Showing posts with label Manchester. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manchester. Show all posts

Saturday, 16 April 2016

Schweinsteiger Fitness Fight for EURO

<Bastian>
Schweinsteiger - Getty Images
Bastian Schweinsteiger is unlikely to play for Manchester United again this season, but Louis van Gaal believes the Germany captain could yet make Euro 2016.

Injury has restricted the World Cup winner to just 31 appearances since he swapped Bayern Munich for Old Trafford.

The last of those came in the derby win at Manchester City before an international break when Schweinsteiger suffered a knee ligament tear during training with Germany before the friendly with England.

That blow came after he had recently returned from a two-month knee injury, with this current complaint set to rule the midfielder out for the rest of United’s season if not perhaps this summer’s European Championship in France.

“I don’t think Schweinsteiger shall play this season – I think, next season, he is prepared,” Van Gaal said.

“Maybe he is prepared for the European Championship, I cannot predict. It is possible, but then that is also in our favour because then he is fit for the new competition.”



Wednesday, 6 April 2016

Paris Saint German v Manchester City - Preview

PSG
PSG meet Manchester City
Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is fit to play against Paris St-Germain in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg.

England international Hart, 28, has been out since injuring a calf in the 1-0 Premier League defeat by Manchester United on 20 March.

He took part in training on Tuesday before travelling to Paris.

"Hart has had medical and physical tests and has no problems to play," said manager Manuel Pellegrini.

City are in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time and face a team that has reached this stage of the competition in four successive seasons.

Pellegrini is not planning to take a cautious approach.

"We are not coming to Paris to draw 0-0. We'll play our usual way," he added. "Both teams have a chance to continue to the next stage and that chance is 50-50 for each team."

PSG boss Laurent Blanc does not believe his side are favourites to progress to the last four, but says City are "behind" the French champions in Europe.

"Manchester City had the same project a bit before Paris St-Germain," said the former Manchester United defender.

"They managed to win their domestic league, which is not an easy task, and some other titles, but maybe in Europe maybe they're a bit behind us."

Blanc suggested the Premier League's intensity has hampered the ability of English sides to pose a stronger challenge for European trophies.

Only Manchester United (2011) and Chelsea (2012 and 2014) have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League since 2010.

"Maybe England is more competitive but I don't see many English teams in the semi-finals of the European competitions over the last five or six years," said Blanc.

"Maybe they have reached a further level in terms of fatigue. You need to find a right balance. There are problems in every domestic league."

City midfielder Yaya Toure will miss the game with a heel injury, while forward Raheem Sterling is sidelined by a groin problem.

PSG's former Manchester United forward Angel di Maria is available after being rested for Saturday's 4-1 win over Nice.

Laurent Blanc
I have excellent memories of Manchester from when I was playing for Manchester United. We used to drive by the City training ground on the way to ours, but I think it's no longer there.

The city itself has transformed a lot. It used to be very post-industrial, but it has flourished into quite a charming place now. On the sporting front, City are reducing their deficit to United and becoming a great club again – let's not forget they were strong in the 1970s.

They say experience can make the difference in ties such as this and that every detail counts. After the draw, some were relieved and said it was a good one for us as we avoided the two giants, Barcelona and Bayern. I strongly warned my players not to listen to that. Those who say that don't understand anything about football.

We'll be up against a team with quality and quality in depth – their squad overall has much more quality than ours. These will be two difficult and delicate games.

Manuel Pellegrini, City manager
It'll be difficult but I believe we have a chance. Paris are a very good team, with a project similar to Manchester City in a sense, trying to grow year by year. Both teams have an opportunity to push on. I don't think there's a clear favourite in this tie.

It was important this season for us to win our group for the first time, and then we won in the round of 16 for the first time. We will see what happens against Paris.

Joe Hart has worked without any problem for the last few days and we tested him today. There's always a risk when a player returns from injury, but I don't think there's a problem with him playing.

Paris now hold a 25-point lead over second-placed Monaco (the record is 17) and Ibrahimović, on 30 league goals, has twice as many as anyone else in the division this term.

City returned to form and remain in the Premier League's top four after a quick start against a team they had last visited 16 years ago in England's third tier. Fernando opened his goal account for the campaign and, back from injury, Kevin De Bruyne volleyed in his first goal since 26 December.


Monday, 15 February 2016

Manchester Stand United with Sir Bobby


Old Trafford’s South Stand will be renamed in honour of Manchester United’s record goal scorer, Bobby Charlton.

United announced on Monday that the South Stand is to become the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand as a mark of respect to one of the club’s all-time greats.

Charlton joined United in 1953 and made 758 appearances for the club, scoring a record 249 goals. The 1966 World Cup winner won the league four times during a 17-year career at Old Trafford and was part of the 1968 European Cup winning side.

The former attacking midfielder was also one of the survivors of the Munich Air Disaster, which claimed the lives of eight of his team-mates in 1958.

Charlton, now a director at Old Trafford, said: “This is a great honour and I am very proud — for myself and my family — that the club has chosen to name the South Stand after me.

“Manchester United has been such an important part of my life and I have so many wonderful memories of this Theatre of Dreams.

“As a player, I remember the goals and the marvellous players I played with.

“As a director, I have seen some outstanding matches and players. It is a special place indeed.

“I would like to thank everyone connected with Manchester United. So many people work so hard to keep us at the top; their effort should never be forgotten.

“But most of all, I would like to thank Norma, my wonderful wife and my family for the support and encouragement they have always provided. This is for them.”

A renaming ceremony, involving 78-year-old Charlton and key figures from his life, will take place prior to the home game against Everton on April 2nd.

United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward added: “Bobby is quite simply, the most iconic figure in English football history.

“A player, a diplomat, a gentleman and a tireless worker for charity, he represents everything that is good about football and Manchester United.

“It has been a privilege to know him and humbling to work alongside him for the last 10 years.

“Renaming the South Stand, which contains both the Directors’ Box and the old players’ changing rooms, is a fitting tribute to all that Bobby has contributed to the club both as a player and a director.”


Saturday, 6 February 2016

Manchester United Seek Special Help


Manchester United have begun talks with Jose Mourinho's representatives over the manager's job at Old Trafford, according to reports.

The BBC claim that Mourinho's camp have held informal discussions with United but that no agreement has been reached.

Reports indicate that Mourinho's agent, Jorge Mendes, has had conversations with United - although the Portuguese super-agent regularly holds talks with executives from many Premier League clubs as part of his regular business.

There is no suggestion that an agreement has been put in place for Mourinho to succeed Louis van Gaal, whose contract still has around 18 months to run.

Van Gaal has been under intense pressure at Old Trafford following a disappointing campaign. United are facing a fight to qualify for next season's Champions League, having exited the group stage of the competition in December.

They were also knocked out of the Capital One Cup by Championship side Middlesbrough and Van Gaal has faced heavy criticism for his style of play.

Mourinho is available following his sacking by Chelsea in December and it is little secret that he covets the United job.

Scarves bearing his name were even on sale outside Old Trafford at a recent Premier League game as pressure mounted on Van Gaal.

He has come close to being appointed before, and was considered to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson when he left in 2013. On that occasion, doubts over Mourinho's personality and style of football - most notably from United non-executive director and former player Sir Bobby Charlton - led to David Moyes being appointed.

Van Gaal is understood to have offered to resign following a defeat at Stoke on Boxing Day, and was jeered by fans at Old Trafford following the 1-0 loss to Southampton last month.

However, since then he has been more bullish over his prospects of staying at United, who have progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup and beaten Stoke City in the Premier League in the last week.

“I have signed a three-year contract and I have said in all my press conferences that it’s a process, not one game,” Van Gaal said in December. “And I want to continue until the end. If I am not willing to do that, I don’t think I would have started here 1½ years ago.

“It is fantastic of course, but that also gives you a lot of pressure. When the board has such confidence, the pressure is much higher than when they say it is your last game or something like that.

“When your confidence is not so high, you can fight against it. When you can fight, you have bigger motivation than when they support you. But I am always fighting.”