Posted on

(Video) Arsenal fans loved this from Granit Xhaka during the 92nd minute of BATE win

Arsenal came roaring back from their shock first-leg defeat against Belarusian opposition BATE Borisov to win 3-0 here at the Emirates.

An own goal from Zakhar Volkov followed by strikes from Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos in the 39th and 60th minute were enough to see the Gunners through to the next round.

A reaction was expected of Unai Emery’s side following the shock 1-0 defeat in the Borisov Arena as they started the match in a very high tempo.

And that earned them the reward as early as the 4th minute as Zakhar Volkom tapped a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang cross into his own net.

That gave the North London side immense surge of belief and confidence going forward and what followed was a relentless battering in the BATE defence.

But the Belarusian side defended in numbers and defended well to keep the tie hanging in balance while creating some dangerous looking chances for themselves on the break.

But on the 38th minute, Mustafi thumped a header in the visitor’s goal effectively crushing BATE’s resolve.

The match was finally put to bed when Sokratis, who came in as a substitute for Koscielny, got into the end of another brilliant corner by Xhaka to put the game to bed.

Arsenal fans were obviously pleased with the solid performance, especially after the horror of the first leg.

And in the 92nd minute, Granit Xhaka did something that left them even more delighted.

BATE striker Dubajic went hard on Nacho Monreal which left the Spanish left-back gasping in agony.

Xhaka quickly came forward and confronted the Serb and even went as far as shoving him on the chest.

It required a prompt intervention from Sokratis to prevent the things from getting ugly but the Swiss kept going at it and even argued with the match referee.

Have a look at it here –

He was certainly lucky to get away with this without a booking but the Arsenal fans loved the way he stepped up for his teammate and showed great solidarity.

Posted on

Watch: Mascot absolutely smitten and all over Cristiano Ronaldo before Atletico Madrid clash

The Champions League round of 16 tie between Atletico Madrid and Juventus was not only about two of the biggest clubs going head to head but it was much more than that.

It was also the first time Cristiano Ronaldo visited the Wanda Metropolitano in a different colour than the symbolic white of Real Madrid.

But it did not stop the Atleti fans from going after the Portuguese as they heavily jeered him throughout the match.

He further enraged the home crowd when he apparently gestured the number five to remind the Atleti fans of his stunning track record of his in this competition.

And after the full-time whistle, he once again reminding the same to the media.

On the pitch, the Portuguese looked desperate to make his mark but could not manage to trouble Jan Oblak thanks to some resolute defending by the Spanish side.

Juventus succumbed to a 2-0 defeat as Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez both got themselves on the scoresheet.

The Old Lady will surely need something really special to turn this tie around in Turin and they will be counting on Ronaldo to deliver another masterclass.

But away from this fierce rivalry between these two clubs, a moment has now emerged online that is melting everyone’s heart irrespective of which club they support.

In the footage, taken in the tunnel just before kick off, a child mascot can be seen in utter disbelief and sheer joy as he got the chance to walk out in the stadium with Ronaldo.

The Portuguese also appears to smile back at his young fan as they proceed.

Have a look at this heartwarming moment here.

Football fans from all over the world are absolutely loving this moment and it once again might have established the immense charisma of the Portuguese which rises over clubs and rivalries.

Posted on

(Video) Leeds fan raises a toast at his wedding to the “most important person” in his life… “Marcelo Bielsa”

True passion and fandom were on display at a Yorkshire wedding recently as the groom requested his guests to raise a toast to the ‘most important person’ in his life, the Leeds United Manager Marcelo Bielsa.

The 63-year-old Argentine who has previously led the Argentina and Chilean national team to the world cup finals, took over the vacant managerial spot at Leeds United at the beginning of this season.

The Whites were desperate to get some good results on board following a poor 2017-18 season that saw them finish 13th in the points table.

And as soon as Bielsa took charge things started to change dramatically.

The demanding tactics of the Argentine requires his players to be at their physical and technical best as he prefers his team to win the ball back as soon as it is lost leaving the opponents no room to breath and dominate the possession when they have it.

And for a team that was lingering at 13th position in the last year, executing Bielsa’s style sounded unrealistic but the Argentine has somehow managed to do exactly that.

The results started to get better and after 32 rounds of the Championship football, they managed to sit on the pole position following a 2-1 victory at home against Swansea City giving their fans some serious hope to be in the Premier League next season.

They are currently placed third on the table but have a game in hand over leaders Norwich who are only two points ahead of them.

This stunning turnaround has made the Argentine hugely popular among the Leeds faithful and a dedicated fan could not resist expressing his gratitude even at his own wedding.

Mr Nicole, the groom, expressed how much the fans admire the hard work and dedication of Bielsa and went on to term him ‘the most important person in his life’ in a passionate speech before asking the guests to stand up to raise a toast.

Check out the brilliant moment here –

Posted on

What Alfredo Morelos did after the full time whistle would have delighted Rangers fans

A rampant Rangers side put five past Kilmarnock as they march through to the quarterfinals of the Scottish Cup.

Alfredo Morelos returned to the first team and scored four goals making it one of his very best performance for the Gers.

The match was poised to be a tight affair as both sides failed to break the deadlock at the Rugby Park prompting the replay.

But it took only 7 minutes for Rangers to break the deadlock at Ibrox as Morelos tapped home a brilliant cross by Daniel Candeias.

And things took a drastic turn for the home side when Kilmarnock’s Daniel Bachmann was told to walk by the match referee Alan Muir.

Steve Clarke was forced to sacrifice an on-field player as Kilmarnock attempted to shut the doors for the opponents.

But Rangers launched wave after waves of attack and Morelos struck again in the towards the end of the first half, this time heading home a Candeias cross from almost inside the six-yard box.

The match went on to be completely one-sided in the second half as substitute Andy Halliday made it 3-0 in the 77th minute.

It was instantly followed by a thunderous strike from Morelos to make it four and in the 83rd minute, the Colombian made it five thanks to a huge defensive letdown by Kilmarnock.

After a stunning performance, the Colombian decided to wrap up the night in style after the final whistle.

The talismanic striker showed off his amazing ball control and juggling skills before signing off the pitch with the match ball.

And of course, Rangers fans couldn’t be any happier to witness the show after what has been a fantastic night for the Gers.

Have a look at this brilliant moment here –

Posted on

You can take Cristiano Ronaldo out of Real Madrid but cannot take Real Madrid out of Cristiano Ronaldo

Atletico Madrid grabbed a vital victory at Wanda Metropolitano against Juventus thanks to two late goals from centre-halve duo Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez.

In a fiercely fought match where both sides displayed some amazing defensive resilience, the centre of attention was, as you can expect, none other than Portuguese and Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo.

He was the obvious target of the Atleti fans thanks to his history with bitter rivals Real Madrid and his prolific record in the Madrid derby.

The Portuguese was determined to give a befitting reply to the jeers in the field as his stunning free-kick from in the first half forced a strong save out of Jan Oblak.

He also showed off his speed as he made a powerful run into the Atleti penalty box but a vital interception from Godin prevented him from getting his second goal in this season’s competition.

But the former Real Madrid man also did something else which didn’t escape the eyes of the eagle-eyed fans.

The Portuguese appeared to gesture the number 5 which apparently signifies the five Champions League winner’s medal he possesses.

Have a look at it here.

4 of these Champions League trophies were achieved during his time at Real Madrid where he scored as many as 105 goals for Los Blancos.

And more importantly, Atletico Madrid were the other finalist in two of these Champions League finals and Ronaldo, on both occasions, scored decisive goals to sink Atleti’s hope of getting their hands on this coveted trophy for the first time in their history.

And even after suffering a defeat last night, the Portuguese did not hesitate to once again point out this fact that in front of the media and it left some of the fans on the other side of Madrid delighted.

Check out the moment here.

And with this gesture, he may have once again proved one of the very common sayings among the Real fans, ‘Once a Madridista, always a Madridista’.

Posted on

Chelsea fans singing ‘we hate Tottenham’ during the walkout music before United game

Manchester United bounced back strong from their disappointing 2-0 loss to PSG last week with a solid victory against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to progress into the quarter-finals of the FA cup on Monday.

All eyes were on interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as fans and pundits alike waited to see how his side would respond to the first loss under his management and the Norwegian oversaw a tactical masterpiece to get a rather comfortable 2-0 win over the Blues.

The loss represents another setback for Maurizio Sarri who came under fire from many Blues fans after making some questionable substitutions during the 5th round tie.

The Italian has piled the pressure on himself, with the defeat coming hot on the heels of the heavy 6-0 humbling at the hands of Manchester City 10 days ago.

While the defeat was met with disappointment from the blue corner of London, Spurs fans seemed rather amused after noticing some of the chanting from Blues fans before kick-off.

As both sets of players were making their way to the pitch, Chelsea fans were heard taking a dig at Tottenham by chanting ‘we hate Tottenham ‘ abruptly.

The move seems to have amused Spurs fans rather than anger them judging by reactions to a fan’s tweet about the incident.

Most fans seemed to be of the opinion that the Blues supporters came out with the chant because they are trailing Spurs in the league and that Tottenham have been the better side from London for some time now.

Although Chelsea started the campaign strongly going 18 matches unbeaten under Sarri, it’s safe to say they have lost their way since then and are now fighting to creep into the top four.

While Chelsea are struggling at 6th in the league, Spurs have kept themselves involved in the title race and will be traveling to Signal Iduna Park with a 3-0 advantage in the Champions League.

Even with the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli missing, Pochettino has rallied his troops well and with their team doing so well all fronts it’s difficult to see why the home fans at the Bridge thought that they could unnerve Spurs fans and the comment section of the video below should be a good read for any Tottenham supporter.

Posted on

(Video) Disturbing footage shows just how brutal and out of control the Spanish police were towards the Celtic fans

After the 2-0 defeat in the first leg at Celtic Park, Brendan Rodgers’ men will have to win their first competitive match in Spain by at least the same margin to progress to the last 16 of the Europa League.

Close to 10000 supporters have flown to Valencia to support their beloved Hoops even amidst reports that the Spanish club have allocated only about 2500 seats for the away fans.

While the uncertainty surrounding their tickets is still ongoing, Hoops supporters were also subject to cases of blatant police brutality by the city’s police force.

Several videos have been making its way to Twitter since last night which show some disturbing cases of policemen violently beating up away fans for seemingly no reason.

From blasting supporters with rubber bullets from point blank range to sabotaging electronic goods, the policemen in Valencia seemed to be totally out of control while confronting fans when they were roaming around the city.

That just seems wrong. Check out clips of few of the incidents here:

Posted on

Leeds United taking ‘opponents analysis’ to next level with this new partnership

Video analytics have become an integral part of the modern game over the last decade, with many clubs in Europe employing advanced video performance technologies to improve all aspects of their game.

From gathering crucial data about the opposition to gaining further insight about potential signings, these tools have become the norm for most established clubs.

Leeds United seem to be the latest team joining in on the scene after a French video analytical firm, Footovision, confirmed that they have reached a partnership deal with the club on their official Twitter page.

While such a confirmation is yet to be issued from Leeds’ end, the step would represent a wise move considering their recent troubles while trying to scout opposition.

For the uninitiated, a Leeds employee was caught acting suspiciously outside Derby County’s training ground prior to the two sides’ meeting in the Championship last month which caused quite a turmoil in the Championship with many managers, including Derby boss Frank Lampard, openly condemning Marcelo Bielsa and his team for their actions.

While the ‘spygate‘ incident has led to a £200,000 fine by the English Football League, the Peacocks have also experienced somewhat of a rough patch in the Championship and currently find themselves in the third spot after leading the points table for large spells over the campaign, although they do have a game in hand to regain the summit.

Posted on

Controversial backstory makes this Ander Herrera and Alexis Sanchez moment even more incredible

A controversial past has made the sensational moment between Ander Herrera and Alexis Sanchez after the Chelsea match even more epic than it already is.

Back in December 2017, just a month before joining Manchester United, Alexis Sanchez and Arsenal faced off with the Red Devils at the Emirates stadium.

Sanchez was, of course, in red hot form and a number of top European clubs including domestic rivals City and United were desperate for his services.

A lot was expected of the Chilean but he failed to inspire his side to a victory as the Gunners went down 3-1 thanks to strikes from Antonio Valencia and Jesse Lingard.

David de Gea showed off his inhuman capabilities as he parried away a record number of shots including a couple taken from the point blank range.

But it wasn’t only the heroics of the Spaniard that helped the Red Devils clinch the match but it also involved a gritty defensive performance from his national teammate Ander Herrera.

The midfielder showed wonderful energy and managed to break the rhythm of Arsenal’s game by simply creating a nuisance in the middle.

That along with the unbelievable saves from the keeper frustrated the Arsenal forwards including their talisman Sanchez who did something that, if true, was completely disrespectful.

The Chilean was seen to be arguing with Herrera before he glanced at the back of Herrera’s shirt and apparently said ‘who are you’?

Have a look at it here.

What followed after this apparent moment of disregard and hate is more than incredible.

For the remainder of the 2017-18 season and the during first part of the season, the Spaniard kept fighting for his spot with Nemanja Matic.

But when former United star Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over the helm from Jose Mourinho, things began to change.

He started in the first match of the Red Devils under their new manager and scored his second goal of the season as United crush Cardiff City 5-1.

And as United stated to flourish under the Norwegian, Herrera became indispensable.

In the recent FA Cup fifth-round tie again Chelsea he again played an instrumental part by giving his side the early lead and putting in a shift in both defence and attack.

On the other hand, Alexis Sanchez struggled to impress at Manchester United following 34 million Euro deal that brought him to Old Trafford.

He was not included in the first-team against Chelsea and only featured as a 73rd-minute substitute for Romelu Lukaku.

The Chilean, however, worked extremely hard in his limited minutes and looked determined to get back to his lethal best.

And his efforts were appreciated and encouraged by none other than Ander Herrera in a brilliant gesture after the full-time whistle.

The Spaniard appeared to give him a few words of advice and inspiration before shoving him encouragingly in the chest.

It was instantly followed by a warm hug.

Just what can be termed as the highest level of irony, the once abused midfielder turned out to be one of the most important players of the United side and ended up inspiring his abuser to help him regain his form.

A true reflection of fighting spirit, solidarity and leadership from the Spanish international, don’t you think?

Check out the class act here –

Posted on

Naby Keita likened to Barcelona great after mad skill against Bayern Munich

Last season’s runners up Liverpool endured a frustrating night at Anfield during the first leg of their Champions League round of sixteen tie against Bayern Munich as the Bavarians held them to a 0-0 draw.

A number of Liverpool players performed well throughout the game but some scrappy finishing and poor decision making in front of the goal meant they could only manage to keep two of their fifteen attempts at goal and failed to convert any of them.

Guinean international Naby Keita was among the ones who stood out for the Reds and his performance was dubbed as his best in Liverpool colours by a number of fans.

Keita, who joined the Merseyside club following a 60-million Euro switch from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, had so far struggled to live up to the promise he showed during his time in the German side.

In the initial matches, he looked out of confidence and also struggled with injuries in the opening part of the season.

But Jurgen Klopp maintained his faith on the Guinean and handed him another start against Bayern which was his fifth start in a row for the Reds.

And the German was rewarded for this decision as Keita delivered a complete and professional performance.

The Guinean worked hard and tried his absolute best to create opportunities for Liverpool’s attacking trio.

And he also showed a few glimpses to show why Liverpool spent that amount of money to bring him to the Anfield.

In the 44th minute, the Guinean international effortlessly evaded successive challenges from Thiago Alcantara and Serge Gnabry with a sublime step-over followed by an amazing drop of the shoulder and brilliant close control.

The skill from Keita was so good, many Liverpool fans compared the Guinean with Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta because of the similarity in the execution of the said skill.

Check out the tweets below –