Atletico losing grip on Europa League crown

 

Current Europa League champions Atletico Madrid are in danger of heading out of the competiton following a 2-0 defeat at home by Rubin Kazan.

Diego Simeone's side fell behind after just six minutes following Gokdeniz Kardeniz's strike, and while the Russian club had Roman Sharonov sent off on the stroke of half time, the visitors were able to secure a second away goal through Pablo Orbaiz's 90th-minute effort. 

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Bernabeu love-in gets Madrid in Valentine's mood

 

On a night which produced one of the most action-packed games of the Champions League this season, romance was in the air ahead of Valentine's Day as Manchester United escaped from the Bernabeu with a draw.

Sir Alex Ferguson would feel his side could have secured a first-leg victory after seeing a number of chances spurned but United are were also indebted to the heroic performance of David de Gea, whose saves, albeit sometimes unorthodox, prevented Real Madrid from adding to Cristiano Ronaldo's superb first-half header.

After the match, Ferguson and Ronaldo embraced, leaving Mourinho to insist United are not in the driving seat to progress to the Champions League quarter final, while De Gea rightly deserved the plaudits after coming under fire several times this term. 

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Celtic cry foul over Juventus' rough & tumble

 

Celtic huffed and puffed on Tuesday evening but Neil Lennon's men were eventually punished for failing to take their chances as Juventus escaped with a 3-0 victory in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

After the defeat, Lennon blasted the performance of referee, Alberto Undiano Mallenco, after replays highlighted Juventus players grappling with Celtic's Gary Hooper in the visitors' penalty box before several corners.

"It's not rugby we're playing, it's soccer," said Lennon.

"They were being fouled, manhandled. Every time one of my players tried to move he was held. He should have given a penalty on at least two occasions.

"I'd like to know what the interpretation of the rules are in Italy or Spain, because it's blatantly different to what they are in Britain from what I've seen tonight.

"They were fouling on every opportunity and he was staring right at it. 

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Last 16 hopefuls eye Champions League glory

 

The Champions League round-of-16 stage commences on Tuesday as Europe's elite attempt to forge a path to the final at Wembley.

The standout tie this week sees Cristiano Ronaldo come up against his former club for the first time as Real Madrid host Manchester United on Wednesday evening.

Elsewhere, Serie A champions Juventus are in action against Celtic, Valencia play Paris Saint-Germain, while two sides who impressed in the group stage, Shakhtar Donetsk and Borussia Dortmund, square off at the Donbass Arena on Wednesday. 
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Super Eagles soar after Afcon victory

 

Nigeria were crowned Africa Cup of Nations champions on Sunday.

Sunday Mba scored a stunning goal to clinch a 1-0 victory for the Super Eagles over Burkina Faso.

Chelsea star Victor Moses was named player of the tournament and Jon Obi Mikel was declared man of the match as Nigeria claimed their first Africa Cup of Nations since 1994. 
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Manchester City run out of puff in title charge

 

What looked like being a two-horse race is apparently down to just one after a limp Manchester City were beaten 3-1 by Southampton on Saturday evening.

Roberto Mancini's men were outclassed at St Mary's Stadium and, if they beat Everton on Sunday, rivals Manchester United could go 12 points clear in the race for the Premier League trophy.

A miraculous repeat of last year's title success looks further and further away for City as their weakened team runs out of puff... 
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Sir Alex tongue-tied by FA after fine

 

Sir Alex Ferguson had his wrists slapped by the FA on Friday, receiving a £12,000 fine for comments made about match officials.

The Manchester United manager implied referee's assistant Simon Beck had been motivated by bias in his failure to award the Premier League leaders a penalty in the 1-1 draw against Tottenham.

The Old Trafford boss might be advised to hold his tongue before making such comments in the future, though why change the habit of a lifetime at 71? 

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My cartoon on France Football

 

France Football published my Goal.com cartoon "Newcastle's French revolution goes a step too far", which was talking on Newcastle winter's transfer which was on five French players.

Am so proud to see my cartoon in a very prestigious magazine.

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Carragher heads for Anfield exit

 

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher announced his decision to retire from football at the end of the season on Thursday.

After a career as a strictly one-club man in which the 35-year-old has made well over 700 appearances for the Anfield side and won plenty of silverware, including the Champions League.

There is no doubt the Kop will salute Carragher as he heads for the Anfield exit door in May. 
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England's Wembley win spoils Ronaldinho's parade

 

It was set up perfectly for Ronaldinho. In his unofficial 100th game for Brazil (he has made five appearances in games not recognised by Fifa), he was handed a chance from the penalty spot to get his name on the score-sheet at Wembley. A penalty against England? Well that's as good as a goal isn't it?

WRONG! Joe Hart superbly denied the buck-toothed magician with not one, but two, fine stops to prevent the 32-year-old marking his return to the Selecao (he hasn't played for them since November 2011) with a goal.

It got worse too. Luis Felipe Scolari replaced him at half-time and England went on to win the friendly with goals from Wayne Rooney and the evergreen Frank Lampard - perfectly marking the Football Association's first glamour friendly in their 150th anniversary. 
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