Author: moshood

Luuk de Jong scored the winning goal as Sevilla came back from a goal down to beat Manchester United 2-1 on Sunday and reach the final of the Europa League.

Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou kept his team in the semifinal at 1-1 with a string of saves either side of halftime, before de Jong won it. The Spanish club will look to extend its Europa League record with a sixth title on Friday against either Inter Milan or Shakhtar Donetsk, who play Monday.

With the game at 1-1 and heading for extra time, Sevilla substitute de Jong made the breakthrough in the 78th minute. A cross by Jesus Navas fell kindly for the tall Dutch forward to score his first European goal of the season from close range.

United had taken the lead in the ninth minute with yet another penalty in a season packed with them. Diego Carlos tangled with Marcus Rashford as the United forward had his shot saved, and then Bruno Fernandes stepped up to send the penalty into the top-left corner.

United has been awarded 22 spot kicks in all competitions this season, more than any other club in the five biggest European leagues. Since Fernandes arrived at the club in January, he’s scored eight from the spot.

Sevilla evened the score 17 minutes later with a lightning team move which exposed both of United’s full-backs. Lucas Ocampos’ pass put attacking left-back Sergio Reguilon in space to send a perfectly calculated low cross for onrushing forward Suso to knock into the net on the right flank.

That goal jolted United back into life. Anthony Martial curled a promising shot over the bar before Bounou was forced to parry powerful shots from outside the box by Rashford and Fernandes.

United started the second half in similarly exuberant style, with Bounou forced to save from Martial.

Sheffield United have reached an agreement with Bournemouth to sign goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale this summer, a report from The Daily Echo claims.

Ramsdale was nearly ever-present for the Cherries during the 2019/2020 Premier League campaign and he caught the eye with 129 saves from his 37 appearances.

With the Cherries’ relegation to the Championship, it was always anticipated that Ramsdale would head for the exit door and he now appears on the cusp of re-signing for Sheffield.

The Blades sanctioned the sale of Ramsdale to the Cherries for just £800,000 in January 2017, but they included a 15% sell-on clause on any future transfer.

Earlier this month, Jason Tindall’s side turned down an initial bid of £12m from the Blades, but they have now reluctantly accepted a second offer worth £18.5m.

It is reported that the Cherries have compensated for the sell-on clause by accepting a reduced fee than their original asking price of around £25m.

With Ramsdale set to return to Bramall Lane, it is quite clear that the club won’t re-acquire the services of Dean Henderson from Manchester United this summer.

Henderson has been an influential figure in goal for the Blades on loan over the past couple of seasons and it remains to be seen whether his future lies next term.

The young Englishman is reluctant to act as the deputy to David de Gea and it won’t come as a surprise, if he is loaned out to another club following a contract extension.

Bayern Munich scored eight goals as a humiliated Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League following an 8-2 mauling in Lisbon.

Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho both bagged a brace, while Serge Gnabry, Ivan Perisic, Joshua Kimmich and a David Alaba own goal annihilated a poor Barcelona side.

Hansi Flick had guided Bayern to an incredible run of 22 wins in 23 games, with 18 victories in a row and headed into this tie feeling confident after dismantling Chelsea 4-1 in the last-16 knockout round second leg.

It was no surprise to see the German stick to his guns and keep an unchanged starting line-up, while Barcelona head coach Quique Setien made a surprise call to start Arturo Vidal and keep Antoine Griezmann on the bench with a diamond midfield.

Much had been said in the build-up to this game about whether Robert Lewandowski could match up to Lionel Messi. With 53 goals in 44 appearances, it was certainly an argument that held some credibility.

But a big part of Lewandowski’s success was the unheralded Thomas Muller, who had racked up an astonishing 21 assists in the Bundesliga. This time, it was time for the Pole to return the favour – and that he did.

With just four minutes on the clock, Bayern moved it forward down the left with Ivan Perisic lofting a cross to Muller on the edge of the box. He performed an intelligent fake shot, instead exchanging a one-two with Lewandowski and shooting low into the corner past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

It was a brilliant goal which did more to highlight Bayern’s ruthless finishing more than anything. But at the back, the German champions were badly exposed by their extremely high line and paid the price.

Clement Lenglet clipped a ball into Jordi Alba’s path and he squared it to Luis Suarez. But in attempting to clear it, the Austrian managed to loop the ball over his goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and into the top corner. A fine finish, just at the wrong end.

Barcelona had their foot firmly on the gas and were finding space in behind that high line. Two chances arrived in as many minutes, with Suarez denied by Neuer and Messi’s free-kick beating everyone but the post.

As both sides enjoyed spells in possession, it was Bayern’s relentless pressing that helped them retake the lead. Sergi Roberto was swamped by three white shirts and Alphonso Davies passed it wide to Ivan Perisic, whose low strike – with the aid of a dlefection from Lenglet – squeezed past Ter Stegen.

The heavens opened after that strike and Barcelona were quite simply crumbling under the pressure. Thiago’s sublime no-look pass found Lewandowski, who crafted a perfect ball over the top to Serge Gnabry and he finished with composure and precison to extend the advantage to 3-1.

Four minutes later, it was four. Muller was at the right place at the right time to meet Leon Goretzka’s near-post delivery and prodded past the helpless Ter Stegen.

Bayern began to hunt down a Barcelona side lacking composure on the ball and only Lewandowski will know how he didn’t add his name to the growing scoresheet.

Luis Suarez got one back for Barcelona and with half an hour still to go, a comeback was not out of the question.

But Bayern, having brought on Coutinho to face his parent club, were hoping to create something special. And when Alphonso Davies sold Nelson Semedo with a fine piece of skill, Kimmich tapped home to make it five.

The warning signs were there when Lewandowski was denied his goal by the offside there. Still, Barcelona didn’t take notice and began to crumble.

Coutinho dribbled down the left, found Lewandowski in the box and the Pole made it 14 goals in the Champions League – and six for Bayern. VAR took a long time to review the goal for offside, but it stood.

And Setien’s side simply threw in the towel. Coutinho, perhaps acting with a sense of vengence, reacted first after some awful defending from the Blaugrana to tap home. He got a second three minutes later, sliding home into the bottom corner.

The humiliation was truly completed. Setien turned away with a lost look in his eyes and Barca trudged off the pitch in shame. Their worst-ever defeat in Europe – and a capitulation of this kind was a perfect exhibition of just how far they have fallen.

Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti has tested positive for coronavirus but is not with the rest of the squad for their Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich.

The Frenchman is currently injured and tested positive at Barcelona’s training ground on Thursday.

He is asymptomatic and is self-isolating at home.

Umtiti is the second player to test positive from Barcelona’s squad away from their Champions League preparations after a player tested positive from Tuesday’s round of testing.

The players tested on Tuesday were: Pedri, Trincao, Matheus Fernandes, Jean-Clair Todibo, Moussa Wague, Carles Alena, Rafinha, Juan Miranda and Oriol Busquets.

Barcelona said in a statement: “After the PCR tests carried out on Thursday the first team player Samuel Umtiti has tested positive for Covid-19. The player is asymptomatic, is in good health and is isolating at home.

The club has informed the relevant sporting and health authorities as well as tracing all the people who have had contact with the player so that they can undergo the corresponding PCR tests.”

Barcelona’s out-of-squad players had returned to pre-season training on Wednesday.

Fulham manager, Scott Parker is set to be rewarded with a new contract that includes a significant Premier League survival bonus.

The 39-year-old led Fulham back to the big time after only a single season in the Championship by beating Brentford in their play-off final at Wembley.

Parker, whose current contract only runs until 2021, has been taking time to unwind following that win and discussions over a new deal are expected to be a formality.

His predecessor Claudio Ranieri was believed to have a seven-figure bonus built into his contract, which would have been triggered had they not been relegated to the Championship.

Fulham went down but were brought back by Parker, who could receive similar terms. His coaching staff are also set to be given extensions on their current contracts.

Captain Tom Cairney previously suggested Parker is destined for a job at a top club someday.

The former England midfielder is popular among the players and he also gets along with Tony Khan, Fulham’s hands-on vice chairman and director of football.

Parker and Khan work together closely on transfers and are set to make additions this summer – but there will be no repeat of their £100m spending spree in 2018