Month: February 2021

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BARCELONA SEE OFF SEVILLA TO CLIMB UP TO SECOND

Barcelona rose to second in LaLiga after a dominant 2-0 defeat of fourth-placed Sevilla.

Ousmane Dembele fired Barcelona ahead in the first half before Lionel Messi wrapped up victory five minutes from time to sit two points behind leaders Atletico Madrid – who have two games in hand.

Barca were on the front foot from the first whistle, dominating early play with quick touches and the lion’s share of possession.

Those efforts produced the first real chance of the encounter in the 22nd minute when Dembele surged forward and cut inside before producing a left-footed shot that was blocked by Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

Seven minutes later, Dembele struck again, this time hitting the mark after picking up a Messi pass and jinking past two defenders before driving a shot through Bounou’s legs and into the far corner.

Barca pushed forward for a second goal in the 33rd minute with Frenkie De Jong finding Messi in the box but Bounou managed to block the visiting captain’s shot.

Sevilla’s first chance of the game then came in the 51st minute when Jesus Navas embarked on a run before cutting inside and shooting towards the near post, but Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen saved down low.

Clement Lenglet thought he put his side 2-0 up when heading home a Messi free kick in the 69th minute, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside.

A golden opportunity for Sevilla was denied when Youssef En-Nesyri thought he grabbed an equaliser after 80 minutes, but the referee deemed the ball to have been handled in the build-up and the effort was disallowed.

In the 85th minute, Messi doubled Barcelona’s lead after linking up with Ilaix Moriba on the left before tapping in beyond the reach of Bounou to secure his side’s victory.

The two sides will clash again on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg at the Nou Camp, with Ronald Koeman’s side tasked with overturning a 2-0 goal deficit.

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LIGUE 1: MBAPPE BRACE HELP PSG THRASH DIJON

The French top-flight’s leading marksman Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain routed rock-bottom Dijon 4-0 to move up to second place in Ligue 1.

Saturday’s win has moved PSG just a point behind leaders Lille and two points ahead of Lyon, who both play on Sunday.

Moise Kean gave visiting PSG the perfect start after five minutes. Mbappe and defender Abdou Diallo combined down the left to find the Italy striker, who shifted the ball onto his right foot in the penalty area and squeezed it inside the right post.

Mbappe then netted a penalty in the 32nd minute following a handball, converting the fifth of five that he has taken this season.

Five minutes after the break, Mbappe clipped the ball into the bottom left corner for his 18th goal of the season after neatly being set up by Rafinha.

Centre-back Danilo headed home the fourth from a corner late on.

Elsewhere, Metz hit two late goals to win at Bordeaux 2-1 with a last-minute goal from Cape Verdean forward Vagner.

Metz’s improvement under coach Frederic Antonetti continued as they rose to fifth place, while Bordeaux’s fifth defeat in six games left them mired in mid-table.

Striker Samuel Kalu put Bordeaux ahead in the 13th from Youssouf Sabaly’s cross.

After defender Thomas Delaine equalised in the 71st with a fine curling shot from the left, Vagner met Thierry Ambrose’s cross at the back post.

On Sunday, Lille, who are one point clear at the top, face lowly Strasbourg while Monaco look to make it 12 league games unbeaten when they host Brest.

Niko Kovac’s Monaco side has not lost since mid-December and comfortably won at PSG at 2-0 last weekend.

Lyon, who visit Marseille, will move top on goal difference if they win and Lille lose.

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LIVERPOOL GETS FITNESS BOOST AS DIOGO JOTA RETURNS TO TRAINING

Liverpool received a much-needed boost with the return to full training of Diogo Jota for the first time since December.

And the Portugal international’s re-integration with the full squad after 11 weeks out with a knee problem was watched by defender Virgil Van Dijk, who was seen doing an individual outdoor session for the first time since his ACL injury in October.

Jota’s availability cannot come soon enough for Jurgen Klopp’s side who have won just two of their last 11 league matches in which they have scored just nine times, six of which came in back-to-back victories at Tottenham and West Ham in late January

The £41million September signing from Wolves had scored eight goals in his last 11 matches before being sidelined after playing in their Champions League dead rubber against Midtjylland on December 9.

Jota was pictured with his team-mates at the training ground on Wednesday, with Van Dijk also making an appearance outdoors away from the main group.

The Holland captain, whose early rehabilitation following surgery was in Dubai, was seen doing some work with a speed ladder and some minor exercises with the ball.

Klopp said at the start of the month he did not expect the Dutchman to play again this season – much like fellow centre-backs Joe Gomez (knee) and Joel Matip (ankle) – and the PA news agency understands this remains the case despite the defender’s first appearance outdoors, which is just a normal part of his rehab.

Of more concern to the Red boss, who is still awaiting news of the extent of Jordan Henderson’s groin problem amid speculation suggestion he could be absent for 12 weeks, was the continued absence of Fabinho.

The Brazil midfielder has provided cover in central defence for most of the season but has missed the last three matches after aggravating a muscle problem against Manchester City at the start of the month and has so far only been seen doing indoor gym work.

That makes it unlikely he will be available for Sunday’s trip to bottom side Sheffield United, which Liverpool have to win to get their bid for the top-four back on track.

However, forward Sadio Mane admits the priority is now the Champions League, in which they hold a 2-0 first-leg lead over RB Leipzig.

“Our target from the beginning was the Champions League, the Premier League and also cup games,” he told news men.

“And now, I can say it’s over for the Premier League… it’s too much.

“In our head, our self-belief, it’s always ‘never give up’, and we won’t give up, but for sure, Manchester City are a good team and they’re flying.

“Beyond the top four is now, right now, our main target. But the Champions League, that is our main, main, main target. To win it, not be second, but it won’t be easy.

“You’re going to face the best teams in Europe, but we’re here to beat the best in the world.

“We’ll do everything possible to go forward and win the Champions League.”

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DELE ALLI STARS AS TOTTENHAM PROGRESS TO EUROPA LEAGUE LAST 16 AFTER THRASHING WOLFSBERGER 4-0

Jose Mourinho saluted Dele Alli after the Tottenham midfielder ensured his side can still save their troubled season with a virtuoso display in Wednesday’s 4-0 rout of Austrian minnows Wolfsberger in the Europa League last 32 second leg.

Alli scored a brilliant opener early in the first half and provided the assist when Carlos Vinicius doubled their lead after the break.

Gareth Bale netted from another Alli assist before Vinicius bagged his second as Tottenham ran out 8-1 aggregate winners after cruising to a 4-1 victory in the first leg last week.

While progress to the last 16 looked a formality after the comfortable first leg success, nothing has come easy for Tottenham this term.

So Mourinho will have breathed a sigh of relief that his team kept alive their best remaining hope of qualifying for the Champions League.

Close to leaving in the January transfer window, Alli played the key role in a rare start after being frozen out by Mourinho for much of the season.

“The goal I don’t need to speak, because everyone watched it and I believe that all around the world on all these sports TV, people are going to watch it, no need to talk about it,” Mourinho said.

“But for me the globality of the performance is what matters. He played very well in every aspect of the game.

“Of course he’s not fresh, of course you can feel that his performance like in the first leg from minute 55-60 is going to go down, which is normal due to the circumstances – injured, not training for a long time.

“But in this moment when we are going to play every three days, 10 matches in March, to have Dele back at this level is amazing.”

A dismal run of six defeats in their last eight games in all competitions had seen Tottenham plunge to ninth place in the Premier League and crash out of the FA Cup.

They are languishing nine points behind fourth placed West Ham in the race for a top four finish, while Mourinho is mired in the worst run of his career.

Amid reports that Tottenham’s players are bored with his training sessions and conservative tactics, Mourinho this week insisted his methods are “second to none”, claiming morale among his squad was still high.

But the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss is likely to face the sack unless Tottenham can salvage their woeful campaign by reaching the Champions League.

Realistically that means winning the Europa League and Tottenham remain on course, even if much sterner tests lie in wait in the later rounds.

Mourinho says Tottenham’s travails only underline how “beautiful” the rest of his career has been.

Whether the final verdict on his rocky spell at Tottenham will be so flattering may be determined by the end of the season.

Tottenham were regulars in the top four and reached the Champions League final under Mourinho’s predecessor Mauricio Pochettino.

But Pochettino, now in charge at Paris Saint-Germain, was sacked by chairman Daniel Levy after a poor run of results last season and Mourinho could easily suffer the same fate.

Well aware that some media critics and Tottenham fans claim he is past his best, the prospect of a humiliating exit against unheralded Wolfsberger was unthinkable for Mourinho.

For once, his players didn’t let him down.

Alli put Tottenham ahead after just 10 minutes in eye-catching style.

When a loose ball fell to him 15 yards out and with his back to goal, Alli sent a superb bicycle kick looping into the far corner.

Vinicius benefitted from Alli’s excellence five minutes after half-time when the on-loan Benfica striker met the midfielder’s precise cross with a clinical far post header.

Bale came off the bench to fire into the top corner after another Alli assist in the 73rd minute.

Ten minutes later, teenager Dane Scarlett stole possession and teed up Vinicius to score from 12 yards.

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UCL: MANCHESTER CITY NEAR LAST EIGHT AFTER BEATING MONCHENGLADBACH

Manchester City moved to the verge of the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach on Wednesday but coach Pep Guardiola insisted his team still need to “be more clinical up front”. A first half header from Bernardo Silva and a Gabriel Jesus strike in the second period of the last 16 first leg tie extended a winning streak by Guardiola’s high-flying side to 19 games in all competitions. Premier League leaders City camped inside the Gladbach half for most of the game, which was moved to Hungary due to Germany’s Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Although dominant, City took time to break down a stubborn German defence, often foiled by the interceptions of Algeria left-back Ramy Bensebaini.

While Guardiola said afterwards he was “pleased” with the result, he added City “have to improve” to challenge for Champions League honours.

“We controlled the game. Unfortunately we were not clinical up front, it is something we have to improve in this competition, we were not good enough in the box, we didn’t dribble and shoot enough,” said Guardiola.

“In this competition you have to be perfect to be sure you can go through,” he said.

Debutants in the Champions League knockout stages, Gladbach had been urged by coach Marco Rose to be brave against Guardiola’s side.

France’s Alassane Plea was almost through on goal on 20 minutes after a rare counterattack, but a nervy and deep-lying Gladbach eventually succumbed to mounting pressure in the 29th minute.

A sublime inch-perfect cross by Portuguese defender Joao Cancelo curled over the defence from the left to reach his compatriot Silva who flicked his close-range header past Yann Sommer.

“We tried to play simple and not make mistakes. It’s a good win for us, but it’s not over yet,” Silva told news men.

“Every time when he plays (Silva) is an exceptional player, he’s really good in the air, the goal was fantastic how he finished it,” said Guardiola.

The 26-year-old Cancelo, impressive throughout, nearly doubled the lead five minutes from the break but his shot from just outside the box pinged over the bar.

Then early in the second half Jesus should have converted after latching on to a poorly judged backpass by Bensebaini but saw his shot blocked by Swiss defender Nico Elvedi.

Apart from a lunging backheel from Plea that flashed just wide of Ederson’s far post on the hour mark, City comfortably contained the Germans, and went two up in the 65th minute.

Another majestic cross-field pass by Cancelo again found Silva at Sommer’s far post who this time headed back across the goalmouth for Jesus to fire home and seal City’s 19th successive victory and sixth Champions League clean sheet in a row.

Gladbach, who managed just one shot on target throughout the game, an effort by substitute Hannes Wolf saved by Ederson in the last moments, now face a formidable task to turn around the tie in the return leg scheduled for March 16 in Manchester.

We deservedly lost today against a very strong team, you don’t get many chances against such an opponent, we simply couldn’t attack more,” said Rose

“It would have been good to score at the end to be in a better position.”

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LIVERPOOL GOALKEEPER ALISSON BECKER LOSES FATHER IN DIVING ACCIDENT

The father of Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has passed away after a diving accident near his holiday home in southern Brazil.

According to ESPN, the 57-year-old had been swimming at a dam on his property. Initially, Jose Becker was declared missing around 5 pm on Wednesday and the fire department sent out a team to assist in the search.

The body was recovered around 11.59 pm. According to the police, there was no foul play suspected.

The Brazilian international signed for the Premier League champions back in 2018 and he has been one of the best players at the club since then.

Alisson’s brother Muriel is also a goalkeeper, for Brazilian side Fluminense.

The 28-year-old Liverpool star has had a tough season so far and he has been involved in a few high profile mistakes in the recent weeks.

It remains to be seen whether the Brazilian is given a compassionate leave so that he can be with his family in this time of need.

Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp lost his mother earlier this season and the German was not allowed to attend her funeral because of the coronavirus restrictions.

Alisson’s former club Internacional tweeted their condolences earlier.

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NEIL LENNON RESIGNS AS CELTIC MANAGER

Neil Lennon has resigned as Celtic manager, the Scottish Premiership club have announced.

Lennon, who returned to the club for a second stint in charge after Brendan Rodgers left to take over at Leicester in February 2019, has been under pressure all season but had previously maintained he would not quit.

The reigning champions are 18 points behind Rangers in the top flight and a defeat to Ross County on Sunday left their Glasgow rivals just seven points away from title.

Lennon apologised for “letting fans down again” after the loss to Ross County left Celtic’s bid to win a 10th consecutive title in disarray.

The defeat also heightened the prospect of Rangers clinching the title at Parkhead on March 21.

Since returning to the club, Lennon has led Celtic to two titles, two Scottish Cups and a League Cup.

A club statement said: “Celtic Football Club today announced that Neil Lennon has resigned from his position as football manager with immediate effect.

“Neil has served the club with distinction as both player and manager, delivering numerous successes, most recently completing the domestic treble in December.

“In his second period as Celtic manager, he has achieved five trophy successes, to add to his three League titles and two Scottish Cup victories in his first period as manager.”

Lennon said in a statement: “We have experienced a difficult season due to so many factors and, of course, it is very frustrating and disappointing that we have not been able to hit the same heights as we did previously.

“I have worked as hard as ever to try and turn things around, but unfortunately we have not managed to get the kind of run going that we have needed.

“I have always given my best to the club and have been proud to deliver silverware to the Celtic supporters. The club will always be part of me. I will always be a Celtic supporter myself and I will always want the best for Celtic.

“I would like to thank so many people at the club who have given me so much and I would also like to thank my family for their love and support. I wish the Celtic supporters, players, staff and directors nothing but success for the future.”

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell said: “I would like to pay tribute to Neil for all he has done for the club in his second spell, delivering our eighth and ninth successive league titles, the quadruple treble and winning the last five available domestic trophies.

“Neil has always been and will always be a true Celtic man and someone I will always hold in the highest regard.

“I have watched Neil fight many battles over many years, on and off the field, with a courage and tenacity few could match. Even this season, he has fought so hard and worked tirelessly to turn things around.

“While this season has not progressed as we would have liked, it cannot diminish the character or integrity of a man who has given the club so much

“Personally, it is a sad day for me to see Neil leave the club. Neil is a man of quality and decency, he is someone who will always be part of the fabric of Celtic and someone who will always be welcomed at Celtic Park.

“On behalf of everyone at the club, and personally, I would like to thank Neil for his work as our manager and I wish him and his family good health and continued success in everything they do.”

Celtic’s principal shareholder Dermot Desmond added: “Neil is a Celtic legend both as a player and manager. He has given so much to the club, and with his success over the last number of years – including winning a treble in his own right – he will be very difficult to replace.

“We thank Neil sincerely for all he has done for the club and we wish him every success going forward.”

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TIGER WOODS UNDERGOING SURGERY FOR MULTIPLE LEG INJURIES AFTER ROAD ACCIDENT

Tiger Woods is undergoing surgery on leg injuries after being cut from his car following an accident in Los Angeles, officials have confirmed.

Fire crews had to use “jaws of life” cutting equipment to remove Woods from the wreckage of the vehicle after it rolled over and suffered “major damage”.

The 15-time major winner was taken to a local hospital by ambulance having suffered “multiple leg injuries”, according to his manager Mark Steinberg.

A statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department read: “On February 23, 2021, at approximately 7:12 AM, LASD responded to a single vehicle roll-over traffic collision on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes.

“The vehicle was traveling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road, when it crashed. The vehicle sustained major damage.

“The driver and sole occupant was identified as PGA golfer Eldrick ‘Tiger’ Woods. Mr Woods was extricated from the wreck with the ‘jaws of life’ by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics, then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries.

“The traffic investigation is being conducted by investigators from LASD Lomita Station.”

Steinberg confirmed the news shortly afterwards.

“Tiger Woods was in a single-car accident this morning in California where he suffered multiple leg injuries,” he told Golf Digest. “He is currently in surgery and we thank you for your privacy and support.”

Former United States alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn, a former girlfriend of Woods, tweeted: “Praying for TW right now.”

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the WGC-Workday Championship, an emotional Justin Thomas expressed his concern for Woods and his two children, Sam and Charlie.

“I’m sick to my stomach,” Thomas said. “You know, it hurts to see one of your… now one of my closest friends get in an accident.

“Man, I just hope he’s all right. Just worry for his kids, you know. I’m sure they’re struggling.

A KABC-TV helicopter over the scene of Woods’ accident showed a car on its side with the front end heavily damaged. Air bags appeared to be deployed. The wreckage appeared to be just off the side of a road on a hillside.

Woods was in Los Angeles over the weekend as the tournament host of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, where he presented the trophy.

He was to spend Monday and Tuesday filming with Discovery-owned GOLFTV, with whom he has an endorsement contract. One tweet on Monday showed him in a cart smiling with David Spade

According to Golf Digest, also owned by Discovery, the TV shoot was on-course lessons to celebrities, such as Spade and Dwyane Wade. He did not play.

The 15-time major champion last played on December 20th in the PNC Championship with his 11-year-old son, Charlie.

He had a fifth surgery on his back, a microdiscectomy, two days before Christmas and gave no indication when he would return.

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EPL: LEEDS MOVE TO TOP HALF AFTER THRASHING SOUTHAMPTON

Leeds climbed back into the top half of the table as three second-half goals secured them a 3-0 home win against Southampton.

Patrick Bamford’s 13th Premier League goal of the season, Stuart Dallas and the impressive Raphinha’s free-kick lifted Marcelo Bielsa’s side above Arsenal and up to 10th, one point behind Tottenham.

Southampton were not without their chances and despite being overrun after the interval were still in the game until Dallas made it 2-0 in the 77th minute.

But the Saints’ winless league run was extended to eight matches and had Leeds not been so wasteful in front of goal, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side would have lost by a bigger margin.

The visitors twice threatened to take an early lead as Leeds’ players struggled to keep their feet on Elland Road’s soft playing surface.

Jannik Vestergaard headed James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick wide and Nathan Tella almost marked his first Premier League start with a fine solo effort.

The 23-year-old midfielder skipped around Leeds skipper Liam Cooper, but his curling shot was comfortably saved by Illan Meslier.

Raphinha laid a golden chance on a plate for Tyler Roberts, pulling the ball back after gliding past two defenders, but the Welsh forward blazed over.

Leeds went close again when Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy denied Cooper following a neat set-piece routine and then VAR intervention correctly denied the visitors a penalty.

Tella had gone down too easily under a challenge from Diego Llorente, who was making his home debut for Leeds, and referee Andre Marriner corrected his initial decision after checking the replays.

Oriol Romeu then kept the scores level by producing a goal-saving tackle on Raphinha, who had raced clear from halfway into the penalty area.

Southampton thought they had broken the deadlock just before half-time when Che Adams latched on to Ward-Prowse’s smart free-kick, but Marriner ruled it out after claiming he was not ready.

Leeds made a flying start to the second half and took the lead in the 47th minute.

Bamford raced on to Roberts’ excellent through-ball and clipped a cool left-footed finish into the bottom corner.

Southampton responded through Stuart Armstrong, who forced Meslier into a low flying save, before Leeds spurned chances to extend their advantage.

Roberts fired wide following a sweeping Leeds counter and as the action flowed from end to end, Bamford’s close-range effort was blocked by McCarthy after Dallas’s weaving run.

McCarthy rescued Saints again when keeping out Llorente’s shot from another Raphinha pull-back.

Leeds should have been out of sight, but Southampton threatened when Vestergaard’s close-range effort was blocked by Bamford and Mohammed Salisu fired over.

Dallas then settled any home nerves when he crashed in Leeds’ second from the edge of the area in the 77th minute.

The home side chased a third and Raphinha curled home an excellent free-kick around the wall and into the bottom corner seven minutes later.

Substitute Pablo Hernandez lashed a volley just over in the closing stages as Leeds continued to swarm forward.

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UCL: OLIVIER GIROUD ACROBATIC HELP CHELSEA TO AN AWAY WIN AGAINST ATLETICO MADRID

Olivier Giroud produced another Champions League special to hand Chelsea the advantage in their last-16 tie with Atletico Madrid after a 1-0 first-leg win in Bucharest.

The Blues forward grabbed his sixth goal in the competition this season with an overhead kick in the 68th minute but it was only awarded after a lengthy VAR review.

It was thoroughly deserved for Thomas Tuchel’s side, who dominated for large parts and extended their unbeaten run under the German to eight games since his arrival on January 26.

A negative was bookings for Mason Mount and Jorginho, which rules them out of the second leg, but Atletico boss Diego Simeone knows his team will need to score at least twice next month to go through in normal time.

Callum Hudson-Odoi was a surprise name in the Blues starting line-up for this tie hosted in Romania due to coronavirus travel restrictions enforced by the Spanish government.

The England international had lasted only 31 minutes following his half-time introduction at Southampton on Saturday, but manager Tuchel played the youngster at right wing-back.

Chelsea’s night started on a poor note when inside 60 seconds Mount was booked for a foul on Joao Felix, meaning he will be suspended for the second leg at Stamford Bridge next month.

Edouard Mendy almost contrived to pile more misery on the visitors after a heavy touch in the penalty area but Saul was unable to make the most of the goalkeeper’s mistake.

After early pressure from Atletico, including a dangerous Luis Suarez centre across the face of goal, the Premier League side started to dominate possession and a long-range effort from Marcos Alonso represented the first shot on target from either side

It was routine for Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who had gone seven matches without a clean sheet and was forced into more strenuous action six minutes before the break as Timo Werner’s strike from a tight angle was well saved.

Goalless at the interval, Simeone would have been the happier of the two managers with numerous absentees including England full-back Kieran Trippier due to suspension.

Not long after Suarez saw an effort deflected wide by Andreas Christensen, Joao Felix fired an overhead kick off target following Cesar Azpilicueta’s poor headed clearance in a sign Atleti were set to be more adventurous in this half.

Jorginho became the second Chelsea player to be ruled out of the second leg in the 64th minute when he brought down Joao Felix, but four minutes later the away side were able to break the deadlock in style.

Alonso got forward well and his cross was deflected into the path of Giroud, who produced a superb overhead kick from 12 yards which beat Oblak and found the bottom corner.

It was immediately ruled out for offside, with Mount deemed to have knocked the ball forward for his team-mate, but after a lengthy VAR review it was adjudged Atletico centre-back Mario Hermoso had got the decisive final touch.

Giroud’s 11th goal of the season and sixth in this competition gave Chelsea a crucial away goal in the tie and Tuchel reacted instantly with the introduction of N’Golo Kante and Hakim Ziyech with 16 minutes left.

Reece James followed them on to the pitch soon after, with Hudson-Odoi taken off after 80 minutes on this occasion.

While Atletico pushed for an equaliser, Simeone made the surprise decision to take off Joao Felix and they suffered a second consecutive defeat.

It gives Chelsea the upper hand ahead of the return leg at Stamford Bridge on March 17, where the Blues will aim to make the quarter-finals for the first time in seven years