Facebook Messenger Gets a Hidden Football Game to Celebrate Euro 2016

In tribute to the UEFA Euro 2016 championship, Facebook has introduced a new football (aka soccer) game hidden as an Easter egg inside its Messenger app. Called Keepy Up, users need to enter the football emoji to start the game.

To activate the game, you need to be running the latest version of Facebook Messenger for Android or iOS. Then, just send the football emoji in any conversation inside the Facebook Messenger app. Tap on the emoji after sending it, and Messenger opens the game up automatically. The challenge is to keep the football from touching the ground. The game keeps your best score intact for the next time you use the emoji and want to replay.

The interface is simple, with the ball bouncing about the white screen, more vigorously as the level advances. Users can easily exit the game, and back to their conversation whenever they feel like. There's no pausing the game though, you'll have to end it to continue chatting.

Facebook had done a similar trick in March with its Messenger Basketball game. It got activated in the same way, but needed the basketball emoji for starting it. Facebook also claimed that the game had received 300 million plays in just one week.

Facebook Messenger for Android recently also announced SMS support. The Android app now supports SMS messaging bringing voice chats, emojis, and location sharing to SMS messaging. The chat service recently also introduced as many as 1,500 new emojis into the app. Several emojis dedicated to women in different roles were also included. Notably, it even standardised emojis on all of its platforms.

The new game is being rolled out globally to all users. The update should have hit the App Store and Google Play in your region, but if it hasn't, it will soon.

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Scientists warn of dengue fever risk during Brazil's World Cup

Boys play a Sunday ''pelada'' soccer match on a street closed to traffic for the day in Sao Paulo, a World Cup host city, May 4, 2014.

(Reuters) - The risk of an outbreak of dengue fever during the upcoming soccer World Cup in Brazil is serious enough to warrant a high alert in three of the 12 host cities, according to an early warning system for the disease.
Scientists who developed the system said the overall threat of the disease during the month-long competition was low, but they warned that the northeastern venues of Natal, Fortaleza and Recifethere faced a serious risk.
Dengue, sometimes called breakbone fever because of the severe pain it can cause, is a viral infection transmitted by a type of mosquito called Aedes aegypti. It can range from a mild, flu-like illness to a potentially deadly one, which develops in around 5 percent of patients. There are no vaccines or effective treatments.
Brazil has more cases of dengue fever than anywhere else in the world. More than 7 million infections were recorded between 2000 and 2013.
Rachel Lowe, from the Catalan Institute of Climate Sciences in Barcelona, who helped develop the warning system, said the possibility of an outbreak during the World Cup large enough to infect visitors and spread back to their home countries will depend on a combination of factors.
This include having large numbers of mosquitoes, a susceptible population and a high rate of mosquito-human contact, she said.
"Our aim was to take the available evidence on real-time seasonal rainfall and temperature forecasts, transmission dynamics, and social and environmental variables and combine it with the latest in mapping and mathematical modeling to produce robust risk estimates for the 12 host cities," she said.
The results, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal on Saturday, showed the overall risk of an outbreak is low in the host cities of Brasolia, Cuiaba, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, and Sao Paulo. But it increases in cities like Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Salvador and Manaus.
The cities with the highest risk are Natal, Fortaleza, and Recife, Lowe said.
"The ability to provide early warnings of dengue epidemics at the microregion level, three months in advance, is invaluable for reducing or containing an epidemic and will give local authorities the time to combat mosquito populations in those cities with a greater chance of dengue outbreaks," she said.
(Reporting by Kate Kelland, editing by Larry King)

Defeat not an option for Arsenal

Nine long years, nine painful years. Arsene Wenger has seen his side glide downward from the heights of being ‘Invincibles’ to a side celebrating a Champions League spot at the end of the season.
The pain and agony of the defeat in the League Cup final back in 2011 was the last time they came close to lifting a trophy but were denied by a Birmingham side, who got relegated and since then, haven’t managed to earn a place back in the Premier League.
The likes of Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy, Robin Van Persie, Ashley Cole, Cesc Fabregas have all moved on from Arsenal and have been rewarded with silverware.
The fans have voiced their concerns since last season when the banner of 'Wenger Out' was on display.

The club that once boasted the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry in attack now has to make do with a young and inexperienced Yaya Sanogo and Olivier Giroud whose inconsistency has been his major foe.
They did shell out a record transfer fee on Mesut Ozil this summer from Real Madrid but once again, they ignored the obvious weaknesses in the side. One that came back to haunt them later.

Arsenal spent 128 days at the top of the Premier League this season. More than any other club in the league and a massive 117 days more than eventual champions Manchester City, but it all came down to nothing as they had to pay for their shortcomings in the transfer window.

While Wenger can look back at injuries to Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey as the defining moment of the season, failure to strengthen in those areas remains a mystifying decision. The departure of Van Persie has still not been dealt with as Giroud doesn’t have any real competition to start upfront. An injured Kim Kallstorm was recruited on loan to fill in for Ramsey.

Suarez 'so happy' at Liverpool despite transfer rumours

"I am so happy with the fan support at Liverpool.They are just amazing, maybe the best support in the world." said Suarez

The 27-year-old forward scored 31 goals in a stunning campaign at Anfield and insists he is happy at the Premier League club despite the interest of Real Madrid and Barcelona

Luis Suarez underlined his love for Liverpool amid speculation that Real Madrid and Barcelona will compete for his signature this summer.

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The Uruguay striker played a key role in an impressive campaign for Brendan Rodgers' men as they were just pipped to the Premier League title by Manchester City, scoring 31 goals and picking up the PFA Player of the Year award in the process.
Suarez signed a new long-term deal in December, but despite reported interest from the Primera Liga giants, the 27-year-old revealed how delighted he was to secure his future at Anfield.
"I signed the contract because I love it here and I'm so happy here," he told Sky Sports News.
"If you're not happy here you don't sign any contract.
"Liverpool's team for me is one of the best in the world because nobody here in the dressing room thinks 'I am better than another,' and the people here inside Melwood work very well.
"I love it here and this mentality I like because maybe in some other dressing rooms I am bigger than you and another bigger, it's difficult for the team-mates to play together on the pitch in something like that."
Suarez dismissed reports earlier this week suggesting he would be making a big-money move to Spain for the 2014/15 season, saying: "You know what the press is like, how they speculate, and you try to not take any notice.
"I know what I want. My agent tells me what's there and what's not. It's more speculation than reality."

Santi - I prefer FA Cup to Copa del Rey

Source - Arsenal.com

Santi Cazorla says he prefers the FA Cup to the Copa del Rey because more teams have a chance of reaching the final in England.
The Spain midfielder, who scored the winning penalty against Wigan Athletic last month, is preparing to play in his first ever domestic cup final on Saturday.
Cazorla watched the FA Cup when he was in Spain and believes the two-legged structure of the Spanish Cup gives the bigger sides an unfair advantage.

It is something new for me and something that I want to experience, hopefully it is the first of many with Arsenal

"The difference is that here you have a greater chance of a smaller team getting to a final," Cazorla told Arsenal Player. "It is just one game, you can play home or away, that is the luck of the draw but in Spain there are two legs.
"With Barcelona or Real Madrid, it is very difficult to beat them because you have to play at their stadium, I think it is better here because all teams have a chance of progressing. Look at Hull City this year or Wigan last year, that makes things more open.
"It is the first ever cup final that I am going to play in, I have just played in the finals of the European Championship with the national side and I have never played any other final with any club. So it is something new for me and something that I want to experience, hopefully it is the first of many with Arsenal."
Arsenal have beaten Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton on their way to the final and Cazorla thinks the team can take confidence from those victories.
"It has not been easy," he said. "We’ve played against three great teams, even Wigan in the semi-final, that was a very tough game so we are in the final because of our own merits.
"We’ve done things very well in this competition, we have got past some great opposition, we are at the last step, and we have to think that in this competition the team has done very well, and hopefully we can perform like that in the final."

Arsenal were close to signing Hazard, reveals Wenger

The Frenchman says that he spent time with the Belgian winger's representatives at his home before the Gunners were blown out of the water by the Blues' offer two years ago

Arsene Wenger has revealed that Arsenal came close to signing Chelsea winger Eden Hazard two years ago.

The Belgian was the subject of a mass scramble for his signature in 2012 after deciding to leave Lille, as the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal all competed with the Blues for the 23-year-old.

Eventually Chelsea clinched the €40 million signing and the winger has gone on to become a key player for the west Londoners, winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award this season.

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Wenger told BeIN Sports: "Yes, I wanted to take him. I had his agent at my home but again the barrier was financial and Chelsea made an effort that I couldn't make.

"He can be one of the players who grows into the [Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo stature if he continues to develop well."

Wenger, who is expected to put pen to paper on a new contract at the Emirates Stadium, also considered his possibilities should he ever leave the Gunners.

"If I were to go somewhere then I think it would be in a different country because I am so much Arsenal that I would not like to coach anywhere else in England," he remarked.

"Germany [is an option] because I am of German culture a little bit and it's a country where I have never worked and I am very close to it."

Man Utd tight-lipped on likely Louis van Gaal appointment

Louis van Gaal is likely to take over Manchester United as their new manager

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/manchester-united-louis-van-gaal-appointment-as-manager-old-trafford/1/361979.html

Dutchman Louis van Gaal remains favourite to become Manchester United's new manager but media reports that he would be confirmed on Thursday before the release of the club's financial results proved unfounded.
The former Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss is preparing to lead Netherlands at next month's World Cup and United are anxious to name the successor to the sacked David Moyes before the tournament kicks off in Brazil.
"Everyone at the club is working hard to ensure the team is back challenging for the title and trophies next season," executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said in a statement.
Van Gaal, 62, has been the leading contender for the role since Moyes was fired in April, 10 months after replacing Alex Ferguson who retired after 26 glittering years at the helm of England's biggest club.
Reports on Thursday said United's longest-serving player Ryan Giggs, who managed the team for the final four games of the Premier League season, had held talks with Van Gaal about becoming his number two.
United finished the season in seventh place, meaning they will be without European football next season.
Should Van Gaal take charge he will have the task of rebuilding the squad and mounting a title challenge next season and would almost certainly have a large transfer kitty after United reported a 60 percent increase in quarterly profits

Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid: 5 things to know about La Liga finale

Atletico Madrid leads Barcelona by three points in the La Liga standings

Atletico Madrid face Barcelona at the Camp Nou with both teams vying for the Spanish league title.
Atletico leads Barcelona by three points in the standings, and only victory will see defending champion Barcelona lift their fifth trophy in six seasons and deny Atletico its first league championship in 18 years.
Atletico knows a draw will suffice in winning its first league title since 1996.
Four out of five matches between the sides have ended in a draw this season, with Atletico claiming a narrow 1-0 win in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal.
"The whole season comes down to 90 minutes," said Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta.
Here are five things to know about Saturday's game:
SEASON FINALE, 64 YEARS LATER
Saturday's matchup is only the third time in league history the title has been decided in circumstances such as these.
And both Atletico and Barcelona were involved then too.
Atletico edged Sevilla in a final round decider to close the 1950/51 season - five years after Sevilla emerged triumphant against Barcelona in a similar showdown.
"We can't look to the past, we need to focus on the present," Atletico captain Gabi Fernandez said. "We have a historic opportunity to win the league and the Champions League also."
Atletico, which plays Real Madrid in the Champions League final on May 24, hasn't competed for the title since its league-cup double triumph in 1995/96.
DENTING THE DUOPOLY
Atletico is on the cusp of becoming the first winner besides Barcelona or Real Madrid to win the title since Valencia did it in 2004.
"Whoever manages to distance themselves from all the talk off the field in the buildup will have a better game," said Atletico coach Diego Simoene, who is likely to wait until game time to decide on the availability of injured striker Diego Costa.
Barcelona vowed to dedicate the league to former coach Tito Vilanova, who died last month.
"It would be brutal if we manage to win this league on the last day at home," Iniesta said. "We would celebrate like never before."
BARCELONA'S MOTIVATION
You would hardly think Barcelona was still in the fight for the title after a look at its recent results.
It has drawn its last two matches against relegation-threatened opponents and, in-between those results, organized a team barbecue that looked more like an end-of-season, summer send-off.
"No one would have thought we'd have this opportunity again after we drew at home to Getafe, you'd be crazy to think it," midfielder Xavi Hernandez.
"Why wouldn't we deserve the league," midfielder Andres Iniesta said.
Barcelona is still waiting on the fitness of defenders Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba, while question marks remain over Neymar's return with the Brazil striker having been sidelined nearly one month, and this would be his last club game before preparing for the World Cup.
MARTINO'S LAST STAND
Win or lose the league, coach Gerardo Martino's future with Barcelona does not look bright.
The Argentine coach has had to put up with reports about his future all season long, and even if he manages to steer the club to victory on Saturday it likely won't stop the apparent arrival of Celta Vigo coach and former player Luis Enrique from taking over his job next season.
Martino's reported exit won't be the only one: Barcelona will be saying goodbye to many of the core players that shaped the club over recent years with Carles Puyol and Victor Valdes exiting. Meanwhile, Daniel Alves and Javier Mascherano are some of the players whose futures may also be away from the Catalan club next season.
RELEGATION ARRIVES
While Atletico and Barcelona play for the title, five teams at the other of the table will be playing for survival.
Almeria, Getafe, Granada, Osasuna, and Real Valladolid are all flirting with the second division, with two of them certain to drop alongside last-place Real Betis. Valladolid hosts Granada while Betis is at Osasuna.
Also, Real Madrid's last match ahead of the Champions League final in Lisbon is Saturday against Espanyol as it finishes the season third in the standings.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/barcelona-vs-atletico-madrid-5-things-to-know-about-the-la-liga-finale/1/361965.html

Jalandhar footballs making Europe’s World Cup

With the FIFA World Cup to get underway next month, the local football manufacturing units are abuzz with activity. The units in Jalandhar are producing around 50,000 balls a day to meet the mammoth demand from across the world.
Export councils operating in the region say the business of football manufacturing has got a boost ahead of the World Cup scheduled for June 12. Soccer ball manufacturers are flooded with orders from different countries, especially those in Europe.
Though there has been a decline in the football manufacturing business in the past three to four years, the Jalandharbased industry believes the returns will be high by the time the World Cup begins in Brazil. A large number of footballs are also exported to Argentina, a football-crazy country, every four years at the time of the FIFA World Cup.

There are a large number of football and other sports material manufacturing units in Jalandhar. The sector is unorganised due to the fact that it comes under the cottage industry; as a result, the total number of footballs manufactured could not be ascertained.
Sanjay Sharma, owner of Sharma Exports unit of soccer balls, says football is either manufactured in Jalandhar or in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. He says the minimum cost of the football available with him is Rs 200 and the maximum is Rs. 450. “There has been a decline in profits due to Pakistan and China manufacturing betterquality professional footballs. On the other hand, labour shortage has also caused a dent in the production of footballs in different units,” said Sharma.
Jalandhar industry is known for making promotional footballs used for advertising and showcasing. Many multi-national companies have signed orders with the Jalandhar companies to source customised footballs.

Brijesh Chander, owner of Hike International, says he has received several orders from Argentina, France and the United Kingdom. “There has been a spurt in soccer ball orders in the past few months, especially for the World Cup,” he adds.
Indian football has also been facing the problem of low production due to lack of labour and quality; as a result, it is mostly being used for promotional and training activities and not professional use. Chinese footballs have also affected the Indian market. Most of the orders are fetched by Pakistan.

Cautious England put faith in Rooney and youth

England's Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the World Cup Group H qualification soccer match between England and Poland at Wembley stadium in London. (AP Photo) -

After chastening experiences at the last two World Cups, England go to the finals in Brazil with a new wave of youth supporting Wayne Rooney.

But there is much more caution around this squad than for the 'Golden Generation' that went to the 2006 World Cup in Germany and lost on penalties to Portugal in the last eight.

Four years later, things had regressed further as a side coached by Fabio Capello struggled through a straightforward group before crashing 4-1 to Germany in the last 16.

England's 1966 World Cup success frames the country's perception of its place in the global pecking order, and Football Association chairman Greg Dyke had to backtrack after suggesting last September that the team stood no chance of winning in Brazil.

Manager Roy Hodgson, who succeeded Capello shortly before Euro 2012 - where England reached the quarter-finals - has been obliged to toe a line between pragmatism and cheery optimism.

"We won't fear anybody and in the same way we will respect everybody. The players will be desperate to do well," he said.

"We all know the result everybody wants and that's to repeat 1966. We all know that's not going to be easy, but it's great to be there trying to do it."

Hodgson has named a 23 man squad, with seven players on standby if any of those named are injured prior to the June 2 deadline, with veterans Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard included.

But it is also marked by the arrival of teenagers Luke Shaw and Raheem Sterling and 20-year-old Ross Barkley.

Only six players have previous World Cup experience. Out have gone the likes of Ashley Cole and Rio Ferdinand, rocks of the defence over the past decade.

England qualified as the unbeaten winners of UEFA qualifying Group H, but they were given a reality check in November when losses to Chile and Germany at Wembley saw them register back-to-back home defeats for the first time in 36 years.

December's World Cup draw only served to further dampen expectations. England were paired with Italy and Uruguay, both of whom are currently above them in the Fifa rankings, and Costa Rica, prompting 'Group of Death' headlines in British tabloids.

Hodgson has been eager to improve England's control of possession - a historic weakness - but pace in forward areas remains their key asset.

They were dominated in possession terms by both Chile and Germany, while Hodgson suggested after a 0-0 draw in Ukraine last September that England would abandon attempts to play out from the back against teams who press high up the pitch.

England's most recent friendly, a 1-0 win over Denmark in March, saw Hodgson attempt to harness the momentum generated by Liverpool's impressive domestic form.

His starting XI contained no fewer than five Liverpool players, although the positional fluidity characteristic of Brendan Rodgers's side was not apparent.

Hodgson can nonetheless draw solace from the fact that his two key players, Gerrard and Rooney, are in top form.

A prolific campaign with Liverpool has seen Daniel Sturridge emerge as the clear choice to partner Rooney, while goalkeeper Joe Hart has overcome a mid-season wobble that momentarily cost him his place in the Manchester City team.

In defence, Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill have established themselves as Hodgson's first-choice centre-back pairing.

In midfield Arsenal's Jack Wilshere has recovered from the hairline foot fracture he suffered against Denmark, while the emergence of young midfielders such as Adam Lallana, Barkley and Sterling has softened the absence through injury of Theo Walcott.
-

Italy's tough choices in quest for fifth World Cup

Italy go to the World Cup finals looking to equal the record of hosts Brazil and lift the trophy for a fifth time.

Coach Cesare Prandelli is spoiled for top quality choice and knows his players have the technical ability. The questions are over Italy's temperament on the world stage.

Italy comfortably topped their qualifying group but Prandelli's experiments searching for an attacking game led to a mish-mash of performances and much criticism.

With the first Group D game against England and tricky encounters with Uruguay and Costa Rica to follow, Prandelli still has tough decisions to make.

He kept Giuseppe Rossi in the 30-man squad named Tuesday even though he is still recovering from a four month layoff.

And Prandelli put off choosing between rival strikers Ciro Immobile, the Serie A's leading scorer, and Mattia Destro, naming them both in the squad that will start a 10-day training camp next week.

On paper, the team backbone is there.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, defenders Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli and midfielders Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi and Riccardo Montolivo are guaranteed places.

An embarrassment of strikers and offensive midfielders capable of scoring goals could give Prandelli his biggest dilemma.

Mario Balotelli is considered an automatic starter, although the inconsistent AC Milan striker - who has endured a testing season for the Rossoneri - has plenty of competition.

Prandelli can choose from Fiorentina's Rossi, Roma's Destro, Torino's Immobile, who has hit 22 league goals this season, and veteran Antonio Cassano of Parma who has fought his way back into contention.

Among the preliminary squad surprises are Milan's Ignazio Abate, Napoli's Christian Maggio - who only returned to action last week after three months recovering from a collapsed lung - and Verona's Brazilian-born midfielder Romulo.

Prandelli said recently he had already decided most of the 23 players he would take to Brazil.

"In my head, I already have 18 or 19 players for sure. The others will be evaluated during our preparation phase," Prandelli said a fortnight ago.

Italy will spend 10 days at their Coverciano training camp near Florence from May 19-29, and play the Republic of Ireland in a friendly at Fulham's Craven Cottage ground on May 31.

Italy will be aiming for a long run at the World Cup in contrast to their woeful defence of the trophy in 2010 which saw them go out at the group stage.

At the 2012 European Championships they fought all the way to the final, including an impressive win over the hotly-fancied Germans in the semi-finals, where they were beaten 4-0 by Spain.

The smart money would perhaps go on Prandelli opting for youthful exuberance over experience - especially with Italy based in the humid north of the country where the sticky conditions will provide an extra challenge.

"We'll go to Brazil feeling the effects of a long, tough season, the same as all the other nations," said Prandelli.

"Our experience in the Confederations Cup showed us that we need 23 athletes who have the ability to recover quickly from one game to the next."

Beware of Aurier: The Toulouse fledgling primed to succeed Sagna at Arsenal

Gunners , comment your views about Sergio  at the end!!!This is really important

PROFILE: The dynamic 21-year-old Ivory Coast international right-back has all the attributes to emulate the outgoing Gunners star at the Emirates Stadium next season

Lens, in France’s far north, with a population of just over 35,000, may seem an unlikely hotbed of footballing talent but the industrial Picardy town has produced a number of the country’s most gifted players in recent years.

Hewing defensive rocks has been a particular speciality of local club Racing Club de Lens, with a number of notable figures progressing through their system to enjoy excellent careers. Rod Fanni arrived as a young professional from Martigues and has gone on to earn international honours, while more notably Raphael Varane is currently establishing himself as one of the world’s elite centre-backs with Real Madrid.

Serge Aurier may not quite enjoy the standing of his 20-year-old former colleague, yet the current Toulouse defender is poised to become Ligue 1’s next major export, with Goal revealing on Tuesday that Arsenal are ready to pay up to €8.6 million to bring him to north London.

SERGE AURIER | TOULOUSE LIGUE 1 STATS

Season	Games	Goals	Assists	Booked	Sent off
2011-2012	10	1	0	3	0
2012-2013	28	1	3	4	1
2013-2014	33	6	6	11	0
Total	71	8	9	18	1

The Ivory Coast international, who has made seven appearances for his national side since breaking into the team last year, has already established himself as one of the kingpins of Alain Casanova’s defence in the Pink City but it is not necessarily his defensive attributes that have caught the eye.

Aurier is capable of playing in the heart of the back four, though it has been as a right wing-back that he has shone to the greatest extent. Against Lorient in February, he was instrumental on the offensive in a 3-1 victory. Wissam Ben Yedder might have caught the headlines with a goal and a couple of assists but it was the adventurous defender who offered his side the width required to overload opponents reduced to 10 men early in the game. Aurier even scored what proved the match-winning goal and had a significant hand in another.

This storming showing was no flash in the pan, though. Despite his defensive standing, Aurier has had more shots on goal than anyone else in the Toulouse side, excepting strikers Ben Yedder and Martin Braithwaite, while his tallies of six goals and six assists are impressive statistics for a player who has made 18 of his 33 appearances this season at centre-back.

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Given these formidable statistics, it is little wonder that he is being lined up by Arsenal as a replacement for Bacary Sagna, whose contract expires in June and who has already informed the club he intends to leave.

Certainly, Aurier is an archetypal Arsene Wenger signing. A powerful and athletic runner, he offers a strong technical aptitude, particularly when his physical strength is considered and his being a daunting attacking specimen does not mean that he is a weak link defensively.

Unlike Chelsea’s January signing, Kurt Zouma, who spent the rest of this season with Saint-Etienne, Aurier has a strongly developed positional sense. For such a young player, he has a commendable level of concentration and does not tend to neglect his defensive responsibilities to make gung-ho runs forward.

While some modern full-backs can appear more concerned about looking flashy going forward, Aurier is a defender who actually enjoys defending. He does not tend to needlessly neglect his post at the expense of making dashing runs forward, while he is a strong tackler and a convincing presence in the air.

In terms of his discipline, he is a player still developing, as he freely admits. “I have a problem with the yellow jersey [the referees],” he explained after a scoring display in a 2-2 draw with Marseille on February 2. “I try to keep myself as far from them as possible – I think I’ve made some progress.”

However, Casanova has seen enough in the youngster to hand him the skipper's armband on occasion. “He has been captain and he will be again, here or somewhere else as he has contagious enthusiasm,” the head coach stated, though he warned that his player “could do better managing his emotions”.

The former goalkeeper, though, was largely glowing in his praise. “He has huge potential. Frankly, I wish I could have a clone,” he concluded.

With a plethora of experience already behind him – Aurier has played over 100 top-flight matches – he is a player who offers instant quality but with the potential for further long-term development. Wenger could do much worse.

Barcelona will listen to offers for Fabregas

PLEASE GUNNERS COMMENT WHAT YOU FEEL!!1IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT

EXCLUSIVE: The Spain international's dream move back to Catalonia has not gone to plan and Barca are willing to offload the midfielder at the end of the season

Barcelona will listen to offers for Cesc Fabregas this summer, Goal understands.
The Barca academy graduate is at a crossroads in his career and enters the final two years of his contract with the Catalan club in July.
Fabregas was jeered by home supporters during Barcelona’s recent 2-1 home victory over Athletic Bilbao and has become a scapegoat for fans during some troubled times for the club on and off the pitch.
Goal has learned the Spanish giants are now open to the possibility of selling the versatile midfielder, who turns 27 on Sunday, at the end of the season.
The player himself is also said to be ready to consider the possibility of being lured from the club he returned to in 2011 after controversially leaving for Arsenal as a 16-year-old.
And there is a growing possibility the Spain international could return to the Premier League, where he made his name during eight highly-successful years with the Londoners.
The Gunners will explore the possibility of re-signing Fabregas, while he is also on the radar of Manchester United, who are looking to overhaul their midfield this summer.
Both Premier League clubs have been given informal indications that Fabregas could be available, although the player’s lengthy association with Barcelona and the politics involved with him leaving make a move extremely delicate.
United tabled two bids for Fabregas last summer, when former manager David Moyes made no attempt to hide the club’s attempt to prise him from Camp Nou.
Arsenal also explored utilising the first-option clause inserted in Fabregas’ Barca contract, with Arsene Wenger understood to have talked on the phone “quite a bit” with his former skipper about returning to the club where he blossomed into one of Europe’s outstanding young midfielders.
Arsenal have a fixed price on Fabregas' buy-back clause, believed to be €29 million (£23.8m), and, should another club make a concrete offer for the midfielder, Barca would be obliged to inform the Londoners, who would then be given first refusal.
Only Sergio Busquets (43) has started more than Fabregas’ 42 matches this season and his tally of 14 assists is the best at the club, while he has also weighed in with 13 goals.
However, Fabregas has often found himself on the bench for the marquee matches during the last three seasons or substituted when he starts the key games.
Even though Xavi is 34 and Andres Iniesta turns 30 next month, Barca are ready to consider the possibility of Fabregas leaving as they step up plans to add more pace to their midfield.
Barcelona were eliminated at the quarter-final stage of the Champions League, lost the Copa del Rey final to Real Madrid and currently sit second in La Liga, four points behind leaders Atletico with three matches remaining.

Farewell Rio Ferdinand: A modern Manchester United great

COMMENT: The veteran defender is leaving the club for a new challenge but the part that he has played in the team's success since the turn of the century cannot be underestimated

Manchester United and great players go hand in hand. You just have to visit Old Trafford and see the statues and names that adorn the Theatre of Dreams to know that. Particularly in the Sir Alex Ferguson era, the ability to field such fantastic footballers together on a regular basis brought silverware with an uncanny regularity.

One such figure was Rio Ferdinand; arguably the poster boy for the Red Devils’ dominance since the turn of the century. He is by no means the player that he once was but his departure from the club after such a disastrous campaign as this should not detract from the influence that he has had on the red side of Manchester.

Brought to the club in 2002 by Ferguson as - at the time - the most expensive British footballer ever, he went on to appear 455 times in a United shirt; only 16 men have played more games for the club. If that does not secure his status as an Old Trafford legend, then the fact that he was involved in picking up 10 trophies certainly should.

Marked out for his ability to carry the ball out of the defensive line as well as the pace that he showed in recovery, few could argue that the West Ham academy graduate was one of the standout defenders of his generation.

Able to impact the game at either end and with more than just basic dribbling skills at his disposal, there are few centre-backs easier on the eye in recent memory. That is not to say that he shirked his responsibility in a scrap but Ferdinand always stood out for his confidence with the ball at his feet.

His time at the heart of the United defence will always fall under the same bracket as that of Nemanja Vidic. The pair formed a formidable partnership in the mid-to-late 2000s and the fact that they are both leaving the club at the same time just highlights the predicament that Louis van Gaal will face when he finally takes over at the 20-time English champions.

A perfect foil for the Serbian’s uncompromising style, Ferdinand - along with Edwin van der Sar behind them - formed a base from which the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney were able to build at the sharp end of the pitch. It is the attackers who adorn most of the memorabilia in the club shop but they would be the first to appreciate the work that Ferdinand et al did.


The 35-year-old did not have all his own way in his time in Manchester, most notably in 2004 when he was banned for eight months after failing to appear for a routine drugs test. Written off by plenty in the aftermath, he enjoyed some of his best seasons in the years that followed.

Having realised that he had to make up for lost time as well as re-establish himself both for club and country, the way in which he reacted is an example to any young player recovering from any adversity. Careers are not always ruined by acts of stupidity and Ferdinand is testament to that.

The way in which he reinvented himself after Ferguson claimed that he had lost his pace in recent years proved to be a masterclass in how to extend your career at the top. Though his league-winning days may be over, few others would have shown the same longevity when faced with the loss of such a key asset to their game.

His impending departure has been no secret to many, with interim manager Ryan Giggs letting slip that the defeat to Sunderland would be his last game at Old Trafford later that same week. With his children as mascots, Ferdinand was able to go out on his own terms. It may have been a dark campaign in Stretford but at least the class of this fabled club remains to a point.

Ferdinand may not have a statue or a stand or executive suite named after him at Old Trafford as he takes his leave but few could dispute that he is one of Manchester United’s true greats.

Suarez draws level with Ronaldo in Golden Shoe race

The Portugal international went top following his wonder strike against Valencia, but the Liverpool star's strike against Crystal Palace has moved him back to joint-leader

Liverpool star Luis Suarez has drawn back level with Real Madrid attacker Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of the rankings for the European Golden Shoe thanks to his goal in the 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace on Monday.

Suarez scored his side's third in their remarkable clash with Tony Pulis' men - in which the home side scored all three of their goals in the final 15 minutes - to move on to 31 for the season in the Premier League.

Lionel Messi netted once in Barcelona's 2-2 draw versus Getafe on Saturday and has now moved into third position ahead of Atletico Madrid hitman Diego Costa, who didn't add to his tally against Levante.

Salzburg duo Jonatan Soriano and Alan both scored once in their side's 4-0 win over Ried, with the former occupying fifth place and the latter sitting ninth.

Heerenveen striker Alfred Finnbogason was crowned Eredivisie top scorer at the weekend after scoring one goal in the Friezen's 3-0 win over RKC.

Rank	Player	Country	Club	League	Weight	Goals	Points
1	C. Ronaldo	POR	Real Madrid	ESP	2	31	62
2	Luis Suarez	URU	Liverpool	ENG	2	31 (+1)	62
3	Lionel Messi	ARG	Barcelona	ESP	2	28	56
4	Diego Costa	ESP	Atletico Madrid	ESP	2	27	54
5	J. Soriano	ESP	Salzburg	AUT	1.5	31	46.5
6	A. Finnbogason	ISL	Heerenveen	NED	1.5	29	43.5
7	Ciro Immobile	ITA	Torino	ITA	2	21	42
8	Daniel Sturridge	ENG	Liverpool	ENG	2	20	40
9	Alan	BRA	Salzburg	AUT	1.5	26	39
10	Luca Toni	ITA	Hellas Verona	ITA	2	19	38
=	Carlos Tevez	ARG	Juventus	ITA	2	19	38
=	Yaya Toure	CIV	Manchester City	ENG	2	19	38
=	Jackson Martinez	COL	Porto	POR	2	19	38

History & How It Works

Players such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and Diego Forlan have won the European Golden Shoe in the past few seasons, with the Argentina international as the latest winner of the award following his 46 goals in 2012-13.

Other noteworthy winners include the likes of Francesco Totti, Luca Toni, Ronaldo, Marco van Basten, Eusebio and Gerd Muller.

The weightings are determined by the league's ranking on the Uefa coefficients, which in turn depend on the results of each league's clubs in European competition over the previous five seasons. Goals scored in the top five leagues according to the Uefa coefficients are multiplied by a factor of two, and goals scored in the leagues ranked six to 21 are multiplied by 1.5. Goals in all other leagues are worth one single point.

This measure has prevented players from so-called weaker leagues from winning the European Golden Shoe, since a goal scored in, for example, Armenia, Estonia or Azerbaijan, carries less weight than a goal scored in Serie A, La Liga, the Bundesliga or the Premier League.

The Premier League injury & suspension list

Goal keeps you up to date with all the missing men from England's top-flight - from what's keeping your favourite player out, to when they will return to action

ARSENAL

PLAYER	REASON	RETURN DATE	NEXT GAME
SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Gibbs	Ankle injury	May 11, 2014	Norwich City (A)
Gnabry	Knee injury	May 11, 2014	Norwich City (A)
Miyaichi	Hamstring injury	N/A	N/A
Oxlade-Chamberlain	Groin injury	N/A	N/A
Ramsey	Thigh injury	May 11, 2014	Norwich City (A)
Walcott	Knee injury	July 2014	N/A
Wilshere	Foot injury	May 11, 2014	Norwich City (A)

ASTON VILLA

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Albrighton	Groin injury	May 11, 2014	Tottenham (A)
Agbonlahor	Knee injury	May 11, 2014	Tottenham (A)
Bennett	Foot injury	N/A	N/A
Benteke	Achilles injury	N/A	N/A
Helenius	Thigh injury	N/A	N/A
Kozak	Broken leg	N/A	N/A
N'Zogbia	Achilles injury	N/A	N/A
Okore	Knee injury	May 11, 2014	Tottenham (A)

8

CARDIFF CITY

SUSPENSIONS
Cala	Misconduct charge	August 2014	N/A
INJURIES
Daehli	Illness	May 11, 2014	Chelsea (H)
Hudson	Hamstring injury	N/A	N/A
Medel	Illness	May 11, 2014	Chelsea (H)
Noone	Abdominal strain	N/A	N/A
Taylor	Knock	N/A	N/A
Théophile Catherine	Illness	May 11, 2014	Chelsea (H)

CHELSEA

SUSPENSIONS
Ramires  Violent conduct August 2014 N/A
INJURIES
Cech	Dislocated shoulder	N/A	N/A
Eto'o	Knee injury	N/A	N/A
Lampard	Illness	N/A	N/A
Oscar	Thigh injury	May 11, 2014	Cardiff (A)
Terry	Ankle injury	N/A	N/A

CRYSTAL PALACE

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Jerome	Illness	May 11, 2014	Fulham (A)

EVERTON

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Gibson	Knee injury	N/A	N/A
Kone	Knee injury	N/A	N/A
Mirallas	Groin injury	N/A	N/A
Oviedo	Broken leg	June 2014	N/A
Pienaar	Knee injury	May 11, 2014	Hull City (A)
Traore	Hamstring injury	May 11, 2014	Hull City (A)

FULHAM

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Duff	Knee injury	N/A	N/A

HULL CITY

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Aluko	Ankle injury	May 11, 2014	Everton (H)
Brady	Groin injury	N/A	N/A
Chester	Hamstring injury	May 17, 2014	Arsenal (N)
Dudgeon	Knee injury	N/A	N/A
McGregor	Kidney injury	May 11, 2014	Everton (H)
McShane	Groin injury	May 11, 2014	Everton (H)

LIVERPOOL

SUSPENSIONS
Henderson	Red card	May 11, 2014	Newcastle United (H)
INJURIES
Enrique	Knee surgery	N/A	N/A

MAN CITY

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Aguero	Hamstring injury	May 11, 2014	West Ham (H)
Nastasic	Knee injury	May 11, 2014	West Ham (H)
Navas	Ankle injury	May 11, 2014	West Ham (H)

MAN UNITED

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Evans	Ankle injury	N/A	N/A
Jones	Shoulder injury	N/A	N/A
Lindegaard	Illness	May 11, 2014	Southampton (A)
Rafael	Hamstring injury	May 11, 2014	Southampton (A)
Rooney	Toe injury	May 11, 2014	Southampton (A)

NEWCASTLE

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Sammy Ameobi	Ankle injury	May 11, 2014	Liverpool (A)
Cisse	Knee injury	September 2014	N/A
Santon	Hamstring injury	May 11, 2014	Liverpool (A)
Ryan Taylor	Knee injury	N/A	N/A

NORWICH

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Fox	Knee injury	N/A	N/A
Pilkington	Thigh injury	N/A	N/A
Yobo	Calf injury	N/A	N/A

SOUTHAMPTON

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
K Davis	Back injury	N/A	N/A
Ramirez	Ankle injury	May 11, 2014	Man Utd (H)
Rodriguez	Knee injury	N/A	N/A
Yoshida	Knee injury	N/A	N/A

STOKE

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Assaidi	Knee injury	N/A	N/A
Huth	Knee strain	N/A	N/A

SUNDERLAND

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Cattermole	Knock	N/A	N/A
Cuellar	Hamstring injury	N/A	N/A
Fletcher	Ankle inury	N/A	N/A
Sung-Yeung	Knee injury	N/A	N/A
Westwood	Shoulder injury	N/A	N/A

SWANSEA

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Flores	Ankle injury	May 11, 2014	Sunderland (A)
Michu	Ankle injury	N/A	N/A
Rangel	Groin injury	N/A	N/A

TOTTENHAM

SUSPENSIONS
Kaboul	Red card	August 2014	N/A
INJURIES
Capoue	Ankle injury	May 11, 2014	Aston Villa (H)
Chadli	Groin injury	N/A	N/A
Dembele	Thigh injury	N/A	N/A
Lamela	Back injury	N/A	N/A
Townsend	Ankle injury	N/A	N/A
Vertonghen	Ankle injury	N/A	N/A
Walker	Groin injury	N/A	N/A

WEST BROM

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Bifouma	Groin injury	N/A	N/A
Gera	Hamstring injury	N/A	N/A
Jones	Hamstring injury	N/A	N/A
Reid	Groin injury	N/A	N/A
Ridgewell	Knee injury	May 11, 2014	Stoke (H)

WEST HAM

SUSPENSIONS
INJURIES
Borriello	Calf injury	N/A	N/A