Van Gaal fails in the attempt to make United a European power

Just a season and a half after his arrival at the club, the project of the Dutch Louis van Gaal on the bench for Manchester United suffered a considerable bump on Tuesday to say goodbye to the League of Champions first exchange.

 The third richest team in the world, who last summer spent almost 110 million pounds (about 150 million) in remodelling its workforce, has failed to overcome a group stage with rivals at affordable priori as Wolfsburg, PSV Eindhoven and CSKA Moscow.

The 'Red Devils', who returned to the Champions hand of Louis van Gaal after a season away from European competitions after the farewell of Alex Ferguson , trust rejuvenate old laurels won the tournament three times, the last in 2008.

Thus, supported by substantial new television rights agreement of the Premier League and a checkbook envy most European football clubs, the north of England were launched in search of players who can put them back in first line of continental football.

The contract for television rights to the premier class of English football will move from the current 3.018 million pounds (4,300 million euros) to 5.136 million pounds (6.946 million euros) over the next three years, which gives clubs Premier a significant advantage over their European counterparts.

The champion of the English Premier League win over 150 million pounds (213 million euros), while the last place will receive 99 million (140.7 million euros).

However, the United invested over 110 million pounds in six players: Anthony Martial ( Monaco , £ 36 million), Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton, £ 26 million), Memphis Depay (PSV, £ 25 million), Matteo Darmian ( Torino , £ 13 million), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich, £ 6.6 million) and Sergio Romero ( Sampdoria , free).

A -suplente- goalkeeper, side two midfielders and two attackers was the balance of a busy summer that fans Reds dreamed of Cristiano Ronaldo , Sergio Ramos , Paul Pogba and Neymar and had to settle Depay, Darmian , Schneiderlin and Martial.

The fans, though praised Van Gaal firmness in negotiations with Real Madrid by the goalkeeper David de Gea , criticized its unwillingness to reinforce the defense -at as did David Moyes-, the weak point of the team after the departure of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic .

Tuesday in Germany, at the meeting in which the club played its future in the Champions League, the Dutchman had chosen a defense of four with young Uruguayan Guillermo Valera -disputó his second game since joining the club 30 months ago , Chris Smalling , Daley Blind -a midfielder converted to zaguero- and Matteo Darmian leg changed.

The second half, for the injury the Italian side, the very young Cameron finished playing Borthwich-Jackson, 18, that before the Wolfsburg played his second game with the first team of United.

These controversial decisions of Van Gaal, opting for Borthwick-Jackson or replace Juan Mata for the young Nick Powell , whose last encounter with the 'Red Devils' 4-0 defeat was at the hands of MK Dons last season League Cup, have not been well regarded by fans, analysts and former players, who call for the immediate dismissal of the Dutch.

"As a Manchester United player I am ashamed of having fallen into the Champions League and having to play the Europa League. I expected more from us, "Ferdinand grumbled in his Twitter account.

Denmark's Peter Schmeichel , United's goalkeeper between 1991 and 1999, he also aired his displeasure on the popular social network ". That was a very lackluster performance was not at all good, a lot to improve," he wrote.

The poor offensive play of the team, in the last 11 games has seen only goal nine times (with belt draws 0-0), is a slab despite starting three forwards in the template, which does not seem to find the way of goal.

Van Gaal, however, has the fourth team in the Premiership, he insisted that the club has improved since coming to the bench 16 months ago.

"Right now I can not defend because we are out of the Champions League. But if you look at the facts we see that we have advanced in the Champions League and we have reached the group stage of the Champions", will He defended the Dutchman.

"The facts say that we are better than last year. That's my answer to the critics," Van Gaal boasted that since his arrival the club has invested more than 200 million pounds (300 million euros) in signings. 

Butragueño on Lewandowski: "Do not talk about players who are not our"

The director of Institutional Relations of Real Madrid , Emilio Butragueño , refused to rule on a possible interest in the Polish striker Robert Lewandowski , who has expressed his admiration for the club.

 "Do not talk about players who are not of our club and less on a day like today," Mega Butragueño said after the rout that  Real Madrid endorsed the Malmoe in the Champions League.

The Real Madrid manager was happy for the win and the image offered by your team. "It's a happy night for the club and for the fans. We generated many occasions and have had a great effect. It was a very complete game at all levels of the game. This win is great news," he said.

Butragueño praised Karim Benzema . "Benzema is very important to us. It has a great ability to associate and in recent games has also been a great goalscorer. His return is helping to achieve these results," he said.

Ribery was denounced by magazine - again in a prostitution case

The French footballer Franck Ribery was denounced by the tabloid magazine "Closer," which again involved in a case of prostitution by threatening image and dignity, so he claimed 400,000 euros "in reparation for moral prejudice," Efe said his lawyer, Carlos Alberto Brusa.

The French magazine published an article entitled "scandal rocking the new French football" in which the player involved in a new scandal involving prostitution.

The midfielder was questioned on 26 November for the Suppression of Procuring Brigade (BRP) in Paris as part of a preliminary investigation into a network of international prostitution.

According to his lawyer, the police just picked his testimony so he was free immediately and without charge. "My client is completely unrelated to any judicial investigation, 'Closer' rumors and reports no information," he said.

The Bayern Munich player, 32, was accused of having sex in 2009 with a prostitute called Zahia Dehar luxury when she was younger, case for which he was acquitted in January 2014.

Franck Ribery filed a lawsuit against the company Mondadori Magazine France , which the magazine "Closer" belongs to the Court of First Instance of Nanterre, west of Paris.

"Operation Lewandowski": all the details of the plan to sign with Real Madrid

Florentino Perez and Real Madrid perish determined to bring Robert Lewandowski end of the season. What at first seemed only a rumor, is getting closer to becoming reality is that there are many signs that lead you to believe that the Polish striker continue his succesful career in the white set.

Real Madrid want a pure center forward which eschews all the rumours and controversies that lately put the club. Florentino Perez has found the perfect player Robert Lewandowski to end all problems . The front of fashion in Europe is one of the golden dreams of Real Madrid president, who sees the possibility with his move to please the fans and finish with shouts of "Florentino resignation" that fill the stands of the Santiago Bernabeu.

Further proof of the interest of Real Madrid last Saturday, all white player's agent invited to enjoy the game against Getafe in one of the boxes in the stadium and after that surely even talk of the future of Bayern Munich striker .

With contract until 2019, Madrid will have to make an effort if we want to bring this summer, not to mention his salary, which is 12 million euros and Perez must exceed or at least equal to convince the former Borussia .

Portada de As. Interés por Lewandowski pic.twitter.com/QRXOneH1Ld

— Esteban Gómez (@MiRondo) December 7, 2015

Lacina Traoré, the Monaco UFO

There was once an Ivorian arrived in Europe 18 years. A player with a volleyball physical (2,03m) and braved the cold before experiencing a club of the European Top 50. 

Passed by Romania (CFR Cluj) and Russia (Kuban Krasnodar and Anzhi Makhachkala where he played alongside Samuel Eto'o), Lacina Traoré took advantage of a connivance between the leaders and those of AS Monaco, also Russian, to land on the Rock of Monaco in January 2014. The amount paid by the DSO (€ 10 million) and salary (€ 150,000) seemed so well behaved despite the international status of the player then 23 years old. 

Six months before the World Cup, new transfer and a loan to Everton. But an injury when his second game deprived him of his hopes of Brazil. Back in Monaco the following summer, he only played six games in 2014-15 L1. The blame for repeated injuries.

The least bad the lawn

Finally operational early in the season, the native of Abidjan took advantage of the departure of Anthony Martial Manchester to know more tenure. 

Leonardo Jardim yet wanted him to leave this summer but, for lack of supply, he found himself in competition with Argentina's Guido Carrillo. Two players not really cut to evolve into a system with a single point. 

"At one time, it was the least bad playing, says Mathieu Faure, following particular for Monaco Nice-Matin and So Foot. Both have a not very academic style of play and not very nice to see when it is a team that wants to offer the game. 

"But lack of a better Jardim had to do with since the beginning of the season and his patience ( he often protected his two strikers to the press) is beginning to bear fruit, notably with the first double Traoré in Ligue 1 Saturday on the lawn of Bastia.

Lacina, the Monegasque turtle

His first two goals in L1 are however no surprise to Mathieu Faure: "It is an experienced player. They score two goals in L1, which is more in Bastia is the minimum. 

What's weird with him, is that he took so long to put his goals. It has a very unusual style. It is not nice to see him play. He does not like to play head so I do not see the point of having a guy 2m peak. When the ball comes, he gets his head like a turtle . 

"From there to see him go from the Winter Mercato? Nothing is less certain because his salary seems prohibitive, except of course in the Premier League. This does not prevent the Monegasque leaders to prospect now able to recruit a striker to take the depth. This is not really the quality of former team-mate Didier Drogba in Elephants.

"Traoré fate of some crazy things"

Rather clever in front of goal during his time in Eastern Europe, Lacina Traoré is a more atypical scorer. The kind of player that does not happen too in modern football, 

"There you have a physical elsewhere, confirms Mathieu Faure. Sometimes he goes in surges. It is in midfield and attempts of large bridges. 

It is a little awkward, it makes a lot of mistakes. And occasionally, he released a little crazy things like in Bastia where he tried opening a pigeon wing. It is subject to mockery but for the rub, I know he does not care a bit. It remains. It is most popular in the locker room. It is a  very sweet guy. He has a very particular physics. When he comes out of a match, you have the impression he did a marathon. 

"What actually bring a little more light on a player who has remained in the shadows for too long.

Häkkinen warns Alonso

The former F1 world champion Mika Häkkinen discourages Fernando Alonso taking a sabbatical next year.

At the last Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi, the McLaren boss Ron Dennis hinted that his driver could ignore the 2016 championship.

Who wins the battle of teammates? Alonso had initially left himself some doubt by giving a first ambiguous reaction, but he has since confirmed that it would indeed from the next season of Formula 1 with McLaren.

Häkkinen think the Iberian made the right decision. After a disappointing season in 2001, the double world champion Finland had decided to take a year but was ultimately never returned in F1.

"Personally, for me, I had seen myself the opportunity to come back after my sabbatical year, but I preferred to decline the offer because I had come to the conclusion that I had done my time F1, and I was happy with this decision, "he explains.

"I finished my career by winning races and that's a good way to end your career."

Fernando Alonso  tries to MotoGP: "In the case of Fernando, I do not think it would be a good decision to take a year. It must continue to fight. Once you start the game, you do not stop during the game."

Alonso has signed a three year contract with McLaren. It is linked to the British team until 2017.