Category: FIFA

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Atletico Madrid manager has highlighted the need to curb the threat coming from Mesut Ozil if they are to come victorious against Arsenal in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final. The Spanish outfit scored a valuable away goal in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates last week but Simeone has not written off the Gunners from making a strong response.

Speaking to reporters, he said: “Our line is to think about Arsenal. They are a very direct team. They have many players between the lines, who float in a difficult place to score. They have a lot of speed in the last third. Ozil is the most dangerous player they have, because of his creativity and vision of the game.” Continue reading →

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger praised the qualities of Mesut Ozil following the Gunners’ 4-1 win over CSKA Moscow in the Europa League quarter-final first-leg. The north London side produced a dominant first-half performance with four goals scored, and Ozil played an influential role with three assists.

Speaking after the game, Wenger spoke positively about the German saying: “Ozil enjoys and I hope you enjoy. You see a great football player. When you love football, that’s what you want to see. We scored some great goals in the first half and at half-time the target was not to concede anymore and, if possible, add another one.We did the first part of the job in the second half but not the second part of the job. We have to go there with that right focus and try to win the game”.

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Germany international Emre Can has said that he is grateful to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who has transformed him into a regular for club and country. The 24-year-old had struggled to win over the fans during his initial years at Anfield, but the confidence placed on him by Klopp has done wonders to improve his overall game.

Speaking in an interview with German television show Sport 1,  Can explained that he has no regrets of leaving Bayern Munich as a youngster, and admits he has developed a lot under the guidance of Klopp, he said: “Why did I leave Bayern? I was very young and I needed to play. I spoke frankly with Guardiola and he explained that he could not guarantee continuity, which is why I chose Leverkusen. At Liverpool, I’ve developed a lot under Jurgen Klopp. I am very grateful to him, and it is a lot of fun to work with him. I want to become a world-class player. Maybe once in the world selection. That would be great.” Continue reading →

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Russia 2018 will be Germany’s 19th appearance at a World Cup and they’ll line up as four-time champions. Joachim Low’s side won planet football’s biggest prize in Brazil four years ago and are fancied by bookmakers to defend their crown and seal two-in-a-row.

DFB oozed class during qualification without ever getting out of first gear. A perfect 10-game record – 43 goals scored against just four conceded – had them convincing winners of Group C ahead of Northern Ireland and the Czech Republic.

With domestic seasons working towards a finish across Europe, fans can now turn their attentions towards this summer’s international football betting where they’ll find Germany chalked up at 9/2 with bet365 to complete the double. That price has them as narrow second favourites behind Brazil’s 4/1.

Fancy a bet on the action? There’s no lack of markets offered by major firms designed to give punters an interest from the first kick to the final cheer including outright winner, top goalscorer, match betting and team specials.

Here are three ways to bet on Germany… Continue reading →

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Bayern Munich manager Jupp Heynckes is confident Manuel Neuer will return to full fitness ahead of this summer’s World Cup finals in Russia. The Germany international has yet to feature for the Bavarian giants due to a broken foot, but he is likely to make a comeback before the end of the season.

Speaking to reporters, Heynckes admitted that there is no hurry for Neuer to make his return, and the club are prepared to wait for his full recovery, he said: “We are not pressuring him. There is no timeframe, there is no deadline. Personally, I am convinced that he will play for us and will play in the World Cup but in the end that is something he has to decide, together with the medical team, when he returns. He can’t afford to take any risk and I don’t think he will.”
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Germany international Mesut Ozil admits that he has become a bigger player during his time with Arsenal. The 29-year-old joined the Gunners from Real Madrid during the summer of 2013, and he has since established himself as the go-to man in the starting lineup.

In an exclusive with Sky Sports, Ozil revealed his pleasure at playing for the north London side, whilst highlighting the growth he has made during his five-year stay, he said: “Because of the history and the amazing players. I’m here to learn, to grow up and to show my talent for this club. This club has made me bigger. I’m so proud to play for a big club like Arsenal.”
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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has praised the showing of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez during Saturday’s 2-0 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby. The Gunners dominated the proceedings from the off, and their urgency in the forward department caught Spurs off guard as they conceded two first-half goals.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side tried to make their comeback during the second period of the game, but they could not make the most of their possession owing to some poor finishing at the end. Following the game, Wenger heaped praise on both Ozil and Sanchez, who alongside Alexandre Lacazette stood out in the Gunners attack.
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Arsenal legend Lee Dixon insists that the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil would have been shown the exit door if they had played in the Premier League in his era. The pair have just eight months of their contracts, and they are expected to leave the club in January or at the end of the season.

In a report covered by Sky Sports, Dixon feels there was no room for such kind of players during his time at the club, he said, “We’d have just shown them the door. If you don’t want to play, then go. That’s not changed. If a player doesn’t want to play for you: it happened with Michael Thomas 18 months after he scored [the title-winning goal against Liverpool] in ’89, he was in dispute with the club or George about money. He ended up going in similar circumstances and signing with Liverpool.”
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On July 2 of 2017, Joachim Low lifted his 1st FIFA Confederations Cup as his German squad defeated Chile in the finals with a final scoreboard of 1-0 as Lars Stindl scored the only goal of the entire match which edged the triumph for his national side.

An important thing to take into consideration is the fact that Joachim Low won the 2017 edition of the FIFA Confederations Cup by using a very young squad. The oldest player in Low´s team that played in the finals of this competition was Lars Stindl as he´s 28 years old.

It appears like Joachim Low wanted to make a statement about the next generation of players that Germany has to offer and he indeed accomplished his mission as his rising stars made a memorable performance which was sealed by winning the international football competition.

When the match was over, Joachim Low did not hesitate in voicing his gratification in regards to his youth team as the head coach of the German national football team said: Continue reading →

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German champions Bayer Munich are prepared to loan out forward Serge Gnabry in order to continue his development.

The former Arsenal man linked up with the Bavarian giants on a free transfer after he ended his association with Werder Bremen using a clause in his contract. The 21-year-old had received offers from the likes of RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim but he decided to pursue a stiffer challenge with Bayern, where he could progress more as a player.

According to SportBILD, Gnabry will be loaned out for the 2017/18 season as he looks to earn valuable first-team opportunities in order to push for a national team spot. Gnabry earned his debut for Germany against San Marino earlier last year where he bagged an impressive hat-trick. He is currently with the Germany Under-21 side at the European Championships where they take on England in the semi-final stage. Continue reading →