April 2022 – Page 4 – Football Flame

Month: April 2022

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PREMIER LEAGUE

Paul Scholes tells Manchester United to settle for an eighth-place finish

Pundit Paul Scholes before the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool. Picture date: Tuesday April 19, 2022. Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has told his former club to settle for eighth in the Premier League and give potential new manager Erik ten Hag the time to rebuild - despite being sixth.The Red Devils suffered another major blow in their push to finish in the Premier League's top four with a heavy 4-0 defeat to leaders Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday.Jurgen Klopp's side dominated from the off with Luis Diaz, Sadio Mane and a brace from Mohamed Salah sealing a comfortable victory.  The defeats means United now sit sixth in the league table with just five matches left this campaign - with both fourth and fifth place Tottenham and Arsenal having games in hand.&...
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NEWS

Messi injured again as PSG aim to secure Ligue 1 title ASAP

Lionel Messi of PSG warms up during the UEFA Champions League, round of 16 - second leg, football match played between Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain - PSG at Santiago Bernabeu stadium on March 09, 2022, in Madrid, Spain.Paris Saint-Germain have the opportunity to secure the Ligue 1 title on Wednesday, but Lionel Messi won't be around to help the squad. PSG will be facing Angers at the Stade Raymond Kopa, where they could celebrate the title victory if they win the match and closest rivals Marseille do no better than a draw against Nantes.Messi won't be able to contribute on the pitch due to a reported inflammation on his Achilles tendon, which will keep him sidelined for a still undisclosed length of time. According to the club's official statement, Messi is receiving treatment ...
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NEWS

Fulham’s promotion to Premier League gives Ryan Lowe added motivation for Preston North End

Fulham players celebrate their side's promotion to the Premier League following victory in the Sky Bet Championship match between Fulham and Preston North End at Craven Cottage on April 19, 2022 in London, England.Ryan Lowe wants his Preston North End side to be fighting to reach the play-offs at least next season after watching Fulham win promotion to the Premier League.North End travelled to Craven Cottage last night to takes on a Cottagers side which needed to pick up three points to confirm their place back in the top flight.And Marco Silva's side did just that with a 3-0 victory over Lowe's men, with an Aleksandar Mitrovic brace sandwiched by Fabio Carvalho's goal in the first half to ensure that Fulham will be back in the Premier League next season.North End sit 15th in the Champions...
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BUNDESLIGA

Bayern Munich respond to Serge Gnabry’s request for major pay rise

Bayern Munich's German midfielder Serge Gnabry celebrates scoring the 4-0 goal during the UEFA Champions League last-16, second-leg football match FC Bayern Munich vs RB Salzburg in Munich, southern Germany on March 8, 2022.Bayern Munich will refuse Serge Gnabry’s request for a bumper new pay rise paving the way for his potential departure in the summer.Gnabry, 26, has only one year left on his contract and talks over a new deal at Bayern have hit a stumbling block, according to the German outlet Kicker.The forward has been heavily linked with a return to the Emirates as manager Mikel Arteta, who worked alongside Gnabry as a player, believes he can pip Liverpool and sign his former team-mate for a cut-price fee.Gnabry spent five years at the Gunners after he was brought to north London at ...
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NEWS

Freiburg beats Hamburg to reach 1st ever German Cup final

19 April 2022, Hamburg: Soccer: DFB Cup, Hamburger SV - SC Freiburg, semifinal, Volksparkstadion. Freiburg's Nicolas Höfler (3rd from right) celebrates with his teammates Freiburg's Nils Petersen (2nd from right) after scoring the 0:2 goal.Freiburg defeated former Bundesliga heavyweight Hamburger SV 3-1 away on Tuesday to reach the German Cup final for the first time.First-half goals from Nils Petersen, Nicolas Höfler and Vincenzo Grifo put the visitors firmly in control before the break and Hamburg’s response through Robert Glatzel was much too late in the 88th minute.The home team had started well in front of a capacity crowd of 57,000 at the Volksparkstadion, but failed to properly clear a corner and Petersen scored in the 11th minute.Höfler netted with a deflected shot six minutes late...
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LALIGA

Real Betis and Valencia lose ahead of Copa del Rey final

Arnaut Danjuma of Villarreal CF is challenged by Ruben Iranzo of Valencia CF during the LaLiga Santander match between Villarreal CF and Valencia CF at Estadio de la Ceramica on April 19, 2022 in Villarreal, Spain.Real Betis missed a chance to move closer to the Champions League places after a 1-0 loss at home to Elche in the Spanish league on Tuesday.The loss came in Betis' last match before the Copa del Rey final against Valencia on Saturday in Seville. Valencia also lost, falling 2-0 at Villarreal.An 82nd-minute goal by Tete Morente ended Betis´ hopes of joining the group in the qualification zone for the Champions League. A win would have left Manuel Pellegrini´s team tied on points with second-place Barcelona, third-place Sevilla and fourth-place Atletico Madrid.Instead, Betis stayed ...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Klopp praises Liverpool after 4-0 win but warns that Man Utd ‘will strike back’

Liverpool's German manager Jurgen Klopp (L) congratulates with Liverpool's English midfielder Jordan Henderson (R) at the end of the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on April 19, 2022. Jurgen Klopp praised Liverpool after their 4-0 win over Manchester United at Anfield but warned that their rivals “will strike back” in the future.Liverpool went top of the league after their front three of Luis Diaz, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah all produced a goal — two in Salah’s case — and an assist.United manager Ralf Rangnick switched to a back five before the game, handing Phil Jones a rare start, but Liverpool overwhelmed United from the first whistle.Diaz swept them ahead in the fifth minute after an inviti...
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NEWS

Inter beat Milan to reach Coppa Italia final

(L-R) Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale Milano and Joaquín Correa of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates a second goal during the Coppa Italia Semi Final 2nd Leg match between FC Internazionale v AC Milan at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 19, 2022 in Milan, Italy. Inter Milan beat city rivals AC Milan to reach the Coppa Italia final after Lautaro Martinez scored a first-half double on his return to the side.After the first leg of the semi-final ended goalless, Martinez scored after four minutes when he turned in Matteo Darmian's cross at the near post.Milan were twice denied by goalkeeper Samir Handanovic before Argentina striker Martinez slotted in a second.Substitute Robin Gosens sealed the win as Juventus or Fiorentina await.Juventus host Fiorentina in their semi-final return...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Arteta: Yes it was a risk letting Lacazette’s Arsenal contract run down

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta with Bukayo Saka and Alex Lacazette during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion at Emirates Stadium on April 09, 2022 in London, England.Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal took a risk in delaying contract talks with Alexandre Lacazette until the summer - with the captain now revealing he has opened discussions with other clubs.Lacazette's deal expires at the end of the current season and the 30-year-old currently looks set to leave the Emirates Stadium.Speaking to Canal Plus earlier in the week, Lacazette said he was "in discussions with a lot of clubs", adding he was "missing" playing in the Champions League and that he had "never cut contact" with Lyon, who he left to join Arsenal five years ago.The comments could not come at a wor...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Rodgers: Everton are proof that money does not always matter

Brendan Rogers, Manager of Leicester City looks on during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Leicester City at St. James Park on April 17, 2022 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers cited Everton’s Premier League plight today as evidence that money alone cannot bring success.The Foxes head for Goodison Park this evening to face a club engaged in a desperate fight for top-flight survival despite investing in excess of £560 million in new players over the last six years or so.Asked what had gone wrong on the blue half of Merseyside, former Liverpool boss Rodgers said: “It’s well-documented there’s a lot of money been spent — a lot of money — but if it doesn’t all join up, then it doesn’t really matter.They’ve got good players who go out and work ha...
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SERIE A

Insigne in tears after Napoli title hopes evaporate

Lorenzo Insigne of Napoli reacts after the final whistle of the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and AS Roma at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on April 18, 2022 in Naples, Italy.Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne was distraught after the 1-1 draw with Roma doomed their Scudetto hopes, saluting the home fans in tears.His penalty had given them the lead just 11 minutes in at the packed Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.However, coach Luciano Spalletti’s decisions will come under fire, as he decided to substitute all his attacking players to defend the one-goal lead.It didn’t work, as Stephan El Shaarawy scored the 91st-minute equaliser.The final whistle arrived to jeers from the crowd, who saw their team once again fumble a lead in a big game on home turf and choke just when the Serie A title seemed ...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Liverpool have to be ‘angry’ and ‘greedy’ against Man Utd, says Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp celebrates with Trent Alexander-Arnold at full-time following The Emirates FA Cup Semi-Final match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on April 16, 2022 in London, England.Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has told his players to view their Premier League game against Manchester United later on Tuesday as the most important three points of their lives as they continue their push for an unprecedented quadruple.Liverpool, who have already won the League Cup and are in the FA Cup final and the Champions League semi-finals, trail league leaders Manchester City by a point with seven games left.While fifth-placed United are on course for a fifth straight season without a trophy, Klopp told reporters on Monday that they can still cause Liverpool "m...
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LALIGA

Xavi admits it’s been a ‘very bad week’ for Barcelona

Xavi Hernandez, Head Coach of FC Barcelona looks on prior to the LaLiga Santander match between FC Barcelona and Cadiz CF at Camp Nou on April 18, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain.Barcelona coach Xavi admitted it has been a “very bad week” after seeing his team slip to a 1-0 defeat to Cadiz at the Camp Nou on Monday.The loss follows on from Thursday’s Europa League exit at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt and left the coach admitting the team need to turn things around fast.Cadiz have been very aggressive in defence, well organised, it has been difficult for us due to their effectiveness,” he said.We have to regroup, think about Thursday, we continue with the goal of the Champions League intact. It’s a very bad week for us and we have to change the dynamic as soon as possible.Lucas Perez scored th...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Virgil Van Dijk urges Liverpool to block out quadruple talk to avoid ‘extra pressure’

Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool look on in the tunnel before The Emirates FA Cup Semi-Final match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on April 16, 2022 in London, England.Virgil van Dijk has said completing the quadruple is "almost impossible" and has urged Liverpool to block out the external noise or risk heaping more pressure on themselves.Liverpool are 11 games away from a potentially historic season. The Reds have already won the League Cup, are in the final of the FA Cup, sit second in the Premier League by a solitary point, and have advanced to the Champions League semi-finals.Jurgen Klopp's men saw off Manchester City 3-2 in an FA Cup semi-final thriller on Saturday to set up a final with Chelsea next month - the same side they beat on penalties ...
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NEWS

Rangers see off Celtic to make Scottish Cup final

Carl Starfelt of Celtic diverts the ball into his own net during the Scottish Cup Semi Final match between Celtic FC and Rangers FC at Hampden Park on April 17, 2022 in Glasgow, Scotland.Rangers got revenge on rivals Celtic to reach the Scottish Cup final as Carl Starfelt´s own goal settled an intense semi-final 2-1 in the favour of Giovanni Van Bronckhorst´s men after extra-time.Celtic remain on course to win the Scottish Premiership thanks to their 2-1 win at Ibrox two weeks ago.But their hopes of a domestic treble came undone at Hampden despite going in front thanks to Greg Taylor´s deflected strike just after the hour mark.Scott Arfield´s excellent finish levelled 12 minutes from time.Rangers also needed extra-time to reach the Europa League semi-finals in midweek, but showed admirable...
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LALIGA

Real Madrid stage comeback against Seville with 3-2 win

Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema (R) vies with Sevilla's Brazilian defender Diego Carlos during the Spanish League football match between Sevilla FC and Real Madrid CF at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Seville on April 17, 2022.Real Madrid came back from a 2-0 deficit against Seville on Sunday to secure a 3-2 win in a Spanish La Liga match.Seville took the lead with first-half goals from Ivan Rakitic and Erik Lamela in the 21st and 25th minutes respectively at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.Rodrygo narrowed the gap to one in the 50th minute and Nacho scored Real's second goal in the 82nd minute.French superstar Karim Benzema rescued Los Blancos with a stoppage-time goal in the 92nd minute.Real Madrid are at the top of the standings with 75 points while Seville are in third s...
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NEWS

PSG beat Marseille to guarantee another Ligue 1 title

Neymar Jr of Paris Saint-Germain in action during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille at Parc des Princes on April 17, 2022 in Paris, France.Paris Saint-Germain practically guaranteed themselves another Ligue 1 title after beating Marseille at home.Goals from Neymar and Kylian Mbappe helped PSG continue their march towards a record-equalling 10th French title earning them a 2-1 win.Neymar’s early opener for PSG was cancelled out by Duje Caleta Car before Mbappe’s penalty sealed the win and put PSG on 74 points.PSG, having found their footing recently after a string of poor performances got off to a lively start.It did not take long for Mauricio Pochettino’s men to take the lead in front of an almost silent crowd as the club’s normally noisy Ul...
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BUNDESLIGA

Bayern Munich get 3-0 away win over Arminia Bielefeld

Leon Goretzka of FC Bayern München hugs Serge Gnabry for scoring the goal during the Bundesliga match between DSC Arminia Bielefeld and FC Bayern München at Schueco Arena on April 17, 2022 in Bielefeld, Germany.Bayern Munich claimed a 3-0 away win over Arminia Bielefeld in Germany's Bundesliga on Sunday.Goals by Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala, and an own goal by Jacob Laursen brought victory to Bayern Munich at Bielefelder Alm.With this result, the Bavarians increased their points to 72, nine points ahead of second-place Borussia Dortmund. Arminia Bielefeld remained in 17th place with 26 points.Bayern Munich, who will face Borussia Dortmund next week, are one victory away from clinching their 10th straight Bundesliga title.
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PREMIER LEAGUE

West Ham salvage draw against Burnley

West Ham United's Czech midfielder Tomas Soucek (2nd R) shoots and scores his team first goal during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Burnley at the London Stadium, in London on April 17, 2022. West Ham came from behind to dent managerless Burnley's hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier League in a match tainted by Ashley Westwood's injury.Tomas Soucek equalised from close range to cancel out Wout Weghorst's opener as West Ham extended their unbeaten home run to eight games in all competitions.Both sides started with attacking intent but the game took a turn for the worse when Westwood was stretchered off with a worrying leg injury after what looked like a innocuous challenge with Nikola Vlasic.Play was stopped for eight minutes with medica...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Newcastle overcome Leicester with Guimaraes double

Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 2-1 during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Leicester City at St. James Park on April 17, 2022 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.Bruno Guimaraes struck deep into stoppage time to give Newcastle victory over Leicester and edge the Magpies a step closer to Premier League survival.The Brazilian midfielder cancelled out Ademola Lookman's opener on the half-hour mark before the two sides played out a strangely subdued second half.But in the five minutes of added time, a low cross by substitute Joe Willock bounced up kindly for Guimaraes to snatch the winner with a diving header.
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