Javier Mascherano, eternally grateful to Rafa Benitez

Javier Mascherano gave a controversial interview to the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport in which he said he was grateful to Rafa Benitez in his career, and also revealed that not enjoy playing football, but he suffers.

"You wanted me to Valencia when I was still in the River. I had met with leaders Juventus , who at that time was in series B. And I asked Rafa, how I'll play if you already have to Xabi Alonso , Momo Sissoko and Gerrard ?. He replied: None of the three has your quality, "said Mascherano.

"We now have less contact with him because he is in Madrid, but always thank me out of a pit 20 meters. He's a great man, a scholar technical and optimal teacher," he added, also renegotiate that came close again with Benitez to leave Napoli.

About his role in football, Mascherano said that no "fun" in matches, but quite the opposite.. "I suffer football for 90 minutes I must be concentrated only I have fun in training There defenses as Pique jumping. the relaxed field to defend me is an art. "

Finally, he expressed his desire to play in the midfield of FC Barcelona , but acknowledged that if it were not for the change of role probably would not be in the Catalan club.

Mourinho: "We are the worst team who has finished as top"

The Portuguese Jose Mourinho , coach of Chelsea , showed Wednesday his happiness for having achieved the pass to the knockout stage of the Champions League after beating Porto (2-0), but insisted his team "is the worst they have finished in first place."

 "Apart from the result, I am very happy because my players accepted the challenge of playing to win. And that is complicated when the results have been as bad as our while," Mourinho said at the press conference after the match press.

"Now all the teams who finished as second want to play with us. Nobody wants to face Bayern Munich, Barcelona , Real Madrid or Atletico. We are the worst of which were first, "said the Portuguese.

The whole southwest of the British capital beat Porto at Stamford Bridge by a comfortable 2-0 to seal their qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

"What really gives me confidence is that we have been playing well in recent months. The results have not been good and do not reflect what the players have done. It is true we were lucky in the first goal, as the stop Casillas was very good. But that's the luck we lack in the Premier League , "he said.

The Portuguese used the press conference to praise the Spanish-Brazilian striker Diego Costa for his "effort, commitment and great movements" during the meeting.

"In recent months I missed that effort, commitment and movement that we have seen today. He was wonderful. It is true that the first goal was an own goal, but his movement was magnificent. He could score two or three goals," he said.

"However, it notes that it lacks a bit of confidence. I know the goals will come. I do not change it because I was not happy, but because they wanted something different," he added.

Despite having finished as group winners, Mourinho dismissed his team as a candidate to the title: "A team that is suffering so much like ours is not a candidate," he said.

"But with Porto we not were candidates in 2004 and won. And neither were in 2010 at Inter. When really was favorite, with Real Madrid and Chelsea, fell in the semifinals. You never know, we'll see what happens," reflected Luso.

Asked by a Portuguese journalist for the party of "Casillas," Mourinho stated that Porto "is the people who have made history in the club and Casillas have not already done."

"It's Porto. Is Porto - Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa and Vitor Bahia, but Casillas. He is a player with a history and an unparalleled track record, but has not yet made history with this team," he said .

Lewandowski also shines in Croatia

Bayern Munich does not let up, even knowing he was already qualified for the knockout stages as group winners. This team knows playing at half speed. And a brace from Robert Lewandowski finished giving three points in the Champions League . The victim this time was Dynamo Zagreb.

Now the superiority to the Croatian side not noted until the second half, after a first 45 minutes ridden times, but without success, without moving networks. 

 Lewandowski, one of the most coveted strikers in Europe, had to come to the rescue with a double. The first, head , anticipating the entire defense; the second, a gallop in the race, finishing with a bite to the departure of goalkeeper. 

 The visitors could have extended the lead, but missed penalty by Thomas Müller kept the 0-2 will add another goal on the scoreboard. 

Still, Dinamo had no choice and leave the competition as the last group, with only 3 points and 3 goals scored.

Alvaro Negredo plays again after two months

Alvaro Negredo returns to play with Valencia CF two months later. The front Che came 6 minutes into the second half as a lever in the match against Olympique corresponding to the last day of the group stage of the UEFA Champions League Lyon. 

 Thus, the Spanish striker returns to a lawn, something not done since last October 4 in the defeat of Valencia in San Mamés (3-1), a defeat from which I pointed out by his coach. 

Since then, Negredo could not have minutes, either by operation of appendicitis suffered, or Nuno technical decisions, which did not have the former Manchester City . 

 Following the departure of Nuno and the arrival of Gary Neville , Negredo returned to a call, such as English coach himself confirmed: "With Alvaro make sure take it slowly because he has not played much in the last three months and it is important reintroduce in the dynamic and need a pace that is good for Alvaro ".

Juventus and Inter would move to Barcelona in the race for Ezequiel Lavezzi

The few opportunities that arranged Ezequiel Lavezzi in the PSG and crecanía finalization of contract with the Parisians, the player makes the argentinian between hard into the pools to leave the club. 

 In fact, as pointed to the site 'todomercadoweb' striker's agent, Alejandro Mazzoni, would arrive in the coming days to Italy to meet with emissaries of Inter and Juventus . Barcelona also interested walks, but depends on sales that can be done to preserve the so-called Financial Fair Play. 

 According to the information of this web, the 'Bianconeri', with an offer of 3 million per season, would be better placed to clinch a striker who already excelled in Serie A in the ranks of Napoli .

France Football Federation ban Karim Benzema indefinitely

 

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been suspended indefinitely from the French national team over the sex tape blackmail case he is currently involved in with team mate Mathieu Valbuena. 

The president of the national football federation (FFF), Le Graet said today that Benzema was put under formal investigation by a French judge last month in connection with an alleged attempt to blackmail international team mate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex video.

"I have decided, it's a decision from the president of the French federation and not from the executive committee or the ethics committee, that Karim Benzema cannot play for France until the situation evolves," Noel Le Graet told a news conference. "As long as the judicial system has not decided that everything that has been published on Benzema is excessive, the federation will not change its mind," he added, while urging the judge handling the case to set up a meeting between the two players.

Le Graet was not specific about the duration of the ban but his ruling probably means Benzema cannot be called up by the national team until he is convicted or cleared of the alleged offence, putting his EURO 2016 spot in jeopardy.

Benzema has denied any wrongdoing and claims although he has been banned by a high court from contacting anyone linked to the investigation including Olympique Lyonnais forward Valbuena.