Carlo Ancelotti admitted Chelsea need to show more mental strength to cope with the pressure of leading the Premier League after his side s latest nervy 2-1 win over Portsmouth.
Ancelotti s team were only 11 minutes away from a fifth successive game without a win at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday as they laboured to break down the division s bottom club.
But the west Londoners finally moved three points ahead of second placed Manchester United thanks to Frank Lampard s penalty after Portsmouth s Frederic Piquionne had cancelled out Nicolas Anelka s first half opener.
Lampard s first goal since October, in his 300th league appearance for Chelsea, went some to glossing over another unconvincing display from the leaders.
While they dominated possession for lo…
(GSM) Olympique Marseille president Jean-Claude Dassier claims that if Mancini does not sign by Sunday the deal, concerning a switch to Stade Velodomre, is off.
The French giants have been pursuing the versatile Brazil international for the past fortnight and agreed a deal in principle with Internazionale on Wednesday night to sign him until the end of the season.
Mancini has yet to put pen to paper on a deal at the Stade Velodrome, with Manchester City and AC Milan also said to be interested in the 29-year-old, and Dassier has now laid down an ultimatum.
It shouldn t be too long now, he told L Equipe.
We sent off the last documents asked for by his agent yesterday at midday.
We have decided to wait for his response until Sunday. After, it wi…
Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama says he is totally focused on his club after his proposed move to Tottenham fell through.
Wanyama, 24, was keen to join Tottenham in the close-season but Southampton insisted they would not sell the Kenyan.
The midfielder was then left out of the club s clash against Norwich City but has since regained his place in Ronald Koeman s starting line-up.
I just don’t want to remember that situation, Wanyama told the Southern Daily Echo. Yes, sure, now I’ve forgotten what happened. I’m now progressing on my club and it’s been good, so I’m looking forward to putting in good performances.
Southampton moved into the top half of the table on Saturday after a 3-1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Wanyama de…
Salomon Kalou believes Ghana will offer the biggest threat to Ivory Coast s hopes of defending the Africa Cup of Nations.
The tournament gets underway in Gabon on Saturday with Ivory Coast looking to retain the trophy they won in 2015 in Equatorial Guinea thanks to a penalty shoot-out victory over Ghana.
And Hertha Berlin forward Kalou is tipping their west African neighbours to challenge once more.
He told Omnisport: Ghana will be our biggest threat. They always will be, they re our neighbours.
We are cool with them but we have competition with them. It s fun to play against them. I think they will be in the semi-final.
Of course people expect us to do well because we re the defending champions. I think people expect us to at least reach the …
Cristiano Ronaldo believes he is physically capable of playing at the highest level for another five years after making history with Portugal on Wednesday.
The 36-year-old sent another record tumbling at the Estadio Algarve by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in men’s international football, surpassing Ali Daei’s previous high of 109.
Ronaldo scored a pair of late headers to bring Portugal from behind in a World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland and secure a 2-1 win, taking his tally for his country to 111 goals in the process.
Despite turning 37 later this season, Ronaldo, who completed a return to Manchester United from Juventus this week, still believes he can continue to shine into his 40s.
I don t know what recor…
Erling Haaland can be the cutting edge that helps Manchester City finally win the Champions League, so says Les Ferdinand.
Haaland has enjoyed a record-breaking first season at City, smashing past the Premier League single-season goals mark of 34, which had been shared by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer since the mid-1990s.
But it is in UEFA s flagship club competition where the striker has further underlined his superb form, with 12 goals so far en route to City s semi-final tie with Real Madrid.
Pep Guardiola s side have still not won the biggest prize in club football under his watch, but Ferdinand believes with Haaland spearheading their attack, now might finally be the time to end their wait.
He comes alive in the Champions League, Ferdinand told Stats P…
European champions Bayern Munich will make the trip to America next year to face the MLS All-Stars.
The German giants have been confirmed as the opponents for the annual All-Star game in 2014 against the pick of the US league, with the match set to take place at Portland Timbers JELD-WEN Field on August 6.
Announcing the clash on the MLS official website, MLS commissioner Don Garber said: The AT T MLS All-Star Game is one of the premier soccer events on the North American sports calendar.
We are pleased that Bayern Munich, one of the most prominent and successful clubs in the world, will be part of our All-Star celebration.
This will be the first MLS special event in Portland since the Timbers joined the league in 2011.
One of the great stories in Major Le…
Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic is facing a spell on the sidelines with a broken finger.
The highly rated Bosnia Herzegovina international, who has been linked with a number of big clubs, suffered the injury in training on Christmas Day.
Begovic was therefore absent from the Stoke team to face Newcastle United on Thursday, with former Sunderland shot-stopper Thomas Sorensen taking over.
Youngster Jack Butland was recalled from his loan spell at Championship outfit Barnsley to take a place on the bench at St James’ Park.
A ball struck Asmir on the end a finger in the closing stages of training yesterday (Wednesday), revealed Stoke manager Mark Hughes prior to the Newcastle fixture.
It s a blow but we ve got great back-up in Thomas Sorensen and Jack But…
Gregg Berhalter believes the United States were given the sort of physical test they can expect in World Cup qualifying by Uruguay on Tuesday.
USA failed to qualify from the CONCACAF section for Russia 2018 but are rebuilding under Berhalter ahead of the next cycle.
Days on from a humbling 3-0 defeat to rivals Mexico, USA held Uruguay to a 1-1 draw equalising through Jordan Morris after Brian Rodriguez s opener and Berhalter was impressed by his team s spirit.
The coach suggested the Uruguay match in St Louis, where the hosts bossed 60 per cent of possession, would ultimately prove more useful than the clash with Mexico.
We just played two different teams with two very important challenges, Berhalter told a news conference.
Against CONCACAF team…
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is out of contract in June 2021 and the Gabon international is no closer to signing a new Arsenal deal.
The former Borussia Dortmund star is not short of suitors amid uncertainty over his future in London.
And Real Madrid are reportedly making their move.
T OP STORY – MADRID TELL ARSENAL TO DECIDE OVER AUBA
Real Madrid have set Arsenal a deadline as they look to sign star forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to The Mirror.
Aubameyang is out of contract in June 2021 and the Gabon international has been tipped to leave Arsenal.
Madrid reportedly want Arsenal to make a decision on Aubameyang s future by June 15 as the likes of Inter and Paris Saint-Germain also circle.
Arsenal set Pierr…