Fernandinho has signed a one-year contract extension with Manchester City, the English Premier League champions announced on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old Brazil midfielder, whose previous deal was due to expire at the end of the season, is now set to stay at the Etihad Stadium until 2021.

Fernandinho has been a City mainstay since his arrival in a £30 million ($39 million, 35 million euros) move from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013.

“This is the best possible news,” said Fernandinho. “I have enjoyed every second of my time at City.

“I never expected to build such a meaningful relationship with the club and the fans, but it has happened, and I am grateful every single day.”

Although primarily a defensive midfielder, Fernandinho has spent much of this season playing at centre-back because of City’s lack of cover in that area.

Fernandinho has won three Premier League titles and four English League Cups since joining City, but he missed last season’s FA Cup final victory due to injury.

Source:  AFP

Quique Setien’s honeymoon period lasted less than a fortnight as he tasted his first Barcelona defeat on Saturday in his second La Liga game in charge after a 2-0 loss to Valencia.

Maxi Gomez’s strike and a Jordi Alba own goal at Mestalla handed Barca their fourth league defeat of the campaign, giving Real Madrid the chance to move three points clear of the champions at the top of the table when they visit Real Valladolid on Sunday.

Barcelona had most of the ball but their opponents had the best chances as Gomez missed a penalty and also hit the crossbar in the first half. Gabriel Paulista saw a third goal ruled out late on.

While performances under previous coach Ernesto Valverde were stodgy, he left a team that sat top of the table. Setien promised a new style but despite dominating possession, Barcelona went nowhere with it and as Valencia grew in confidence, they ceded control.

“It should not take us long,” Setien had said on Friday, when asked how quickly his players could adapt to his methods.

Valencia climb to fifth and continue to improve under Albert Celades. This success came without their captain Dani Parejo and, largely, without star striker Rodrigo Moreno, who has been linked with a January move to Barcelona.

The hosts hardly touched the ball for the first six minutes, their fans whistling as they urged a more aggressive approach.

But the plan was to sit and absorb and it worked, with Barcelona unable to cut through or create a single clear chance.

– Valencia dangerous –

And when Valencia did intervene, they were more dangerous too. With their first attack they won a penalty as Jose Gaya slipped past Gerard Pique and would surely have scored from eight yards before being brought down.

Pique was booked and, with Parejo absent, Gomez stepped up, only for his driven shot to be well saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, albeit with the help of half a yard’s headstart off his line.

Barca were riding their luck. Sergi Roberto’s header cannoned off Pique but fell just close enough for Ter Stegen, who parried a Gomez shot onto the crossbar and almost spilled another to Kevin Gameiro.

Referee Gil Manzano puts his hands together as if to apologise after failing to play advantage when Ferran Torres was clear but the frustration of Valencia’s fans turned to ecstasy shortly after half-time.

Pique’s flicked header landed at the feet of Gomez, whose driven effort took a cruel deflection off Alba and flew in.

Setien traded the patience of Arthur Melo for the physicality of Arturo Vidal and Rodrigo came on to a rousing reception.

Barcelona exerted some pressure and Lionel Messi led the way, hauled to the ground by Francis Coquelin and then denied by a brilliant Gabriel tackle. He fired past the post, headed wide and saw a curling free-kick saved.

Yet just as a Barcelona equaliser began to feel inevitable, Valencia struck again. A quick throw caught Alba out of position and Torres did well to cut inside and switch to Gomez. He took a touch and curled into the corner.

Gabriel thought he had a third after volleying in from a corner but VAR persuaded Manzano there had been a push. When Messi ballooned a late free-kick into the stands, Valencia knew their win was secure.

Source  AFP

Liverpool have stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League standings to a colossal 16 points with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Wolves.

It was the Premier League leaders who struck first and it only took 8 minutes as Jordan Henderson arrived to meet Trent Alexander-Arnold’s delivery from a corner. However, that lead was canceled out in the 58th minute when Raul Jimenez finished off a devastating counterattack with a powerful header.

Wolves seemed to be heading for a deserved point until the Merseyside Reds found a way through, as they somehow always do. Roberto Firmino secured the win for his team as he cut inside in the box before lashing the ball into the far corner with only six minutes to go.

Source: Presstv

Liverpool’s march towards the Premier League title gathered pace with a 2-0 win over rivals Manchester United.

The battle for top four places was at a standstill after Chelsea, United and Leicester were beaten, while Tottenham and Arsenal had to settle for draws.

AFP Sport looks at three things we learned from the English top-flight this weekend:

Liverpool let loose

Not until Mohamed Salah sealed another three points in Liverpool’s relentless run towards the title against Manchester United with virtually the last kick of the game did the Kop strike up a chorus of “we’re going to win the league.”

After a 30-year wait to win the title, punctuated by collapses from promising positions, the fear it could slip away again has all but evaporated at Anfield as Liverpool streak further clear of the field.

The lead now stands at 16 points with a game in hand over second-placed Manchester City.

For a side that have taken 91 points from the last possible 93 in the Premier League, and won a Champions League in that time, that is an advantage that is almost certain to not be surrendered.

Lampard eyes reinforcements

Frustrated by Chelsea’s lack of killer instinct, Frank Lampard’s patience finally wore out after a damaging 1-0 defeat at Newcastle.

In a familiar story for Chelsea fans this season, they watched Lampard’s side dominate possession at St James’ Park, only to squander the few genuine chances they created before Isaac Hayden’s stoppage-time header won it for Newcastle.

Lampard had already bemoaned the paucity of Chelsea’s creative play against defensive opponents after several shock home defeats.

But now he made it clear his young team, featuring promising striker Tammy Abraham, need reinforcements if they are to hold onto a top four place.

“If we are looking for people to bring in to the areas to win games when you are controlling it, it is scoring goals,” Lampard said.

“We can’t work anymore in training on finishing. You need to have that killer instinct in front of goal.”

Spurs goal drought

Tottenham’s goals have dried up alarmingly as they contemplate missing out on the Champions League for the first time in five seasons.

Jose Mourinho’s men have failed to score in their past three league games, against Southampton, Liverpool and Watford, despite mustering a combined 41 shots.

They are still playing inventive football but are struggling to put their chances away in the absence of the injured Harry Kane and find themselves eight points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

Tottenham squandered a number of opportunities in Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Watford but Mourinho was largely positive afterwards, praising his side’s football, though admitting they had been light on forward power.

“It’s not easy,” he said. “Again it’s the kind of game where you have a goalscorer, where you have a guy who smells goals, probably you win it. That missing link is there.”

Mourinho admitted he would be interested in boosting his attacking options if the right player became available in the January transfer window.

Source: AFP

Spanish champions Barcelona has sacked its coach Ernesto Valverde and appointed Quique Setien, the club announced Monday.

The decision to remove Valverde was confirmed following a board meeting that last over 4 hours.

Barca top the La Liga, but have only won one of their last five matches. Valverde is the first coach the club has sacked mid-season since Louis van Gall in 2003.

Setien was presented at a press conference at Camp Nou on Tuesday afternoon. In a statement, the club said ‘‘Barcelona and Setien have reached an agreement for the latter to become first team coach until 30 June 2022’‘, it said.

‘‘Setien is one of the most experienced coaches in Spanish football. Throughout his career, he has been a proponent of possession based, attacking football that has been attractive to the fans”, it added.

Setien’s first game will be at home to Granada on Sunday.

Barcelona will play Napoli in the last 16 of the Champions League next month and Real Madrid in the league at the start of March.

AFP

The Cameroon international made just five appearances for Rubi’s side in the first-half of the campaign

Real Betis have confirmed the temporary transfer of Cameroon international Wilfrid Kaptoum to Segunda Division side Almeria until June.

The midfielder, who played only five times in the first half of the season, signed an extension to his current deal first before departing for Betis’ city rivals.

Source: Goal.com

Kelechi Iheanacho came off the bench to keep Leicester in contention for a place in the League Cup final as the Nigerian striker’s late goal earned a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Brendan Rodgers’ side fell behind to Frederic Guilbert’s first half goal in the semi-final first leg at the King Power Stadium.

But Iheanacho equalised after the break with his sixth goal in eight appearances this season.

Leicester will feel they should have won after dominating for long periods, but the team in second place in the Premier League will have to finish the job at Villa Park in the second leg on January 28.

Rodgers has a remarkable record of advancing from his last 30 domestic cup ties with Liverpool, Celtic and Leicester.

But the last team to beat Rodgers in a domestic knockout competition were Villa in the FA Cup semi-final in 2014-15 when he was Liverpool manager.

And Villa, whose last major trophy was the 1996 League Cup, will feel they are in pole position to reach the final after surviving a stern examination.

The second leg winner will play Manchester City or Manchester United in the final at Wembley, with City leading 3-1 after their first leg at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Leicester last won the competition in 2000, beating Villa in the semi-finals that year, and they were well on top at the start.

A scuffed clearance from Douglas Luiz was collected by Ayoze Perez, who saw his deflected effort flash just wide.

Jamie Vardy was back after missing three games due to the birth of his daughter and a calf injury and took the fight to Villa.

He seized Marvelous Nakamba’s wayward header before testing Orjan Nyland, then saw his low drive blocked by Villa’s keeper moments later.

But, having soaked up Leicester’s early blitz on a rain-drenched evening in the east midlands, it was Villa who snatched the lead against the run of play in the 28th minute.

– Infused with confidence –

Anwar El Ghazi was playing in an unfamiliar role up front due to Wesley’s injury and Jonathan Kodjia’s illness.

The winger drifted back out to the left flank to deliver a cross that landed perfectly for Guilbert, who got in front of Ben Chilwell and stabbed his volley in from close-range.

The French defender’s first goal since August was Villa’s first shot on target in the match.

Infused with confidence after that bolt from the blue, Smith’s team were inches away from doubling their lead before half-time.

Jack Grealish’s inswinging free-kick found Ezri Konsa and the Villa defender headed against the bar from inside the six-yard box.

Leicester wrestled back the initiative after the interval and Nyland alertly smothered the danger when Vardy tried to latch onto a through ball.

Tyrone Mings won header after header as Villa tried to weather the storm and when James Maddison did get past the defender with a bold burst, Nyland was on hand to make another good save.

Maddison tried again with a run onto Ricardo Pereira’s pass, but the Norwegian saved at the near post.

Leicester’s pressure finally told in the 74th minute.

Luiz, put in trouble by Konsa’s sloppy free-kick, lost possession to Hamza Choudhury and Vardy found Iheanacho, who shot high past Nyland from 15 yards.

Vardy nearly won it in the closing minutes, but his shot rippled into the side-netting just as Leicester fans were anticipating a dramatic finale.

Source: AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first Serie A hat-trick to lift Juventus top of Serie A with a 4-0 win over Cagliari on Monday as Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his debut for AC Milan in a goalless draw against Sampdoria.

Portugal forward Ronaldo struck for the fifth consecutive league game to move the champions back above Inter Milan in their first match since the Italian SuperCup defeat to Lazio in Saudi Arabia last month.

Maurizio Sarri’s side had been pegged back in the first half by the sixth-placed Sardinians who have been pushing for a spot in the Champions League places this season but fell to their third consecutive defeat.

The second-half was all one-way traffic with 34-year-old Ronaldo breaking the deadlock just after the interval.

He added a second from the penalty spot on 67 minutes with Argentina’s Gonzalo Higuain coming off the bench to strike a third on 81 minutes, before Ronaldo completed his hat-trick a minute later.

Juve are three points ahead of Inter in the table with Antonio Conte’s side travelling to Napoli later on Monday, looking to keep pace with the eight-time reigning champions.

Atalanta closed to within a point of fourth-placed Roma, who lost 2-0 to Torino on Sunday, with a 5-0 rout of Parma, having also beaten AC Milan by the same scoreline before the winter break.

The side from Bergamo were already three goals up before the break thanks to Alejandro Gomez, Remo Freuler and Robin Gosens, with Josip Ilicic adding a double in a nine minute second-half spell.

– Ibrahimovic returns –

At the San Siro, Swedish star Ibrahimovic made his debut for Milan coming off the bench after 55 minutes against Sampdoria.

The 38-year-old came on for Poland striker Krzysztof Piatek to deafening applause from the 58,000 crowd in his first appearance after rejoining the club last week.

But there was little else to cheer for the hosts who extended their winless run to three games and remain 12th in the table.

New Fiorentina coach Giuseppe Iachini had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Bologna in his first game after taking over from Vincenzo Montella.

The Tuscany side had lead for most of the game after Marco Benassi volleyed in on 27 minutes but Riccardo Orsolini grabbed a point for Bologna deep into injury time.

Source: AFP

Jose Mourinho says Tottenham will be “intelligent” in the January transfer window and there will be no quick fixes at the Premier League club.

Mourinho has repeatedly said that he will not be overhauling his squad this month and that any business could be dependent on players leaving.

One player who appears to be on his way out of the club is midfielder Christian Eriksen, whose contact expires in June, but it is not certain he will depart this month.

Mourinho, whose side have stumbled in recent weeks, walked into the club with his eyes wide open and said he was on the same page as chairman Daniel Levy.

“That was very clear for me and is very important for me to understand that before I came,” said the Portuguese boss, who took over from the sacked Mauricio Pochettino in November.

“This is our first transfer window, not the last,” he added. “We are going to have one in the summer, we are going to have one in 2021 January, we are going to have another one in the summer of 2021.

“We are going to have to try to be intelligent and we have to try to make the right decisions, not just for now, but for the development of a cycle.”

Spurs are struggling for numbers ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup trip to Middlesbrough.

Harry Kane, Tanguy Ndombele, Ben Davies, Danny Rose and Hugo Lloris are all injured and many players have played three games over the Christmas period.

Mourinho said he was likely to call on youth at the Riverside but emphasised that such a move did not mean the FA Cup was not important for the eight-time winners.

“Everybody’s going to be involved,” he said. “If you go to our squad and no Rose, no Davies, no Lloris, no Kane. I don’t know if Eric Dier will be ready but he is still to come back.

“When you say no, no, no, no, no you have to say (Oliver) Skipp, (Japhet) Tanganga, (Troy) Parrott, the young boys in.”

Source: AFP