Love is in the air after Barcelona s epic Champions League comeback, with Gerard Pique warning hospitals to hire more midwives for nine months time as fans celebrate mission impossible.
Barca sensationally overturned a 4-0 deficit, claiming a last-gasp 6-1 win in Wednesday s return leg to trump Paris Saint-Germain 6-5 on aggregate.
Leading 3-1 on the night but needing three more goals to advance to the quarter-finals, Barca completed the comebacks of all comebacks from the 88th minute as Neymar converted a free-kick and a 91st-minute penalty before unlikely hero Sergi Roberto sparked pandemonium on the pitch and in the stands in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
And centre-back Pique believes many overjoyed fans will take their celebrations to the bedroom.
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Already on the return flight, the head was to Napoli and to the things that the coach will tell us to prepare this challenge in the best possible way, because it will be very important, Martinez told reporters.
I ve been here for almost five years and I definitely feel important. I took responsibility in the locker room and I always try to help someone who needs a hand, even young players, because that s how groups are created.
When asked if Inter were still in the Scudetto race, he added: Yes, I believe in everything. The first part [of the season] is not even over yet – even if we have lost important points – and we know it.
While Inter are Martinez s immediate future, he also emphasised the importance of Argentina continuing to pursue further silverwar…
Jordan Rhodes came off the bench to score a late equaliser as Norwich City drew 1-1 at West Brom, while Sheffield United moved into the Championship s top two.
Dwight Gayle s first-half goal – his 14th of the season looked like it would send West Brom above Norwich in the table, but Rhodes equalised seven minutes from time.
That meant Sheffield United climbed into second spot behind leaders Leeds United after beating QPR 1-0 at Bramall Lane, their fourth straight league win.
Middlesbrough kept up the pressure on the four teams above them with a 2-1 victory at Birmingham City, while bottom-of-the-table Ipswich Town recorded only their third win of the campaign, defeating Rotherham United 1-0.
RHODES SAVES NORWICH
Norwich are now without a w…
Inter chief Giuseppe Marotta is very optimistic Diego Godin will join the Nerazzurri from Atletico Madrid when his contract expires in June.
Uruguay defender Godin is into the final months of his contract at Atleti, where he has played since signing from Villarreal in 2010, winning the LaLiga title in 2013-14 and twice reaching the Champions League final.
The 33-year-old has consistently been linked with Inter in recent months and Marotta has not been shy in talking up a potential move.
And the Inter CEO suggested on Thursday that official confirmation of a deal may not be far away, adding that he enjoyed seeing Godin score a crucial goal against Juventus in a Champions League last 16 first-leg clash on Wednesday.
I am happy, Marotta told Sky Sport Ita…
What the papers say
The potential ins and outs at Manchester United continue to keep the rumour mill turning. The Sun reports Manchester City’s England midfielder Kalvin Phillips, 28, is top of next summer’s shopping list.
An Old Trafford move could also be on the cards for RB Leipzig’s Lois Openda, 23. The Mirror says the Belgium striker could be a replacement for Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial.
Crystal Palace’s goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, 30, has emerged as a possible target for Newcastle, according to The Star. His England colleague Nick Pope is out for much of the season with a shoulder injury.
Fulham are keen on Le Havre defender Arouna Sangante. The Sun reports the club are increasing their interest in the 21-year-old Senegalese centre-half.
S…
That is neither a wish nor a dream, it will happen. Marco is captain, this is his team. Borussia is more than just an employer to him”.
Those are the words of Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke, who is of the belief that Marco Reus will stay at the club until the end of his career. Reus is the captain at the club and despite many rumours linking him with a move away, he has remained loyal ever since making the jump over from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2012. Reus is also a regular member of the German national team, making his debut back in 2011.
The general belief is that Reus could walk into the majority of teams across Europe and beyond, but he seems to have built a real persona for himself with Dortmund. He started off his journey as a youth star with the …
Florentino Perez heaped praise on four-time Ballon d Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, labelling him the symbol of Real Madrid for his talent and ambition, while he also lauded Zinedine Zidane.
Ronaldo has cemented his status as one of the greatest ever players since arriving in Madrid from Manchester United in 2009, becoming the Spanish club s all-time leading goalscorer.
The 32-year-old has also helped Madrid to 13 trophies, including three Champions League crowns and two LaLiga titles.
Speaking about Ronaldo before Madrid s 2-0 victory over Espanyol on Sunday, president Perez said: We have to be proud to have the best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Four Ballons d Or and on the way to a fifth, four Golden Boots, the first winner of The Best and on …
New Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson paid tribute to his former club Roma after securing a world-record transfer to the Premier League, adamant the Serie A side will always hold a special place in his heart.
Alisson had long been linked with a move away from Roma after enjoying a fine season in 2017-18, playing a big role in the side which reached the Champions League semi-finals, before being eliminated by the Reds.
Roma confirmed on Thursday that the Brazil international stands to earn the Giallorossi up to €72.5million, making him the most expensive goalkeeper of all time.
And while the deal was difficult for any party to turn down, Alisson was keen to make Roma fans aware of his affection for the club and city.
GRAZIE
— Alisson Becker (@Ali…
Roberto Firmino lavished high praise on Brazil team-mate Philippe Coutinho, claiming he has magical powers that help him see passes and moves that other players could not imagine.
Coutinho and Firmino have been team-mates since 2014 when the latter broke into the Brazil setup, four years after the Barcelona attacker.
But in 2015 they became Liverpool colleagues as well when Firmino joined from Hoffenheim, as the foundations for Jurgen Klopp s all-conquering Reds began to take shape.
Coutinho ultimately left for Barcelona in 2018 before Liverpool realised their full potential, and ever since little has gone right for the Vasco da Gama youth product, who struggled at Camp Nou before failing to earn a permanent move to Bayern Munich.
But Firmino remains conv…
Former Manchester City and England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is among the applicants for the vacant Newcastle Jets job, according to the club s CEO Lawrie McKinna.
A-League side Newcastle are searching for a new head coach after sacking Ernie Merrick on Monday, with the Jets languishing at the foot of the table.
Swedish veteran Eriksson, who has been out of work since stepping down as Philippines coach following their Asian Cup debut in 2019, is in the frame to replace Merrick.
After the third goal on Sunday night [in a 4-0 loss to Melbourne Victory] we had six CVs actually come through during the game, which I think is quite rude, but some agents were sending through CVs, McKinna told reporters on Tuesday.
Ten have come in this morning. Some of the n…