SOCCER TALKS: May 2015

Sunday 31 May 2015

Giroud: Arsenal will enjoy FA Cup win - but we want more next year

The striker says they must start the Premier League campaign as strongly as possible and described his goal against Aston Villa as "a little wink" to Thierry Henry.Olivier Giroud says Arsenal are setting their sights on the Premier League after winning the FA Cup for the second consecutive season.Arsenal dominated against Aston Villa at Wembley and clinched the 12th FA Cup in the club's history with a 4-0 win.Giroud came off the bench to score the final goal in stoppage time and is hoping to fire his side into the title race next season.

The club official said he is looking forward to which players arrive to work under "an exceptional coach", saying the Spaniard will be one of the best in the world.Real Madrid vice-president Eduardo Fernandez de Blas has revealed the club's intention to appoint Rafael Benitez as coach, hailing him as one of the world's best.Benitez is widely anticipated to succeed Carlo Ancelotti at the Santiago Bernabeu, after the Italian was sacked on Monday following a season in which the club missed out on the league and Champions League titles.Fernandez de Blas is reported as telling a meeting of a Madrid members' group: Ancelotti is an absolute phenomenon - a gentleman whom I have great affection for, and I think everyone else at Real Madrid does too.

The 26-year-old scored the opening goal in the 4-0 rout of Aston Villa at Wembley in Saturday's FA Cup final and adds that this will be a springboard for greater success.Arsenal forward Theo Walcott believes his future at the club will be resolved soon and says their FA Cup win has to be a stepping stone to greater success. The Gunners retained the FA Cup with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Tim Sherwood's Aston Villa, with Walcott scoring the opening goal.However, the 26-year-old has been linked with a move to Liverpool and Chelsea, but he says he feels he'll sign a new contract this summer.Speaking at the club's trophy parade on Sunday, he told reporters: "I'm sure things will get resolved. I just want to enjoy today. I've obviously got England coming up and then I'm sure we can think about that process. It'll take time.

The Barcelona defender was elated after his side won the Copa del Rey and hopes they can complete the treble with European glory.Gerard Pique says that Barcelona can reach "perfection" if they complete their treble win by beatingJuventus in the Champions League final.The Catalan side defeated Athletic Bilbao 3-1 in the Copa del Rey on Saturday to add to the Liga title they previously claimed.Luis Enrique's men take on Juve in the European final on June 6, as they seek to win their first Champions League title since 2011.Pique says the campaign has been excellent thus far, but the side can make it perfect next Saturday.

The two Brazilians and one Colombian will be in need of a rest after their efforts in Chile, according to Jose Mourinho, with the tournament starting in less than two weeks' time.Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Chelsea's South American players involved in the Copa America will miss the start of the new Premier League season.The newly crowned champions have three players who will play at the tournament that starts on June 11 in Chile - Brazilian duo Willian and Filipe Luis, as well as Colombia's Juan Cuadrado.With the Copa America ending just over a month before the beginning of the new league campaign, Mourinho said he will have to make do without the trio for the start of Chelsea's title defence.

An IRS official revealed that there will be more names added to the list of 14 officials already indicted on racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges.A United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) official is "fairly confident" there will be further indictments in the criminal investigation into Fifa.Nine Fifa officials and five corporate executives have already been indicted with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies, among other offences.The chief of the IRS United in charge of criminal investigations, Richard Weber, said he expected further indictments.I'm fairly confident that we will have another round of indictments, he was quoted as saying by the New York Times.Weber added: I don't think there was ever a decision or a declaration that we would go after soccer.We were going after corruption.Despite the scandal that has rocked Fifa, president Sepp Blatter was re-elected on Friday.

Wenger: Arsenal can push on and win the league

After thrashing Aston Villa in the FA Cup final, the Gunners boss has looked ahead to potentially bolstering his squad with the view to finally mounting a serious title bid.Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal can build on their FA Cup win and mount a serious title challenge next season.Goals from Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez, Per Mertesacker and Olivier Giroud brushed Aston Villa aside at Wembley as the Gunners won the competition for a record-breaking 12th time.Arsenal suffered a worst ever start to a Premier League season last Autumn, going on to finish third, and Wenger feels there is no need to rock the boat over the summer after an impressive Wembley victory.I'm not in the buying mood tonight, he said after the final whistle.

The coach has pleaded with the club's hierarchy to allow him to stay at head coach in 2015-16, despite rumours suggesting Carlo Ancelotti will return.AC Milan coach Filippo Inzaghi has pleaded with the club to believe in him the way he is certain his players do after they defeated Atalanta 3-1 in Saturday's final game of the season.Carlo Ancelotti has been heavily rumoured with a return to San Siro following his sacking from Real Madrid, but Inzaghi thinks he has finally turned a corner in a season which has been well below the Rossoneri's high standards.

The Spanish boss has suggested that he was not pleased by Neymar's showboating at the end of the fixture as Barcelona moved close to the treble.Luis Enrique has showered praise on Lionel Messi after the forward produced a brilliant display in Barcelona's 3-1 Copa del Rey final win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.The Argentine enjoyed another memorable match as he scored an incredible solo goal to break the deadlockbefore adding a third for his side in the second half following a Neymar tap in.Luis Enrique has joined the chorus lauding the 27-year-old and suggested efforts like his wondergoal opener - which he conceded he had not seen from a good angle yet - are witnessed all of the time in training.

The Aston Villa manager thinks his side deserved their 4-0 defeat to the Gunners in the FA Cup final at Wembley and expressed his disappointment afterwards.Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood admitted he felt “sick” after his side were blown away by a “world class”Arsenal team in the FA Cup final on Saturday.The Gunners secured back-to-back FA Cup triumphs with their 4-0 victory and Sherwood accepted that Villa were comprehensively outplayed by Arsene Wenger’s men.I feel sick and so do the boys in there, but you can only know how winning feels when you watch another team walk around the pitch with the cup, Sherwood told reporters.

The Brazilian upset Athletic defenders as he attempted a nonchalant flick late in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday, but insists he was playing his normal game.Barcelona forward Neymar says he will not change the way he plays football after he wound up Athletic Bilbao rivals in his side's 3-1 win in Saturday's Copa del Rey final at Camp Nou.With Barca 3-1 up and only minutes remaining, Neymar attempted to flick the ball behind his body and over the head of Athletic's Unai Bustinza, provoking an angry reaction from the Basque defender and the rest of his team-mates.

The Gunners midfielder scored his fourth goal in a week to help his side to a comprehensive win at Wembley, and received praise from his manager after the game.Arsene Wenger has reiterated his desire to keep Theo Walcott at Arsenal and also insisted he is not interested in Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal.Walcott opened the scoring at Wembley as the Gunners comfortably saw off Aston Villa 4-0 to win the FA Cup for a record twelfth time, capping a superb end to the season for the attacker.Wenger reiterated his desire to keep the England international at the Emirates Stadium this summer, and praised his determination to recover from injury setbacks earlier in the season.

The BVB boss has bowed out with a defeat in the DFB-Pokal final to Wolfsburg and he admits he is finding it hard to keep his emotions in check.Jurgen Klopp conceded his emotional farewell as Borussia Dortmund boss with a 3-1 DFB-Pokal defeat against Wolfsburg brought him to tears.Having previously announced his decision to depart the club this summer, the fixture was the last in charge of a side he has led for the last seven years and he admits the experience has been a psychological strain.I feel below average, he admitted after the game.

The England man set the Gunners on their way and Alexis' stunner finally killed off Villa as the north Londoners won their second consecutive FA Cup and a record 12th overall.The special players produce on the biggest stage - and Alexis Sanchez did just that with a 30-yard screamer that put that cherry on top of an Arsenal FA Cup triumph that will be celebrated long into the night in north London.Even Arsene Wenger looked stunned when Alexis’ howitzer in the 50th minute clipped the underside of the crossbar and thumped into the Aston Villa net before their goalkeeper Shay Given could even realise what had happened.

Both wingers scored before Per Mertesacker and Olivier Giroud sealed victory as Tim Sherwood's first cup final as a manager ended in a chastening defeat.Arsenal retained the FA Cup as they proved to be far too strong for Aston Villa at Wembley.Theo Walcott opened the scoring with a powerful finish before Alexis Sanchez doubled the lead with a stunning strike from distance early in the second period.Per Mertesacker made the game safe with a header soon after before substitute Olivier Giroud added a late fourth as the Gunners became the most successful side in the competition's history with 12 wins.Perhaps wary of repeating last season's disastrous start against Hull City, which saw them go two goals behind, Arsene Wenger's side began on the front foot in a frenetic opening 10 minutes and gradually cranked up the pressure on Shay Given's goal with a series of corners and set-pieces.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain had previously held the record, but first-half efforts in the Copa del Rey final allowed the Barcelona trio to surpass it.Barcelona attackers Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar have set history in the Copa del Rey final by breaking the Spanish record for most goals scored in a single season by an offensive trio.Messi opened the scoring against Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou on Saturday after 20 minutes to equal the previous mark (118) set by Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain for Real Madrid in 2011-12.Sixteen minutes later they claimed the record all for themselves when Neymar benefitted from some excellent build-up play between Messi and Suarez to double the lead at the back post.

Allegri warns Pogba to 'stop showboating' ahead of Barcelona clash

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

The Frenchman expressed his desire to stay on at the club after guiding his side to a record 12th FA Cup triumph at Wembley by the biggest winning margin in 21 years.Arsene Wenger says he still has the hunger to continue at Arsenal after watching his side retain their FA Cup trophy with a 4-0 win over Aston Villa at Wembley.The victory sees the Gunners boss become the joint most successful manager in the competition's history with six trophies, alongside former Villa boss George Ramsey.

The England international says the Gunners are "very close" to winning the title and feels the current squad is the best he has played in during his time at the Emirates.Theo Walcott says Arsenal now plan to win the Premier League title after retaining their FA Cup trophy with a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa at Wembley.The 26-year-old scored the opening goal as the Gunners eased to a comfortable win with Alexis Sanchez, Per Mertesacker and Olivier Giroud also on the scoresheet.Victory means Arsenal are now the most successful team in the competition having recorded their 12th FA Cup win and Walcott says the Gunners must now kick on and claim the title.

The Reds had qualified for a place in the third qualifying round of the European competition after finishing sixth in the Premier League, but have now been bumped up.Liverpool will go straight into the Europa League group stages as a result of Arsenal's 4-0 FA Cup victory over Aston Villa.Had Tim Sherwood's side triumphed at Wembley they would have earned a place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League, but instead that slot will go to Southampton, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season.

No World Cup changes, Blatter confirms

The 79-year-old says the 2018 and 2022 tournaments will not be expanded so that more nations can compete.Fifa president Sepp Blatter has confirmed there will be no changes to the upcoming World Cup tournaments in relation to qualification and allocation of regional places.Speaking a day after he was re-elected for a fifth term at the helm of football's world governing body, the 79-year-old insisted the sport's global showpiece would not be altered.Russia will stage the 2018 competition before Qatar hosts four years later, and Blatter explained the allocation of 32 places at the finals will remain the same.Europe will therefore retain 13 qualifying places, with Africa keeping five.

The 36-year-old has called time on his 19-year career, having won six Premier League titles and the Champions League with Manchester United.Rio Ferdinand has announced his retirement from professional football.The 36-year-old has called time on his 19-year career after being released by QPR earlier this week.Ferdinand won six Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup and three League Cup trophies in 12 seasons with Manchester United. He was also capped 81 times by England.After 18 years as a professional footballer, I now feel it's the right time for me to retire from the game that I love, Ferdinand said in a statement to BT Sport.As a 12-year-old boy, kicking around a football on the Friary Estate in Peckham, I never dreamt that I would play for my boyhood club West Ham, captain Leeds United, win the Champions League with Manchester United, or re-join my first manager Harry Redknapp at Queens Park Rangers.

The Belgian playmaker enjoyed a sensational season on both a club and individual level and admitted that picking up the trophy made him feel 20 years younger.Chelsea's Eden Hazard has admitted that getting his hands on the Premier League trophy made him feel like a child with a new toy.The Blues sealed the title with a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace earlier this month, finishing eight points clear of second-placed Manchester City.Hazard was named Player of the Year by Chelsea, the PFA, and the Football Writers' Association after a superb season, but the Premier League title was the award that gave the Belgian the most satisfaction.

The re-elected Fifa president says he will not forget the fervent opposition of Michel Platini and has hit out at both the British media and Americans.Fifa president Sepp Blatter has accused Uefa of a campaign of hatred following his re-election on Friday.After a week which has seen Fifa embroiled in turmoil following the arrests of a number of officials, the Swiss was elected into a fifth term of office at the head of the game's governing body after seeing off the challenge of Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.Uefa president Michel Platini said earlier this week that he had asked Blatter to step down from his rolefollowing the scandal which has seen several officials indicted on corruption charges, with a potential boycott of World Cups 2018 and 2022 by European nations being mooted.

The striker has been passed fit for the clash at Camp Nou and has been named in Luis Enrique's 23-man squad.Barcelona forward Luis Suarez has been passed fit to face Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final.Luis Enrique confirmed in his press conference that the Uruguay star has recovered sufficiently from a hamstring injury sustained against Bayern Munich, and would likely be involved at Camp Nou.And the Liga champions have now confirmed Suarez is in the 23-man squad which also sees defender Thomas Vermaelen earn a spot.The news means Barca have no major injury concerns as they prepare to face Ernesto Valverde's men and complete the domestic double.

Barcelona squad:

Goalkeepers: Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Claudio Bravo, Jordi Masip

Defenders: Martin Montoya, Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano, Marc Bartra, Douglas, Jordi Alba, Adriano, Dani Alves, Thomas Vermaelen, Jeremy Mathieu

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Rafinha, Sergi Roberto

Forwards: Pedro, Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Neymar

Valverde: I don't know how to stop Messi - but we'll try

The Athletic boss says Barcelona will respect his side in the Copa del Rey final and says they will need to do most of the running.Athletic Bilbao boss Ernesto Valderde admits he does not have a plan to stop Lionel Messi in Saturday's Copa del Rey final.Messi scored in both of Barcelona's cup final triumphs over Bilbao in 2009 and 2012 and has enjoyed an exceptional run of form in 2015 to help the Catalans close in on the treble.Valverde conceded he has no idea how to stop the four-time Ballon d'Or winner.I don't know how to stop Lionel Messi but we have to try, Valverde told a press conference.

The Frenchman can win the trophy for the sixth time on Saturday, with Aston Villa the only obstacle standing in his way, and few would argue against him emerging victorious.Every great visionary has a firm grasp of history and Arsene Wenger is no different. The supposed specialist in failure stands on the brink of becoming an FA Cup record-breaker with only Aston Villa standing between him and glory.Jose Mourinho may have used Chelsea's glitzy end-of-season awards gala to belittle his favourite foe earlier this week but the FA Cup, as it so often has during his illustrious career, will afford Wenger the opportunity to enjoy something of a last laugh should Arsenal emerge victorious at Wembley on Saturday.

We've got all the key details ahead of the biggest game in European club football next weekend.Barcelona and Juventus will battle it out in the Champions League final in Berlin on June 6, with kick-off scheduled for 20:45 CET.The game will take place at the iconic Olympiastadion and will see nearly 75,000 supporters cram into the venue to see who will be crowned the best team in Europe.Real Madrid won the trophy last season but the Bianconeri overcame the Spanish club in the semi-finals, while Barca saw off Bayern Munich to seal their place in the showpiece.Taking charge of the game will be Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir. The 38-year-old has officiated 70 Uefa matches, including four Champions League and three Europa League games this season.He will be assisted by fellow Turks Bahattin Duran and Tarik Ongun, while the fourth official will be Jonas Eriksson from Sweden. Two additional assistant referees have also been appointed in Turkish pair Huseyin Gocek and Baris Simsek.

Wenger: Arsenal will not sell Wilshere

The midfielder recently revealed his future at the club had not been discussed, but his manager pointed to the loyalty shown during the player's many injuries as proof he is wanted.Arsene Wenger has dismissed talk of Arsenal selling Jack Wilshere and hinted at a possible contract extension.The midfielder recently made his return after yet another injury setback, which has restricted the 23-year-old to just 13 Premier League appearances this season.In his absence, Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey have shone in midfield has while Francis Coquelin established himself in the first team, with Wilshere recently admitting he is yet to discuss his future with his manager.

The 79-year-old will serve a fifth term as Fifa president, but remains under pressure to resign following the corruption scandal surrounding the game's world governing body.Luis Figo says "football has lost" after Sepp Blatter was re-elected as Fifa president on Friday and again called for him to quit his post.The 79-year-old beat off competition from Jordan's Prince Ali to hold on to his position, which will see him serve a fifth term as the head of the game's governing body.

The Fifa president was re-elected for a fifth term on Friday but has been criticised by many high-profile figures.Sepp Blatter is too old to change his ways and won't be able to restore faith in Fifa after his re-election as president on Friday, according to DFB chief Wolfgang Niersbach.The 79-year-old will serve a fifth term as the head of football's governing body following his victory over Prince Ali of Jordan, who stood down after being out voted 133 to 73 in the first round of the election.

A leading official in European football has slammed a "rotten system" and has hinted that a breakaway competition for major nations could be formed.KNVB (Royal Dutch Football Union) CEO Bert van Oostveen says football's smaller nations should form their own organisation after slamming their influence on the re-election of Sepp Blatter as Fifa president.The 79-year-old beat challenger Prince Ali of Jordan on Friday, meaning he will be serve for a fifth term, despite a host of leading Uefa nations voting against the incumbent.

The Real Madrid great praised the Italian after he was sacked by his former club on Monday.Raul has praised Carlo Ancelotti's work during his two-year reign at Real Madrid.The Italian was sacked by the club on Monday after failing to win a major trophy in his second season in charge at the Bernabeu.However, he did lift the Champions League and Copa del Rey last term and Raul says he deserves respect for his efforts.

The winger says the current side is the best he has been involved with ahead of Saturday's FA Cup final.Theo Walcott believes the current Arsenal squad is the best he has been part of in his 10 years at the club.The Gunners are gearing up for their second consecutive FA Cup final, looking to become only the second team to retain the FA Cup twice, when they face Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.Arsenal suffered their worst ever start to a Premier League season earlier this term, but a remarkable upturn in form since the turn of the year saw them claim third spot, and Walcott feels a title challenge is a must.

The club believe that the entire transfer system is at stake over the 2013 transfer of the Brazil star.Santos have confirmed that they are to launch legal proceedings against Neymar, his father andBarcelona over the transfer that took the attacker to Camp Nou in 2013.The club have alleged they should have received more money than the €17.1 million they were paid two years ago after being misled by the Catalans.Santos president Modesto Roma Jr told reporters at a press conference: Yesterday, Santos made an official complaint to Fifa against Barcelona, Mr Neymar da Silva Santos Jr., Neymar Silva Santos and Neymar Sport Marketing Ltd.

The 79-year-old will head Fifa for a fifth term after Friday's vote, but the Football Association chief and Gary Lineker have continued calls for change.Football Association chairman Greg Dyke has maintained that Fifa cannot continue under Sepp Blatter despite the president being re-elected for a fifth term.The 79-year-old failed to win a majority in the first round of votes but opponent Prince Ali withdrew before the second ballot to extend the president's stay, amid continued corruption allegations surrounding Fifa.

The coach follows Carlo Ancelotti out of Santiago Bernabeu, with reports linking him with managerial posts at both Sunderland and Derby County.Assistant coach Paul Clement has said his goodbyes to Real Madrid amid speculation he is set for a managerial role in England.Carlo Ancelotti was sacked as Madrid's head coach after two seasons on Monday, as the Italian failed to the win any of the Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League titles this season.It was widely expected that Clement, who worked with Ancelotti at Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, would also leave the Santiago Bernabeu.And Clement seemingly confirmed his departure on Friday by writing on Twitter: "It has been an honour to have worked with Carlo at the number one club in the world.Thank you to all the players, staff and fans. Hala Madrid.Clement has been linked with the vacant managerial posts at Sunderland and Derby County.

Friday 29 May 2015

Thohir pens open letter to Inter fans: I will continue to invest

The Indonesian has lashed out at "misleading and inaccurate information" circulating in the Italian press about his transfer plans.Erick Thohir has written an open letter to Inter fans to reassure them that there is nothing improper about his business practices and that he remains fully committed to investing further money into the club.On Wednesday, the Corriere della Sera ran a special investigative report on the Indonesian's finances, claiming that he earns €1.78 million per year on money he loaned to the Nerazzurri.

The midfielder believes the Gunners' style makes others fear them while he insists Lukas Podolski would be welcomed back into the team following his loan spell at Inter.Mesut Ozil believes every team should be scared of Arsenal, but has warned his side to be cautious against an underdog like Aston Villa in Saturday's FA Cup final.The Germany international has played a key role in the Gunners' improvement in the second half of the season following an injury-hit start to the campaign.And though he recognises Villa will prove a tough test as Arsene Wenger's side look to retain the trophy, he feels Arsenal's style of play is enough to strike fear into any opposition team.

The Sevilla striker says he cannot be sure what his future holds after his decisive double in Wednesday's Europa League final win.Sevilla’s Europa League hero Carlos Bacca says he has no idea what the future holds for him amid apparent interest from clubs including AC Milan and Manchester United.The Colombian struck twice in Sevilla’s 3-2 victory over Dnipro in Warsaw on Wednesday which secured a second successive Europa League crown, strengthening rumours that some of Europe’s top clubs could make a move for him this summer.

The Costa Rican goalkeeper is keen to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu despite only making 11 appearances in his debut season.Keylor Navas says he will continue to fight for a first-team spot at Real Madrid despite having spent the majority of 2014-15 playing second fiddle to club captain Iker Casillas.The 28-year-old goalkeeper arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer of 2014 from Levante but was limited to only six La Liga appearances and five starts in cup competitions during his first campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The defender believes winning the competition with Germany meant he struggled in the first half of the season while others like team-mate Mesut Ozil picked up injuries.Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker said he went through a "post-World Cup trauma" that affected more than half his season.Mertesacker and Arsenal team-mate Mesut Ozil were part of the Germany squad that beat Argentina in the World Cup final in Brazil last summer, but enjoyed a less glorious club season afterwards as Arsene Wenger's men finished third, 12 points behind Chelsea, in the Premier League.

The White Hart Lane outfit have beaten off interest from Arsenal to bring the 22-year-old to north London, with the centre-back signing a five-year deal.Tottenham have completed the signing of Austrian defender Kevin Wimmer from Bundesliga side Koln.The 22-year-old has finally rubber-stamped the deal after undergoing a medical and penning personal terms with the north Londoners.He has agreed a five-year deal with the north London outfit, having made 32 appearances in Bundesliga during the 2014-15 campaign.Mauricio Pochettino's side had to contend with interest from Arsenal to sign the centre-back, with the fee likely to be in the region of €5.5 million.

Uefa have hinted at pulling European sides out of upcoming competitions if Prince Al bin al-Hussein does not become Fifa president, and the FA chairman has backed that stance.Football Association chairman Greg Dyke has admitted England would consider boycotting the World Cup if Sepp Blatter wins Friday's Fifa presidential election.Blatter is the favourite to beat Prince Ali bin al-Hussein and remain in the post, despite opposition from Michel Platini and Uefa following Wednesday's arrests of a number of high-profile Fifa officials in Zurich.

The protestors forced their way into the Hallenstadion as Sepp Blatter delivered a speech. They were quickly escorted out by security.Pro-Palestine protestors interrupted Sepp Blatter's speelution.ch at Friday's Fifa Congress, calling for a “red card” for the organisation.Incumbent president Blatter, who is expected to be voted in for a fifth term when the election is held at the Congress on Friday, was speaking when the protestors burst into the main conference hall at the Hallenstadion in Zurich.

The 79-year-old Swiss is expected to be re-elected as president of the world game's administrators on Friday in what has been a hectic week for the sport.Sepp Blatter is expected to be re-elected for a fifth term as Fifa president on Friday against a backdrop of chaos within world football’s governing body.Blatter is up against Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan in the first contested election for the post since 2002, with the Swiss 79-year-old the clear favourite to be voted in.The poll is going ahead as originally planned despite a week of controversy at Fifa, with two separate investigations having hit the headlines on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old stole the show from the former Brazil and Barcelona star as his side ran out 5-0 winners in Thursday's game.A spectacular four-goal display by Javier Orozco helped to condemn Ronaldinho ’s Queretaro side to a humiliating 5-0 defeat against Santos Laguna in the Liga MX final first leg on Thursday.With Ronaldinho left on the bench, Queretaro quickly found themselves 3-0 down as Orozco helped himself to a first-half hat-trick. And while the Brazilian was introduced into the game at half-time in place of Jaime Gomez, he was largely ineffective and carried a frustrating demeanour throughout the second half.

The Villans boss insists all the pressure is on his opponents for the Wembley showpiece, while his counterpart is yet to decide on his starting line-up after recent performances.Tim Sherwood believes all the pressure will be on Arsenal when he leads his Aston Villa side out at Wembley in the FA Cup final.Arsenal lifted the trophy last season with a 3-2 win over Hull City after extra time and will start Saturday's game as favourites having finished third in the Premier League.Villa, by contrast, finished one place above the relegation zone, with Sherwood's appointment in February proving crucial to the club securing survival.

The 67-year-old is not ready to rule out extending his current contract, which expires after Euro 2016, but notes the downturn in popularly suffered by the likes of Fabio Capello.Roy Hodgson is open to extending his stay as England manager beyond Euro 2016, but is wary of overstaying his welcome.The 67-year-old currently has a contact which expires following the tournament in France in a year's time and is enjoying his time in charge, with England recording a 100 per cent record from their first five qualifiers.

The striker is in demand this summer after a return to form in the second half of the season, but his manager insists he is good enough to earn a move to Europe's elite.Tim Sherwood has told Christian Benteke to ignore interest from Liverpool in favour of staying at Aston Villa and earning a move to a bigger club.Villa will demand €42 million for their in-form striker, with Sherwood keen to deter bids for the Belgian, who has nine goals in his last eight games, with a hefty price tag.Sherwood accepts that a buyout clause in Benteke's contract means the striker's future is potentially out of the club's hands but feels an extra year at Villa Park, leading up to Euro 2016, would serve him better.There's a buyout clause in his contract so it will be impossible for us to stop him if he wants to go, Sherwood told reporters.

Sunday 31 May 2015

Saturday 30 May 2015

Friday 29 May 2015