Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza on Wednesday said it is too
early to take a call on who she would partner in mixed doubles at the Rio Olympic
Games.
The confident Sania though believed the best possible team
should be fielded in the multi-sport extravaganza. “Who knows who is going to
be healthy and who won’t be healthy. The most important thing people should
know is that the best team should be put forward. Now, I don’t think is the
right time to take that call,” Sania said.
Ahead of the 2012 London Olympics, there was a controversy
over selection of the Indian doubles team. Asked about her preparation for Rio
Games, Sania said she is at the moment focused on tournaments preceding the
mega event.
“I just played a final on Sunday so I am not preparing at
this very point because I have been playing six weeks in a row. I was in three
different countries in the last three days, and I fly back to Dubai
tonight again and we play on Tuesday in Doha,
so I have a few days to hit,” he said.
Pakistan
spinner Saeed Ajmal dismantled his technique to relearn the art of off-spin and
put himself in line for an international recall with a remodelled action.
The late-bloomer emerged as Pakistan’s main strike bowler with
a dizzying array of tricks in his arsenal until a suspect action brought about
a ban in 2014.
He was cleared to bowl again a week before last year’s World
Cup but has struggled to replicate the control that once made him a universally
feared spinner.
“At 38, I have learnt something that I probably never did in
my 15 years as a cricketer,” Ajmal told ESPNcricinfo (www.espncricinfo.com).
“I had to become a child, like the first time I went into
the academy as a 10-year-old.”
“I will be back, and that day is not far. I have spent a lot
of time outside and it hurts me when Pakistan loses.”
Ajmal said he bowled with weights strapped to his wrist and
ankles to iron out kinks in his action, which he blamed on a broken wrist
following a bus accident.
He has had to sacrifice some bounce and spin, and the
occasional delivery can exceed the 15 degree elbow extension limit but Ajmal
said he still had enough variation to trouble batsmen.
“I will leave cricket with this (new) action. If I am not
effective, I will step aside and leave…
“The odd ball might have exceeded 20 degrees but I work hard
immediately to rectify that. I watch every video of my matches. Ninety-nine per
cent of my deliveries are under control.”
Chelsea were never going to live or die by their latest appearance at
Parc des Princes, but it was still an evening for mixed feelings. From one
angle, a spirited and resourceful effort from a depleted side kept them firmly
in this tie; from another, they were finally picked off after weathering heavy
pressure from superior opponents. Now, they'll need their best performance of
the year in the second leg to keep alive their hopes of an unlikely tilt at the
Champions League.
A modicum of the resilience shown here, coupled with the return
of key players when the teams resume in three weeks' time, would certainly give
them a chance. Equally encouraging is that Guus Hiddink's team stuck doggedly
to his plan. It was extra quality, rather than any systemic failing, that gave
Paris Saint-Germain the edge in the tie.
"PSG like to play very smart, very alert football, and
that's why we put emphasis on the back four and two more or less shielding
midfield players," Hiddink said in his postmatch news conference.
There was certainly plenty to occupy them. It was an unfamiliar Chelsea setup behind
their front five, but they wore a sufficiently battle-hardened look. When Gary
Cahill stretched brilliantly to stop a 65th-minute pass from Blaise Matuidi
from reaching Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a minute after his centre-back partner
Branislav Ivanovic had blocked a near-certain Matuidi goal inside the 6-yard
box, it was tempting to think Chelsea's core was tough enough to ride this one
out.
Cahill, alert and communicative throughout, certainly did his
best to fill the John Terry role, though he and Ivanovic were both culpable
when allowing Edinson Cavani to spin several yards off them for PSG's winner.
John Obi Mikel, whose equaliser might yet prove critical, had been at fault
previously when allowing Lucas Moura to run beyond him, which forced the
Nigerian to draw the foul that led to Ibrahimovic's opener. In the end, Chelsea's application was
not quite enough.
"I thought the performance of our players, tactically, was
very good," Hiddink said. "You have to be keen and very alert. In
theory, you can prepare well, but sometimes the errors creep in. [PSG] have a
nose for causing danger when you are out of position -- they are very
smart."
That was a reference to the second goal, but Hiddink's biggest
complaint was that Chelsea
did not capitalize on the "four or five" counterattacking
opportunities they created. They retained a threat until the dying seconds --
when Pedro lashed into the side netting after being located by the excellent
Willian -- and Diego Costa was superbly thwarted by Kevin Trapp twice, but Eden
Hazard in particular never quite managed to expose PSG's attack-minded defence
by winning his one-on-ones. The makeshift right-back Marquinhos performed
impressively to win their battle. Hazard was replaced by Oscar in the 71st
minute, and it was a small concern to hear Hiddink say he was not yet ready for
90 minutes at this intensity.
Yet there are enough doubts about PSG to keep appetites
sharpened. The morning's headline in Le Parisien read "History begins
now." That means at least matching their run to the semifinals of 1995,
and the difficulty is that with Laurent Blanc's team 24 points clear of an
undemanding Ligue 1, success in Europe stands
to be the club's lifeblood.
This is a better side than the one Chelsea defeated on away
goals after losing 3-1 here in the first leg of the 2014 quarterfinals; it is
probably better, too, than the one that prevailed so dramatically at Stamford
Bridge a year ago at this stage. The pressure to perform is intense, but there
was little sign of nerves early on, as they eased into a crisp, precise rhythm,
and the pressure they went on to exert during long periods of each half was of
an intensity and quality to make most sides buckle.
Even so, questions about their durability remain. Chelsea "forgot to
play" in the early stages, according to Hiddink, but after switching on,
they had periods of success in exposing a skittishness in the home side's game.
Challenges were niggling and rash, and passes were hurried. At one point in the
second half, a quickly taken free kick by Angel Di Maria failed to find its man
at both first and second times of asking. There was an edginess about PSG when
they did not control possession, and it became easier to understand how, after
defeating Chelsea last year, they were
comfortably defeated by Barcelona
in the last eight.
They will need to be tighter in the second leg. The improved
fitness of playmaker Marco Verratti, outstanding on the ball but late to the
tackle more than once, would lead to a logical step up in their pressing.
"Before their goal, we had one or two chances to hurt them,
and they got a bit unstable," Hiddink said. His last word was the most
telling. PSG do not ooze stability, and even if Blanc were pulling a poker face
afterward when wishing that the return fixture would be "open and,
hopefully, with some goals," it is easy to envision a match of similar ebb
and flow.
The reality is Blanc would be perfectly happy with no score at
all. The reality, too, is that PSG have the players to pull another fraught
situation out of the fire if need be. Di Maria's pass to Cavani, a beautifully
weighted ball down the inside-right when a switch to the completely open
Maxwell seemed the obvious option, was ingenious, and the substitute's run
emphasised the value of sharp, world-class minds on the bench.
"I envy a bit the bench of PSG," Hiddink said.
"They have 15 or 16 internationals, which is very important. When you see
what they can bring on in the second half, world-class players, it's a very
strong team."
That is what counted in the end. Chelsea put in one of the most commendable
efforts of their 2015-16 season, but you sense it will take something on an
altogether different level for that to have been enough.
Few strikers have dominated European club soccer likeZlatan Ibrahimovic. The towering Swedish goal machine has won an incredible 12 league titles across 14 seasons in four different countries – including an eight-year, uninterrupted run of winning consecutive domestic titles. And yet for all his success, there’s one trophy that’s managed to evade Ibrahimovic: the Champions League.
The European cup remains the only major competition Ibra has contested at club level that he’s not won. And now at age 34, the Paris Saint-Germain striker is staring at what could be his last chance.
A budding rivalry
Having been hampered by injuries last season, Ibrahimovic is back and near the top of his form again. He leads Ligue 1 with 21 goals for a PSG side that has all but sewn up the title with a 24-point cushion atop the standings.
But the way forward in Europe lies throughChelsea, a team Les Parisiens have met in the latter stages of the past two Champions League, and against whom Ibrahimovic has yet to find the back of the net. Oh, and the last time the two played, he was sent off after half an hour.
Charged with on-field intensity set against a backdrop of off-field episodes (namely Chelsea fans racially abusing a passenger on the Paris Metro), encounters between these two teams have become increasingly contentious. There’s a growing sense that they don’t really like each other.
Struggling against English clubs
Despite having been as prolific in front of goal as he’s been throughout his career, Ibrahimovic remains a player whose ability to make an impact in big games gets called into question. He also has a reputation for struggling against English sides.
With four red cards and three goals in 18 meetings against Premier League teams, it’s true that he’s been sent off more often than he’s scored against English opposition.
He was sidelined by injury when Chelsea knocked PSG out of the competition two years ago. A year later at Stamford Bridge, he was sent off after just half an hour, well before PSG’s stoppage time heroics saw them through, despite being a man down for over an hour.
But for all the criticisms leveled at him, Ibrahimovic is a player with 46 career Champions League goals. Heading up a squad comprising players like Angel Di Maria,Edinson Cavani,David Luiz,Thiago Silva, andMaxwell, Ibrahimovic is the spearhead of a team that’s as laden with talent as any in Europe.
He was rested for PSG’s draw with Lille on Saturday and should be in prime condition to face the English champions on Tuesday. WithJohn Terryin doubt, the Blues will likely have to rely on a center back pairing ofTim CahillandBranislav Ivanovic, making them all the more ripe for the picking for Ibrahimovic.
Clock ticking for Zlatan, PSG
Ibrahimovic’s time among the elite echelon of European strikers is winding down. And there are still some who question if he’s ever really deserved to be regarded in such company to begin with.
Meanwhile, his contract is up at the end of the season and there are few indications that PSG want to renew it. With his agent Mino Raiola reportedly eying the Chinese market and links being made to Major League Soccer, this season could very well be Ibrahimovic’s last stand on European club soccer’s grandest stage.
On Tuesday, he has what could be the best opportunity he’ll ever have to prove his doubters wrong and, perhaps, take a step closer to filling the one vacancy remaining in his trophy cabinet.
It’s a big test for PSG as well. After five years of being backed by the mega-riches of the Qatari government, the French capital outfit has yet to make it past the quarterfinals of Europe’s elite club competition. If PSG is to break into the elite tier of clubs that includes the likes ofBarcelona, Bayern Munich andReal Madrid, it must truly contend for the Champions League.
If Zlatan Ibrahimovic helps the Parisian club achieve that for the first time, he can finally put to bed once and for all any doubts about his own standing among Europe’s elite.
There was little suspense that the United States women’s national soccer team would
soundly defeat Puerto Rico in this final group
match of the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship. The fun thing about the
American’s 10-0 win at Toyota Stadium was watching who and how they’d get the
job done.
Or, in the case of the five goals scored by one of the
fastest-rising stars in the U.S women’s national team: Crystal Dunn.
five goals. The tally matched her career total to date,
bringing the Long Island native and reigning
National Women’s Soccer League MVP’s career goal total to 10. Her five goals
puts her in rare company with U.S.
players. Only seven U.S. women’s national team players have scored five goals
in a single match; Brandi Chastain, Michelle Akers, Tiffeny Milbrett, Abby
Wambach, Amy Rodriguez and Sydney Leroux.
But Dunn’s dominating performance was padded by her
teammates’ offensive onslaught. Mallory Pugh, Carli Lloyd, Kelley O’Hara and
Christen Press peppered Puerto Rico goalkeeper
Karly Gustafson with a steady stream of scoring. At one point in the second
half, the U.S.
scored three goals in 1:56 minutes, making that most likely the fastest trio of
goals ever in U.S. Soccer history.
With a berth already clinched for Friday’s semifinal match
in Houston thanks to wins earlier this week over
Costa Rica and Mexico, the U.S. women got a chance to rest its
usual starters. That put the spotlight on a slew of players who were given
their first starts of the tournament.
Head coach Jill Ellis made eight changes to the starting
lineups that she has used in the first two matches. Alyssa Naeher started in
goal instead of Hope Solo, while O’Hara, Emily Sonnett and Jaelene Hinkle
started in place of Meghan Klingenberg, Julie Johnston and Becky Sauerbrunn on
defense. Samantha Mewis, Press, Pugh and Stephanie McCaffrey also made their
first starts in this tournament. It was the first career start for Pugh, Hinkle
and Mewis, three newcomers to the U.S. women’s national team that has
seen rapid turnover from the 2015 Women’s World Cup roster.
Dunn kicked things off just six minutes into the match. The
midfielder continues to show her versatility and prowess by connecting on a
pass from Pugh to open the scoring. It was 17-year-old Pugh’s first assist in
international competition as the Colorado
teen racks up early career milestones.
Lloyd put the U.S.
ahead 2-0 when the U.S.
captain collected her 85th international goal on a penalty kick in the 19th
minute. It was Lloyd’s 22nd goal in her last 17 matches -- a streak fitting for
the reigning FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year.
Then it was Dunn again, scoring in the 21st minute to put
the U.S.
ahead 3-0. It marked Dunn’s first multi-goal game for the U.S. women’s
national team.
Perhaps the best goal of the night came from O’Hara -- for
two reasons; It was only her second international career goal -- the first one
O’Hara scored in the 2015 Women’s World Cup final against Japan; more
important, O’Hara has proved that when she does score, she does it in style.
O’Hara added her nifty goal in the 44th minute. The veteran
defender took a pass from McCaffrey in front of the goal and, with time to
assess exactly where Puerto Rico goalkeeper Karly Gustafson was stationed,
O’Hara deftly clipped the ball with the back of her heel to put the U.S. ahead 4-0.
Then came the furious trio of goals that saw Pugh force an
own-goal in the 60th minute, followed by Dunn’s third goal in the 61st minute
and Press’ goal in the 62nd minute. In just under two minutes, the U.S. players padded
their stats: It was Dunn’s first career hat trick, which she would later add to
by scoring her fourth goal.
Dunn added her next two goals in the 85th minute and in the
87th minute and Mewis added the final U.S. goal in the 90th minute.
The U.S.
will likely face Trinidad & Tobago in the semifinal match Friday at BBVA
Compass Stadium Friday in Houston.
Canada, meanwhile, is the
leader in Group B, and needs only a draw against Guatemala
Tuesday in Houston
to claim first place in Group B.
So far, the tournament is playing out true-to-form, with a U.S. vs. Canada finale still probable. The
two finalists in this CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship will earn a
berth in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Costa Rica
was up 2-0 until the 79th minute when Maribel Dominguez scored a highlight-reel
goal to put Mexico
back in the match. The 37-year-old veteran’s bicycle kick from six yards out
sent the ball high over Costa
Rica goalkeeper Dinnia Diaz, who had no
chance at the stop. But Costa Rica
will join the U.S. in Houston this weekend.
It was a fairy-tale finish, just not the one many neutral observers expected. Unless you caught the half he played for Arsenal's under-21s, you have not seen Danny Welbeck play competitive football since April 26, 2015. That is, you hadn't, until he trotted on at the Emirates with eight minutes to go, assigned to provide an extra body in the box for what felt like an improbable and increasingly frustrating hunt for a game winner.
Welbeck then materialized unmarked at the near post to steer Mesut Ozil's free kick past Kasper Schmeichel who, for much of the afternoon, had been successfully channeling his dad, Peter, in making a string of crucial saves.
If Arsenal go on to win the Premier League -- and that's a huge "if" -- that may well be the defining moment, or one of them. But if that happens and you're Leicester, you'll point to two poor decisions that cost you.
One was the fact that the free kick was awarded in the first place. Referee Martin Atkinson had asked for four minutes of injury time and they were just about gone when Marcin Wasilewski challenged Nacho Monreal some 30 yards away from his goal by needlessly running into him, like a defensive end delivering a late hit on a quarterback.
This was Monreal -- not Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain -- in an area where the most damage he could do was a hit-and-hope. You would have expected a 35-year-old veteran like Wasilewski to be aware of where he was, who he was and when it was and, instead of lunging, simply put his big body in the way and wait for the whistle. Instead, Atkinson gave the foul, allowing Arsenal one last crack -- and the Gunners took it.
The ESPN FC panel debate whether Leicester City have what it takes to finish the season at the top of the Premier League.
The other big call came when Atkinson sent off Leicester right-back Danny Simpson for two yellows in the space of five minutes. Claudio Ranieri was annoyed, pointing out that Atkinson might have been influenced by the crowd's reaction more than the severity of the fouls, which were in keeping with the flow of the game. That may be the case, and the first booking was soft, but Simpson -- who is not a kid but a 29-year-old veteran -- should have known better than to pull down Olivier Giroud the way he did when he knew he was on a booking.
That incident was as clear a turning point as you'll see. Ranieri looked to his bench and had few options. He could ask a midfielder like Andy King to reinvent himself as an emergency right-back. He could turn to 19-year-old left-back Ben Chilwell for his Premier League debut on the opposite flank. Or he could turn to Wasilewski, a man-mountain more suited to center-back than to chase the fleet-footed Gunners but who would at least provide aerial cover and experience. It wasn't much of a choice, and Leicester paid a price for their lack of options as Arsenal repeatedly delivered menacing service to Olivier Giroud & Co. from Wasilewski's flank.
Of course, when it came to poor decisions, it wasn't just Wasilewski and Simpson at fault. Leicester had taken the lead earlier when Jamie Vardy clattered into Monreal's outstretched leg and Atkinson handed out a penalty. The decision, just before half-time, left the crowd incensed. Whichever way you stand on the penalty, there is little question that Monreal should not have defended like that -- not against Vardy and not in that position. It was inviting danger. If Atkinson had had a different angle on the play, he might not have given the penalty. But there was no reason to give him the opportunity to do so, either.
The defeat may sting Leicester, who were excellent for the first hour, but the volume of chances created by Arsenal with the man advantage leaves little doubt that they deserved the three points. If they're not now the title favorites, they're pretty darn close to it.
As for Leicester, once the anger wore off, Ranieri took the loss in stride, giving his players a whole week off. Giving guys who are not used to being in this position (and, this season, not used to losing) some time to clear their heads is not a bad idea. When they come back, they'll still be top of the league with a two-point margin and a schedule that does not look too intimidating.
Zaza puts Juve in charge of Serie A title race
Just when it looked as though these two teams would live to fight another day, Simone Zaza stepped up and powered Juventus to their 15th consecutive Serie A win against Napoli. It's a result that lets the Bianconeri push ahead of Maurizio Sarri's crew into first place by a single point.
That's the nature of the game. Margins are slim, and so it can happen that a fourth-choice striker with three seasonal starts, a guy who lasted 90 minutes just once all season and who was last seen recklessly pole-axing an opponent in injury time before being sent off, ends up being the difference-maker. Or, rather, one of the difference-makers: the slight deflection that Zaza's thunderbolt took off Raul Albiol's leg is ultimately what took the shot past Pepe Reina and gave Juve the win with two minutes to go.
The ESPN FC team discuss the results in the Serie A and Juventus' continuing success as they reach 15 wins in a row.
When their run began three and a half months ago, Juventus were in twelfth place, 11 points off the top. Now they're back to where they've been for much of the past four and a half seasons.
It's a credit to Massimiliano Allegri that this has happened after a summer in which he lost three key players: Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez. But it also speaks to the solidity of a team capable of withstanding the absence of defensive stopper Giorgio Chiellini and, for nearly half the game, the yin to his yang, Leonardo Bonucci, who picked up a knock in a collision with teammate Sami Khedira.
The team is stacked with talent -- especially young talent, like Paul Pogba and Paulo Dybala -- and yet few clubs are as good at donning the hard hat and turning into blue-collar grinders when they need to.
Sarri's schematic nous turned this game into a tactical clash in the first half, but once Bonucci had to be replaced by Daniele Rugani, the second half became more of a siege, with Napoli pressing forward but Juventus denying them the space, always cool, always unflustered.
Given the circumstances, even if Zaza's strike had been less sweet or if Albiol's leg had sent the ball elsewhere, a 0-0 draw would not have felt like a lost opportunity to Allegri. Without the heart of their defence, they withstood Napoli's onslaught and emerged unscathed. The goal -- and the two added points -- were a bonus.
The danger now is that Napoli fall into a funk, thinking there's a certain inevitability to Juve's title. But, frankly, it's less of a risk than some think. This is a mature, confident side and one where the fan base is on board and less prone to getting carried away than in years past, a fact evidenced by the reaction of the 3000 Napoli fans who greeted the side at the airport with cheers and support.
This engrossing Serie A saga is bound to have more twists and turns between now and May.
Sunday's win proves Spurs are for real
Yes, Tottenham are for real. Just why Mauricio Pochettino's crew got so little love from the commentariat for so long is a bit of a mystery, but maybe they'll take notice now that they've won their seventh in a row in all competitions, emerging with three points from the Etihad on Sunday.
Make no mistake, Manchester City did not lie down in this game. They came in off the back of a poor performance against Sunderland (which nonetheless yielded three points) and a home defeat to Leicester, and yet, in the first half, perhaps buoyed psychologically by the return of one Vincent Kompany, they were the better team.
ESPN FC's Ale Moreno believes that Tottenham's win over Manchester City this weekend puts them among the best in the EPL.
Then came the blown call. Mark Clattenburg awarded a penalty when Danny Rose's cross struck Raheem Sterling in the back. Insert your own disclaimers about how difficult it is to referee and how we shouldn't pick on the officials and all that, but the fact remains: he saw something that did not happen. Don't take my word for it;ask former referee Graham Poll.
I'm not going to go so far as to suggest that Clattenburg guessed or was influenced by the reaction of the players; I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he saw it wrong. He made a mistake. Stuff happens. What was interesting was City's reaction.
The home side were angry, but they were focused. They showed fight when they might otherwise have fallen apart. Yaya Toure hit the crossbar, then sub Kelechi Iheanacho grabbed the equalizer. Just as it began to look like Manchester City might right the ship, Erik Lamela came on, conjured up the type of brilliant run his huge talent is capable of (but doesn't often deliver) and threaded the ball through Nicolas Otamendi's legs to Christian Eriksen, who notched the winner.
Lucky Spurs? Maybe, but when you go on a run like this -- they made up nine points in two months -- you're entitled to a spot of good fortune. The way they win even when their big guns aren't firing as well as they should, and the way guys like Mousa Dembele (who seemed somewhat forgotten by Mauricio Pochettino last year) and Kevin Wimmer (who is making people forget that Jan Vertonghen is injured) have stepped up when required is impressive and a credit to the manager.
Messi's 'penalty' takes the headlines
It ended up overshadowing not just the 6-1 win over Celta Vigo but also the fact that Barcelona -- and particularly the MSN front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar -- produced some of the best, most entertaining, edge-of-your-seat spells of attacking football seen in recent history. And in some ways that's a shame, because to those who love the game in its purest, most free-flowing form when technique, creativity and athleticism come together, parts of that game are what made us fall in love with the sport.
Still, the story is that of the world's best player forsaking a chance to score his 300th Liga goal. It wouldn't have been a record -- he's held that record since early last season, when he eclipsed Telmo Zarra -- but it would have been a nice round number. Instead, Messi opted to revive the "two-man" penalty, laying the ball off for Luis Suarez to pound home.
Unless you live off the grid, you've probably seen it by now. It's something we don't see often, and with good reason. If the keeper and defenders are alert, it actually gives you a far worse chance of scoring, which is why it ultimately relies on the element of surprise.
The ESPN FC team discuss Lionel Messi's penalty pass against Celta Vigo in their 6-1 win in La Liga.
Robert Pires and Thierry Henry memorably made a hash of it a decade ago. A guy named Rik Coppens was probably the first to do it for Belgium in a World Cup qualifier against Iceland in 1957. (Click hereif you like hearing guys talking Flemish or enjoy old-time videos ... if you don't, jump ahead to 2:35.)
But the most famous successful two-man penalty waspulled off by Johan Cruyffin 1982 playing for Ajax against Helmond Sport. Curiously both were give-and-go penalties, whereas Messi's wasn't.
At first some people complained that Messi was being disrespectful. You can view it that way, or you can view it as a tribute to Cruyff, the man who helped mold the modern Barcelona and who is currently unwell.
I know which interpretation I choose.
Man United's latest defeat
It was probably overshadowed by Sunday's title deciders, or maybe it just isn't big news anymore. Either way, Manchester United fell to their ninth defeat of the season -- their seventh in the Premier League -- when they lost 2-1 at Sunderland, who are currently second from the bottom in the table.
"[Finishing] top-four will be very difficult now," Louis van Gaal said afterward. "You cannot close your eyes to that. Everybody's very sad. We couldn't cope with Sunderland's aggression and set pieces. We didn't deliver, and we feel disappointed and we feel sad. You cannot close your eyes from the top four being a minimum requirement."
Some will criticize Van Gaal for being defeatist, but it's probably better to applaud the fact that he is (finally) taking ownership of reality. United aren't good, and he might not be in his job much longer.
The ESPN FC crew discuss Manchester United's continued poor performance in the Premier League after their loss to Sunderland.
Many wonder just why he's still there when you have Jose Mourinho's camp telling anyone who will listen that he's ready to move into Old Trafford. Indeed, his people let it be known over the weekend that there was a "danger" that United might lose Mourinho if they did not act quickly.
I'm not sure that's going to happen, but an intriguing theory has been doing the rounds that might explain just why Mourinho hasn't yet landed the job. The rumor is that the ownership is evaluating Ed Woodward's role in transfers and considering the appointment of someone with specific knowledge and experience in the transfer market. That person could act as a counterweight to Mourinho and his agent, Jorge Mendes, who has helped Woodward orchestrate a fair chunk of United's transfer business over the past few transfer windows.
This would also explain why United did not look to strengthen the squad in January even though fourth place is just a few points away.
Real Madrid win comes with a downside
Glass half-full, glass half-empty for Real Madrid in the 4-2 win over Athletic Bilbao. The good news is Cristiano Ronaldo. Yeah, he's been scoring goals all season (he has 32 in 30 games), but on Saturday he also looked sharp and dynamic -- witness the shimmy and cut-on-a-dime dribble for the opener.
ESPN FC's Ale Moreno discusses Barcelona's 'tricky' win over Bilbao in La Liga and their upcoming UCL fixture.
If you exclude his Champions League stomping of Malmo FF and Shakhtar Donetsk, this marks the first time all season that he actually scored against a team involved in European competition. With Gareth Bale still sidelined, James Rodriguez also looked sharp: Having your big guns hitting the stride during the spring Champions League stretch run is critical.
The flip side is that Madrid showed serious flaws at the back. Raphael Varane had one of his worst games in a Real shirt, while Danilo again displayed all his limitations. In the former's case, anyone can have a bad game. In the case of Danilo, it has long been a pattern.
Laurent Blanc's Aurier dilemma
What does a team do when their first-choice right-back thinks it's a good idea to open Periscope and start ranting and making homophobic comments about his manager, the team's star player and his other teammates?
After initially suggesting that the video was a fake and the voice heard viewers heard wasn't his, Aurier came clean and asked for forgiveness Sunday night. Which is all fine and good, but Laurent Blanc, who called Aurier "pathetic," now has a big call to make -- not for the Chelsea clash (Aurier has been suspended) but for the games beyond.
The ESPN FC crew preview Chelsea against PSG in the UCL and discuss who the favourites are.
Aurier is one of the best attacking right-backs in Europe, yet when he behaves like this at age 23, it makes you wonder about his future. Particularly since he isn't a first-time offender: last season he was banned for three games after filming himself insulting UEFA referee Bjorn Kuipers.
Finally, Gary Neville gets his win
They had to huff. And they had to puff. But eventually they blew Espanyol's house down, and Gary Neville's Valencia finally won their first game since his installment as manager back in early December. Neville himself said it was more about the result and the performance than the standings. Now we can stop talking about whether there was some supernatural curse over the Mestalla.
The club's decision to hire Pako Ayestaran to work alongside Neville is a welcome one. While some in Spain read it as a sign that Valencia want to hire Rafa Benitez (Ayesteran was his assistant in the early years at Anfield), I'd imagine that's rather unlikely: the pair eventually fell out and do not necessarily see eye-to-eye. More importantly, Ayestaran has been a number one in his last three jobs -- he won the league title in Israel last season -- and it's one thing to work with a young, inexperienced manager like Neville, but quite another to go back to being Rafa's sidekick.
Ayestaran's appointment is a positive for the club. It's also an indicator that whatever other flaws he may have, Neville isn't too proud to ask for help. And that's a sign of intelligence.
Young Nagelsmann takes over at Hoffenheim
Saturday saw Julian Nagelsmann make his debut as manager of Hoffenheim, who traveled to Werder Bremen and drew 1-1. It's noteworthy not just because he never played professionally or because he had zero experience managing a first team, but because he's 28 years old.
That's right. Some of his starters, guys like Kevin Kuranyi and Eugen Polanski, are actually older than he is, which of course opens up a whole other raft of issues. Nagelsmann had been groomed for management for several years and was due to take over next season, but the ill health of his predecessor, Huub Stevens, meant the club pulled the trigger early.
We'll know soon enough if he's a prodigy, a publicity stunt or somewhere on that spectrum. In the meantime, Hoffenheim are stuck in the relegation zone: keeping them up wouldn't be a bad first entry on his managerial résumé.
