However, Alvaro Morata again made his presence felt off the bench as he raced onto Marcelo's through ball and lobbed the onrushing Pacheco for his fourth goal as a substitute this season. And Marcelo was involved again in the fourth as he and Ronaldo exchanged passes before the latter smashed home two minutes from time. An injury-ravaged Barcelona named Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in attack against winless Granada, but had to rely on free-scoring midfielder Rafinha in a much closer contest than anticipated at the Camp Nou. "It is clear it wasn't a brilliant match on our part," admitted Barca boss Luis Enrique. "Sometimes the players aren't machines." Rafinha's overhead kick broke the deadlock three minutes into the second-half after Barca toiled to break down Granada's deep-lying defence before the break. Neymar, Suarez and Messi all missed chances to add a second, but Granada never threatened to end their record of losing in every one of their now 24 visits to the Camp Nou.Atletico bounced back from their first defeat of the season at Sevilla last weekend, but made life difficult for themselves against Malaga. Carrasco fired home his sixth goal in his last six games to put Atletico in front before Gameiro took advantage of some slack Malaga defending to double the lead inside 25 minutes. Sandro Ramirez's stunning free-kick brought Malaga back into the game, but Gameiro restored Atletico's two-goal lead when he latched onto Antoine Griezmann's flick-on to make it 3-1 just before the break. However, Stefan Savic picked up two quickfire yellow cards to leave Atletico a man short for the final half hour. Ignacio Camacho headed home from a corner to cut Malaga's deficit once more, but Carrasco showed stunning speed and produced an unerring finish into the far corner to seal the points four minutes from time. "I think he has improved with a lot of hard work and sacrifice. He has understood his own potential," Atletico boss Diego Simeone said of Carrasco. "Today he scored a goal with his left foot and then another one on his right on the counter-attack with the finish of a striker." Sevilla slip to fourth after being held 1-1 at Sporting Gijon. (AFP)

Ronaldo hat-trick extends Real Madrid's La Liga lead

Watford manager Walter Mazzarri said he was not worried about a potential points deduction and is solely focused on improving performances on the pitch.

The Premier League club are under investigation by the English Football League (EFL) following allegations made in a British newspaper that financial information was falsified before owner Gino Pozzo completed his takeover.

&quot;I would tell them (his players) what I know,&quot; Mazzarri, who was in charge of Reggina when Italian club was hit with a 15-point deduction in 2006, told British media.

&quot;I would tell them I am not worried. I have had an experience in the past where my team had points deducted where they had to work harder.

&quot;I will tell them to keep concentrated. These are things that are nothing to do with the manager and the players. They know what their role is.&quot;

The Hornets, who are also carrying out their own independent investigation into the matter, could also face a fine if the claims are proved accurate.

Watford, who are ninth in the table, host 18th-placed Hull City on Saturday.

(Reuters)

The Watford manager said he is solely focused on improving his team's performance on the pitch

Watford manager Walter Mazzarri said he was not worried about a potential points deduction and is solely focused on improving performances on the pitch. The Premier League club are under investigation by the English Football League (EFL) following allegations made in a British newspaper that financial information was falsified before owner Gino Pozzo completed his takeover. "I would tell them (his players) what I know," Mazzarri, who was in charge of Reggina when Italian club was hit with a 15-point deduction in 2006, told British media. "I would tell them I am not worried. I have had an experience in the past where my team had points deducted where they had to work harder. "I will tell them to keep concentrated. These are things that are nothing to do with the manager and the players. They know what their role is." The Hornets, who are also carrying out their own independent investigation into the matter, could also face a fine if the claims are proved accurate. Watford, who are ninth in the table, host 18th-placed Hull City on Saturday. (Reuters)

Not worried about a potential points deduction: Walter Mazzarri

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane backed Cristiano Ronaldo&#39;s case for a fourth Ballon d&#39;Or on Friday despite the Portuguese superstar&#39;s current struggles in front of goal.

Ronaldo won both the Champions League with Real and Portugal&#39;s first ever major tournament at Euro 2016 to make him the favourite to land the award for the world&#39;s best player on January 9 next year.

&quot;He clearly deserves the Ballon d&#39;Or,&quot; said Zidane ahead of Saturday&#39;s trip to Alaves in La Liga.

&quot;Not just at an individual level, but above all on a collective level...he knows everything he is achieving is thanks to his hard work and the work of those around him.&quot;

Ronaldo is expected to face competition from five-time winner Lionel Messi, Madrid teammate Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid and France forward Antoine Griezmann for the award.

However, his form has slumped since his return from a two-month injury layoff after suffering knee ligament damage in the Euro 2016 final.

&quot;What Cristiano has done is raise the bar so high that every time he doesn&#39;t score it is a problem,&quot; added Zidane.

Ronaldo has netted just four times in nine appearances for Madrid so far this season, by a distance his worst return at this stage of the campaign in seven seasons with the European champions.

&quot;He is angry (about not scoring), but there is no bigger worry than that,&quot; continued Zidane.

&quot;Every time he doesn&#39;t score there is a furore, but he has to live with these things. He is a phenom.&quot;

Ronaldo is expected to be partnered by Bale and Karim Benzema once more in the Madrid front line despite the fine form of Alvaro Morata.

The Spanish international came off the bench to score the winner against Athletic Bilbao last weekend and bagged a double in a 7-1 rout of Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.

However, captain Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric and Casemiro remain out injured.

(AFP)

Ronaldo has netted just four times in nine appearances for Madrid so far this season

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane backed Cristiano Ronaldo's case for a fourth Ballon d'Or on Friday despite the Portuguese superstar's current struggles in front of goal. Ronaldo won both the Champions League with Real and Portugal's first ever major tournament at Euro 2016 to make him the favourite to land the award for the world's best player on January 9 next year. "He clearly deserves the Ballon d'Or," said Zidane ahead of Saturday's trip to Alaves in La Liga. "Not just at an individual level, but above all on a collective level...he knows everything he is achieving is thanks to his hard work and the work of those around him." Ronaldo is expected to face competition from five-time winner Lionel Messi, Madrid teammate Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid and France forward Antoine Griezmann for the award. However, his form has slumped since his return from a two-month injury layoff after suffering knee ligament damage in the Euro 2016 final. "What Cristiano has done is raise the bar so high that every time he doesn't score it is a problem," added Zidane. Ronaldo has netted just four times in nine appearances for Madrid so far this season, by a distance his worst return at this stage of the campaign in seven seasons with the European champions. "He is angry (about not scoring), but there is no bigger worry than that," continued Zidane. "Every time he doesn't score there is a furore, but he has to live with these things. He is a phenom." Ronaldo is expected to be partnered by Bale and Karim Benzema once more in the Madrid front line despite the fine form of Alvaro Morata. The Spanish international came off the bench to score the winner against Athletic Bilbao last weekend and bagged a double in a 7-1 rout of Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. However, captain Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric and Casemiro remain out injured. (AFP)

'Phenom' Ronaldo deserves Ballon d'Or: Zidane

United manager Jose Mourinho has been charged with misconduct in the wake of his comments about referee Anthony Taylor before Manchester United&#39;s goalless draw with Liverpool last week, the Football Association said on Thursday.

Mourinho said it would be &quot;difficult&quot; for Taylor, who is from the Greater Manchester area, to have &quot;a very good performance&quot; after being put in charge of the Premier League game between two fierce rivals.

&quot;Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has been charged with misconduct, in respect of comments he made relating to the appointed match referee prior to the Liverpool FC v Manchester United FC fixture on Monday 17 October 2016,&quot; the FA said in a statement.

The FA had earlier asked Mourinho to explain comments he made about the match referee. The 53-year-old has until Monday to respond to the charge.

FA rules prohibit managers and players from making comments about officials which could be viewed as intimidatory or influential before games.

On a busy day for the FA&#39;s disciplinary department, Sunderland boss Davis Moyes was also hit with a misconduct charge after he was sent off at Southampton in the League Cup on Wednesday.

Moyes has been accused by the FA of using &quot;abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official&quot; in their 1-0 defeat at St Mary&#39;s.

The Sunderland manager, who has until Tuesday to respond to the charge, was sent to the stands after referee Chris Kavanagh waved away a late penalty appeal.

Moyes, whose side are bottom of the Premier League, later admitted that he had deserved to be banished from the touchline.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Manchester United and Sunderland managers were both hit with misconduct charges after making inappropriate comments about match referees

United manager Jose Mourinho has been charged with misconduct in the wake of his comments about referee Anthony Taylor before Manchester United's goalless draw with Liverpool last week, the Football Association said on Thursday. Mourinho said it would be "difficult" for Taylor, who is from the Greater Manchester area, to have "a very good performance" after being put in charge of the Premier League game between two fierce rivals. "Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has been charged with misconduct, in respect of comments he made relating to the appointed match referee prior to the Liverpool FC v Manchester United FC fixture on Monday 17 October 2016," the FA said in a statement. The FA had earlier asked Mourinho to explain comments he made about the match referee. The 53-year-old has until Monday to respond to the charge. FA rules prohibit managers and players from making comments about officials which could be viewed as intimidatory or influential before games. On a busy day for the FA's disciplinary department, Sunderland boss Davis Moyes was also hit with a misconduct charge after he was sent off at Southampton in the League Cup on Wednesday. Moyes has been accused by the FA of using "abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official" in their 1-0 defeat at St Mary's. The Sunderland manager, who has until Tuesday to respond to the charge, was sent to the stands after referee Chris Kavanagh waved away a late penalty appeal. Moyes, whose side are bottom of the Premier League, later admitted that he had deserved to be banished from the touchline. (Reuters)

EPL: Mourinho, Moyes charged with misconduct by FA

Valencia were fined and warned on Wednesday after a section of fans pelted celebrating Barcelona players with a bottle, but the Spanish champions were also criticised for their conduct.

Luis Suarez and Neymar were hit by a plastic bottle thrown by the Valencia fans as Barca celebrated a last-gasp 3-2 win at Mestalla on Saturday in what had been a bad-tempered La Liga encounter.

A disciplinary committee of the Spanish Football Federation fined the home side 1,500 euros ($1,600) and said a repeat could result in a stadium closure.

But it also had harsh words for Barcelona, accusing some of their players, without giving names, of &quot;reproachable behaviour&quot; as they celebrated close to the touchline.

However, the Federation stressed that &quot;nothing, absolutely nothing justifies a violent public reaction&quot;.

In response, Barcelona issued a statement calling the criticism of their players &quot;totally reproachable&quot;.

&quot;The committee should have confined itself to analysing the facts and apply the existing rules,&quot; the Catalan club said.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique had said in the immediate aftermath of the incident: &quot;We celebrated as it is normal to celebrate a last-minute winner.&quot;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A disciplinary committee fined Valencia after their fans hit Barca's Suarez and Neymar in their La Liga encounter on Saturday

Valencia were fined and warned on Wednesday after a section of fans pelted celebrating Barcelona players with a bottle, but the Spanish champions were also criticised for their conduct. Luis Suarez and Neymar were hit by a plastic bottle thrown by the Valencia fans as Barca celebrated a last-gasp 3-2 win at Mestalla on Saturday in what had been a bad-tempered La Liga encounter. A disciplinary committee of the Spanish Football Federation fined the home side 1,500 euros ($1,600) and said a repeat could result in a stadium closure. But it also had harsh words for Barcelona, accusing some of their players, without giving names, of "reproachable behaviour" as they celebrated close to the touchline. However, the Federation stressed that "nothing, absolutely nothing justifies a violent public reaction". In response, Barcelona issued a statement calling the criticism of their players "totally reproachable". "The committee should have confined itself to analysing the facts and apply the existing rules," the Catalan club said. Barcelona coach Luis Enrique had said in the immediate aftermath of the incident: "We celebrated as it is normal to celebrate a last-minute winner." (AFP)

Football: Valencia fined, Barcelona censured for bottle incident

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said he is still learning to adapt to the demands of English football as he seeks to end his club&#39;s five-game winless run against rivals Manchester United in the League Cup on Wednesday.

City made a blistering start to the campaign, winning their first 10 games in all competitions, but momentum has been stalled in recent weeks, and Sunday&#39;s 1-1 draw against Southampton marked the fifth consecutive game without a victory.

Guardiola&#39;s side are also trailing Barcelona by five points in their Champions League group after three games.

&quot;Our last few games have been tough,&quot; Guardiola told British media. &quot;If you are winning a game 3-0 in the last 15 or 20 minutes you can have more control and it gets a little easier.

&quot;But we were playing 10 against 11 against Barcelona, it&#39;s physical and tough in the Champions League.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;After that, there was the game against Southampton, when we made a mistake to go behind. Three days after Manchester United it is West Brom, then Barcelona and they are so important as well,&quot; he said.

&quot;I am still learning about football in this country.&quot;

Guardiola has told his players not to lose faith in his high-risk, high-reward style of football, but has said he needs time to assess his side.

&quot;Even when we were winning 10 games in a row I felt we had to make a lot of effort to win those games. You cannot win any game here without spending a lot of energy,&quot; he added.

&quot;I am still learning how the team reacts to winning and not winning, to playing at home after a Champions League game, and I am pretty sure I need time.&quot;

City, still top of the league on goal difference ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool, travel to face West Bromwich Albion in the league on Saturday.

(Reuters)

Sunday's 1-1 draw against Southampton marked Manchester City's fifth consecutive game without a victory

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said he is still learning to adapt to the demands of English football as he seeks to end his club's five-game winless run against rivals Manchester United in the League Cup on Wednesday. City made a blistering start to the campaign, winning their first 10 games in all competitions, but momentum has been stalled in recent weeks, and Sunday's 1-1 draw against Southampton marked the fifth consecutive game without a victory. Guardiola's side are also trailing Barcelona by five points in their Champions League group after three games. "Our last few games have been tough," Guardiola told British media. "If you are winning a game 3-0 in the last 15 or 20 minutes you can have more control and it gets a little easier. "But we were playing 10 against 11 against Barcelona, it's physical and tough in the Champions League." "After that, there was the game against Southampton, when we made a mistake to go behind. Three days after Manchester United it is West Brom, then Barcelona and they are so important as well," he said. "I am still learning about football in this country." Guardiola has told his players not to lose faith in his high-risk, high-reward style of football, but has said he needs time to assess his side. "Even when we were winning 10 games in a row I felt we had to make a lot of effort to win those games. You cannot win any game here without spending a lot of energy," he added. "I am still learning how the team reacts to winning and not winning, to playing at home after a Champions League game, and I am pretty sure I need time." City, still top of the league on goal difference ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool, travel to face West Bromwich Albion in the league on Saturday. (Reuters)

Need time to acclimatise to English football: Pep Guardiola

Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann was named La Liga player of the season for 2015-16 on Monday, ahead of the likes of Barcelona star Lionel Messi and Real Madrid&#39;s talisman Cristiano Ronaldo.

Atletico gaffer&nbsp;Diego Simeone also took the coach of the season award while Barcelona&#39;s Uruguay striker Luis Suarez was named the top non-EU player.

Messi was recognised as the best forward at the award ceremony in Valencia.

Atletico dominated the awards as Jan Oblak was best goalkeeper, Diego Godin top defender and Frenchman Griezmann also claimed the fans&#39; award.

Real Madrid weren&#39;t left empty-handed, though, as Luka Modric was named best midfielder.

The winners&#39; names were announced in a ceremony organised by the La Liga in Valencia.

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone took the coach of the season award while Barcelona's Luis Suarez was named the top non-EU player

Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann was named La Liga player of the season for 2015-16 on Monday, ahead of the likes of Barcelona star Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's talisman Cristiano Ronaldo. Atletico gaffer Diego Simeone also took the coach of the season award while Barcelona's Uruguay striker Luis Suarez was named the top non-EU player. Messi was recognised as the best forward at the award ceremony in Valencia. Atletico dominated the awards as Jan Oblak was best goalkeeper, Diego Godin top defender and Frenchman Griezmann also claimed the fans' award. Real Madrid weren't left empty-handed, though, as Luka Modric was named best midfielder. The winners' names were announced in a ceremony organised by the La Liga in Valencia. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Griezmann beats Messi and Ronaldo to win La Liga award

Chelsea made it a miserable return for Jose Mourinho as they hammered his Manchester United side 4-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday in the Premier League.

Pedro Rodriguez opened the scoring after just 30 seconds and Chelsea did not look back, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N&#39;Golo Kante completing an emphatic victory.

He saw his side squander a chance to level when Zlatan Ibrahimovic headed over after Antonio Valencia had stood up a cross from the right.

More slack defending allowed Chelsea to double their lead in the 21st minute, Cahill slamming home after Hazard&#39;s corner had struck Ander Herrera and bounced down inside the six-yard box.

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had been relatively untroubled up to that point, although he produced a smart double save to repel Herrera&#39;s left-foot effort and Jesse Lingard&#39;s follow-up.

It was an ideal first half for Chelsea, but David Luiz was fortunate to escape with only a yellow card after planting his studs in Marouane Fellaini&#39;s knee five minutes before half-time.

Mourinho changed tack at half-time, sending on Juan Mata for Fellaini and moving Marcus Rashford up front alongside Ibrahimovic in a 4-4-2 formation.

Lingard sought to sound the revolt for United, wriggling away from a pair of Chelsea players and unleashing a crisp drive that Courtois had to push away.

But in the 62nd minute it was game over. Nemanja Matic&#39;s pass down the inside-left channel found Hazard, who checked inside Smalling and steered a shot into the bottom-right corner.

Kante completed the rout, darting between Smalling and the sleep-walking Paul Pogba to tuck away his first Chelsea goal since his close-season switch from Leicester City.

Mourinho was appointed by United in May after being sacked by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich for a second time last December. With seven major titles across two spells, Mourinho is Chelsea&#39;s most successful ever manager, but his return to his old stomping ground ended in one of the most chastening results of his career.

Antonio Conte&#39;s side have now won three consecutive league games without conceding a goal and climbed to fourth place, just a point below leaders Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Pedro, Cahill, Hazard & Kante ripped apart Manchester United's poor defence, taking Chelsea to fourth place in the Premier League standings

Chelsea made it a miserable return for Jose Mourinho as they hammered his Manchester United side 4-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday in the Premier League. Pedro Rodriguez opened the scoring after just 30 seconds and Chelsea did not look back, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante completing an emphatic victory. He saw his side squander a chance to level when Zlatan Ibrahimovic headed over after Antonio Valencia had stood up a cross from the right. More slack defending allowed Chelsea to double their lead in the 21st minute, Cahill slamming home after Hazard's corner had struck Ander Herrera and bounced down inside the six-yard box. Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had been relatively untroubled up to that point, although he produced a smart double save to repel Herrera's left-foot effort and Jesse Lingard's follow-up. It was an ideal first half for Chelsea, but David Luiz was fortunate to escape with only a yellow card after planting his studs in Marouane Fellaini's knee five minutes before half-time. Mourinho changed tack at half-time, sending on Juan Mata for Fellaini and moving Marcus Rashford up front alongside Ibrahimovic in a 4-4-2 formation. Lingard sought to sound the revolt for United, wriggling away from a pair of Chelsea players and unleashing a crisp drive that Courtois had to push away. But in the 62nd minute it was game over. Nemanja Matic's pass down the inside-left channel found Hazard, who checked inside Smalling and steered a shot into the bottom-right corner. Kante completed the rout, darting between Smalling and the sleep-walking Paul Pogba to tuck away his first Chelsea goal since his close-season switch from Leicester City. Mourinho was appointed by United in May after being sacked by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich for a second time last December. With seven major titles across two spells, Mourinho is Chelsea's most successful ever manager, but his return to his old stomping ground ended in one of the most chastening results of his career. Antonio Conte's side have now won three consecutive league games without conceding a goal and climbed to fourth place, just a point below leaders Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool. (AFP)

Football: Chelsea thrash Mourinho's Manchester United 4-0

Lionel Messi shrugged off his recent woes from the penalty spot with a decisive 94th-minute spot-kick to move Barcelona top of La Liga with a pulsating 3-2 win at Valencia on Saturday.

Messi netted twice and his opener midway through the first half was allowed to stand despite Luis Suarez straying into an offside position.

However, it was Valencia who were up in arms at the officials when Messi opened the scoring on 22 minutes.

The Argentine&#39;s fifth goal in three games since returning from a groin injury sneaked in at Alves&#39;s near post, but the Brazilian goalkeeper had been distracted by the presence of the offside Suarez jumping over Messi&#39;s effort.

&quot;It is lamentable, absolutely lamentable that refereeing decisions prevented Valencia from taking a point or more from this match,&quot; Valencia sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch told BeIN Sports Spain.

Valencia hit back with two goals in six second-half minutes through on-loan Barca winger Munir El Haddadi and Rodrigo.

Valencia&#39;s lead lasted just six minutes despite Alves&#39;s best efforts as Suarez pounced to smash home a rebound after Ivan Rakitic&#39;s powerful header had been saved by the Valencia stopper.

Barca swarmed forward in search of a winner, but had to wait until deep into stoppage time when Messi played in Suarez and he was clearly taken out from behind by Abdennour. Messi stroked home his 14th goal of the season to secure a vital three points in the title race.

A bad-tempered encounter spilled over after Messi&#39;s strike, though, as Suarez and Neymar were hit by a plastic bottle thrown by the Valencia fans as Barca celebrated.

The victory moves the champions a point clear of Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, who face Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao respectively on Sunday.

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But as Barcelona celebrated, a teary-eyed captain Andres Iniesta was carried from the field following a knee injury, possibly ruled out for six to eight weeks. (AFP)
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However, the dramatic victory came at a cost for Barca as a tearful Andres Iniesta suffered ligament damage in his right knee that could keep him out for several months.

The game was only 14 minutes old when Iniesta was carried from the field in tears holding his right knee, which buckled under a heavy challenge from Enzo Perez.

Barca confirmed Iniesta suffered lateral collateral ligament damage, but said further tests would be carried out to determine the exact extent of the injury.

(AFP) 
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Messi, who had struggled from the penalty spot in recent seasons, netted twice earning crucial points to move Barca to the top spot

Lionel Messi shrugged off his recent woes from the penalty spot with a decisive 94th-minute spot-kick to move Barcelona top of La Liga with a pulsating 3-2 win at Valencia on Saturday. Messi netted twice and his opener midway through the first half was allowed to stand despite Luis Suarez straying into an offside position. However, it was Valencia who were up in arms at the officials when Messi opened the scoring on 22 minutes. The Argentine's fifth goal in three games since returning from a groin injury sneaked in at Alves's near post, but the Brazilian goalkeeper had been distracted by the presence of the offside Suarez jumping over Messi's effort. "It is lamentable, absolutely lamentable that refereeing decisions prevented Valencia from taking a point or more from this match," Valencia sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch told BeIN Sports Spain. Valencia hit back with two goals in six second-half minutes through on-loan Barca winger Munir El Haddadi and Rodrigo. Valencia's lead lasted just six minutes despite Alves's best efforts as Suarez pounced to smash home a rebound after Ivan Rakitic's powerful header had been saved by the Valencia stopper. Barca swarmed forward in search of a winner, but had to wait until deep into stoppage time when Messi played in Suarez and he was clearly taken out from behind by Abdennour. Messi stroked home his 14th goal of the season to secure a vital three points in the title race. A bad-tempered encounter spilled over after Messi's strike, though, as Suarez and Neymar were hit by a plastic bottle thrown by the Valencia fans as Barca celebrated. The victory moves the champions a point clear of Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, who face Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao respectively on Sunday. But as Barcelona celebrated, a teary-eyed captain Andres Iniesta was carried from the field following a knee injury, possibly ruled out for six to eight weeks. (AFP) × However, the dramatic victory came at a cost for Barca as a tearful Andres Iniesta suffered ligament damage in his right knee that could keep him out for several months. The game was only 14 minutes old when Iniesta was carried from the field in tears holding his right knee, which buckled under a heavy challenge from Enzo Perez. Barca confirmed Iniesta suffered lateral collateral ligament damage, but said further tests would be carried out to determine the exact extent of the injury. (AFP)

La Liga: Messi's penalty pushes Barcelona ahead of Valencia

An 81st-minute Gareth McAuley goal prevented Liverpool from provisionally going top in the Premier League as they defeated West Bromwich Albion 2-1 on Saturday.

Needing a two-goal win to move above leaders Arsenal, Liverpool took a 2-0 lead through Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho, but McAuley&#39;s strike left them in second place on goal difference.

&quot;I&#39;m really pleased with the performance,&quot; Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told Sky Sports. &quot;It was unbelievably difficult against West Brom. You have to always concentrate. They are so dangerous at set-pieces. But I think it would have been kind of a joke if we hadn&#39;t won today. It was unbelievable, how we played.&quot;

Klopp made one change to the Liverpool team held 0-0 by United last Monday, with the fit-again Adam Lallana returning to the starting XI at the expense of Daniel Sturridge.

Arsenal had earlier been held to a 0-0 draw by Middlesbrough. Arsenal, 6-0 winners over Ludogorets Razgrad in the Champions League in mid-week, were seeking an eighth successive win in all competitions.

But Middlesbrough came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half at the Emirates Stadium when Gaston Ramirez curled a 21st-minute free-kick against the post.

Arsenal dominated the second half, but had goalkeeper Petr Cech to thank for ensuring the visitors&#39; counter-attacks came to nought.

Fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur too played out a goalless stalemate at Bournemouth. Both teams hit the woodwork in the early stages, Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris diverting Charlie Daniels&#39;s shot onto the bar and Erik Lamela clipping the post from distance.

Tottenham extended their unbeaten start to the season to nine games. &quot;We had control, but we didn&#39;t create enough chances to score,&quot; said Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino. &quot;I think we need to be pleased in the end because it&#39;s one point more, one clean sheet, but it&#39;s true for us to be contenders we should be winning the games like today.&quot;

Pep Guardiola&#39;s Manchester City can reclaim first place by avoiding defeat at home to Southampton on Sunday, when Jose Mourinho makes his return to Chelsea with Manchester United.

(AFP) 
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Liverpool, which needed a two-goal win to replace leaders Arsenal, missed out on goal difference

An 81st-minute Gareth McAuley goal prevented Liverpool from provisionally going top in the Premier League as they defeated West Bromwich Albion 2-1 on Saturday. Needing a two-goal win to move above leaders Arsenal, Liverpool took a 2-0 lead through Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho, but McAuley's strike left them in second place on goal difference. "I'm really pleased with the performance," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told Sky Sports. "It was unbelievably difficult against West Brom. You have to always concentrate. They are so dangerous at set-pieces. But I think it would have been kind of a joke if we hadn't won today. It was unbelievable, how we played." Klopp made one change to the Liverpool team held 0-0 by United last Monday, with the fit-again Adam Lallana returning to the starting XI at the expense of Daniel Sturridge. Arsenal had earlier been held to a 0-0 draw by Middlesbrough. Arsenal, 6-0 winners over Ludogorets Razgrad in the Champions League in mid-week, were seeking an eighth successive win in all competitions. But Middlesbrough came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half at the Emirates Stadium when Gaston Ramirez curled a 21st-minute free-kick against the post. Arsenal dominated the second half, but had goalkeeper Petr Cech to thank for ensuring the visitors' counter-attacks came to nought. Fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur too played out a goalless stalemate at Bournemouth. Both teams hit the woodwork in the early stages, Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris diverting Charlie Daniels's shot onto the bar and Erik Lamela clipping the post from distance. Tottenham extended their unbeaten start to the season to nine games. "We had control, but we didn't create enough chances to score," said Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino. "I think we need to be pleased in the end because it's one point more, one clean sheet, but it's true for us to be contenders we should be winning the games like today." Pep Guardiola's Manchester City can reclaim first place by avoiding defeat at home to Southampton on Sunday, when Jose Mourinho makes his return to Chelsea with Manchester United. (AFP)

English Premier League: Liverpool climb to second spot as Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur misfire

Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League on goal difference after coming from behind to draw 1-1 with Southampton at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola&#39;s side, which&nbsp;began the season with 10 straight victories, have now gone five games without a win in all competitions, equalling the Spaniard&#39;s worst run as a manager when he was at Barcelona.

&quot;You can win 10 times and then you are not able to win five times,&quot; said Guardiola. &quot;I have to discover the reason why and I am going to find that.

&quot;We had problems creating our build-up. There is a difference between the first and second half. Unfortunately, we could not win.&quot;

It could have been even worse for City after they gifted Southampton the lead when a wayward pass from John Stones put Nathan Redmond in on goal after 27 minutes.

Moments later Stones thought he had atoned by bundling the ball into the net but his goal was disallowed for a Sergio Aguero offside.

Guardiola reacted to the poor first half by replacing Kevin De Bruyne with Kelechi Iheanacho, who made an immediate impact by scoring from close range after Fernandinho found Leroy Sane with an exquisite crossfield pass.

Saints remained a threat on the break and Claudio Bravo saved well from Charlie Austin on 74 minutes while Aguero went close at the other end, where Raheem Sterling was a constant threat as City pushed for the elusive winner.

(Reuters)

Pep Guardiola's side, which?began the season with 10 straight victories, have now gone five games without a win in all competitions

Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League on goal difference after coming from behind to draw 1-1 with Southampton at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Pep Guardiola's side, which began the season with 10 straight victories, have now gone five games without a win in all competitions, equalling the Spaniard's worst run as a manager when he was at Barcelona. "You can win 10 times and then you are not able to win five times," said Guardiola. "I have to discover the reason why and I am going to find that. "We had problems creating our build-up. There is a difference between the first and second half. Unfortunately, we could not win." It could have been even worse for City after they gifted Southampton the lead when a wayward pass from John Stones put Nathan Redmond in on goal after 27 minutes. Moments later Stones thought he had atoned by bundling the ball into the net but his goal was disallowed for a Sergio Aguero offside. Guardiola reacted to the poor first half by replacing Kevin De Bruyne with Kelechi Iheanacho, who made an immediate impact by scoring from close range after Fernandinho found Leroy Sane with an exquisite crossfield pass. Saints remained a threat on the break and Claudio Bravo saved well from Charlie Austin on 74 minutes while Aguero went close at the other end, where Raheem Sterling was a constant threat as City pushed for the elusive winner. (Reuters)

EPL: Manchester City draw 1-1 with Southampton, go top of league

Italians with selective memories might remember Marcello Lippi as the coach who quit moments after the Azzurri&#39;s first-round elimination, as defending champions, from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

But for connoisseurs of the beautiful game the dapper 68-year-old is the wily tactician who, in 2006, ended Italy&#39;s 24-year wait to be crowned world champions again.

Lippi, named coach of China on Saturday, won&#39;t be expected to work the same magic with a team that is ranked 84th in the world and likely to miss the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

But with one of football&#39;s most impressive CVs, coupled with a mandate that should give him significant control over players and resources, the Italian has the tools to put the underperforming Chinese on the road to success.

He was the first coach to win both the Champions League and World Cup and the first -- and only -- to win the Champions League in Europe and Asia (AFC).

Respected for his intricate knowledge of tactics and ability to squeeze every last drop from his players, Lippi&#39;s fatherly approach contrasts with his cold and calculated demeanour.

Amid the bombshell of a damaging betting scandal weeks before the 2006 World Cup, Lippi put an arm around the shoulders of his players to steer them, against all odds, to one of the most memorable World Cup finals in recent history.

Few believed Italy&#39;s 2006 squad, which included many players who failed to make an impact at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004, would succeed under Lippi.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said Lippi&#39;s &quot;humility&quot; and &quot;intelligence&quot; was key as he guided the controversy-hit Italians to international football&#39;s greatest prize.

&quot;I&#39;ve not worked with anyone quite like him. He can stimulate the players to such a degree that everyone gives 120 percent,&quot; the Italy and Juventus goalkeeper said prior to the 2006 final.

&quot;He makes every player feel important and treats everybody equally. It is difficult to find all these qualities in a coach.&quot;

&nbsp;

Monumental success

A former defender with Sampdoria, with whom he spent the bulk of his 363-game professional career, Lippi achieved his first significant coaching success by steering Napoli to the 1993-1994 UEFA Cup.

It was a huge achievement, given the financial demise of a club still basking in the triumph of the two titles they won in three seasons while under the spell of Diego Maradona.

When such a coaching talent emerges in Italy, Juventus are never usually far behind, and Lippi was appointed during the summer of 1994.

The silver-haired, straight-talking Tuscan helped Italy&#39;s most successful domestic club fill their trophy cabinet over a nine-year period that was interrupted by a comparatively disastrous season at Inter Milan in 1999-2000.

Lippi led Juventus to their second Champions League title (1996), five Serie A titles, one Italian Cup, four Italian Supercups, one European SuperCup and the Intercontinental Cup.

Although he had the likes of Edgar Davids, Zinedine Zidane and Pavel Nedved, he always insisted team unity was key.

&quot;A group of the best players do not necessarily make for the best team,&quot; Lippi would say.

He would later go on to manage Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande to three consecutive league titles between 2012 and 2014, setting him up for the next chapter in the career of one of the world&#39;s greatest coaches.

&nbsp;

(AFP)

?With his CV & a mandate that gives him enough control, the Italian has the tools to put the underperforming Chinese on the road to success

Italians with selective memories might remember Marcello Lippi as the coach who quit moments after the Azzurri's first-round elimination, as defending champions, from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. But for connoisseurs of the beautiful game the dapper 68-year-old is the wily tactician who, in 2006, ended Italy's 24-year wait to be crowned world champions again. Lippi, named coach of China on Saturday, won't be expected to work the same magic with a team that is ranked 84th in the world and likely to miss the 2018 World Cup in Russia. But with one of football's most impressive CVs, coupled with a mandate that should give him significant control over players and resources, the Italian has the tools to put the underperforming Chinese on the road to success. He was the first coach to win both the Champions League and World Cup and the first -- and only -- to win the Champions League in Europe and Asia (AFC). Respected for his intricate knowledge of tactics and ability to squeeze every last drop from his players, Lippi's fatherly approach contrasts with his cold and calculated demeanour. Amid the bombshell of a damaging betting scandal weeks before the 2006 World Cup, Lippi put an arm around the shoulders of his players to steer them, against all odds, to one of the most memorable World Cup finals in recent history. Few believed Italy's 2006 squad, which included many players who failed to make an impact at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004, would succeed under Lippi. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said Lippi's "humility" and "intelligence" was key as he guided the controversy-hit Italians to international football's greatest prize. "I've not worked with anyone quite like him. He can stimulate the players to such a degree that everyone gives 120 percent," the Italy and Juventus goalkeeper said prior to the 2006 final. "He makes every player feel important and treats everybody equally. It is difficult to find all these qualities in a coach." Monumental success A former defender with Sampdoria, with whom he spent the bulk of his 363-game professional career, Lippi achieved his first significant coaching success by steering Napoli to the 1993-1994 UEFA Cup. It was a huge achievement, given the financial demise of a club still basking in the triumph of the two titles they won in three seasons while under the spell of Diego Maradona. When such a coaching talent emerges in Italy, Juventus are never usually far behind, and Lippi was appointed during the summer of 1994. The silver-haired, straight-talking Tuscan helped Italy's most successful domestic club fill their trophy cabinet over a nine-year period that was interrupted by a comparatively disastrous season at Inter Milan in 1999-2000. Lippi led Juventus to their second Champions League title (1996), five Serie A titles, one Italian Cup, four Italian Supercups, one European SuperCup and the Intercontinental Cup. Although he had the likes of Edgar Davids, Zinedine Zidane and Pavel Nedved, he always insisted team unity was key. "A group of the best players do not necessarily make for the best team," Lippi would say. He would later go on to manage Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande to three consecutive league titles between 2012 and 2014, setting him up for the next chapter in the career of one of the world's greatest coaches. (AFP)

Lippi: One of the world's great coaches

World Cup-winning manager Marcello Lippi has been named as coach of China&#39;s national team, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) said on its website on Saturday.

The Italian replaced Gao Hongbo, who resigned this month after a 2-0 defeat in Uzbekistan dealt a further blow to the country&#39;s slim hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

&quot;The Chinese Football Association decided to appoint Mr. Lippi as coach of China&#39;s men&#39;s national team following amicable negotiations,&quot; read a short statement on the website.

No details of the contract were revealed but Lippi will be introduced to the media at a news conference in Beijing on Friday.

The 68-year-old, who won the World Cup with Italy in 2006, enjoyed a successful three-year spell with Guangzhou Evergrande, winning the Chinese League title three times and the Asian Champions League in 2013.

Lippi had been linked with a return to Guangzhou but the Chinese champions cleared the way for him to take the national team job when the club announced on Saturday they had agreed to terminate a contract signed early last month.

He will be China&#39;s third coach this year after Gao and Frenchman Alain Perrin, who was sacked in January, as the CFA bids to fulfil the ambition of President Xi Jinping for the country to qualify for the World Cup finals for a second time.

Lippi&#39;s first match in charge will be the World Cup qualifier against Qatar in Kunming on Nov. 15 but he will have his work cut out to resurrect their campaign.

The loss to Uzbekistan left China bottom of the six-team Asian Group A with one draw and three defeats after four of 10 matches in the round.

The top two qualify directly for Russia in 2018 with the third-placed side offered a passage to the finals via two playoffs.

At Evergrande, Lippi was handed a huge budget to bring in big-name European and Brazilian players, an option clearly not open to him with the national team.

Finding players to bolster China&#39;s goal tally - they have scored just two in their first four matches of this round of qualifying - will be a major challenge.

Of the top 13 goalscorers in the Chinese Super League going into this weekend&#39;s round of matches, only one - Shanghai SIPG&#39;s Wu Lei - was Chinese.

(Reuters)

The Italian replaced Gao Hongbo after a 2-0 defeat in Uzbekistan dealt a further blow to the country's 2018 World Cup hopes

World Cup-winning manager Marcello Lippi has been named as coach of China's national team, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) said on its website on Saturday. The Italian replaced Gao Hongbo, who resigned this month after a 2-0 defeat in Uzbekistan dealt a further blow to the country's slim hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. "The Chinese Football Association decided to appoint Mr. Lippi as coach of China's men's national team following amicable negotiations," read a short statement on the website. No details of the contract were revealed but Lippi will be introduced to the media at a news conference in Beijing on Friday. The 68-year-old, who won the World Cup with Italy in 2006, enjoyed a successful three-year spell with Guangzhou Evergrande, winning the Chinese League title three times and the Asian Champions League in 2013. Lippi had been linked with a return to Guangzhou but the Chinese champions cleared the way for him to take the national team job when the club announced on Saturday they had agreed to terminate a contract signed early last month. He will be China's third coach this year after Gao and Frenchman Alain Perrin, who was sacked in January, as the CFA bids to fulfil the ambition of President Xi Jinping for the country to qualify for the World Cup finals for a second time. Lippi's first match in charge will be the World Cup qualifier against Qatar in Kunming on Nov. 15 but he will have his work cut out to resurrect their campaign. The loss to Uzbekistan left China bottom of the six-team Asian Group A with one draw and three defeats after four of 10 matches in the round. The top two qualify directly for Russia in 2018 with the third-placed side offered a passage to the finals via two playoffs. At Evergrande, Lippi was handed a huge budget to bring in big-name European and Brazilian players, an option clearly not open to him with the national team. Finding players to bolster China's goal tally - they have scored just two in their first four matches of this round of qualifying - will be a major challenge. Of the top 13 goalscorers in the Chinese Super League going into this weekend's round of matches, only one - Shanghai SIPG's Wu Lei - was Chinese. (Reuters)

Football: World Cup-winning coach Lippi appointed China manager

Under-pressure Frank de Boer saw his Inter Milan side hold on with 10 men to beat Premier League outfit Southampton 1-0 in their Europa League clash at San Siro on Thursday.

Antonio Candreva got the only goal of the game midway through the second half for the Serie A club, who were forced to play out the final 13 minutes a man down after Marcelo Brozovic was sent off.

It was a cruel result for Southampton, who had been the better side and saw Jay Rodriguez have a goal disallowed early in the second half.

The result sees Saints remain on four points in Group K, two points behind Sparta Prague, who beat Hapoel Beer-Sheva 1-0 in Israel.

For Inter, it was a first three points in the competition and the win against a team in good form in the Premier League should buy Dutch coach De Boer some time as the Nerazzurri struggle for results.

Captain Mauro Icardi, forced to issue an apology to fans in midweek and promise to reprint his autobiography after including an allegedly distorted description of a 2015 altercation with the club&#39;s hardline &#39;ultra&#39; supporters, started for the hosts.

Southampton boss Claude Puel made a host of changes to the team that beat Burnley at the weekend, including giving a first start at left-back to the young Sam McQueen.

It had the air of an historic evening for the English side, who were in the third tier when Inter won the Champions League in 2010.

An army of seven thousand travelling fans from England helped generate an atmosphere at a largely empty San Siro, but the Saints supporters were left frustrated by their team&#39;s inability to translate their dominance into goals.

Yuto Nagatomo had to clear off the line to prevent goalkeeper Samir Handanovic deflecting a McQueen cross into his own net just before the half-hour, and James Ward-Prowse fired narrowly over after being set up by the impressive Cuco Martina.

Rodriguez, sliding in at the back post, was then just unable to get a touch after Shane Long had flicked on a Martina cross, while all Inter offered in the first half was an Eder strike that flashed narrowly past.

The visitors replaced the injured Long with Charlie Austin just after half-time before Rodriguez had the ball in the net in the 51st minute.

After he had been prevented from getting a shot away by a great Joao Miranda tackle, he headed in from the subsequent corner but the Lithuanian referee&#39;s whistle had already blown for an apparent foul by the striker.

Inter went on to take the lead on 67 minutes as Davide Santon delivered a low ball from the left and Candreva came across Virgil van Dijk to finish emphatically into the roof of the net past Fraser Forster.

Croatian midfielder Brozovic was dismissed for a second yellow for catching Pierre Hojbjerg, and Southampton laid siege to the home goal in the closing stages.

However, skipper Van Dijk was denied by Handanovic at point-blank range and then saw a header cleared off the line.

Handanovic produced a great save from Austin before Ward-Prowse volleyed just past in the 95th minute.

Saints will hope to gain revenge when the teams met again at St Mary&#39;s in two weeks. 
 
(AFP)

An army of seven thousand travelling fans from England helped generate an atmosphere at a largely empty San Siro

Under-pressure Frank de Boer saw his Inter Milan side hold on with 10 men to beat Premier League outfit Southampton 1-0 in their Europa League clash at San Siro on Thursday. Antonio Candreva got the only goal of the game midway through the second half for the Serie A club, who were forced to play out the final 13 minutes a man down after Marcelo Brozovic was sent off. It was a cruel result for Southampton, who had been the better side and saw Jay Rodriguez have a goal disallowed early in the second half. The result sees Saints remain on four points in Group K, two points behind Sparta Prague, who beat Hapoel Beer-Sheva 1-0 in Israel. For Inter, it was a first three points in the competition and the win against a team in good form in the Premier League should buy Dutch coach De Boer some time as the Nerazzurri struggle for results. Captain Mauro Icardi, forced to issue an apology to fans in midweek and promise to reprint his autobiography after including an allegedly distorted description of a 2015 altercation with the club's hardline 'ultra' supporters, started for the hosts. Southampton boss Claude Puel made a host of changes to the team that beat Burnley at the weekend, including giving a first start at left-back to the young Sam McQueen. It had the air of an historic evening for the English side, who were in the third tier when Inter won the Champions League in 2010. An army of seven thousand travelling fans from England helped generate an atmosphere at a largely empty San Siro, but the Saints supporters were left frustrated by their team's inability to translate their dominance into goals. Yuto Nagatomo had to clear off the line to prevent goalkeeper Samir Handanovic deflecting a McQueen cross into his own net just before the half-hour, and James Ward-Prowse fired narrowly over after being set up by the impressive Cuco Martina. Rodriguez, sliding in at the back post, was then just unable to get a touch after Shane Long had flicked on a Martina cross, while all Inter offered in the first half was an Eder strike that flashed narrowly past. The visitors replaced the injured Long with Charlie Austin just after half-time before Rodriguez had the ball in the net in the 51st minute. After he had been prevented from getting a shot away by a great Joao Miranda tackle, he headed in from the subsequent corner but the Lithuanian referee's whistle had already blown for an apparent foul by the striker. Inter went on to take the lead on 67 minutes as Davide Santon delivered a low ball from the left and Candreva came across Virgil van Dijk to finish emphatically into the roof of the net past Fraser Forster. Croatian midfielder Brozovic was dismissed for a second yellow for catching Pierre Hojbjerg, and Southampton laid siege to the home goal in the closing stages. However, skipper Van Dijk was denied by Handanovic at point-blank range and then saw a header cleared off the line. Handanovic produced a great save from Austin before Ward-Prowse volleyed just past in the 95th minute. Saints will hope to gain revenge when the teams met again at St Mary's in two weeks. (AFP)

Europa League: Inter Milan 1-0 Southampton

Bayern Munich broke their three-game winless streak with an emphatic 4-1 win at home to PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday in the Champions League with winger Arjen Robben outstanding.

Thomas Mueller and Joshua Kimmich put Bayern ahead at the Allianz Arena before Luciano Narsingh netted for Eindhoven before the break, but Robert Lewandowski made it 3-1 on the hour mark.

Robben, who created two goals, capped an eye-catching display with a fourth goal as Bayern got their Group D campaign back on track after their 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid three weeks ago.

&quot;We started well and created good chances to go 2-0, we weren&#39;t that dominant and we had to be careful at the back. They showed what they can do on the counter,&quot; said Robben.

&quot;We dominated in the second and deserved the high win.&quot;

After talk from the German media of a &#39;mini-crisis&#39;, following three games without a win in all competitions, this was the result and performance Bayern needed.

But the German league leaders were aided and abetted by an Eindhoven defence which left acres of space to exploit, especially early on, allowing Bayern 28 shots on goal, while the Dutch managed only eight in reply.

Robben, 32, scored his first header in the Champions League, but credited the goal to Thiago Alcantara&#39;s superb chip.

&quot;It was nice to get the header, but it was down to the beatiful pass from Thiago, he deserves the credit,&quot; said Robben.

Bayern remain second in Group D, three points behind leaders Atletico, who won 1-0 at Rostov, while Eindhoven are third with a single point.

Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti had hinted at changes from the side which drew 2-2 at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, a Bundesliga performance chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge had branded &quot;unacceptable&quot;.

Lewandowski was the only change to the starting line-up in a 4-3-3 formation as Mueller switched to the wing and Kingsley Coman dropping to the bench.

Eindhoven coach Phillip Cocu made two changes from their 1-1 Dutch league draw with Heracles Almelo as Netherlands striker Narsingh and Mexico winger Andres Guardado returned.

Bayern needed just 12 minutes to take the lead thanks to quick thinking from Mueller and Robben, who fired in a short pass from a corner.

Eindhoven goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet parried Mueller&#39;s shot, but the Germany international snapped up the rebound and slotted home off his right foot.

&quot;It&#39;s my eighth season playing with Thomas,&quot; explained Robben.

&quot;I often know what he&#39;s going to do, and we work on things like that in training and we used the chance well.&quot;

Bayern exploited the space Eindhoven generously gave them at the back.

David Alaba&#39;s cross clipped a defender, but Kimmich tracked the looping ball to header over the line on 21 minutes for his seventh goal in eight games.

Eindhoven then tightened their defence and started to attack.

Uruguay winger Gaston Pereiro had the ball in the Munich net on their first meaningful attack on 39 minutes, but the goal was incorrectly ruled off side.

The Dutch clawed one back two minutes later when Narsingh&#39;s superb shot from outside the area crashed in off the post to the annoyance of Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to make it 2-1 at the break.

Lewandowski fired wide in the first two minutes after the break, but only Neuer&#39;s reflex save denied Pereiro at the other end.

Just as PSV were gaining momentum, Bayern extended their lead.

Robben beat two defenders before Zoet parried his shot before Lewandowski headed in the rebound on 59 minutes.

Zoet&#39;s saves, to deny Alaba and Mueller, kept the score respectable before Thiago Alcantara&#39;s chip saw Robben nudge the ball over the Eindhoven keeper on 84 minutes. 
 
(AFP)

Bayern remain second in Group D, three points behind Atletico, while Eindhoven are third with a single point

Bayern Munich broke their three-game winless streak with an emphatic 4-1 win at home to PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday in the Champions League with winger Arjen Robben outstanding. Thomas Mueller and Joshua Kimmich put Bayern ahead at the Allianz Arena before Luciano Narsingh netted for Eindhoven before the break, but Robert Lewandowski made it 3-1 on the hour mark. Robben, who created two goals, capped an eye-catching display with a fourth goal as Bayern got their Group D campaign back on track after their 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid three weeks ago. "We started well and created good chances to go 2-0, we weren't that dominant and we had to be careful at the back. They showed what they can do on the counter," said Robben. "We dominated in the second and deserved the high win." After talk from the German media of a 'mini-crisis', following three games without a win in all competitions, this was the result and performance Bayern needed. But the German league leaders were aided and abetted by an Eindhoven defence which left acres of space to exploit, especially early on, allowing Bayern 28 shots on goal, while the Dutch managed only eight in reply. Robben, 32, scored his first header in the Champions League, but credited the goal to Thiago Alcantara's superb chip. "It was nice to get the header, but it was down to the beatiful pass from Thiago, he deserves the credit," said Robben. Bayern remain second in Group D, three points behind leaders Atletico, who won 1-0 at Rostov, while Eindhoven are third with a single point. Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti had hinted at changes from the side which drew 2-2 at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, a Bundesliga performance chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge had branded "unacceptable". Lewandowski was the only change to the starting line-up in a 4-3-3 formation as Mueller switched to the wing and Kingsley Coman dropping to the bench. Eindhoven coach Phillip Cocu made two changes from their 1-1 Dutch league draw with Heracles Almelo as Netherlands striker Narsingh and Mexico winger Andres Guardado returned. Bayern needed just 12 minutes to take the lead thanks to quick thinking from Mueller and Robben, who fired in a short pass from a corner. Eindhoven goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet parried Mueller's shot, but the Germany international snapped up the rebound and slotted home off his right foot. "It's my eighth season playing with Thomas," explained Robben. "I often know what he's going to do, and we work on things like that in training and we used the chance well." Bayern exploited the space Eindhoven generously gave them at the back. David Alaba's cross clipped a defender, but Kimmich tracked the looping ball to header over the line on 21 minutes for his seventh goal in eight games. Eindhoven then tightened their defence and started to attack. Uruguay winger Gaston Pereiro had the ball in the Munich net on their first meaningful attack on 39 minutes, but the goal was incorrectly ruled off side. The Dutch clawed one back two minutes later when Narsingh's superb shot from outside the area crashed in off the post to the annoyance of Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to make it 2-1 at the break. Lewandowski fired wide in the first two minutes after the break, but only Neuer's reflex save denied Pereiro at the other end. Just as PSV were gaining momentum, Bayern extended their lead. Robben beat two defenders before Zoet parried his shot before Lewandowski headed in the rebound on 59 minutes. Zoet's saves, to deny Alaba and Mueller, kept the score respectable before Thiago Alcantara's chip saw Robben nudge the ball over the Eindhoven keeper on 84 minutes. (AFP)

Bayern Munich break winless streak with 4-1 win over Eindhoven

Vincent Aboubakar headed a late goal, his second of the game, to give Besiktas a shock 3-2 win away at Napoli in the Champions League after the Serie A team had twice come from behind and missed a penalty along the way.

An early goal by Adriano gave Besiktas the lead, Dries Mertens equalised on the half hour and Aboubakar put the Turkish side back in front before halftime in the Group B game.

Lorenzo Insigne&#39;s penalty was saved by Fabricio in the 50th minute but Napoli were awarded another spot kick 19 minutes later and substitute Manolo Gabbiadini converted.

Gabbiadini also had a goal disallowed for offside before Aboubakar got behind the Napoli defence to head home in the 86th minute, leaving Napoli with six points in Group B and the Turkish side with five.

Napoli, beaten in their last two games, fielded Mertens as a false number nine to replace injured striker Arkadiusz Milik.

The Belgian had two early chances but Besiktas went ahead with their first chance in the 12th minute when the unmarked Adriano turned in Ricardo Quaresma&#39;s low cross at the far post.

Mertens levelled from close range after half an hour, only for Aboubakar to pounce on a dreadful pass from Christian Maggio and plant his shot past Pepe Reina.

Napoli were awarded their first penalty soon after halftime but Insigne saw his shot saved by Fabricio. However, substitute Gabbiadini, who replaced Insigne shortly afterwards, made no mistake from another spot kick in the 69th minute.

Napoli seemed poised to take all three points but instead the Cameroonian Aboubakar snatched an unlikely win for Besiktas. 
 
(Reuters)

Aboubakar gave Besiktas a shock 3-2 win in the Champions League match

Vincent Aboubakar headed a late goal, his second of the game, to give Besiktas a shock 3-2 win away at Napoli in the Champions League after the Serie A team had twice come from behind and missed a penalty along the way. An early goal by Adriano gave Besiktas the lead, Dries Mertens equalised on the half hour and Aboubakar put the Turkish side back in front before halftime in the Group B game. Lorenzo Insigne's penalty was saved by Fabricio in the 50th minute but Napoli were awarded another spot kick 19 minutes later and substitute Manolo Gabbiadini converted. Gabbiadini also had a goal disallowed for offside before Aboubakar got behind the Napoli defence to head home in the 86th minute, leaving Napoli with six points in Group B and the Turkish side with five. Napoli, beaten in their last two games, fielded Mertens as a false number nine to replace injured striker Arkadiusz Milik. The Belgian had two early chances but Besiktas went ahead with their first chance in the 12th minute when the unmarked Adriano turned in Ricardo Quaresma's low cross at the far post. Mertens levelled from close range after half an hour, only for Aboubakar to pounce on a dreadful pass from Christian Maggio and plant his shot past Pepe Reina. Napoli were awarded their first penalty soon after halftime but Insigne saw his shot saved by Fabricio. However, substitute Gabbiadini, who replaced Insigne shortly afterwards, made no mistake from another spot kick in the 69th minute. Napoli seemed poised to take all three points but instead the Cameroonian Aboubakar snatched an unlikely win for Besiktas. (Reuters)

Aboubakar gives Besiktas dramatic win over Napoli

Lionel Messi scored his second hat-trick in as many Champions League games to give Barcelona a 4-0 win over Manchester City as Pep Guardiola and Claudio Bravo endured harrowing returns to the Nou Camp on Wednesday.

A slip by Fernandinho allowed Messi to round former team mate Bravo and open the scoring in the 17th minute and the keeper completed a miserable night by getting sent off in the second half for handling outside the area after losing the ball.

The magical Messi hammered in his second from the edge of the area after turning two City defenders and pounced on a Luis Suarez lay-off to complete his treble in the 69th minute.

Barca substitute Jeremy Mathieu was then dismissed for two bookable offences. Neymar had a late penalty saved by substitute Willy Caballero but the Brazilian made amends by scoring the fourth goal in the 89th minute. 
 
(Reuters)

Messi scored his goals in the 17th, 61st and 69th minutes

Lionel Messi scored his second hat-trick in as many Champions League games to give Barcelona a 4-0 win over Manchester City as Pep Guardiola and Claudio Bravo endured harrowing returns to the Nou Camp on Wednesday. A slip by Fernandinho allowed Messi to round former team mate Bravo and open the scoring in the 17th minute and the keeper completed a miserable night by getting sent off in the second half for handling outside the area after losing the ball. The magical Messi hammered in his second from the edge of the area after turning two City defenders and pounced on a Luis Suarez lay-off to complete his treble in the 69th minute. Barca substitute Jeremy Mathieu was then dismissed for two bookable offences. Neymar had a late penalty saved by substitute Willy Caballero but the Brazilian made amends by scoring the fourth goal in the 89th minute. (Reuters)

Messi's hat-trick drives Barcelona to 4-0 win over Manchester City

India captain Sunil Chhetri led Bengaluru FC to a historic AFC Cup final by scripting an inspiring 3-1 win over defending champions Johor Darul Ta&#39;zim with his stunning double strike, on Wednesday.

Bengaluru made it to the final by virtue of superior aggregate goal difference of 4-2. The first leg in Malaysia ended in a 1-1 draw.

It is a historic day for Indian football as no club from the country has ever made it to the summit clash of the prestigious second-tier continental tournament.

After the Malaysian team went ahead with Shafiq Rahim&#39;s 11th minute goal, Chhetri struck the equaliser in the 41st minute and put the side ahead in the 67th minute. Bengaluru&#39;s win was sealed when Spanish defender Juan Antonio Gonzalez Fernandez found the back of the net in the 75th minute.

In front of a packed stadium, the hosts, who trailed 0-1 till the 41st minute, saw their skipper rising to the occasion as he nodded home a Eugenson Lyngdoh flag kick. Chhetri evaded the defence and timed his jump to perfection to bring the &#39;Blues&#39; back in the match.

However, the defining moment came in the second half when Chhetri made space for himself from 30-yards and took a crack with his in-step to slot home, beating the outstretched hands of custodian Izham.

Lyngdoh who had a dream night at the centre of the park also had a hand in the final goal which shut the defending champions out of the contest.

An indirect free kick was beautifully swerved into the 18-yard box as the lanky Juanan outjumped the defensive melee to place the delivery to perfection as the fans went into delirium.

The significance of this achievement could be gauged by the fact that only two Indian football clubs - Dempo Sports Club of Goa and Kolkata giants East Bengal - had made it to the semi-finals of the tournament since its inception.

Earlier, the Blues constantly applied pressure but Johor took the lead first up as Shafiq nodded home after BFC goalkeeper Amrinder parried the ball in the box.

The first half was a fantastic display of football by both the sides ending at 1-1, but the Blues played dominant game with majority ball possession and making regular forays into opponent&#39;s defence areas.

Down 0-1, the Blues raided the JDT defense constantly but without much success with one of the best chances coming in 28th minute through Chhetri as the ball flashed past the goal three times in sheer madness.

The Blues also had a good chance to equalise in 18th minute as Lyngdoh&#39;s cross led to mayhem in the box, not before Izham saved twice after a crazy minute.

Blues were unlucky in 21st minute as referee signalled for play to continue despite of huge shout for handball by a rival player.

JDT&#39;s Antonio was booked for arguing with the referee in 25th minute.

The second half, however, was completely dominated by the hosts, hardly giving any chance to the rivals by completely outplaying them.

In 48th minute of the match, the Blues made another move with Vineeth dodged past Antonio, found Chhetri unmarked at the edge of the area but he kicked wide.

In 55th minute, Eugene weaved past Antonio with ease but the JDT man recovered well and the hosts had a corner. The rivals managed to clear their lines after Alwyn George&#39;s ill-directed shot. 
 
(PTI)

India captain Sunil Chhetri scored two goals against Malaysian team Johor Darul Ta'zim

India captain Sunil Chhetri led Bengaluru FC to a historic AFC Cup final by scripting an inspiring 3-1 win over defending champions Johor Darul Ta'zim with his stunning double strike, on Wednesday. Bengaluru made it to the final by virtue of superior aggregate goal difference of 4-2. The first leg in Malaysia ended in a 1-1 draw. It is a historic day for Indian football as no club from the country has ever made it to the summit clash of the prestigious second-tier continental tournament. After the Malaysian team went ahead with Shafiq Rahim's 11th minute goal, Chhetri struck the equaliser in the 41st minute and put the side ahead in the 67th minute. Bengaluru's win was sealed when Spanish defender Juan Antonio Gonzalez Fernandez found the back of the net in the 75th minute. In front of a packed stadium, the hosts, who trailed 0-1 till the 41st minute, saw their skipper rising to the occasion as he nodded home a Eugenson Lyngdoh flag kick. Chhetri evaded the defence and timed his jump to perfection to bring the 'Blues' back in the match. However, the defining moment came in the second half when Chhetri made space for himself from 30-yards and took a crack with his in-step to slot home, beating the outstretched hands of custodian Izham. Lyngdoh who had a dream night at the centre of the park also had a hand in the final goal which shut the defending champions out of the contest. An indirect free kick was beautifully swerved into the 18-yard box as the lanky Juanan outjumped the defensive melee to place the delivery to perfection as the fans went into delirium. The significance of this achievement could be gauged by the fact that only two Indian football clubs - Dempo Sports Club of Goa and Kolkata giants East Bengal - had made it to the semi-finals of the tournament since its inception. Earlier, the Blues constantly applied pressure but Johor took the lead first up as Shafiq nodded home after BFC goalkeeper Amrinder parried the ball in the box. The first half was a fantastic display of football by both the sides ending at 1-1, but the Blues played dominant game with majority ball possession and making regular forays into opponent's defence areas. Down 0-1, the Blues raided the JDT defense constantly but without much success with one of the best chances coming in 28th minute through Chhetri as the ball flashed past the goal three times in sheer madness. The Blues also had a good chance to equalise in 18th minute as Lyngdoh's cross led to mayhem in the box, not before Izham saved twice after a crazy minute. Blues were unlucky in 21st minute as referee signalled for play to continue despite of huge shout for handball by a rival player. JDT's Antonio was booked for arguing with the referee in 25th minute. The second half, however, was completely dominated by the hosts, hardly giving any chance to the rivals by completely outplaying them. In 48th minute of the match, the Blues made another move with Vineeth dodged past Antonio, found Chhetri unmarked at the edge of the area but he kicked wide. In 55th minute, Eugene weaved past Antonio with ease but the JDT man recovered well and the hosts had a corner. The rivals managed to clear their lines after Alwyn George's ill-directed shot. (PTI)

Bengaluru FC first Indian club to reach AFC Cup semi-final

Riyad Mahrez secured another Champions League victory for Leicester City on Tuesday while big boys Real Madrid, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund were also in winning form.

Leicester maintained a perfect record in Group G in their first foray in Europe&#39;s elite club competition by edging FC Copenhagen 1-0 at the King Power Stadium with Mahrez getting the only goal of the game.

Islam Slimani headed down a Jamie Vardy cross for Mahrez to score with a close-range volley with the outside of his left foot five minutes before half-time.

With Porto winning 2-1 away to Club Brugge in the group&#39;s other game, Claudio Ranieri&#39;s side now know a win away to Copenhagen in their next match on November 2 will secure a place in the last 16.

&quot;We&#39;re in a good position now,&quot; said Ranieri.

&quot;We knew it would be tough. Copenhagen tried until the end. It was difficult at the start, but the performance was good.&quot;

In Bruges, Jelle Vossen put the home side in front early on but Miguel Layun lashed in the equaliser midway through the second half and Andre Silva scored a stoppage-time winner from the penalty spot.

For Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas it was a 92nd win in the Champions League, allowing him to surpass Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez and establish a new record.

Leicester&#39;s Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur found themselves hanging on for a point as they claimed a 0-0 draw away to Bayer Leverkusen in Germany in Group E.

A Vincent Janssen header that came back off the bar was the closest Spurs came to scoring at the BayArena.

The home side piled on the pressure in the second half but Javier Hernandez was denied by a brilliant save on the line by Hugo Lloris and Stefan Kiessling missed a great chance late on.

&quot;We can be pleased with the point,&quot; said Lloris.

&quot;The game turned in the second half, Leverkusen pressed high and we struggled a bit. I think the draw is a good result for us.&quot;

Just three points separate all four teams in the section, but it is Monaco who are on top after coming from behind to draw 1-1 at CSKA Moscow.

Ivorian striker Lacina Traore, on loan from Monaco, scored against his parent club in the 34th minute but Bernardo Silva equalised for the visitors late on.

Trouble mars Madrid win

Reigning champions Real Madrid cruised to a 5-1 victory at home to Legia Warsaw in Group F after supporter violence marred the build-up to the game at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Five fans and two police officers were treated for minor injuries following clashes outside the stadium before kick-off.

When the game began, Vadis Odjidja struck the post for the visitors before Gareth Bale fired in the opener and a Marcelo shot went in off Tomasz Jodlowiec.

Miroslav Radovic pulled one back from the penalty spot but Marco Asensio made it 3-1 before the interval and substitutes Lucas Vazquez and Alvaro Morata added further goals in the second half.

Zinedine Zidane&#39;s side are level on seven points at the top of the group with Borussia Dortmund, who were 2-1 winners over Sporting Lisbon in Portugal.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang burst through for an early opener and a superb Julian Weigl strike made it 2-0 but Dortmund were hanging on after Bruno Cesar reduced the deficit midway through the second half.

In Group H Juan Cuadrado came off the bench to score a late winner as 10-man Juventus beat Lyon 1-0 in France.

Gianluigi Buffon was in fine form for the Italian champions as he saved a first-half Alexandre Lacazette penalty, while Juve had Mario Lemina sent off early in the second period.

But Cuadrado netted the winner 14 minutes from the end as the hosts failed to make their man advantage count.

&quot;I should thank Mario Lemina for his sending-off because I thought we played better with a man less,&quot; said Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri.

They are level at the top of the group with Sevilla, who were 1-0 winners away to Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia, Samir Nasri netting the only goal.

(AFP)

Riyad Mahrez helped Leicester win their third straight game while Real Madrid romped to a 4-1 win over Legia Warsaw

Riyad Mahrez secured another Champions League victory for Leicester City on Tuesday while big boys Real Madrid, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund were also in winning form. Leicester maintained a perfect record in Group G in their first foray in Europe's elite club competition by edging FC Copenhagen 1-0 at the King Power Stadium with Mahrez getting the only goal of the game. Islam Slimani headed down a Jamie Vardy cross for Mahrez to score with a close-range volley with the outside of his left foot five minutes before half-time. With Porto winning 2-1 away to Club Brugge in the group's other game, Claudio Ranieri's side now know a win away to Copenhagen in their next match on November 2 will secure a place in the last 16. "We're in a good position now," said Ranieri. "We knew it would be tough. Copenhagen tried until the end. It was difficult at the start, but the performance was good." In Bruges, Jelle Vossen put the home side in front early on but Miguel Layun lashed in the equaliser midway through the second half and Andre Silva scored a stoppage-time winner from the penalty spot. For Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas it was a 92nd win in the Champions League, allowing him to surpass Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez and establish a new record. Leicester's Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur found themselves hanging on for a point as they claimed a 0-0 draw away to Bayer Leverkusen in Germany in Group E. A Vincent Janssen header that came back off the bar was the closest Spurs came to scoring at the BayArena. The home side piled on the pressure in the second half but Javier Hernandez was denied by a brilliant save on the line by Hugo Lloris and Stefan Kiessling missed a great chance late on. "We can be pleased with the point," said Lloris. "The game turned in the second half, Leverkusen pressed high and we struggled a bit. I think the draw is a good result for us." Just three points separate all four teams in the section, but it is Monaco who are on top after coming from behind to draw 1-1 at CSKA Moscow. Ivorian striker Lacina Traore, on loan from Monaco, scored against his parent club in the 34th minute but Bernardo Silva equalised for the visitors late on. Trouble mars Madrid win Reigning champions Real Madrid cruised to a 5-1 victory at home to Legia Warsaw in Group F after supporter violence marred the build-up to the game at the Santiago Bernabeu. Five fans and two police officers were treated for minor injuries following clashes outside the stadium before kick-off. When the game began, Vadis Odjidja struck the post for the visitors before Gareth Bale fired in the opener and a Marcelo shot went in off Tomasz Jodlowiec. Miroslav Radovic pulled one back from the penalty spot but Marco Asensio made it 3-1 before the interval and substitutes Lucas Vazquez and Alvaro Morata added further goals in the second half. Zinedine Zidane's side are level on seven points at the top of the group with Borussia Dortmund, who were 2-1 winners over Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang burst through for an early opener and a superb Julian Weigl strike made it 2-0 but Dortmund were hanging on after Bruno Cesar reduced the deficit midway through the second half. In Group H Juan Cuadrado came off the bench to score a late winner as 10-man Juventus beat Lyon 1-0 in France. Gianluigi Buffon was in fine form for the Italian champions as he saved a first-half Alexandre Lacazette penalty, while Juve had Mario Lemina sent off early in the second period. But Cuadrado netted the winner 14 minutes from the end as the hosts failed to make their man advantage count. "I should thank Mario Lemina for his sending-off because I thought we played better with a man less," said Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri. They are level at the top of the group with Sevilla, who were 1-0 winners away to Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia, Samir Nasri netting the only goal. (AFP)

Champions League: Leicester maintain perfect record; Real, Dortmund post wins

One of the most eagerly-awaited clashes of the Premier League season turned into a major letdown as Liverpool and Manchester United nullified each other in a largely undistinguished goalless draw at Anfield on Monday.

After all the hype preceding the battle between English football&#39;s fiercest rivals, United&#39;s manager Jose Mourinho was left happier than his counterpart Juergen Klopp as the visitors doused Liverpool&#39;s acclaimed attacking pyrotechnics.

The home side, full of goals all season, proved desperately disappointing until finding some second-half drive and may have still felt they deserved the win as United goalkeeper David de Gea had to make fine saves from Emre Can and Philippe Coutinho.&nbsp;

Mourinho, the master of stifling Anfield dreams when at Chelsea, again found his tactical mastery rewarded but United, seventh in the table on 14 points, have still won just one of their last five league games while Liverpool stay fourth on 17, two behind leaders Manchester City and Arsenal.

The Portuguese sounded particularly satisfied as he suggested United&#39;s ability to keep a clean sheet against their hosts had shown &quot;they (Liverpool) are not the last wonder of the world like you like to say they are&quot;.

Klopp, though, talked of &quot;mixed feelings&quot;, admitting it had been a poor spectacle.

&quot;I am not frustrated but I am not happy with the performance. No one will show this game in 10 or 20 years but we could have played better.

&quot;We get a point. It doesn&#39;t feel like the best thing but it is what we got.&quot;

His usually whirlwind Liverpool were effectively subdued in the first half as Mourinho reverted to conservative type, bringing in Marouane Fellaini to partner Ander Herrera in a stifling central midfield combination.

Throwing men behind the ball and taking the voice out of the passionate home crowd, United controlled most of the play in the opening half-hour even if a 40-metre Zlatan Ibrahimovic free kick blasted into row Z was their lowest of highlights.

Liverpool, without the injured Georginio Wijnaldum and forced to leave Adam Lallana on the bench, never got going, with Daniel Sturridge proving disappointing, and they looked nervous in front of their fevered fans.

It took them more than half an hour before a Roberto Firmino header straight at De Gea represented their first attempt on goal.

It was only after the break that they began to show glimpses of their true colours, Can wriggling through to force a fine one-handed save from De Gea at full stretch before the Spanish keeper delivered an even finer stop, flying through the air to tip Coutinho&#39;s curler wide.

A brilliant last-gasp challenge by Antonio Valencia deprived Firmino but United, for all their solidity, had only one effort on target and looked back ruefully on their best chance, a tame header across goal from Ibrahimovic after a great delivery from Paul Pogba.

(Reuters)

Man United, seventh in the table, have still won just one of their last five league games while Liverpool stay fourth

One of the most eagerly-awaited clashes of the Premier League season turned into a major letdown as Liverpool and Manchester United nullified each other in a largely undistinguished goalless draw at Anfield on Monday. After all the hype preceding the battle between English football's fiercest rivals, United's manager Jose Mourinho was left happier than his counterpart Juergen Klopp as the visitors doused Liverpool's acclaimed attacking pyrotechnics. The home side, full of goals all season, proved desperately disappointing until finding some second-half drive and may have still felt they deserved the win as United goalkeeper David de Gea had to make fine saves from Emre Can and Philippe Coutinho. Mourinho, the master of stifling Anfield dreams when at Chelsea, again found his tactical mastery rewarded but United, seventh in the table on 14 points, have still won just one of their last five league games while Liverpool stay fourth on 17, two behind leaders Manchester City and Arsenal. The Portuguese sounded particularly satisfied as he suggested United's ability to keep a clean sheet against their hosts had shown "they (Liverpool) are not the last wonder of the world like you like to say they are". Klopp, though, talked of "mixed feelings", admitting it had been a poor spectacle. "I am not frustrated but I am not happy with the performance. No one will show this game in 10 or 20 years but we could have played better. "We get a point. It doesn't feel like the best thing but it is what we got." His usually whirlwind Liverpool were effectively subdued in the first half as Mourinho reverted to conservative type, bringing in Marouane Fellaini to partner Ander Herrera in a stifling central midfield combination. Throwing men behind the ball and taking the voice out of the passionate home crowd, United controlled most of the play in the opening half-hour even if a 40-metre Zlatan Ibrahimovic free kick blasted into row Z was their lowest of highlights. Liverpool, without the injured Georginio Wijnaldum and forced to leave Adam Lallana on the bench, never got going, with Daniel Sturridge proving disappointing, and they looked nervous in front of their fevered fans. It took them more than half an hour before a Roberto Firmino header straight at De Gea represented their first attempt on goal. It was only after the break that they began to show glimpses of their true colours, Can wriggling through to force a fine one-handed save from De Gea at full stretch before the Spanish keeper delivered an even finer stop, flying through the air to tip Coutinho's curler wide. A brilliant last-gasp challenge by Antonio Valencia deprived Firmino but United, for all their solidity, had only one effort on target and looked back ruefully on their best chance, a tame header across goal from Ibrahimovic after a great delivery from Paul Pogba. (Reuters)

Liverpool, Manchester United play out drab draw

Midfielder Ander Herrera was proud of Manchester United&#39;s battling qualities in Monday&#39;s 0-0 draw with Liverpool, adding that his side took the hosts out of their comfort zone at Anfield.

&quot;We can be proud of the team today; every player did everything and gave everything. This is the way we need to play this sort of fixture, so we are very happy,&quot; Herrera told reporters.

&quot;We fought against a team who are in one of their best moments, at home they are not going to lose many games. They press very high and intensive but they didn&#39;t feel comfy, if you ask them, they will tell you that.&quot;

Jose Mourinho, the master of stifling Anfield dreams when at Chelsea, again found his tactical mastery rewarded but United, seventh in the table on 14 points, have still won just one of their last five league games while Liverpool stay fourth on 17, two behind leaders Manchester City and Arsenal.

&quot;We cannot be 100 per cent happy because we want to win always, but we can be proud,&quot; Herrera added. &quot;We were better in the first half, they were better in the second half. It&#39;s a fair point.&quot;

(Reuters)

Despite a draw against Liverpool, the midfielder praised the team's efforts saying they forced the hosts out of their comfort zone

Midfielder Ander Herrera was proud of Manchester United's battling qualities in Monday's 0-0 draw with Liverpool, adding that his side took the hosts out of their comfort zone at Anfield. "We can be proud of the team today; every player did everything and gave everything. This is the way we need to play this sort of fixture, so we are very happy," Herrera told reporters. "We fought against a team who are in one of their best moments, at home they are not going to lose many games. They press very high and intensive but they didn't feel comfy, if you ask them, they will tell you that." Jose Mourinho, the master of stifling Anfield dreams when at Chelsea, again found his tactical mastery rewarded but United, seventh in the table on 14 points, have still won just one of their last five league games while Liverpool stay fourth on 17, two behind leaders Manchester City and Arsenal. "We cannot be 100 per cent happy because we want to win always, but we can be proud," Herrera added. "We were better in the first half, they were better in the second half. It's a fair point." (Reuters)

Ander Herrera proud of Manchester United's battling qualities in Liverpool draw

Chelsea demolished the team that succeeded them as Premier League winners when champions Leicester City succumbed tamely 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Goals from the Premier League&#39;s leading marksman Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Victor Moses ensured Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri&#39;s visit to his old club was a far cry from five months ago when the Foxes received a guard of honour for their title triumph.

The unmarked Costa&#39;s seventh-minute strike was his seventh goal of the season, before Chelsea&#39;s dominance was further rewarded, following more comedy defending, by Hazard&#39;s expertly-taken second.

Moses finished a brilliant one-two 10 minutes from time to leave Leicester as the first English top-flight champions since Blackburn Rovers 21 years ago to lose their opening four away games of the season.

(Reuters)

Champions Leicester City succumbed tamely 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday

Chelsea demolished the team that succeeded them as Premier League winners when champions Leicester City succumbed tamely 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Goals from the Premier League's leading marksman Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Victor Moses ensured Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri's visit to his old club was a far cry from five months ago when the Foxes received a guard of honour for their title triumph. The unmarked Costa's seventh-minute strike was his seventh goal of the season, before Chelsea's dominance was further rewarded, following more comedy defending, by Hazard's expertly-taken second. Moses finished a brilliant one-two 10 minutes from time to leave Leicester as the first English top-flight champions since Blackburn Rovers 21 years ago to lose their opening four away games of the season. (Reuters)

Chelsea hammer Leicester in battle of last two champions

Ahead of Monday&#39;s game against Liverpool, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has asked supporters of both teams to show restraint when two of football&#39;s fiercest rivals face-off in the Premier League.

&quot;In football, we have some &#39;football tragedies&#39;, which is the big match that you lost, the mistake that some player did and you can make fun of it in a positive way. But the human tragedy is something much, much more serious and I think is the last thing somebody should use on a football pitch, Mourinho told the press. &quot;These need our respect, so I would be really sad if in such a big football match that was a negative point.&quot;

He was referring to last season&#39;s Europa League last-16 tie when both clubs were fined for chants mocking the Hillsborough and Munich tragedies faced by their teams.

In 1958, 23 people, including eight United players, died after their plane caught fire and crashed in Munich. In 1989, 96 Liverpool fans died after being crushed during an FA Cup semi-final with Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough.

On Thursday, the two clubs also warned their supporters to behave in a joint statement.

Mourinho, who has faced Liverpool many times as Chelsea manager, also said he was looking forward to the match at Anfield and liked the atmosphere there.

&quot;I always like to play at Anfield. I won many times there, I also lost. I won big matches, I lost big matches. I cannot say I like to go there because I&#39;m always successful because it&#39;s not true. I like to go there, I like the atmosphere, said the Portuguese.

&quot;Being Man United manager obviously means something more because we cannot compare the historical rivalry between my previous club and Liverpool, Man United and Liverpool,&quot; he added. &quot;I&#39;m in England for a long time. Obviously I never played this match but I played many times against Liverpool, United. I understand the dimension of the clubs and now I understand better the history between the rivals.&quot;

&quot;In the end, it&#39;s just a big match. It can be comparable to Milan v Inter Milan, (Real) Madrid v Barcelona, maybe Porto v Benfica, maybe comparable to one of these matches.&quot;

He also clarified that the outcome would not impact United&#39;s season.

&quot;The season for me is not about the Anfield match though, or Old Trafford in January. It&#39;s about many matches, many points to win, many points to lose and targets to achieve.&quot; 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The Manchester United manager does not want a repeat of last season's debacle when both teams were fined for mocking each other

Ahead of Monday's game against Liverpool, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has asked supporters of both teams to show restraint when two of football's fiercest rivals face-off in the Premier League. "In football, we have some 'football tragedies', which is the big match that you lost, the mistake that some player did and you can make fun of it in a positive way. But the human tragedy is something much, much more serious and I think is the last thing somebody should use on a football pitch, Mourinho told the press. "These need our respect, so I would be really sad if in such a big football match that was a negative point." He was referring to last season's Europa League last-16 tie when both clubs were fined for chants mocking the Hillsborough and Munich tragedies faced by their teams. In 1958, 23 people, including eight United players, died after their plane caught fire and crashed in Munich. In 1989, 96 Liverpool fans died after being crushed during an FA Cup semi-final with Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough. On Thursday, the two clubs also warned their supporters to behave in a joint statement. Mourinho, who has faced Liverpool many times as Chelsea manager, also said he was looking forward to the match at Anfield and liked the atmosphere there. "I always like to play at Anfield. I won many times there, I also lost. I won big matches, I lost big matches. I cannot say I like to go there because I'm always successful because it's not true. I like to go there, I like the atmosphere, said the Portuguese. "Being Man United manager obviously means something more because we cannot compare the historical rivalry between my previous club and Liverpool, Man United and Liverpool," he added. "I'm in England for a long time. Obviously I never played this match but I played many times against Liverpool, United. I understand the dimension of the clubs and now I understand better the history between the rivals." "In the end, it's just a big match. It can be comparable to Milan v Inter Milan, (Real) Madrid v Barcelona, maybe Porto v Benfica, maybe comparable to one of these matches." He also clarified that the outcome would not impact United's season. "The season for me is not about the Anfield match though, or Old Trafford in January. It's about many matches, many points to win, many points to lose and targets to achieve." (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Jose Mourinho asks supporters to behave ahead of United-Liverpool game

Aston Villa appointed Steve Bruce as the Championship side&rsquo;s new manager on Wednesday, the struggling second-tier English club confirmed.

Bruce, 55, replaces Roberto Di Matteo at the helm of a team who were relegated from the Premier League last season and who are now languishing in 19th place in the Championship.

He becomes the fourth permanent manager in the last 12 months at Villa Park.

Former Manchester United defender Bruce returns to management after quitting Hull in July, having successfully guided the Tigers back to the Premier League.

&quot;It&#39;s a wonderful opportunity. It is one of the big clubs of this country. To be given the opportunity to manage it is terrific,&quot; Bruce told the club&#39;s official website.&nbsp;

&quot;I relish the challenge of trying to take the club where it wants to go and needs to be - and try to turn around the misfortune we seem to have had over the past few years.&nbsp;

I am absolutely delighted to have been given the chance. I hope I can do my stuff.&quot;

Bruce, who was in charge at city rivals Birmingham from 2001 to 2007, will be in the dugout for Saturday&#39;s derby clash against local rivals Wolves as Villa look to snap a nine-match winless run.

The affable Bruce has always been the leading contender for Villa, who also interviewed assistant manager Steve Clarke, after Di Matteo was axed.

Villa&#39;s Chief executive Keith Wyness, ex-boss Brian Little and technical director Steve Round advised owner Tony Xia, who had the final say.

&quot;I&#39;m delighted to welcome Steve to the club. With his track record, not only at leading teams to promotion from the Championship but also vast experience in the Premier League,&quot; Xia said on securing Bruce&#39;s services

 
&nbsp;

(AFP)

The former Manchester United defender returns to management after quitting Hull in July

Aston Villa appointed Steve Bruce as the Championship side’s new manager on Wednesday, the struggling second-tier English club confirmed. Bruce, 55, replaces Roberto Di Matteo at the helm of a team who were relegated from the Premier League last season and who are now languishing in 19th place in the Championship. He becomes the fourth permanent manager in the last 12 months at Villa Park. Former Manchester United defender Bruce returns to management after quitting Hull in July, having successfully guided the Tigers back to the Premier League. "It's a wonderful opportunity. It is one of the big clubs of this country. To be given the opportunity to manage it is terrific," Bruce told the club's official website. "I relish the challenge of trying to take the club where it wants to go and needs to be - and try to turn around the misfortune we seem to have had over the past few years. I am absolutely delighted to have been given the chance. I hope I can do my stuff." Bruce, who was in charge at city rivals Birmingham from 2001 to 2007, will be in the dugout for Saturday's derby clash against local rivals Wolves as Villa look to snap a nine-match winless run. The affable Bruce has always been the leading contender for Villa, who also interviewed assistant manager Steve Clarke, after Di Matteo was axed. Villa's Chief executive Keith Wyness, ex-boss Brian Little and technical director Steve Round advised owner Tony Xia, who had the final say. "I'm delighted to welcome Steve to the club. With his track record, not only at leading teams to promotion from the Championship but also vast experience in the Premier League," Xia said on securing Bruce's services (AFP)

Aston Villa appoint Steve Bruce as new manager

World Cup-winning German midfielder Toni Kroos extended his contract with the Spanish giants Real Madrid for two years until 2022. His contract was to expire in 2020.&nbsp;

&quot;Real Madrid and Toni Kroos have agreed on the extension of the contract which will keep the player at the club until June 30, 2022,&quot; Real said in a statement.

Kroos had joined the club from Bayern Munich on a six-year deal in 2014 for 25 million euros (27.5 million dollars).&nbsp;

The 26-year-old has made 108 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring four goals. Part of Germany&#39;s 2014 World Cup-winning team, Kroos has established himself as a favourite in the midfield.&nbsp;

He was helped the club win the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid in May. He has also won two UEFA Super Cups and the FIFA Club World Cup during his time in Spain.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The midfielder, who had signed a six-year contract with Real Madrid in 2014, has decided to stay on with the club for another two years

World Cup-winning German midfielder Toni Kroos extended his contract with the Spanish giants Real Madrid for two years until 2022. His contract was to expire in 2020. "Real Madrid and Toni Kroos have agreed on the extension of the contract which will keep the player at the club until June 30, 2022," Real said in a statement. Kroos had joined the club from Bayern Munich on a six-year deal in 2014 for 25 million euros (27.5 million dollars). The 26-year-old has made 108 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring four goals. Part of Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning team, Kroos has established himself as a favourite in the midfield. He was helped the club win the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid in May. He has also won two UEFA Super Cups and the FIFA Club World Cup during his time in Spain. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Germany's Kroos extends Real Madrid contract until 2022

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