Gonzalezsports

Former Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, has reportedly rejected an approach to take charge at Benfica. It was gathered that the Portuguese coach was linked with a return to Lisbon giants who are searching for a new manager after Thursday’s dismissal of its first team coach Rui Vitoria. Just like Mourinho, Benfica fired Rui Vitoria after a series of poor results for the team – he led to back-to-back Portuguese titles in 2016 and 2017. Before his successful spell with FC Porto, Mourinho had briefly managed Benfica in 2000 where was assistant to Jupp Heynckes before the German was sacked after the fourth week of the domestic season with the side languishing in seventh place. The former Manchester United gaffer was in charge for 9 league games but quickly left the club after a contract dispute with the recently elected president Manuel Vilarinho. However, The Times reports that the Lisbon club is hoping to tempt their former coach back to Estadio da Luz by offering him an i...

Leroy Sane's 72nd-minute goal has breathed life back into the Premier League title race, as Manchester City beat Liverpool 2-1. Leroy Sane's 72nd-minute strike proved decisive as Manchester City reinvigorated their title defence and ended Liverpool's unbeaten Premier League run with a crucial 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium. Roberto Firmino looked to have sealed a potentially vital point for leaders Liverpool in the title race when he equalised just past the hour, but Sane struck soon after, confirming the Reds' first league defeat of the season in their 21st game and moving City to second and within four points of the summit. Liverpool were mightily unlucky not to take an early lead when a defensive mix-up between John Stones and Ederson followed Sadio Mane hitting the post, but they survived and finished the first half well – Sergio Aguero netting in ruthless fashion. Firmino restored parity in the 64th minute and City initially looked rattled, as if they coul...

Cristiano Ronaldo may have already left Real Madrid but his shadow continues to linger at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Portuguese played for the Blancos for nine years but ended his association with the club last summer.Having completed a mega-move to Juventus, Ronaldo has not looked back at all. The 33-year-old is still enjoying his football and has netted 14 Serie A goals for the Old Lady. This is a return that puts him top of the scoring chart in the Italian topflight.Although some of the Real Madrid players have often said that the club does not miss Ronaldo, results have proven otherwise. In fact, the Portuguese still managed to finish the year as top scorer of Madrid with 28 goals despite leaving the club six months ago.Some weeks ago when he spoke about his departure, Ronaldo said he felt he wasn’t valued enough by Florentino Perez and the club. “I felt it inside the club, especially from the president, that they no longer considered me the same way that they did in the start,...

Restored to the starting line-up for Wednesday's game at Stamford Bridge, the Spanish striker drew another blank to cast further doubt on his future It's hard not to feel sympathy for Alvaro Morata. He is immensely talented and is trying so hard to make a success of his Chelsea career but it is just not happening for him, with Wednesday night's stalemate with Southampton just the latest in a long line of frustrating outings for the Spanish striker. It is now 18 months since he joined the Blues from Real Madrid for £58 million (plus add-ons) and he is running out of chances to prove his worth. As ever with Morata, there were positive moments against Southampton, with a delightful dribble in the 17th minute probably the highlight. But despite going close on numerous occasions, he failed to score and it was clear long before the end of this dour 0-0 draw that the fans' patience is wearing thin. It's not that he played badly. He even managed to stick the ball in...

The Blues boss admitted he was unaware the transfer would go through, despite giving a positive assessment of the American a month ago. Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has admitted he was in the dark over the club's signing of Christian Pulisic. The American was brought in on a £58 million (€64m/$73m) deal on Wednesday, and then loaned back to Borussia Dortmund for the rest of the season. Despite the Blues splashing out the third highest transfer fee in their history for the 20-year-old, the Italian said he was unsure if the deal would go through. Sarri did say, however, that he had been consulted on the transfer around a month before the move went through. “I didn’t know anything about [signing] Pulisic yesterday," ​Sarri told the BBC following Chelsea's 0-0 draw with Southampton on Wednesday. "They asked my opinion about him one month ago. My opinion was positive and today I knew that the deal is done but I didn’t know anything." The Italian reiterat...

The Red Devils claimed their fourth consecutive win under their new caretaker boss and he is hoping to stay in charge beyond this season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confessed he hopes to remain in charge of Manchester United beyond May, after watching his side beat Newcastle United 2-0 on Wednesday evening. The Red Devils made it four wins out of four under Solskjaer , meaning the caretaker manager has equalled Matt Busby's best-ever start to a United tenure. The visitors had to bide their time at St James' Park, with the breakthrough coming as substitute Romelu Lukaku made an instant 64th-minute impact after Martin Dubravka spilt Marcus Rashford's free-kick. Rashford then sealed the points 10 minutes from time, producing a composed finish after good link-up play from Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez. Solskjaer has already managed to restore the feel-good factor at the club and he admitted post-match that he doesn't want to depart at the end of his projected six-month spell...

The Norwegian threw on his two big-name replacements and was given immediate rewards as United beat Newcastle on Wednesday with two late goals. Whether it’s playing the opposition off the park or delivering the key decisions at the vital moment, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer cannot seem to do any wrong right now. This wasn’t a vibrant attacking performance full of goals and showreel highlights like the trio which had preceded it, but Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Wednesday night gave further proof that Solskjaer has injected something new into his side’s make-up. In throwing on players as talented as Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez for the final half-hour, the United caretaker manager must have known there was half a chance his substitutes would deliver. But the former Everton man’s immediate opener, and then the involvement of both replacements in Marcus Rashford’s clinching second, would have delighted the man who made his name as a super-sub ...

Southampton left Stamford Bridge with a well-earned point after holding depleted Chelsea to a 0-0 Premier League draw on Wednesday. Chelsea produced a toothless display as they were held to a 0-0 draw at home by struggling Southampton and lost Willian to injury in the process. Maurizio Sarri reinstated Alvaro Morata to the team with Olivier Giroud ruled out, yet the service to the Spaniard was poor as Saints dug deep to hold on for a well-earned point. A tame first half passed with few flashpoints, though Chelsea did see Willian forced off on the same day the club announced the signing of Christian Pulisic, who will arrive at the end of the season. The home side had a Morata goal controversially ruled out for offside late in the second half as they failed to win at home for a second successive outing, following on from a shock 1-0 reverse against Leicester City on December 22. It took Chelsea 33 minutes to craft their first meaningful opportunity, Hazard finding space in the l...

USA international, Christian Pulisic has expressed immense joy at signing for a legendary club like Chelsea. The 20-year-old winger completed a £58 million move, but will be loaned back to Dortmund and join the Blues in the summer of 2019. Pulisic penned a heartfelt goodbye letter to Dortmund, hailing his current employers for the role they have played in his career. “It is with a heavy heart that I announce that I will be entering my final months at (Dortmund)our world-famous club,” he said. “It feels like only yesterday that I arrived in Dortmund as a raw, excited, very nervous but exceptionally proud 16-year-old from a small American town called Hershey. I had no idea what lay ahead but I soon discovered that as a young Schwarzgelben, I would be in the best possible hands. “I would not be where I am today without the club and their believe in giving young players a chance. It’s been an honor and a dream to pull on the black-and-yellow in front of the Sudtribune! “Many, many ...

Chelsea have signed Borussia Dortmund forward Christian Pulisic for 64m euros (£58m), but will loan him to the German club until the end of the season. The 20-year-old United States international, who was linked with Liverpool and Arsenal, joined Dortmund as a youth player in 2015. Pulisic has scored nine goals in 23 games for the US. “It was always Christian’s dream to play in the Premier League,” said Dortmund director Michael Zorc. “That certainly has to do with his American background, and as a result we were unable to extend his contract. “Against this background, we have decided to accept an extremely lucrative bid by Chelsea, given the low contract maturity.” Pulisic’s contract at Dortmund was due to expire in June 2020. .

Roger Federer emerged triumphant from a historic first meeting with Serena Williams in the Hopman Cup on Tuesday. But tennis was the true winner as two of the game’s greats treated fans worldwide to an unforgettable evening. Defending champions Switzerland sealed a 2-1 victory over six-times winners U.S. which left them bottom of Group B. But the result mattered little to over 14,000 fans in Perth and millions around the world who had eagerly awaited the contest. Federer and Williams, holders of a combined 43 singles Grand Slam crowns, won their singles matches to keep the mixed doubles clash alive. The deciding match then lived up to the hype it had generated as both players left the court with big smiles. The contest had been described by local media as the most anticipated clash involving men and women since 1973’s “Battle of the Sexes”. That was where Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in an exhibition match. While that meeting between 39-times major winner King and for...

The England captain continued his remarkable run of form to kick off 2019 just as he defined 2018 for club and country. It seems Harry Kane just can’t stop scoring right now, as the Tottenham Hotspur striker fired another goal in against Cardiff City on New Year’s Day to write a little bit of history. By opening the scoring against the Bluebirds, the England captain not only started 2019 as he ended 2018, but added another club to the list of Premier League sides he has found the net against. In fact, Kane’s effort against Neil Warnock’s side now means he has scored against all top-flight opposition he has played against. The 25-year-old, who was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list following his contributions to the national side at the World Cup in Russia last year, also equalled the record for the most Premier League goals scored on January 1. His early strike took him up to a tally of five, drawing him level with fellow leaders Andy Cole and Steven Gerrard. His e...

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang moved clear of Mohamed Salah in the scoring charts as Arsenal eased past Fulham on New Year's Day. Arsenal started 2019 with a morale-boosting win following their hammering at the hands of Liverpool, recording a 4-1 triumph over struggling Fulham at Emirates Stadium. A visit from the Premier League's 19th-placed side offered welcome respite for the Gunners after their 5-1 reverse at Anfield, though they did not have it all their own way before Granit Xhaka's 25th-minute opener. The recalled Alexandre Lacazette doubled the lead early in the second half before Fulham hit back with a tap-in from substitute Aboubakar Kamara after 69 minutes. However, it was another replacement who finished off Fulham's hopes of picking up a point, Aaron Ramsey converting a rebound after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had hit a post, though the latter did go on to score his 14th league goal of the campaign. The final scoreline flattered Arsenal, who papered over ...

Manchester United closed to within three points of Arsenal thanks to another impressive display in a 4-1 win over Bournemouth. Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba were the stars of the show once again as they led the way in Manchester United's 4-1 win over Bournemouth, securing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a third successive win since taking charge. United continued to play with the freedom and zip which has so far characterised the post-Jose Mourinho era, with Pogba and Rashford - who have impressed under caretaker boss Solskjaer - key components as the Red Devils wrapped up 2018 by closing to within three points of fifth-placed Arsenal. A moment of inspiration from Rashford saw Pogba open the scoring early on for the home side, and the pair added further first-half goals to put United in a commanding position. Nathan Ake decreased the deficit just before the break, but Romelu Lukaku - back from compassionate leave – marked his return by scoring in the second half, with the only disappo...

Pep Guardiola's side were much improved as they bounced back from consecutive defeats at Southampton, but they must do more ahead of Thursday's clash. The reports of Manchester City's demise are greatly exaggerated. Sure, Pep Guardiola's side were not quite at their brilliant best as they beat Southampton, but they showed more than enough to prove that there is plenty of life in them yet. Whether they have enough to win the Premier League title this season is another matter, however, and depends as much on Liverpool as it does City. And with the two sides set to face each other on Thursday night in what could be a pivotal match in the season, we are soon to learn exactly how well City have recovered from their two bruising defeats over Christmas. Compared to the performances against Crystal Palace and Leicester City, this was much, much better. In those defeats City looked starved of creativity in attack (by their high standards, anyway) and brittle at the back....

Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante is enjoying his most prolific season in a blue shirt and scored a fine winner against Crystal Palace. N'Golo Kante scored his third goal of the season to earn Chelsea a deserved 1-0 win at Crystal Palace that moves the Blues five points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal. David Luiz provided a rare assist from open play to allow Kante an opportunity that he pounced upon before scoring a goal that trebles his previous best tally in a Premier League season. Palace went into the game seeking to extend a three-match unbeaten streak that included a famous win over Manchester City before Christmas, but they struggled to prise the ball away from a Chelsea side determined to avoid a repeat of their Selhurst Park defeat last season. The result left Roy Hodgson's men just five points clear of the relegation zone, while fourth-placed Chelsea pulled away from Arsenal, who lost heavily at Liverpool on Saturday. Antonio Rudiger headed tamely into t...

The Spaniard has not been part of the last four Blues squads in the Premier League and has now been firmly replaced. Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri looks set to persist with Eden Hazard in a false nine role as the uncertainty over the future of Alvaro Morata grows. The Spaniard has not been included in his team's squad for their last four Premier League games, with that streak set to continue against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Hazard has been deployed as a centre-forward in the absence of a more reliable option, and has scored three times in those four appearances. Sarri has been so encouraged by the Belgian's displays that he feels he is starting to mirror Morata's best attributes - casting doubt over the Spaniard's long-term prospects. The Italian said: “We need to be balanced on the pitch and be more solid. "In the last matches I prefer this solution (Hazard at forward). For the future everything is open. “I think that Alvaro is better in the box and b...