'No new move for Baines and Fellaini'

Roberto Martinez has said he has yet to receive any further contact from Manchester United about Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines....


The Everton manager is adamant that he is under no financial pressure to sell either player if and when another bid arrives from Old Trafford -- the Premier League champions have already seen a £28 million double offer rejected.
United are expected to make another attempt to sign midfielder Fellaini before the end of this week, and they could yet make a third move for left-back Baines.
Asked whether there had been any new contact, Martinez said: “No. There’s been no other news. There’s going to be lots of talk about the transfer window, but that’s not what we’re going to be focusing on now.”
United, managed by former Everton boss David Moyes, had a £12 million bid for Baines rejected in late July before tabling their double offer, which was dismissed by Everton as “derisory and insulting”.
Moyes and United have until next Monday’s transfer deadline to make any final offers for the pair, with reports suggesting a £20 million bid for Belgium international Fellaini could be imminent.
“When you talk about player valuations, that goes down to the market,” Martinez said. “The value that the market puts on players depends on whether you need to sell as a football club. There are many football clubs that need to sell, to get some funds in. Then, the price can be different.
“You get other situations where you don’t need to sell. You don’t want to be in a situation where you lose your best performers. Every situation is quite different and unique.
“We are in a position where we don’t have to sell. We know exactly where we are internally. We are very, very strong financially, and we don’t have to sell at all.”
Martinez also played down suggestions that he had made an offer to his former club Wigan for midfielder James McCarthy. “There has been no bid made,” he said. “I think it’s quite easy to understand that James is a player I signed at a young age and I’ve got huge admiration for him, so it doesn’t take much to create a little bit of a story. But there has been no bid.”
However, the manager said he was still looking to add to his squad, explaining: “We’ve still got a few days of the window left. As we should do, we will try to identify any help to the players that we have.”
Martinez said he was determined to avoid letting the final days of the transfer window distract him from his first cup tie since guiding Wigan to the FA Cup last May -- he will lead Everton into action in the Capital One Cup second round at home to League One Stevenage on Wednesday.
Midfielder Darron Gibson is back in training after missing the start of the season with a knee problem, but is unlikely to be risked, while centre-back Antolin Alcaraz is expected to return to full training at the end of this week after more than a month out with a hamstring injury.

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Patrice Evra: Chelsea lacked ambition

Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra believes Chelsea showed they were playing for a draw at Old Trafford on Monday by not selecting a specialist striker....

Evra feels Mourinho only wanted to secure a point and did not show any real attacking intent.
The Chelsea manager deployed winger Andre Schurrle alone in attack for the first hour before bringing on a regular centre-forward, Fernando Torres.
But Evra was frustrated that United, who had more possession and attempts at goal, could not manage a breakthrough.
“We should create more chances is the only thing I can say," he told Sky Sports News. "The positive thing is we didn't concede a goal, Chelsea didn't create any really dangerous chances.
"The way they come to Old Trafford playing without a striker I don't think Mourinho was wanting to win that game, maybe he was looking for a draw.
"We should create more chances to win the game and the night would be perfect. I can say we look really fit, all the lads did a hard job. It was not easy and we keep going until the end because we want to win."

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Mourinho Threatens Wayne Rooney To Declare His Intention Publicly Or Else..

Jose Mourinho has given Wayne Rooney 48 hours to go public about his desire to leave Manchester United for Chelsea -- or he will turn his attention to another striking target.....



The Chelsea manager has had two bids for the United forward rejected this summer and had said before Monday’s 0-0 draw between the two clubs that he would return with a third offer after the match.
But now the Portuguese has said he believes Rooney, 27, will stay with the Premier League champions and told him it is up to him to force a move if he wants to join Chelsea.
He has given Rooney a deadline to "finish" the story -- either by revealing his desire to leave Old Trafford or by committing his future to United.
"This club must be a very special club because at every club in the world, when the player wants to leave they [the fans] don't support him," Mourinho said.
"When a player wants to leave, they give him a hard time -- but [here] they support him all the way, so I think this is a real special club with special fans so he decides that he wants to stay. If that is his decision, then we will be the first to respect that.
"It depends on this, it depends on his reaction, it depends on his feelings. If now he does not want to leave, we are out of the scene -- but we need to know what is happening.
"We are going to [sign] another player if he is not coming. If he is not coming, I want to close another player. How long will we wait? 24, 48 hours."
Mourinho insisted he only pursued Rooney because the striker had privately made it clear he wanted to join Chelsea.
"He told somebody who is very important in his career,” the former Inter Milan and Real Madrid manager added, saying the ball was now in Rooney’s court.
"The person that started the story has to finish the story," he explained.
"A club like us, a manager like me, the people that work in the club with me… we are not silly to try to get a player from a big club that doesn't sell what they don't want to sell.
"We are not silly to try something if somebody didn't start it. So I think it is time for the good of everyone to finish the story. For one side, for the other side."

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I hope Cristiano Ronaldo scores an own goal, says El Arabi

 The Morocco international would like to see the Portuguese superstar find his own net again when their respective clubs meet again on Monday....

Granada attacker Youssef El Arabi hopes that Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo will score another own goal in the upcoming Primera Division encounter between the two sides.

The Portugal forward gifted the Andalusians a shock 1-0 win at los Carmenes in February when he beat his own goalkeeper with a stunning header.

Unsurprisingly, El Arabi would love to see Ronaldo net again at the wrong end in Monday's match.

"I hope that Cristiano Ronaldo scores another own goal," the Morocco international told AS when reminded about last year's encounter.

"Real Madrid are a great team and they have a lot of strong individual players.

"However, we hope to get a draw or even win the game."

Madrid recorded a 2-1 win over Betis in their Liga opener last weekend, while Granada beat Osasuna by the same scoreline.

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Moyes: United may sign no one

David Moyes has said Manchester United could reach the end of the summer transfer window on September 2 without making a major signing....

United have failed in attempts to bring Cesc Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara to Old Trafford from Barcelona and have seen bids for Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini rejected by Everton.
And while former Everton manager Moyes is keen to add to United’s squad and is interested in Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata, he said it remained possible that no deals would happen.
“There is a need to do it, but there is no pressure to do it,” he said. “I have an idea of where I'd like to strengthen. If the right players are available, then great -- but there is a possibility nothing may happen. If not, the first thing we'll do is encourage our own young players in the squad to do as well as they did last year.
“The plan is we bring in one or two if we can. I think there is [value for money available] but we have only targeted certain players and don't have a big, big list. There are only certain quality players we want to bring to the club."
So far, United’s only additions are Wilfried Zaha, whose £15 million move from Crystal Palace was tied up by Sir Alex Ferguson in January, and Uruguayan youngster Guillermo Varela.
Moyes reiterated that Wayne Rooney, the subject of two bids from Chelsea, is not for sale, although Jose Mourinho is expected to make a third offer after the two clubs meet at Old Trafford on Monday.
"We've told you, haven't we [that Rooney is not for sale]?" he said. "I hardly need to repeat it again. It doesn't need to be said."
Former United assistant manager Mike Phelan said new chief executive Ed Woodward was to blame for their problems in the transfer market.
Everton described a £28 million joint offer for Fellaini and Baines as “derisory and insulting”, and Phelan told BBC Radio Manchester: “I think that [Fellaini-Baines] was a cheeky bid. It was never going to get off the ground. What they have done is opened the line into Everton.
“Ed Woodward has previously been on the commercial side, concentrating on bringing money into the club rather than spending it. It is a totally different outlook. He will learn that.
“He may be frightened by a few prices but he will have to pick that up, because you are dealing with high-quality football players. He and the club have gone on record to say that money is available. That’s great -- but then every price goes up a peg or two as well.”

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Wenger: Suarez key in transfer plans

Luis Suarez may still be the key figure in Arsenal’s summer transfer plans despite the proposed move to the Emirates Stadium faltering late in the transfer window....



Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger conceded his bid to sign Suarez from Liverpool was doomed to fail earlier this week, but has now admitted his hopes of landing Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema may depend on his former target securing a move to the Bernabeu.
When asked whether he felt Suarez moving to Real Madrid was crucial to his hopes of landing the France international, a guarded Wenger offer this response: “That's part of the fact you need three agreements for anybody,” he stated.
“It’s true that it is sometimes connected with other clubs, but we have to accept that.”
However, if Madrid do lure Suarez to the Spanish capital, it would be another blow against Wenger’s ability to court a highly-rated player into a fruitful relationship with the club.
“That can happen (a players joins another club). You've certainly tried to go out with a girl but find she has chosen someone else. You don't commit suicide,” he said.
“I don't want to speak in detail about what has happened. One day, why not?
“But now it's not the moment to talk about that. I just said it's over. We have to get on with our lives.”
Meanwhile, Wenger claimed he has a queue of players lining up to sign for the club, as he looks to make good on his promises to spend big in the final week of the transfer window.
Wenger stated he has been frustrated by his failure to land a host of top targets this summer, yet he insists the desire of some of the game’s leading lights to join the Gunners burns brighter than ever.
However, the Frenchman reigned in the temptation to solely spend big on a marquee player.
“I can understand the interest in these types of signings, but it's five per cent of the game,” he said.
“For 95 per cent of the time it's something more - the spirit inside the club, the values of the club. But today you feel that it is only about that (big signings).
“I'm not against splashing out, but football is not only about that.
“(But) many players want to join us and all the players who have been here want to come back here. It’s not because they like my face.
“They want to come here because of the way we treat people and for the football we play, or try to play. Unfortunately we’ve not always managed to do it, but they find something here they want to know again.
“So when they go somewhere else and many, many, many players, believe me, ask me to come back. They all want to come back. I don’t know if it is Arsenal or England, but there is something about it.”
Jens Lehmann, Sol Campbell and Thierry Henry have all enjoyed second spells at Arsenal after initial glories under Wenger’s command and now it seems as if Mathieu Flamini will be the next to indulge in a Gunners comeback as he edges closer to securing a deal with the north London club.
Flamini left in less than harmonious circumstances back in 2008, but Wenger seems open to the prospect of him re-signing for the club in the coming days after watching him train with his first team squad.
“He works very hard, he has always been a very dedicated player. He has the required (fitness) level. He doesn’t come from a small club. He has played here, and in Milan, and in Marseille.”
“Does he (Flamini) regret leaving? You should ask him this question, it would be better. I didn’t ask him that. Would he be ready to come back here? Certainly, yes.”

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Alves: Neymar must fight for his place Or Else?

Dani Alves says there is nothing unusual about Neymar’s first two competitive Barcelona appearances being as a substitute....

The €57 million summer signing was introduced from the bench against both Levante and Atletico Madrid, leading some pundits to suggest that new coach Gerardo Martino was being unnecessarily cautious in introducing the Brazilian to the starting XI. Others have wondered whether Neymar himself might be disappointed not to have played a more prominent role so far.
But blaugrana right-back Alves said every new player - even ones as talented and expensive as Neymar - must fight to win their place in a squad as talented and competitive as Barcelona’s.
"[Neymar] is very motivated to play,” Alves said. “He knows where he has come to, and the demands here. He knows the responsibility he has. He has adapted in the best way possible into the group. Physically he is working well and taking advantage of the moments he gets. The more time he gets on the pitch, the more he will bring to Barca. Nobody is assured of a place at this club. There are players who earn more, others less, but we all must feel like possible starters.”
The new man is more likely to begin Barca’s Primera Division game at Malaga on Sunday evening, given Leo Messi looks set to miss the fixture with the thigh problem which saw him substituted at half-time against Atletico during the midweek Spanish Supercopa first leg 1-1 draw.
Alves looked to calm concerns in Catalonia that the Argentine had a serious issue, saying it was normal for a player to take precautions when he felt something was wrong.
“There is no need to worry about Messi,” he said. “There’s no need to sound any alarms. He did not feel comfortable [against Atletico], and was intelligent and decided not to continue. If you have the best player in the world it is normal that you depend on him. But we are working so that you notice absences as little as possible, so that we do not miss a player like him. He needs to recover well. Sometimes the Ferrari must go into the workshop for a tune-up.”

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Jose Mourinho backs David Moyes As A Best Successor Of Sir Alex Ferguson

Jose Mourinho says that he will miss his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson and “having a laugh” with the former Manchester United boss on his first trip back to Old Trafford on Monday, while heavily praising David Moyes as a “success” as a manager...


Chelsea manager Mourinho also insisted that the new United boss should not be compared with Ferguson, and that he has everything in place to succeed - but that Monday's game will not go too far in deciding the title.
“I think for me the difference is the routine of meet a friend, being together before the match, have the guarantee that after the match, independent of the result, we are together again enjoying our time and having a laugh,” Mourinho said of Old Trafford without Ferguson.
“But with David we don’t have this kind of relation but we have a good relation so I think we can start this kind of very nice relation like I have with Sir Alex. No problem, during the game, it’s not manager against manager, it’s club against club, 11 against 11, big players against big players and we just do our normal.”
Mourinho also denied that it would be difficult for Moyes to replace Ferguson, as he is in the “best moment of his career”. He continued: “There are things we cannot change and David has experience, he knows that cannot change which existed. The history with Sir Alex is there and it’s there forever. Is that a problem to David? I don’t think so, because I think maybe he doesn’t want to be compared with Sir Alex.
"He can’t be compared in this moment because one, he has an incredible history there and another one just arrived. Is that a problem for David? I don’t think it is. I think he’s an experienced manager, he has years and years and years in the Premier League. He works in this moment with better players than he did in the past.
"In this moment he has different ambitions than he did in previous years so I think he’s in the best moment of his career. Maturity, experience, big, big, big, club -- very good players. I think he’s in a fantastic position. I think he’s going to do very well. I hope he doesn’t win everything, he leaves something for the others.
“But it’s difficult to win [the title] with Chelsea, it’s more difficult to win it with Everton. So, I think he did his job very well at Everton, that’s why he’s at Man United. You have to measure success by the ambitions of the club where you are.
"So, if Olly [Ian Holloway] keeps Crystal Palace in the Premier League after bringing Palace to the Premier League again, I think it’s a huge success, but he doesn’t win the Premier League. You have to measure success in relation to the potential of the teams. David was successful at Everton. Now he knows he has to win trophies with Man United but, as I was saying before, now he has the potential by the club, by the support and he’s a good manager.
“Some of the best players in the world [are at the club] some of the best players in this country, always a mixture of young talent, with the players that carry the flag of United history. Was like that in my time. In my time they had Roy Keane, [Paul] Scholes, they have these players with big history there.
"Now they have still players from my time like [Rio] Ferdinand, [Nemanja] Vidic, [Ryan] Giggs, they have these have always this mixed with very good young players, with that winning culture that makes the history of a big club. They are a big club for many, many years. That is a great thing to have and they have everything.”
The Portuguese also disagreed with the idea that the result on Monday would be influential in the title race, adding: "I think every game has an influence. I think if you lose against Aston Vila, if we lose two points, I think it can have an effect. I think every game affects.
"I know this is not a two-horse race because in the championships where it is a two-horses race, the two big matches are much more crucial. In this case, it’s not like that, with six teams we have to play ten big matches. It’s different. It’s a match where every point we get is one point less than the opponent gets... it’s important, but it’s the beginning of the season.”

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Man United Will reject third Wayne Rooney bid

Manchester United will turn down Chelsea’s third bid for Wayne Rooney, a source has told ESPN.
The Blues have already seen two offers knocked back by United for Rooney, 27, with Jose Mourinho stating that the England international is the club’s primary transfer target this summer....

Chelsea are believed to be preparing a final bid of £40 million for Rooney, and Mourinho has confirmed it will be made after the two sides meet at Old Trafford on Monday.
However, a source close to United says the club are far from impressed at what they believe to be underhand tactics from the Blues to unsettle the forward ahead of their Premier League clash.
The Manchester Evening News also quotes a United source as saying: “Our position on Wayne has not changed in the last 12 months and Chelsea know that.
 “There is lot of anger and a perception that the latest comments have been made purely to get into the player’s head before the match.”
The same MEN source added that United’s attempts to add to their squad are “ongoing”.
Everton duo Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines remain targets, while Real Madrid pair Luka Modric and Mesut Ozil have also been linked with moves to Old Trafford.

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Gareth Bale 'to earn €10m a year'

Gareth Bale is set to earn €10 million a year after tax at Real Madrid, making him the club’s biggest earner alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, Spanish newspaper Marca has reported....

On Friday, the Madrid paper’s front page announced that a €99 million deal to bring Bale from Tottenham had finally been completed. Inside, a report was headlined ‘Just needs a signature’ and claimed it was a “question of hours” before the Wales international put pen to paper on a six-year contract at the Bernabeu.
That deal will put him on more money than players including World Cup winners Sergio Ramos, Iker Casillas and Xabi Alonso, and established internationals such as Germany’s Mesut Ozil and France’s Karim Benzema.
Earlier this month, AS reported that Ozil and Benzema were unimpressed at being pushed down the salary scale at the club and claimed Ronaldo did not like the idea of Bale replacing him as the world's most expensive player.
Madrid have offered Ronaldo a new contract that would increase his earnings to €18 million a year after tax, although the Portugal captain and his agent Jorge Mendes have reportedly not yet responded to the offer.
Talk of the Bale deal, and the huge figures involved, surrounded Thursday’s Trofeo Bernabeu exhibition game, where the guest of honour was former Madrid great Raul Gonzalez, who played 45 minutes for Madrid and the other 45 for his current side, Qatari club Al Sadd.
While no Los Blancos figure was willing to go on the record about Bale, Raul joked about the size of the transfer when he spoke to AS in the mixed zone. “If the Bale thing is not done, I would cost much less,” the 36-year-old said, proposing in jest that he could return to play for Madrid.
The response to the deal in Catalonia has, unsurprisingly, been more sceptical. Mundo Deportivo asked its readers on Friday: “Is this man worth €109 million?”
The Barcelona-supporting paper took that headline from Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, to show that others in Europe are questioning why Madrid are prepared to pay so much, particularly in times of economic hardship.
Meanwhile, Sport claimed Chelsea’s move to hijack Tottenham’s deal for Willian was a move by current Blues coach Jose Mourinho to ensure that his former team Madrid missed out on Bale.
Later on Friday, photographs began to circulate of a stage being erected at the Bernabeu, sparking conjecture that Bale's unveiling as a Real player is imminent.

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Chelsea agrees £30 million Willian deal

Willian has opted to join Chelsea rather than Tottenham, a source has told ESPN, with the Blues agreeing a £30 million deal with Anzhi Makhachkala to sign the forward subject to a work permit hearing....

Chelsea made their move for the 25-year-old late on Thursday, just when it emerged that he was undergoing a medical with Spurs.
Mourinho hinted during his press-conference on Friday that he already knew of the Brazilian's decision, while adding that he was an “extra target” alongside Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, who he will continue to pursue. The Portuguese also insisted that Juan Mata is not for sale.
But despite attempting to remain coy, Mourinho seemed to revel in discussing the Willian situation as he joked about the dangers of doing a medical before any contract is finalised.
When specifically asked about the possibility of Willian joining Chelsea ahead of Spurs, Mourinho paused and then said: “That’s a good question because I think he already made his decision.”
The Portuguese attempted to evade questions about whether that decision was to move to Chelsea, but then conceded that he “couldn’t hide” what he knew.
“I don’t like to speak before time, because football can be crazy and this is the problem when we speak a lot about names and transfers,” he said. “Sometimes it looks like [a situation is one way], but it isn’t. But I know what the player wants, so we cannot hide.
“That’s the danger of medicals before contracts but, at the same time, sometimes you can have a problem before signing a player so you have to do the medical before. The best thing you can do is do the medical in secret. The player is fine, you can sign him. The player is not fine, you don’t destroy his career by saying the player has problems. So you do it in secret and after that sign the contract with the club and the player.
“Sometimes you don’t make it. Sometimes you guys have great sources, find everything, but that’s the risk.”
When quizzed on whether he expected the deal to be completed, Mourinho again joked: “We have to do a medical!”

The Blues boss also said that he hopes to bring in Willian alongside a striker like Rooney.
“If you remember the press conference [ahead of the Aston Villa match]. I couldn’t say much. I have to answer your question and try to be honest, but at the same time try to hide a few things,” he said. “Yeah, it’s true. But if you remember I told you that I’m happy with my squad but every one of us managers, we say we are happy but we are always unhappy. We always want something more, always want something of more quality, and we never close the door to the possibility of adding more quality.
“Before Villa, I told you we have plan B and we have plan C, so I was letting the door open to other possibilities.”
Mourinho also indicated he is relaxed about the Rooney situation, with Chelsea understood to be readying a final bid after their visit to Manchester United on Monday.
“At this moment, I don’t care. I have a big match to play on Monday. I don’t care with new players, with the market, I don’t care,” he said.
“Not disappointed [if we don’t get a forward] but we are going to try, we are going to try to the last day, as I was saying before, to add more quality to the team, to add more options, we are going to try.”
Finally, despite the pursuit of Willian increasing the speculation about Mata being mooted as a potential swap for Rooney, Mourinho stated the Spain international is not for sale.
“No speculation, no speculation. He's a player we all like, he's a player we all want to keep,” he said. “We want more quality in the team, we don’t want less quality. We want to add quality to the quality we have. So Juan is not a player we want to lose.
“The point is not to sell, the point is I want a 22-player squad. So if somebody comes... Do we need to sell? No, we don’t. Do we need to loan, probably yes because I don’t like to work with big squads. I like to work with a small group of players and I think 22 is a perfect number to answer to our needs in four different competitions, and at same time to leave the door open for some kids to come out and train with us, to be selected in a few matches.”

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David Moyes praises Wayne Rooney

David Moyes praised Wayne Rooney for an "incredibly committed" performance in Manchester United’s 4-1 win over Swansea.....


Rooney came off the bench for the final half hour to provide assists for Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck’s second goal apiece.
Apart from 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Real Betis, it was his first appearance for United since he faced Chelsea on May 5.
And while the striker wants to leave Old Trafford, he was given a fine reception by the travelling fans at the Liberty Stadium.
Moyes said in his post-match press conference: "The supporters recognise good players at Manchester United and I think they recognised that when Wayne came on. He's still lacking match fitness, but another 30 minutes today will bring him on. I thought when he went on he was incredibly committed.
"Wayne did well when he came on, he opened up the chance for Robin to go on to his left foot for our third goal, and also the ball he slipped through for Welbeck's second was weighted lovely, so he helped the team and played a part in getting the result."
Moyes took three points in his first league game as United manager and then proclaimed it was business as usual for a club who expect such results.
He told Sky Sports: “In the dressing room, it's quiet as they tell me it's what they do here -- move on to the next game. That's what I'm going to do as well.
"When you're manager of Manchester United your job is to win the games. I was made well aware of it. The players have done that today and they did really well."

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Fan Sent To Jail For Hugging Christiano Ronaldo During Match (WATCH)

The fan who was jailed for invading the pitch during the International Champions Cup match between Real Madrid and Chelsea to hug Cristiano Ronaldo last week has stressed that he has no regrets over his actions....
Ronald Gjoka, 19, ran onto the pitch in the 67th minuteto embrace his idol, only to be arrested by local police and taken to jail for trespassing and disorderly conduct.

Gjoka spent the night in prison before he was allowed to leave the day after, yet he has stressed that the moment was worththe punishment.

"Honestly, first thing was look straight, find Cristiano and don't look back. Just go," Gjoka told Local10.
"I decided to add a little knee slide on it just for a little celebration. I think Ronaldo always does that celebration so I thought that he would find it funny, and he did, he gave it a little laugh.

"But after that, I gave him a big hug, told him you're one of my biggest idols, always followed you and I said, 'Please, Ronaldo, don't let the cops take me,' and that's when Ronaldo gave me a very big hug.
"I got the opportunity to talk to Ronaldo. It was a unique opportunity and I had to take it. It was worth the detention."
The Portugal international netted twice to help Madrid to a 3-1 win over Chelsea in last week's encounter.

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Villas-Boas plays down Bale talk

Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas refused to add further weight to speculation Gareth Bale could leave White Hart Lane this summer and has admitted the winger is unlikely to play in Spurs' Premier League opener, despite being named for Wales' upcoming friendly.....

Sources close to Real Madrid told ESPN on Friday that the Spanish club believe they are close to signing Bale, but Tottenham have been reluctant to comment on the rumours.
The Welshman missed Spurs' 1-1 draw with Espanyol on Saturday and following the match, Villas-Boas fended off questions about Bale's future.
"The only thing I can say about the stories is I am not going to comment because everybody has speculated a lot," he said. "There are some different stories, some which are not true, with people inventing without knowledge of what is going on.
"The only thing I can tell you is the player is under the treatment of the medical department for this pain in the foot which is disturbing him... Regarding the speculation, I don't want to extend myself further than I have told you."
Despite the niggling injury, Bale has been selected for Wales' friendly against the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday, although Villas-Boas is not confident the 24-year-old's fitness will improve ahead of next weekend's season opener against Crystal Palace.

"He has been called up for his national team, our medical department is going to be in contact with the Wales medical department to make sure they have everything available in terms of giving information on how the player has been doing in these last weeks," Villas-Boas added.
"The only thing we can do is make information available to the Welsh FA. If he gets to a fixture available to play it is because he hasn't felt pain. He is training on his own so there is a possibility he makes a recovery.
"If we manager to recover the player, but obviously he is far far off fitness regarding what the others have done. It is three weeks since he played for Tottenham so I wouldn't expect him to play for us [against Palace]."
Villas-Boas also denied the conjecture surrounding Bale has provided a distraction for Tottenham and insists the club will continue to bolster their squad regardless of whether the winger stays or goes.
"It has not affected us in any shape or form. We have continued our preparation," said Villas-Boas. "What we have to recognise is five weeks gone by since (we started) buying and selling, but we haven't been able to train with all the team together because Paulinho and Soldado only arrived last week.
"There will be more players to arrive and more players to leave. At the moment we are a team in prospect. We still have lots of things to do. The last week in the transfer window can be surprising.
"I can't tell you we have stopped in the transfer market because we haven't, this means players coming in and players going out. We will continue to re-strengthen ourselves, but what we have at the moment is a very strong squad either way, one that puts us in a good position to get the three points at Palace."

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RVP earns Moyes' first silverware Trophy

Van Persie struck early in each half to allow United to repel the threat of an enterprising Wigan outfit and claim the Community Shield for the 20th time....


More importantly, it was silverware at the first available opportunity for Moyes, who has such a massive job on his hands after succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson in May.
Such is the length of time Ferguson has dominated life at Old Trafford that six of Moyes' starting line-up were not even born the last time United played in this annual curtain-raiser without the Scot as manager, back in 1985, when Alan Brazil was among the substitutes.
Moyes will be grateful for the squad he has inherited though, particularly Van Persie, who did more than anyone to ensure Ferguson left centre stage as a championship winner.
He took only six minutes to get started, superbly directing a header into the bottom corner from Patrice Evra's left-wing cross. It needed a deflection off James Perch to bring United their second on the hour, although Van Persie will rightly be credited with the goal after cutting inside off a Danny Welbeck pass to drive an effort towards the target.
There was an injury scare for United though, with Rafael limping off in the opening stages, although the Brazilian is suspended anyway for next Saturday's Barclays Premier League opener at Swansea.
With only two wins in pre-season prior to this afternoon, no new signings of any significance and Wayne Rooney's situation uncertain to the extent he is considered fit enough to face Scotland on Wednesday, but not to even make the journey south for this fixture, Moyes' transition period has been anything but smooth.
Yet, with the exception of Paul Scholes, he retains the entire squad which won their 20th league championship by 11 points last May, plus Wilfried Zaha, who has finally switched clubs after spending the second half of last season on loan at Crystal Palace.
Zaha was included, such has been the impact he has made on a journey that has seen United play seven matches in six countries prior to this afternoon's contest. The England winger flitted in and out, rather like United as a whole in a largely mundane affair.
They did at least play though, which was more than Manchester City managed in May, explaining why Wigan were here in the first place.
And the goal Moyes must have craved arrived pretty quickly too. Evra crossed from the left and Van Persie was left alone to direct his header into the far corner.
After scoring 30 times in his debut campaign for the Red Devils, it had taken the Dutchman just six minutes to open his account this time around.
For a while, with Zaha sparking and Ryan Giggs cajoling from the other flank, it seemed United would run away with the contest.
Welbeck came close to turning home a near-post chance and Van Persie threatened once more.
Slowly, Wigan began to grow into the game. The battle between Grant Holt and Nemanja Vidic proved the Latics were willing to match United physically - a sharp change of emphasis from the Roberto Martinez era - and new boy James McClean was a valuable presence out wide.
McClean should have profited from Chris Smalling's error when the defender - on as an early substitute for Rafael - overran Stephen Crainey's long ball, gifting the Irishman possession deep inside the United box.
Instead of picking out a team-mate, McClean drilled the ball across goal looking for a ricochet, which did not come.
Emmerson Boyce also chose the wrong option when he leapt to meet Ben Watson's curling free-kick to the far post, heading it back across goal as David de Gea scrambled, expecting to come under direct threat.
Welbeck brought a good save out of Scott Carson before the break but Wigan remained largely on the offensive after it, which would have made United's second on the hour that much harder to take.
Evra, Tom Cleverley and Welbeck were all involved in the Red Devils moving the ball across the field.
Van Persie instinctively cut inside and although it took a deflection off Perch to beat Carson, as the shot was on target, it meant last season's Golden Boot winner claimed a second, and Moyes claimed the trophy.

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Why leaving Man Utd Rooney? - Vidic asks

Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic has told want-away striker Wayne Rooney “there’s no point” in leaving Manchester United....


Rooney has been at the central figure in one to the biggest transfer sagas of the summer, with Premier League rivals Chelsea promising to chase the 27-year-old until the end of the transfer window.
The Blues have been encouraged in their pursuit of the England striker with Rooney rumoured to be close to submitting a transfer request to realise the move to London.
But United have stood firm in their stance in holding onto their player.
And Serbia international Vidic believes it would be a mistake to leave “the best club in the world”.  
“I believe Man United is the biggest club in the world and I think there's no point to go anywhere,” Vidic said.
“There's so much speculation, so much talk about whether he'll leave or stay. He's at the best club in the world.
“I have to say the last four years I was in that position as well. People were talking about me leaving the club.
“I'm still here and I'm enjoying playing for this club. Nothing has changed.”

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Suarez Must apologise Or Will Never Play For The Club Again - Rodgers implores

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has told Luis Suarez that he needs to apologise to his team-mates and the Anfield faithful before he can play for the club again....

After a week that saw an increasingly irate Suarez accuse Rodgers of breaking promises over suggestions that he would be allowed to leave Liverpool this summer, the Uruguayan striker has been training on his own as his future remains under a cloud.
Now it appears Suarez has pushed his desire to leave Liverpool a little too far, with his manager going public to suggest his unsettled striker will need to make the next move if he is to resume his career at Anfield.
"There are a couple of things Luis can do and initially there will be a recognition that (there needs to be) an apology to his team-mates and the club," Rodgers told reporters in Dublin after his side’s 1-0 defeat against Celtic on Saturday.

"When we get that commitment back from him that he’s ready to fight as he always has done. Luis Suarez has fought tirelessly for this club from day one so when I see he’s not the same Luis Suarez I have to protect the fans and the players of this club because they deserve more than that.
"He has spent some days working on his own. The group has been separate to that and working very hard. When he returns from his international trip next week we will take it from there."
The latest twist in this increasingly fractious transfer battle appears to have placed another obstacle in the way of Suarez resuming his Liverpool career, yet it is clear that he hopes Rodgers' latest comments will be rendered meaningless if he gets a move away from the club in the next three weeks.
However, with Suarez's ambitions of a move to Arsenal now appearing forlorn after Liverpool owner John W Henry made it clear he would not sell his star player to the north London club at any price, the apology Reds boss Rodgers has called for from his star player may have to be forthcoming in the coming weeks.

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Read How Lionel Messi Bought His Neighbours House Because They Were Annoying Him

Lionel Messi has dealt with the problem of having annoying neighbours by simply buying their house, like a boss....


It’s not often we hear of Lionel Messi doing something extravagant with all his money, but it seems like he might have done just that by purchasing his neighbour’s house.


According to a report in Spanish paper El Mundo Deportivo, Messi is currently living in the Pedralbes area of Barcelona with his wife and son, where they bought an apartment a little over a year ago. However, they are only there as a temporary measure while their house in the Castelfedells neighbourhood is being renovated.
His neighbours, who were having problems meeting the demands of their mortgage, offered to sell their house to Messi, but the Argentine wasn’t interested.

As a result, the neighbours poor behaviour increased, including a lot of noise and loud music at all hours, but that wasn’t the worst of it. To make a bit of extra cash, they started renting out the house to interested fans and celebrity spotters who wanted to get a look at the football superstar.

When he built a wall to stop this from happening, they threatened to report the Messis for making the wall too high.
As a result, Messi decided to just take their house, as they originally suggested, just to get some peace and quiet for the price of about a million euro. It’s a tough aul life all the same.

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Nigeria remains 35th in latest FIFA rankings

Eagles vs Kenya line-upThe Super Eagles of Nigeria, have not made any movement upwards or downwards, in the latest FIFA world rankings released on Thursday....


The champions of Africa occupied the 31st position in June, before they slid to 35 in July. However, their ratings in Africa was affected, as they are now ranked fifth on the continent.

Cote d'Ivoire are still the top ranked African country in 18th position, while Ghana occupies the 24th spot. Others who make up the top five in the continent are Mali (32) and Algeria.

The first three countries in the world are Spain, Germany and Colombia.

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“I have never considered leaving” – Fabregas delivers snub to Manchester United

FabregasBarcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas, has finally confirmed his desire to remain at the club and insisted that he never considered leaving....


The 26-year-old, who was speaking from Kuala Lumpur where the Catalan club are continuing their pre-season Asian tour, dismissed the possibility of a transfer to Manchester United or anywhere else this summer.

 "My dream is to play here, I have never considered leaving," he told Mundo Deportivo. "I am at the best club." The former Arsenal skipper, also went on to suggest that stories about him agreeing terms with United were pure fabrications and that he had met with Tito Vilanova, Andoni Zubizarreta, Tata Martino and Josep Maria Bartomeu, who all gave him assurances about his future.

"Things were invented," he said. "I do not understand how after Tito, Zubi, Tata and Bartomeu all said they counted on me.

I have not spoken with any other club for two summers now. "I have messages from Bartomeu and from the president [Sandro Rosell]," Fabregas said.

"I have spoken face-to-face with them and have not had any problem. And neither is it true that I have asked for a new contract."

 Fabregas' silence has been a source of worry and speculations have arisen, but the Spain international stated that he did not see the need to speak out. "I have always been relaxed," he added. "I did not have to clear up anything because in my head I was only going to stay at Barca."

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Striker Luis Suarez left to rot in reserves by Liverpool until he is ready to 'show some respect'

Liverpool have banished Luis Suarez to train away from the first-team squad until he is ready to show respect to his club and team-mates – a move which underlines their refusal to be cowed by a player whose contract leaves them under no obligation to sell....

The club, who are already deeply unhappy that Arsenal were apparently made aware of the confidential clause in Suarez's deal allowing him to speak to any club who offered £40m this summer, suffered the further indignity of the Uruguayan publicly accusing his manager, Brendan Rodgers, of reneging on a verbal agreement that he could leave. But Liverpool have moved rapidly to seek the moral high ground by ostracising Suarez and they do so from a position of strength, as the Professional Footballers' Association has also warned the striker that any legal action he launches to force an exit from Liverpool looks doomed to fail.
Suarez's claim, that a release clause written into his contract allowed him to leave if Liverpool failed to reach the 2013-14 Champions League and a side competing in it offered £40m, does not appear to stand up to legal scrutiny. The PFA chairman, Gordon Taylor, who has viewed the document since his organisation was called in to arbitrate in the past fortnight, said last night that the significant clause compelled Liverpool only to let Suarez talk to such a club.
"There is a clause in there that if Liverpool do not qualify for the Champions League and then they receive a minimum offer of £40m, then the parties will 'agree in good faith to discuss and negotiate in good faith' and see what transpires," Taylor said. "It is not a straightforward buyout clause and the contract is open to different interpretations. It doesn't say there is an automatic trigger for a move."
Suarez suggested that there had been a verbal agreement with Rodgers, though Taylor also told The Independent that an informal conversation carried no legal weight. "Never mind what has been said previously or verbally, it doesn't say you've a right to leave," he said. "If there was a gentleman's agreement, the manager may well say it is down to that but the owners of the club may feel differently. That is quite crucial."
Opinion sought by The Independent made it clear that Suarez's threat to seek legal arbitration through the Premier League will not secure him a move before the transfer window closes early next month. Ian Lynam, a sports lawyer with the firm Charles Russell, said such a case could drag out for months and also stated that the "entire-agreement" clause in all Premier League contracts prevent any verbal agreement carrying weight, if not contained within the contract.
 
 PFA chairman, Gordon Taylor (Getty)
Liverpool's decision to send Suarez to work with the reserves also reflects their feeling that he has shown no respect for Rodgers' training sessions, the last of which he limped out of with a foot injury on Tuesday, hours before giving voice to grievances about the club's refusal to let him join Arsenal. The PFA is also aware of Liverpool's deep discontent that Arsenal were able to discover details of the £40m clause, thus enabling them to bid a pound more than that sum and trigger talks last month. Suarez will have signed a confidentiality clause when concluding the contract.
This issue may muddy the waters if Suarez now seeks legal redress. Middlesbrough's case against Liverpool over Christian Ziege dragged on for months, when the Teesside club argued that the Merseysiders had profited from confidential information to bid at Ziege's exact £5.5m release clause in 2000. The two sides settled out of court. A Premier League panel ruled against Gabriel Heinze in 2007 when he claimed Manchester United had given him written permission to pursue a transfer to Liverpool.
Taylor indicated the PFA believes Liverpool might not have been in the position in which they find themselves had they consulted the players' union over the controversial clause, which is relatively rare. His organisation has also told the Premier League it is concerned about such clauses, which threaten rifts between clubs and players which are bad for the image of the game. "These 'buyout' clauses can lead to ambiguity when there is English law and the laws of another country. The clauses need to be as clear as daylight and they are not," Taylor said.
Though a formal transfer request had been anticipated, Suarez was said to be awaiting Liverpool's reaction to his public statement. "I can only see that the best way round this is get round the table and sort out a valuation that is acceptable or we say give it another year," Taylor said.
A challenging week got even more difficult for Rodgers when Barcelona bid £17m for central defender Daniel Agger – with a sum closer to £25m probably necessary to trigger any discussion between the two clubs.

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David Moyes banishes Wayne Rooney to training with Manchester United's Reserve Team

The wantaway striker was ordered to train away from the United first-team on Thursday as he attempts to force through a summer transfer to Chelsea....
Wayne Rooney has taken a significant step towards the Manchester United exit door after he was ordered to train with reserves by David Moyes on Thursday following a meeting between club officials and his agent Paul Stretford, Goal can reveal.

Stretford attended arrived at Carrington early on Thursday and when Rooney turned up for training, he was told that he would be working with the reserve players.
Sources have told Goal that the wantaway striker appeared furious and, although he completed the full training session, which started at 10am, he is now considering handing in a formal transfer request.

Rooney is recovering from a shoulder problem that ruled him out of Tuesday's friendly against AIK in Stockholm, but was given no indication that he would be exiled from the first-team squad.

Moyes' decision to keep Rooney away from the first-team represents a change in United's stance towards the striker. The United boss has publicly insisted Rooney is not for sale but, privately, has been angered by the 27-year-old's attempts to engineer a summer transfer to Chelsea.
Rooney is desperate to push through a move to the Blues, who have had two bid rejected for the 27-year-old, the latest worth nearly £30 million including add-ons.

He believes there is no way back for him at the club and is highly unlikely to play in Rio Ferdinand's testimonial against Sevilla on Friday or the Community Shield clash against Wigan on Sunday.

And after Moyes banished him from the first-team on Thursday, it appears increasingly likely that United will look to cash in on the England international this summer.

Goal first revealed in May that Rooney was 'hell bent' on leaving United while he is understood to fear a backlash from the fans if the club force him to stay at Old Trafford.

Rooney remains Chelsea's number-one target as Jose Mourinho looks for a top class forward, with sources suggesting that the saga surrounding the England star's future is likely to continue until the final week of the window.

Rooney made it known that he was "angry and confused" after quotes from Moyes emerged suggesting he would be kept at Old Trafford simply as back-up to Robin van Persie.

Moyes subsequently clarified his comments to Rooney in telephone conversations, but the former Everton man is determined to leave this summer, having been further angered by comments from Ed Woodward, United's executive vice-chairman, suggesting that the club would not open talks to extend Rooney's £250,000-a-week contract, which expires in 2015.

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Arsenal Set To Offer £25 Million For German International Midfielder

Arsenal are set to bid for Borussia Dortmund star, Ilkay Gundogan, according to SportsDirectNews.com.....


The news website reports that Arsenal are preparing to bid around £25 million for the central midfielder.

The 22 year old, who played a huge part in Dortmund's run to the Champions League final, is looked upon by the Gunners as the defensive midfielder that they need. Gundogan is not only a great passer of the ball, but also does not shy away from a tackle, making him a perfect player for the DM.

Ilkay Gundogan is regarded in Germany as the replacement for Bastian Schweinsteiger for the national team, showing the expectations from him in his homeland, and there are many clubs linked to his signature this summer. Gundogan's current contract ends in 2015 so should be available for a cheaper amount. Real Madrid were earlier in the summer reportedly close to signing the powerful midfielder before signing Asier Illarramendi from Real Sociedad in £34m deal.

Meanwhile, Luis Suarez has broken his silence on his transfer saga to Arsenal, and told the Guardian that Liverpool had promised to let him go this season, if they failed to qualify for the Champions League, and if a bid over £40m came in, to which Liverpool obviously disagree.

 He also said that At 26 years of age, it is his right to play in the Champions League, against Europe's best players, and that he has shown enough loyalty to the club by sticking on for one more year, after a Champions League club had bid for him at the start of last season.

He also said that he has proven his loyalty to the Liverpool fans with his performances on the pitch. He has been left out of Liverpool's squad against Valarenga, with a suspected foot injury.

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Chelsea 1-3 Real Madrid: All goal highlights including Cristiano Ronaldo brace [VIDEO]

Unfortunately for returning Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho the 50-year-old's first match against former side Real Madrid ended in defeat....

The Portuguese maestro left the Santiago Bernabeu after three years this summer under a certain amount of animosity and it was inevitable the two sides would meet in the final of this mini-tournament in the USA.Marcelo gave Madrid the lead before Blues midfielder Ramires equalised, but a goal either side of half-time from the brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo settled things.
Marcelo goal 0-1

Ramires goal 1-1

Ronaldo goal 1-2

Ronaldo goal 1-3

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EMIRATE CUP: Drogba double Sink Gunners

Didier Drogba came off the bench to net a late brace that gave Galatasaray a 2-1 victory over Arsenal and secured the Emirates Cup.///
The Ivory Coast frontman — who left Chelsea after spearheading their 2012 Champions League final victory before a short stint with Shanghai Shenhua in China — converted a soft penalty on 78 minutes before then producing a crisp finish as the Turks secured their second victory of the weekend tournament, having fallen behind to Theo Walcott's first-half curling effort.
Arsenal, who are still chasing a deal for wantaway Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, showed good form in patches, but again had no answer to the 35-year-old, who had been on Arsene Wenger's radar as a youngster at Guingamp.
"We were in control, they didn't look dangerous, but we were not capable of maintaining physically that rhythm and control in the second half and we were punished for it," said Wenger. "We were exhausted in the end, but it was a good preparation."
Arsenal's only summer signing, Yaya Sanogo, a free transfer from Auxerre, was handed a start in attack, while Spain midfielder Santi Cazorla was back in action after extra time off following the Confederations Cup.
Former Gunner Emmanuel Eboue captained Galatasaray.
There was an early chance for France Under-21 striker Sanogo to become an instant cult hero when he collected a loose pass on the edge of the penalty area, but his angled shot was saved by Fernando Muslera.
Wenger felt Sanogo's performance was sound.
"Considering he has only just come back from holiday with only three or four days' training, what he did do is encouraging," said the Arsenal boss.
Arsenal, who came from 2-0 down to draw with Rafa Benitez's Napoli on Saturday, continued to press and had a penalty shout turned down after Aaron Ramsey tumbled.
On 18 minutes, Walcott expertly took down a long ball from the Welshman into the Galatasaray box, but could then only flick it over the keeper and wide.
Former Bolton forward Johan Elmander caused Arsenal some concern with his link-up play, but Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, making his first appearance of pre-season after injury, was not really tested.
Arsenal took the lead five minutes before half-time when Walcott's curling cross from the left bounced through the six-yard box and dropped into the far corner.
Drogba was introduced for the second half — to some jeers from the home fans, who remembered him as a man who so often tormented Arsenal during his time with Chelsea. Dutch international Wesley Sneijder also came on.
Drogba was straight into the action, fashioning a chance when he turned Per Mertesacker just outside the Arsenal penalty area, but his shot was straight at Szczesny.
Arsenal, who made several expected substitutions, continued to look sharp, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looking to have been tripped in the penalty area before a downward header from Olivier Giroud was well saved.
The Turks threatened also as Szczesny beat away a fierce drive from Sneijder, the former Inter Milan midfielder.
Galatasaray were awarded a penalty on 78 minutes by referee Jon Moss when substitute Ignasi Miquel was adjudged to have pushed over Drogba, with contact looking minimal at best.
The former Chelsea man made no mistake from 12 yards to continue his fine scoring form against the Gunners.
Drogba then won it for Galatasaray when he collected a cross-field ball from Sneijder before cutting inside Mertesacker and drilling his shot past the Arsenal keeper.
Arsenal must now regroup for next weekend's final pre-season friendly against Manchester City in Helsinki, before the action kicks off for real with the visit of Aston Villa on August 17.
Earlier in the day at the Emirates, Porto came from behind to earn a 3-1 victory against Napoli.
Napoli broke the deadlock just minutes before half-time as Goran Pandev converted a penalty, following Fernando’s nudge on the striker inside the box.
However, Porto came out fighting after the break and Nabil Ghilas soon found the equaliser with a neat finish past Napoli’s Rafael in goal, after some good work from Juan Fernando Quintero.
Porto started to look increasingly dangerous and deservedly took the lead when Federico Fernandez turned Silvestre Varela’s cross past his own goalkeeper in the 68th minute. Ten minutes later, Lica made the game safe, finishing from ten yards out after a mistake by Napoli defender Andrea Dossena.
Galatasaray finished the competition with nine points, ahead of FC Porto with six and Arsenal and Napoli with four.

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Wenger prepared for 'stressful' month For Champion League Qualifier

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is preparing himself for what he expects to be a stressful month, as he is already turning his attention to his side's crucial Champions League play-off ties....

After watching the Gunners lose their Emirates Cup decider against a Didier Drogba-inspired Galatasaray in front of their home supporters, Wenger again conceded he may not make a major signing before the transfer window closes at the end of August.
Yet it is the prospect of a two leg European tie that appears to be more prominent in his thoughts than any further bids for Liverpool's Luis Suarez or other high profile transfer targets.
"It's very difficult to predict if something will be sorted out before we play in the Champions League qualifier," he told reporters when quizzed on the prospects of making additions to his squad ahead of Friday’s draw for the European play-off.
"It's a stressful situation but we did fight very hard to be in that situation and now it's time to take advantage of the fact we finished fourth and we have an opportunity to qualify.
"Of course it's always very tricky to qualify but we have the experience of having done it before. I think we have enough quality to achieve it with the players we have in at the moment and if we can have some more in before then, it’s even better."
Wenger emphasised the need for Arsenal to be ready to explode out of the blocks in the first Premier League game of the season, with the Champions League play-off inked into the diary just a few days later.
"It's important that we start strongly in the championship because that will have an influence on our performance in the Champions League," he added.
"We just want to be ready. We have only 90 minutes now before we start the championship and it is important that we recover a little bit from the two days and prepare well for our next game against Man City, a friendly in Helsinki. Then we have to be ready."
Wenger went on to confirm that he is about to offload two of his failed signings from recent years, with winger Gervinho set to join Roma and striker Marouane Chamakh on his way to Crystal Palace.

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Chelsea Faces Real Madrid In Champions Cup final

Chelsea will face Real Madrid in the final of the International Champions Cup after defeating AC Milan 2-0 in their semi-final on Sunday....

Goals to Kevin De Bruyne and Andre Schurrle continued Chelsea's impressive pre-season run, with the Blues preparing to clash with Jose Mourinho's former side on Wednesday.
Chelsea dominated proceedings early, with Branislav Ivanovic involved in a flurry of early chances, his header from an Oscar free-kick flashing just wide.
De Bruyne had his 19th-minute strike ruled out for offside and Ivanovic did well to clear as Mario Balotelli looked set to score down the other end just minutes later.
Oscar fired wide shortly before De Bruyne opened the scoring in the 29th minute, rounding off a neat passing move by taking a pass from Eden Hazard and sidefooting home from 16 yards.
The chances continued for the Blues in a second half which again saw boss Jose Mourinho take the opportunity to use his entire squad.
After Ramires had unselfishly tried to set up Romelu Lukaku in injury time, Chelsea got their second goal when Schurrle impressively volleyed home from 15 yards after receiving the ball from Moses.
In Sunday's other match, Valencia eased to a 4-0 rout over Inter Milan in the losers' semi-final.
Walter Mazzarri's woes continued just weeks out from the Serie A season, with the Nerazzurri now forced into a seventh-placed playoff against Juventus.
It took just seven minutes for Valencia to open the scoring, with Ever Banega darting through the Inter defence and curling the ball into the top right corner of the net.
The Spanish side doubled their lead in the 34th minute when Jonathon Viera pounced on a loose ball from a corner and had his shot deflected in off Marco Andreolli.
Valencia rounded out the victory with second-half goals to Jonas and Viera and will now face Everton for fifth-place on Tuesday.

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Mourinho 'wanted to come to Barcelona'

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed Jose Mourinho wanted to coach the Catalan club after leaving Chelsea in 2008....

Following Frank Rijkaard's exit at the end of the 2007-08 season, Barca touted Mourinho as a possible replacement for the Dutchman.
But the Chelsea boss joined Inter Milan before heading to Real Madrid after Barca decided Pep Guardiola's management style was better suited to the club.
Laporta insists Mourinho was keen to move to the Camp Nou and is a fan of the club.
"Mourinho is a little bit of a Cule and he wanted to come to Barcelona, but it wasn't possible because we had decided to sign Guardiola as coach," he told El Pais.
However, Laporta sugggested Mourinho would have been a better choice, given the demands of Barcelona chairman Sandro Rosell.
The lawyer spoke of his strained relationship with Rosell and his admiration for Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
"I respect Florentino, and I'm not a friend of the current Barcelona chairman Rosell because all he has done has hurt me since he arrive," Laporta added.
"He [Guardiola] was forced to take up roles that weren't in his remit. Pep had a lot of character and Rosell and his group weren't interested in that. Moreover, he reminded them too much of our term [during Laporta's presidency] at Barcelona."

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Barca: Neymar has anaemia But Will Keep Training

Barcelona have said that Brazil striker Neymar has developed anaemia, but that it won't stop his pre-season training with the Spanish champions....

Anaemia is a lower than normal count of red blood cells that provokes tiredness or weakness.
Barcelona told The Associated Press that "due to an operation on his tonsils this summer the player is suffering a case of anaemia that is being treated and won't impede him from training with normality with the rest of his team-mates".
The club did not specify what treatment Neymar is following.
Neymar is currently with Barcelona in Israel on a "Peace Tour" of the Middle East. Barcelona open their La Liga campaign against Levante on August 18.
The 21-year-old Neymar joined Barcelona from Brazilian club Santos this summer.

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Pepe set for Madrid talks

Pepe has said he will discuss his future at Real Madrid with president Florentino Perez but insists he loves the club and is willing to honour his contract....

The Portugal international has attracted interest from Manchester City, who are looking to sign another central defender.
However, City accept it will be hard to recruit Pepe after Madrid’s new coach Carlo Ancelotti, reportedly said last month that he wants to keep the 30-year-old.
Pepe has stopped short of guaranteeing he will be at the Bernabeu again for the forthcoming season, with Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane expected to be the club’s first-choice centre-backs.
Speaking after Madrid’s 2-1 win over Everton in a pre-season encounter in Los Angeles, the former Porto player admitted he is not certain whether he will remain in Spain.
"I'm a professional," he said. "They left a lot of things unsaid at the end of last season but I have a contract to fulfil.
"I'm talking to the president of Madrid and my representatives to see what will happen. I have a contract, I love the club and I have great affection for the people.”
Pepe joined Madrid from Porto in 2007 and has made 199 appearances for the club since then.
City lost one central defender this summer when Kolo Toure joined Liverpool, while Matija Nastasic picked up an injury while playing in the Barclays Asia Trophy last month.

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Chelsea's Rooney Second bid rejected - report

Chelsea have had a second bid turned down by Manchester United for striker Wayne Rooney, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph....

Rooney, 27, is the number one transfer target for returning Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho but he has seen his latest offer, believed to be in the region of £25 million, knocked back.
It comes just under three weeks after Chelsea had their first bid rejected, with the club denying they had offered David Luiz or Juan Mata in part exchange.
New United manager David Moyes has continually insisted the England international is not for sale and it could now be up to the player to submit a formal transfer request if he is to force through a move to Stamford Bridge.
The Times claims that Rooney could make his desire to leave Old Trafford official before the end of the week. So far he has been silent on Sir Alex Ferguson's claims that he asked to leave United at the end of last season as well as the summer transfer speculation and links with a move to Chelsea.
Mourinho has made it clear that the former Everton forward would become the focal point of a new-look Chelsea attack and Rooney, who has become disenchanted at the Premier League champions, has reportedly decided that his future is in London.
Rooney is pencilled in to make his return from a hamstring injury, which has so far wiped out his pre-season preparation, against Swedish side AIK Solna.

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