Lavezzi profits from Ibrahimovic distraction

All the talk in the build-up to Chelsea's Champions League quarter-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain revolved around one man: Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Could the striker upset one-time mentor Jose Mourinho? Could the Blues find a way to stop the talismanic frontman? Would he ever play in England?

Such was the Stamford Bridge outfit's preoccupation with the Sweden international, they appeared to forget that there were 10 other players on the field at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.

It took just three minutes for Ezequiel Lavezzi, completely unmarked inside the penalty box, to unleash a ferocious shot that flew into the back of the net to remind Chelsea that PSG are far from the one-man team they had been mistaken for.

Ibrahimovic's night was cut short by a hamstring injury that will rule him out of the return leg, though Lavezzi's screamer, coupled with a late goal from Javier Pastore that added gloss to the victory, prove that les Parisiens will be no pushovers even in the Swede's absence.

Thursday, 3 April 2014 10:39

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No way Jose! Ibrahimovic rules out PL move

Chelsea travel to the French capital to face Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night, a match that sees Blues boss Jose Mourinho take on former charge Zlatan Ibrahimovic, though he appears unlikely to ever coach the enigmatic Swede again.

Despite the Portuguese's praise for Ibrahimovic and attempts to lure him to the Premier League, the PSG frontman has categorically ruled out a move to England.

"It's impossible to get me to England [now]," said the 32-year-old. "If you ask the people behind this [PSG] project I do not think they would let me go."

So however much Mourinho may like Ibrahimovic at Stamford Bridge, and however much of a "pity" it is if he doesn't move to the Premier League, the Sweden international looks dead set to shun a transfer to England and will remain the main man in Paris.

Wednesday, 2 April 2014 11:46

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Ibrahimovic settles in for goal highlight reel

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored so many extraordinary goals that he is unable to recall all of them.

As a result, the Paris Saint-Germain striker has already made plans for how to spend his retirement years - watching clips of his acrobatic efforts.

"I'm spoiled to have scored so many exceptional goals," he said. "There are a few I will see on the internet when I retire and I'll tell myself they're amazing. I'll ask myself how even I could have achieved such feats.

"In a match, it happens like that. I don't train for these, they are instinctive actions, like my goal against Bastia when I scored with the backheel. I have to try things to have a chance against opponents.

"This is what makes the difference between a small and a large team. Crazy things can come out of nowhere. This is what is good about football, it's completely unpredictable."

Saturday, 29 March 2014 12:00

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Ronaldo tops star-studded Goal Rich List

Cristiano Ronaldo has pipped Lionel Messi to the top spot of the 2014 Goal Rich List.

The Real Madrid star is the hottest property in football and boasts an estimated wealth of €148 million [£122m] - just €2m [£1.5m] more than his Barcelona rival.

The list, topped by the now-retired David Beckham in 2013, features the likes of Wayne Rooney, Samuel Eto'o and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Click here to see the full Goal Rich List top 10.

Monday, 10 March 2014 12:30

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Champions League back with a bang as Barcelona leave old foes fuming

Barcelona's 2-0 win against Manchester City left Manuel Pellegrini in a rage and Jose Mourinho eating humble pie.

The City boss was furious at the Swedish referee who awarded Barca a penalty and sent off Martin Demichelis. Pellegrini let fly in his post-match press conference, saying the ref was not up to the job of officiating a Champions League clash.

And it was a bitter result for Mourinho, who had earlier called out "the worst Barca side in many, many years". Cesc Fabregas issued a stinging rebuttal at full-time, saying Barca's detrctors should "shut up for a few days".

All the while, Paris Saint-Germain were marching towards the quarter-finals with a 4-0 away win against Bayer Leverkusen, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoreing twice, one of which an absolute rocket.

The Champions League is definitely back in full swing!

Wednesday, February 19, 2014 12:00

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Hooray! The Champions League is back again

It has been a long two months since the Champions League group stages came to a close and the last-16 ties were drawn out of the hat in Nyon. But fear no more!

Tonight signals the return of the top club competition in Europe - if not the world. It's Manchester City v Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen v Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

With Arsenal taking on Bayern Munich on Wednesday, and Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, Chelsea and a whole host of other top teams in action over the coming weeks, you won't be short of star names and big performances. Rejoice!

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 12:00

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Crocked Falcao sucked into World Cup abyss

Radamel Falcao is set to be another high-profile star missing from the World Cup after being ruled out for six months through injury.

The Colombia international tore his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for Monaco against Chasselay in the Coupe de France meaning he will play no part in this summer’s tournament in Brazil.

The striker insists he still retains a small hope he will be fit in time, but it is expected that like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who missed out on qualification with Sweden, he will have to make do with simply watching the action.

Friday, January 24, 2014 12:10

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Love is in the air for Ibrahimovic & Klopp

The strong bond between Jurgen Klopp and Zlatan Ibrahimovic continues as the Dortmund boss claims he adores the striker's "antics".

The Paris Saint-Germain forward had previously joked to Klopp at the Ballon d'Or ceremony that he would join the German club for free, although the Dortmund coach concedes, in reality, such a transfer is unlikely to happen.

"I like it, I love his antics, he is an extraordinary player. However, there is no option of recruiting a player of that level," Klopp told DPA.

"He told me that I should let everyone at Dortmund know that he enjoys watching us play football.

"There were years in which he probably did not even know there was a football club in Dortmund. Now he knows and likes us - that says it all."

Friday, 17 January 2014 12:00

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Higuain in tears as Napoli miss out on last 16

Napoli agonisingly missed out on a place in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Despite beating Arsenal 2-0 with goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon, the Italian side were eliminated after Borussia Dortmund defeated Marseille, meaning the Bundesliga outfit progressed top of Group F, with the Gunners finishing second by virtue of a superior goal difference.

And it was all too much for goal scorer Higuain, who could not hide is disappointment after the game.

"Not going through is incredible," he said. "It is an injustice, really.

"Going out with 12 points – winning four games in such an immensely difficult group with two sides as strong as Arsenal and Dortmund - when you see teams going through with only one or two wins, with six or seven points, it's disappointing.

"It cannot be anything else but bad luck because to win four games out of six and be eliminated is not something that happens often."

Thursday, December 12, 2013 12:00

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Missing superstars make World Cup plans

So that's it. Uruguay became the 32nd team to qualify for next summer's World Cup, completing the line-up ready to compete for football's biggest prize in Brazil.

But spare a thought for the stars of the game that will miss out on a trip to South America after their qualification campaigns ended in failure.

Ice cream and tissues will undoubtedly be at the ready for the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gareth Bale and Robert Lewandowski, who will all be forced to watch the action unfold from the comfort of their sofas.

Thursday, 21 November 2013 12:00

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Zlatan, Blatter & the football world bow to mighty Ronaldo

Just when it looked like Zlatan Ibrahimovic might have sparked an incredible comeback for Sweden, Cristiano Ronaldo blew him out of the water with a magnificent hat-trick that sent Portugal through to World Cup 2014.

The Real Madrid superstar delivered three finishes of the utmost quality to roar back into the Ballon d'Or race.

Despite any mickey-taking from Fifa president Sepp Blatter, Ronaldo's performance - which saw him equal Pauleta's national record of 47 goals for the Seleccao - made the world stand up and take note.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013 08:19

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Ronaldo lands crucial blow in Ibrahimovic battle

Cristiano Ronaldo struck the first crucial blow in the battle between Portugal and Sweden for a place in the 2014 World Cup.

Much of the talk prior to the game surrounded which of football's superstars in Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic would come out on top.

And it proved to be the Real Madrid star, who scored the only goal of the game in the 82nd minute, and he might have had a second but was denied by the woodwork.

Ibrahimovic, meanwhile, cut a peripheral figure in Lisbon and was unable to influence the game in his own inimitable style.

There is still plenty of time for the Paris Saint-Germain man to strike back however, with the second leg on home soil for the Swede.

Saturday, November 16, 2013 12:45

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Round One: Zlatan & Ronaldo fight for World Cup place

They are two of the biggest stars in world football, but only one can go to the 2014 World Cup - Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo will go head to head for a trip to Brazil next summer.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker and Real Madrid giant are expected to line up for Sweden and Portugal respectively in Lisbon on Friday night in the first game of a two-legged qualifier.

And while both coaches - Paulo Bento and Erik Hamren - have insisted there is more to the clash than just Ibrahimovic and Ronaldo, they have also conceded the pair are potential match winners.

Can either land a crucial blow in the first leg ahead of the return tie in Sweden?

Friday, November 15, 2013 11:30

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Ballon d'Or rivals tend to injured Messi

Barcelona may have been left reeling by the news that Lionel Messi could be out of action for eight weeks with a hamstring tear.

But with the announcement of the winner of the Ballon d'Or just around the corner, the injury may be considered something of a blessing for some of the game's biggest stars.

Messi - who won last year's award - is likely to be included in the three-man shortlist for the accolade to be announced in December.

However, the extended absence of the Argentina international could allow the likes of Franck Ribery, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo the chance to steal a march on the Barcelona superstar.

Tuesday, 12 November 2013 11:15

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Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic & Ribery leave trail of destruction

Wednesday marked another string of scintillating displays in the Champions League, the best of which came from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The Sweden international notched four of Paris Saint-Germain's five goals in a comfortable win over Anderlecht, one of which, a 30-yard thunderbolt, will be a frontrunner for the best strike in the competition this season.

Elsewhere, Franck Ribery netted twice in Bayern Munich's 5-0 rout against Viktoria Plzen, while Cristiano Ronaldo's double fired Real Madrid to a 2-1 victory over Juventus.

Thursday, October 24, 2013 12:00

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Ibrahimovic vs Ronaldo - who will miss the World Cup?

Following Monday's World Cup play-off draw which saw Sweden paired with Portugal, we already know one superstar will not will heading to Brazil next summer.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo, two of the game's current greats, are both in danger of missing out on international football's pinnacle competition.

Let us know who you would prefer to see at the World Cup.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013 12:00

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Europe's top clubs turn attentions to Champions League

With domestic football well and truly back underway across Europe, the continent's biggest clubs switch their focus to the Champions League as the illustrious competition returns on Tuesday.

Two of the Premier League's biggest hitters are on show as Manchester United host Bayer Leverkusen, while Manchester City face a tough trip to Plzen.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid are in Turkey to face a Galatasaray side led by Didier Drogba, Carlos Tevez is expected to line up for Juventus against FC Copenhagen, and Pep Guardiola's star-studded Bayern Munich take on CSKA Moscow.

With the final set to take place at Benfica's Estadio da Luz in May, Europe's biggest names are drawn to the competition like moths to a flame.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013 09:00

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Ibra: Arrogant? I love my team-mates!

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has a whole lot of love to share - and he's certainly not arrogant, if you believe the man himself.

In an interview with the BBC, the PSG striker insisted he has a "big heart" and that the happiness of his team-mates, the fans and everyone else, even Pep Guardiola*, is all that matters to him.

"I read all the time that people think I'm arrogant," he said.

"They say I am cocky, a bad character. I had that from a young age but, when they meet me, they say: 'That image doesn't fit you.'

"Where I come from, you never judge a person until you meet them. I would never do that.

"Wherever I have played, I have won but I only feel satisfied if my team-mates, the fans, everyone is happy. I have a big heart."



*Possibly not Pep Guardiola

Thursday, September 12, 2013 12:00

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Race to Rio continues as stars face World Cup qualifiers

The race to qualify for World Cup 2014 continues in earnest this weekend with many top stars in action for their countries.

The world’s most expensive footballer, Gareth Bale, should feature for Wales although Real Madrid’s newest recruit is highly unlikely to make it to Rio.

Another big summer signing Mesut Ozil is in action for Germany, who are closing in on qualification, while Manchester United new-boy Marouane Fellaini will face Scotland with Belgium.

Elsewhere expect to see Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in action as club football takes a back seat this weekend.

Friday, 6 September 2013 11:50

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Ibrahimovic a 'born Manchester United player'

 

Manchester United are yet to make a significant signing this summer after missing out on Thiago Alcantara to Bayern Munich, while their pursuit of Cesc Fabregas has stalled.

But one former United star knows who he wants to see playing for the club.

Peter Schmeichel, who played with a number of club legends during his time at Old Trafford, wants Zlatan Ibrahimovic to leave Paris Saint-Germain behind and make the move to the Premier League.

"You've got to ask Zlatan why he hasn't played in England yet, but I'd love to see him at Manchester United," Schmeichel said.

"I don't know who he supports, but he's a born Manchester United player, he would be absolutely brilliant.

"I think our supporters would love him, if he ever made that move, he wouldn't move again. For Zlatan to play the way we love him to play, he has to be Zlatan. 
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