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Chitchat The Official TCSS Thread

jw5

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Gianluigi Donnarumma angry over late Juventus penalty - 'It's always them'

AC Milan keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma suggested Juventus "always" get the late decisions as a 97th-minute penalty gave the champions a 2-1 win on Friday.

Donnarumma put in a tremendous performance but could not stop Paulo Dybala's penalty with the final kick of the game after Mattia De Sciglio was adjudged to have handled Stephan Lichtsteiner's cross.

And Milan's goalkeeper told reporters after the game: "It's not possible, it's always them."

The 18-year-old Donnarumma, who has been linked with a future move to Juventus, also reinforced his statement by turning to Milan's travelling support and kissing the club badge on his shirt.

Dybala had no sympathy for Milan's conspiracy theory, however, saying: "The other sides have been complaining about Juve for six years. Perhaps they should try another method."

Milan's Carlos Bacca, who had left the game 40 minutes earlier, also had to be restrained from going after referee Davide Massa, forcing Milan coach Vincenzo Montella to apologise for his goal scorer.

"Everyone has their interpretation and I want to apologise for the situation at the end, as that is unforgivable," Montella told Mediaset Premium.

"Massa told me he took the responsibility of giving the penalty. I am told he was far away and couldn't have seen it. I prefer not to talk about referees, even if on days like this it becomes difficult!

"Complaining doesn't get you anywhere. It's pointless. We have to focus, stay calm and accept that referees do make mistakes. We can only hope that the errors go in our favour.

i


Juventus boss Max Allegri said he was already preparing to leave the pitch when the penalty was given.

"The game was over," he said. "I was already in the tunnel and I preferred not to see the penalty. We were going to either win or draw. Paulo did well, because it's never easy to put a penalty past Donnarumma, especially in the form he was in tonight with some remarkable saves.

"I never comment on refereeing incidents, whether in our favour or against. The officials were close by, if they gave it, then that was their decision.

"Incidents go for and against, that's football, and I didn't sit here complaining about penalties against Udinese. I said we played badly and deserved no more than a point."

Despite the controversy, Allegri felt his side were well worth the three points.

"Tonight Juve deserved the win, we played better than Milan overall, even if this is a side that never gives up and kept standing under great pressure," he said.
 

jw5

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Manchester City ease into FA Cup semifinals at Middlesbrough

Manchester City eased into the FA Cup semifinals as they produced a dominant display to win 2-0 at Middlesbrough.

City were on top from the opening moments, with Boro sitting deep and seeing very little of the ball, and needed just three minutes to go in front.

The goal came when Pablo Zabaleta was left all alone to fire a low cross into the area, and although Raheem Sterling was unable to get the important touch David Silva was in the right place to fire in from close range.

Boro tried to respond and, with 15 minutes on the clock, Adama Traore set off on a run down the right only to balloon a poor cross out of play.

They were nearly made to pay when Kevin De Bruyne linked up with Leroy Sane, whose low ball in from the left was too far in front of an unattended Sergio Aguero.

But Boro gave their visitors something else to think about after 23 minutes when Rudy Gestede headed goalwards from a corner, Claudio Bravo parried and the ball bounced away off Zabaleta, who was almost on the line.

The striker headed just over the bar soon afterwards but had to come off when he took a knock in the back and was replaced by Alvaro Negredo.

i


City came close to adding to their lead 10 minutes before the break as David Silva saw a deflected effort saved by home keeper Brad Guzan before Yaya Toure thumped a header wide from an inviting De Bruyne free kick.

Five minutes after the break Silva was almost on the mark again when he fired over from a De Bruyne cross, and Aguero came even closer when his flick from a Sterling pass hit the far post after a touch off Guzan.

Boro boss Aitor Karanka was forced into another change when the injured Bernardo Espinosa was replaced by youngster Gael Fry, and his side were finding it increasingly difficult to make any meaningful headway.

Shortly after the hour mark they were again grateful to Guzan, who tipped a low Silva strike around the post as Pep Guardiola's side sought the second goal that would all but secure their passage into the last four.

The Boro keeper did it again when he dived to push a Sane strike wide, but after 67 minutes he was beaten for a second time when Sane produced another dangerous cross and Aguero swept home from six yards.

Traore created a rare second-half chance for Boro when his cross found Fabio, whose header was kept out by a combination of Bravo and John Stones, before Sterling was thwarted by Guzan at the other end.
 

jw5

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Ramos winner puts Real Madrid atop La Liga; Barcelona slip up vs. Deportivo

Real Madrid moved back to the top of La Liga after Sergio Ramos' late winner earned a 2-1 comeback victory against 10-man Real Betis at the Bernabeu on Sunday.

Madrid had trailed Betis following a howler by goalkeeper Keylor Navas in the first half.

However Cristiano Ronaldo equalised in the 41st minute and Ramos scored a bullet header from a corner nine minutes from time -- moments after Betis defender Cristiano Piccini was shown a second yellow card for his foul on Lucas Vazquez.

The win gives Zinedine Zidane's men 62 points from 26 matches, two points more than second-placed Barcelona who have played an extra game.

Barcelona missed a chance earlier to go clear at the top of the league as they were beaten 2-1 by Deportivo La Coruna.

Luis Enrique's side fell back to earth with a bang following their Champions League heroics against Paris Saint-Germain in midweek.

Joselu put Deportivo ahead in the 40th minute but Luis Suarez had Barca level within a minute of the second half kicking off.

However, Alex Bergantinos secured all three points with a header in the 74th minute.

Roberto Soldado scored the winner just before half-time to move Villarreal to fifth place with a 1-0 defeat of Celta Vigo.

Villarreal's third straight league win moved them above Real Sociedad in the standings. Both teams have 48 points, but Villarreal are ahead on goal difference.

Celta, winless in four league games, played without some regular starters ahead of their Europa League round-of-16 match at Russian team Krasnodar on Thursday. Celta won the first leg 2-1.

Athletic Bilbao strengthened their hold on seventh place with a 2-0 win at fifth-placed Real Sociedad.

Raul Garcia put Ernesto Valverde's side ahead from the penalty spot in the 28th minute after Xabi Prieto fouled Yeray Alvarez.

In the 56th minute Inaki Williams took advantage of an underhit backpass by Alvaro Odriozola to double Athletic's advantage and secure all three points.
 

Baimi

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What a night for Leicester, the worst BPL team in the CL
but the 1st BPL team to go through the QF.
Lei 2 Sev 0
Nasri red carded but Lei already up 2 goals.
 

jw5

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What a night for Leicester, the worst BPL team in the CL
but the 1st BPL team to go through the QF.
Lei 2 Sev 0
Nasri red carded but Lei already up 2 goals.

Hopefully, the final will be between Leicester and Barcelona. Barcelona to win 5-4 with 3 penalties in injury time. :biggrin:
 

Baimi

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Leicester fighting for relegation carry the only
flag from BPL in the CL.???
Mon 3 Man City 1.
Hope Leicester meet Monaco and show Man City
how to defeat them.
 

Baimi

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Sagna said Man City forgot how to play football.
I have watched the match.
R.Sterling cannot steer his crosses right.
K. debruyne Free kicks are like debris.
Kun Aguero really kooning only one shot on target.
Pep Guardiola really gua dio kwee la.
Leroy Sane is the only Sunny one.
 
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jw5

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Real Madrid face Bayern in Champions League quarterfinals, Barca get Juve

Ties to be played April 11 and 12; second legs on April 18 and 19:

Atletico Madrid v Leicester City
Borussia Dortmund v Monaco
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
Juventus v Barcelona
 

jw5

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Guardiola, Klopp management styles contrast as they deal with players

By Mark Ogden, Senior Football Writer
espnfc.com

When Pep Guardiola sat in the press room at Monaco's Stade Louis II on Wednesday, delivering his post-mortem following Manchester City's Champions League elimination, the sense of "them" and "us" was inescapable as he pinpointed the reasons for his team's exit.

His strikers "have to be aggressive and pick the ball up, but didn't at this crucial time," Guardiola complained, before adding: "That's why we are out."

He then turned on his players as a collective, insisting they had failed to take on board and implement his tactical masterplan.

"I tried to convince them in all the meetings we had to come here, try to attack and score," he said. "My mistake was being not able to convince them to do that."

Even though, Guardiola referred to "my mistake," it did not seem a particularly genuine mea culpa. Instead, the City manager was angry and exasperated, carrying the air of a man let down by a group of players who, quite simply, were not -- and are not -- as good as he is.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach has the authority to separate himself from culpability and blame his players because, as he has told us already this season, he "won 21 trophies in seven years, guys," so he knows what it takes to be successful.

But the message that a manager conveys in public matters, especially in the modern world of super-wealthy, ego-driven footballers, and it is rare for anyone to go down the route of blaming his players so openly, unless he considers it to be the nuclear option once all else has failed.

Guardiola's approach is interesting when compared to that of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, whose team visit City on Sunday aiming to cement their position in the top four.

Klopp is another A-list coach, whose combination of personality and achievement ensures instant respect in the dressing room. However, he also knows that, for that impression to be maintained, it has to be cherished and nurtured.

The ego of the Liverpool manager is by no means insignificant and, like Guardiola, he can be patronising when speaking to the media or discussing the volume of noise coming from the supporters but, crucially, Klopp acknowledges that he and his players are in it together.

Last month, for example, he admitted that the buck stopped with him as Liverpool's push for the top four began to stutter: "I feel maximum responsible because I am. And I hope I use the word 'we' and not 'they' because I am involved in this."

Klopp also raised his hand earlier this season to admit his own shortcomings, when speaking of his realisation that the training methods he initially adopted, after taking charge in October 2015, were not conducive to success in the Premier League.

"When I came here," Klopp said. "The players had a few days off. I changed it and said: 'How can they have three or four days off or something?' It was a silly decision, but it was only because I was not used to it."

Guardiola, by contrast, has yet to admit to being wrong on anything significant since arriving in England, even though he has undoubtedly made mistakes.

When the dust settles on his first season in charge, his decision to replace goalkeeper Joe Hart with the error-prone Claudio Bravo may ultimately prove to be the primary reason for City's failure to win the Premier League title. Not only because of Bravo's mistakes, but also because of the uncertainty that his presence created in defenders.

Guardiola has also failed to rectify City's problems at full-back, despite having ample time to identify and address the issue prior to his arrival, while he continues to irritate supporters by constantly referring to the club's lack of pedigree in European competition.

Klopp, meanwhile, has tuned into the Liverpool fan base and visibly connects with his players on the pitch. The collective spirit is evident at Liverpool, but that is not the case at City, where Guardiola, allied with director of football Txiki Begiristain and chief executive Ferran Soriano -- two former Barcelona colleagues -- cuts a more aloof figure.

Hart has been cut adrift, Sergio Aguero has been taken down from his pedestal as the club's star player, Yaya Toure was forced to spend weeks on the sidelines because of comments made by his agent, and captain Vincent Kompany now must accept life as a travelling member of the squad who rarely, if ever, gets called upon to play.

Klopp has been similarly ruthless with Mamadou Sakho -- perhaps to the team's detriment -- by refusing to select the defender for disciplinary reasons and then sending him on to Crystal Palace in January, but the Liverpool manager has also made several of his players better: Adam Lallana, Jordan Henderson and Roberto Firmino, for example, have been transformed.

Liverpool will end this season empty-handed, perhaps with a top-four finish as consolation, while City may yet win the FA Cup and earn Champions League football. If that proves to be the case, Klopp will be deemed a success, but only a dramatic surge to the title will be viewed as being up to the standards of Guardiola.
 

THE_CHANSTER

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West Bromich Albion 3-1 Arsenal

The Gunners will be lucky to qualify for ANY European competition at this rate. Top 4 finish unlikely.

Kroenke needs to put Wenger out of his misery now.
 
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THE_CHANSTER

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QPR 5-1 Rotherham United :biggrin:

Can't remember the last time we thrashed the opposition like this.
Mr Fernandes will be a happy man.
 
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