Manchester City F.C. forward Stevan Jovetic has criticised manager Manuel Pellegrini’s decision to drop him from the club s UEFA Champions League squad.
The Montenegro international, who joined City from Fiorentina for £22 million in the summer of 2013, was dropped from City s European squad following the January arrival of Wilfried Bony.
Pellegrini s decision has not gone down too well with Jovetic, and understandably so.
I deserve to play in the Champions League, I know that, Jovetic told the Sunday Mirror.
The manager has killed me with this decision. I feel I deserve my place and other people have told me the same. People have told me I am a great player but it is clear that the manager does not think the same way.
I …
Liverpool have signed Italian striker Fabio Borini from Roma for a fee of about 11 million pounds.
The move sees the former Parma man link up with Brendan Rodgers for a third time after he worked under the Northern Irishman at Chelsea and Swansea.
Borini has only been with Roma for a season, after joining on a free transfer from Chelsea in the summer of 2011, and managed nine goals in 20 starts after joining them on loan from Parma at the beginning of the 2011-12 campaign.
The 21-year-old made his international debut for Italy in their 1-0 home defeat to the United States in February and was selected for the Euro 2012 squad although he did not play in the tournament.
Borini is Rodgers first signing since his arrival on Merseyside, after he replaced Kenny…
Arsenal couldn t shake off the scars from their battering at Stoke as Arsene Wenger s side were forced to settle for a frustrating 0-0 draw against Fenerbahce in the Champions League on Wednesday.
After that chastening defeat against Stoke last weekend, the Gunners desperately needed a win in the Group G clash at the Emirates Stadium to get back on track.
But, although Arsenal dominated for long periods, the pyschological damage inflicted by Stoke had clearly left its mark. The hosts were unable to find the cutting edge needed to kill off dogged opposition and a series of poor finishes left Wenger s team without a win in three matches.
While Arsenal should still qualify for the second round with a win over Dynamo Kiev later this month, Wenger must be concerne…
RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner has made it clear he is unfazed by reports linking him with a big club move at the end of the season.
The Germany starlet is one of Europe’s most sought-after forwards at the moment and he is believed to be on the radar of Real Madrid, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, among other clubs.
While RB Leipzig are bracing for big money offers in the summer, Werner seems happy to remain at the club for the time being.
“I have a contract until 2020 and I feel good in Leipzig,” Werner told reporters after the Bundesliga clash with Stuttgart.
The 22-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough season last term as he scored 21 league goals before netting three times at the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia.
Werner has so far managed 10 Bu…
Javi Gracia recalled painful memories in comparing Mohamed Salah to Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi after his Watford side were torn apart by Liverpool.
Salah s sensational 2017-18 continued with a four-goal haul as Jurgen Klopp s side romped to a 5-0 success at Anfield on Saturday, the Egypt international taking his tally to 36 goals across all competitions this season.
Four years ago, Gracia s Osasuna were thumped 7-0 at Camp Nou by Barca with Messi scoring a hat-trick and the Spaniard said even the best-laid plans can be ripped to shreds by players like Salah and the Argentina superstar.
Many times it is not so important what your plan is, no matter how hard you work on it, because a player like that can change it in an instant, he said.
I remember…
Arsenal stormed to a comprehensive 3-0 Community Shield triumph over a lacklustre Manchester City at Wembley on Sunday.
Arsene Wenger s team ended a nine-year trophy drought by beating Hull City in the FA Cup final in May and the north London club returned to the national stadium to produce an emphatic display in the traditional season curtain-raiser.
Injuries and late returns from World Cup commitments combined to leave City without seven of the XI that sealed a second Premier League title in three seasons with a final-day win over West Ham in May, but Arsenal were also missing Per Mertesacker, Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski, who helped Germany triumph in Brazil.
It was Arsenal who acquitted themselves to far greater effect in the first half, as showpiece new si…
Alessandro Diamanti hit out at former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli on Monday as he defended his decision to move to the Chinese Super League.
Diamanti signed for Guangzhou Evergrande in February and, despite having scored five goals in 23 games for the Chinese club, the 31-year-old has not played for Italy since.
The former Bologna attacking midfielder was part of Prandelli s squads for Euro 2012 and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup but missed out on a spot at this year s World Cup in Brazil, with many pundits claiming it was due to Diamanti s decision to play in China.
But in the lead-up to Wednesday s AFC Champions League quarter-final first leg against Western Sydney Wanderers, Diamanti defended his choice and claimed he would do it again even if Prandelli had…
Ruben De la Red has tipped former Real Madrid team-mate Iker Casillas to win the Ballon d Or after his performances for club and country.
After leading Jose Mourinho s team to the La Liga title, the Spanish international goalkeeper then helped his country defend their European title in Poland and Ukraine.
The truth is, goalkeepers maintain a different outlook to the rest of the team, De la Red, who retired in 2010 due to a chronic heart problem, told AS.
To me, saving a goal is just as important as scoring one. Through that, Casillas has done enough to deserve the Ballon d Or.
Other players thought to be in prime contention for the award are Casillas Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as Barcelona duo Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta.
…
Jens Lehmann s dream of returning to international football and playing in next year s World Cup looks unlikely to be fulfilled, Germany goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke said Monday.
It is unnecessary to really think about it, Koepke, who coaches the national team s goalkeepers, told the Stuttgart Zeitung.
It would send out the wrong signal to our younger goalkeepers.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Lehmann, 39, won the last of his 61 caps against Spain in the 1-0 Euro 2008 final defeat in Vienna and signed for Bundesliga side Stuttgart soon after.
And he announced his international retirement last August.
But having signed a year s extension to his contract on Friday, which will keep him in the Bundesliga until the summer of 2010, Lehmann has said …
Pep Guardiola has said the success of clubs should not be determined solely by trophies, as he acknowledged Manchester City cannot win all of the time .
City appear almost certain to relinquish their Premier League title this season, having fallen 14 points behind runaway leaders Liverpool ahead of Saturday s clash with second-placed Leicester City.
While Guardiola s men could yet win the Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup, the Catalan believes too much criticism comes the way of teams who do not pick up prizes despite enjoying strong campaigns.
Asked if it is possible for a very good team to have a very good season without winning silverware, Guardiola told Sky Sports: Of course.
[Did] Liverpool [have] a bad season in the Premier League last season…