EPL : Kane Spurs cipta hatrik | Liverpool tumbang dek kebangkitan Leicester City

MAN UNITED juara EFL Cup 2017

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's late winner secured the EFL Cup and gave Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho his first success since his summer appointment, as brave Southampton were beaten at Wembley.

Southampton were the better side for most of this final but were left heartbroken by a controversial offside decision - and the inspiration provided by the 35-year-old Swede as he took his tally to 26 goals this season.

Saints' striker Manolo Gabbiadini saw a goal contentiously ruled out before United took an undeserved two-goal lead through Ibrahimovic's superb 19th minute free-kick and Jesse Lingard's measured finish seven minutes before the interval.

Southampton, as their performance merited, were on terms with two predatory strikes from Gabbiadini either side of half-time.

Oriel Romeu hit the woodwork before Ibrahimovic stole in on Ander Herrera's cross three minutes from time to give United a victory that looked beyond them for long spells.

BUNDESLIGA : Bayern kenduri gol lagi

EPL : RANIERI dipecat?

• Former Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri has released a heartfelt statement 
• Premier League title-winning boss has thanked the club and its supporters 
• Ranieri hopes fans will 'smile every day' thinking about what they achieved  
• 65-year-old leaves the club one point above the Premier League relegation zone

Former Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri said his 'dream died' after being sacked nine months after leading them to an extraordinary Premier League title.

The Midlands club announced on Thursday night that they had parted company with the Italian owing to a 'painful but necessary' decision in a bid to avoid relegation, less than 24 hours after the first leg of the Champions League last 16 defeat by Sevilla.

Ranieri, who was told he would be leaving with immediate effect on his return from Spain by director of football Jon Rudkin, has released a statement in which he expressed his sadness at the end of a 'wonderful journey' with the club he will always love.

Claudio Ranieri arrives at his house on Friday afternoon after being sacked by Leicester City

The 65-year-old said: 'Yesterday my dream died. After the euphoria of last season and being crowned Premier League champions all I dreamt of was staying with Leicester City, the club I love, for always.

'Sadly this was not to be. I wish to thank my wife Rosanna and all my family for their never ending support during my time at Leicester. My thanks go to Paolo and Andrea who accompanied me on this wonderful journey. To Steve Kutner and Franco Granello for bringing me the opportunity to become a champion.

'I have to thank Leicester City Football Club. The adventure was amazing and will live with me forever. Thank you to all the journalists and the media who came with us and enjoyed reporting on the greatest story in football. 

'My heartfelt thanks to everybody at the club, all the players, the staff, everybody who was there and was part of what we achieved. But mostly to the supporters. You took me into your hearts from day one and loved me. I love you too. 

Ranieri was happy to smile for a selfie outside his home despite his sadness at leaving the club

'No one can ever take away what we together have achieved, and I hope you think about it and smile every day the way I always will. 

'It was a time of wonderfulness and happiness that I will never forget. It's been a pleasure and an honour to be a champions with all of you. Claudio Ranieri.' 

The Italian signed a new four-year contract at the King Power Stadium only last August, meaning he can expect to be compensated in the region of £3million.

Ranieri, who was honoured as coach of the year by FIFA, has received widespread sympathy for being dismissed just 298 days after the club were crowned champions of England, but he was criticised for the club's free-fall towards a relegation battle.

Leicester chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and son Aiyawatt (right) opted to sack Ranieri
 

eicester's achievement in the 2015-16 season will remain one of the greatest in British sport

Retired John Bird, 75, from Leicester, said: 'It is very sad but whatever happens they can't take away what we had last year.

'Something had to be done but it's such a savage way of doing it.

'Can anybody else come to a team like Leicester and do what Ranieri did?

'It will never happen again.'

Claudio Ranieri helped Leicester to the Premier League last season but was sacked this term

Paul Camm, 46, an NHS worker, from Leeds, said: 'It's a bit of a shock after all he did last season.

'I think it would have been better to let him go at the end of the season.'

Steve Murray, 63, a council worker from Leicester said: 'He should never have been sacked, at least not until the end of the season.

'I think it is an incredibly harsh decision.'

 

Tony Bailey, 51, a council worker from Leicester, said: 'It is not just the wrong time to sack him, but he is also the wrong person to blame.

'It is the players who are to blame.

'Since the success of last year they think they won't be able to do it again.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4257376/Claudio-Ranieri-s-statement-Leicester-City-sacking.html#v-7314593592442074493
 

Uefa Europa League draw

The official result of the #UELdraw Best tie?

Manchester United are aiming to become the fifth club to win all three major UEFA club trophies

UEL Result : Langkah SPURS, Villareal terhenti dcni

Tottenham's Dele Alli was criticised for a rough tackle on Brecht Dejaegere during their Europa League match with Gent

UCL : Sevilla earn narrow lead against Leicester

Goals from Pablo Sarabia and Joaquín Correa, who had earlier missed a penalty, gave Sevilla victory against Leicester, whose hopes were revived by Jamie Vardy's late reply.

"We know the onus will be on us." Marc Albrighton says #UCL qualification lies firmly in #lcfc’s hands

Key player: Steven N'Zonzi (Sevilla)

To find time amid a noisy maelstrom of movement is quite an art. N'Zonzi has the balance, vision and confidence to do this, to seemingly make time stand still, and this ability was only too apparent in a first half completely controlled by Sevilla. Leicester fans will remember N'Zonzi from his Stoke City days but he showed here he has found another level, always picking the right pass and always at the right speed, often in tandem with Nasri. He is enjoying a fine season and after two man-of-the-match showings in the group phase, he was as influential as anybody in a white shirt tonight.

CLAUDIO: "Kasper was fantastic, saving the penalty and supporting his defenders, but everybody was good. We know the tie is open."

CLAUDIO: "We knew they have high quality, but we showed our big heart. We believed, we never gave up. I'm very satisfied."

UCL : Kememangan moral buat MC 5-3 ke atas Monaco

"A crazy night" is how Sergio Agüero described it with some justification. Tuesday's eight-goal thriller between Manchester City and Monaco was a match that had just about everything, from special goals to slack defending, via some wondrously slick and swift attacking football by both teams.

Vision of the future?
Above all, Manchester City fans will hope it was a night that opened a window on a dazzling future for their team. In Monaco's half of the pitch, at least, we saw the kind of spectacle everyone of a Sky Blue persuasion must have dreamed of when Josep Guardiola walked into the building.

Even better, some of their best football in establishing their hard-earned 5-3 first-leg lead came from young wingers Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sané. Both scored. Both set up a goal. Sané ghosted away from three Monaco players in the lead-up to Sterling's opener. Sterling raced upfield and supplied Agüero to equalise at 2-2. Together they brought pace and movement and trickery. At 22 and 20 respectively, they can only improve.

Agüero's timely reminder
There has never been any question about the sense of timing of the man who scored City's added time, Premier League title-winning goal in May 2012. There has been a question, though, about whether he fits into Guardiola's system. Yet Agüero, still more than any other City player, has an innate knack of finding the net.

"It's always important to score goals," he told UEFA.com after an evening where he contributed two – the second a terrifically controlled volley – and an assist. "I like it when they're decisive goals and today they were, and especially given that we won by two goals as it's important to go there with a cushion."

Game of risk
Guardiola acknowledged afterwards that his strategy is a high-risk one. "We attack in small spaces and we leave big spaces behind – that's why I was brought here," he said. It means there will be occasions when the Spaniard can be seen hopping up and down in frustration – as he was in the lead-up to one Monaco goal – but he will not change.

What may change, in time, is Guardiola's defensive personnel. 

This was a difficult evening for Nicolás Otamendi and John Stones, though in the case of 22-year-old Stones – duped by Radamel Falcao before the Colombian's sensational second goal yet later on target with his first UEFA Champions League strike – he is a young centre-half still learning the game. 

willy_caballero

Caballero makes his mark
Willy Caballero has waited patiently in the wings at Manchester City yet this was his most influential display since usurping Claudio Bravo as first-choice keeper. His fortunes were typical of City's on a blink-and-you'll-miss-it night: there was a mistake ahead of Monaco's first goal but then a penalty save and, late on, another pivotal intervention to deny Falcao.

Agüero described his compatriot's spot-kick stop as a turning point. "It was an extra lift for us – a boost. From there we picked ourselves up and played a good game." That really is not even the half of it.

Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho claims no one ever doubted Sergio Aguero's quality - even when he was on the the bench: 'His history at this club speaks for itself' 

FA Emirates Cup : ARSENAL mara & Undian akan datang

EUROPA LEAGUE : MU meNang selesa | SPURS tunduk kpd GENT | AS ROMA belasah Villareal

Edin Dzeko is Serie A's joint top scorer this season - alongside Juventus' Gonzalo Higuain - on 18 goals

Arsenal collapse at Bayern Munich in UCL is 'same old story' - media reaction

The verdict on Arsenal's humbling 5-1 defeat at Bayern Munich was blasted across the back pages of Britain's newspapers on Thursday.

The Gunners were branded "spineless" and "gutless," while many leading football writers viewed the loss as further proof that Arsene Wenger should call it quits at the end of the season.

Arsenal collapsed in the second half in Munich on Wednesday evening to all but ensure that they'll exit the Champions League in the round of 16 for the seventh year running. And with Arsenal seemingly out of the Premier League title race as well, sitting 10 points behind leaders Chelsea, the British media focused on what effect the latest damaging setback will have on Wenger's future.

The Frenchman's contract expires at the end of this season and has yet to make a decision on whether to stay on for a 22nd year and beyond.

UCL 16/02/17 : Arsenal kena kekah di Jerman | Real Madrid mudah benam Napoli

Robert Lewandowski celebrates with Arturo Vidal after scoring the second for Bayern.

Thiago celebrate scoring the fourth

Kroos celebrates scoring the second for Real

UCL 15/02/17 : Barca kena blasah di Paris