Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi has dismissed rumours that he could join Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal during the January transfer window, telling reporters that the constant speculation is nothing but talk.

Tuttosport (h/t Sport Witness, Metro.co.uk’s Tom Olver) previously reported that the Reds and Blues would battle it out for his services, while Corriere Dello Sport (h/t Unibet’s Adam Digby) claims Arsenal are preparing a €45 million bid.

But Icardi has no intention of leaving the Italian fashion capital, as he told Mediaset (h/t ESPN FC’s David Amoyal):

The 22-year-old hasn’t had a great start to the 2015-16 campaign with four goals in 11 Serie A appearances, which is less than what we’ve come to expect from the striker. Last year, he bagged 22 league goals, per WhoScored.com.

Despite his tender age, Icardi is incredibly experienced, making his debut with Sampdoria in 2012. Per OptaPaolo, his numbers since then look impressive:

Icardi is an opportunistic striker with superb instincts and the physical tools to be a success in every league. His movement away from the ball is fantastic, and he’s not afraid to try his luck from long distance, which often leads to spectacular goals, as seen below:

He left Sampdoria for Inter in 2013 following a controversy involving team-mate Maxi Lopez, per Paolo Bandini of the Guardian, and quickly became the main attacking outlet for the Nerazzurri. Like city rivals AC Milan, Inter have endured a rough stretch of late, and the side isn’t as talented as the treble-winning team from a few years ago.

This partly explains Icardi‘s sloppy start to the season, as Inter are counting on him to force the issue far too much. As explained by Digby, he has looked far better of late thanks to a few tactical changes:

Despite a number of run-ins with Roberto Mancini, the Coach has made Icardi his captain this season, seeing his faith rewarded with some increasingly mature performances. His form has improved as the current campaign has progressed, and certainly benefited from Inter’s more positive approach this past weekend as they demolished newly promoted Frosinone.

Triumphing by an emphatic 4-0 scoreline with Icardi bagging the second goal of the game, playing a lone role up front rather than having Rodrigo Palacio taking up space beside him.

Plenty of clubs were interested in his services last summer, but Icardi signed a new deal in June, per ESPN FC. He was also awarded the captain’s armband, a clear sign that Inter would do whatever it takes to keep him at the club and build around him.

Icardi clearly feels comfortable in Italy, and Inter have been steadily building a talented side that finds itself at the top of the Serie A standings as we speak.

The new deal he signed last summer indicates that he believes in the club and wants to stick around, so any prospective club will find it difficult convincing him he should leave at this time.

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Juventus secured a berth in the knockout stages of the 2015-16 UEFA Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Manchester City in Turin, Italy, on Wednesday.

Mario Mandzukic scored the only goal of the match as the Bianconeri leapfrogged their Premier League counterparts to take over first place in Group D. Both sides are now locked into round-of-16 spots, but which club will be seeded in the draw won’t be decided until the final group matches in December.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini had urged his side before the match to take advantage of the opportunity to secure the top spot in the group. He pointed toward poor luck in recent draws as a major reason for that added motivation, per Richard Tanner of the Daily Express.

“Everyone criticized this club for our performances in Europe, but we have now qualified for the knockout stages for the third year in a row,” Pellegrini said. “We were unlucky on both the previous occasions to draw Barcelona in the round of 16, so it’s important to try to avoid them because it’s important for our club to reach at least one step more.”

His players appeared game for the challenge in the early going as City controlled the pace of play. They nearly grabbed the lead at the quarter-hour mark as a battle in the box presented a golden opportunity for Fernandinho, but he fired his effort well over the bar.

The missed chance loomed even larger two minutes later as Juventus got on the scoreboard first.

Paul Pogba jump-started an attacking foray for the Bianconeri, which eventually ended up on the foot of Alex Sandro. He delivered a pinpoint cross into the box and Mario Mandzukic easily slotted the shot past Joe Hart for the goal.

Andrew Jerell Jones of USA Today noted City appealed for a foul on the Croatian, who got tangled up with Nicolas Otamendi as the defender fell down, but no call got made:

Fox Soccer highlighted the opening tally:

City managed to produce several promising chances on goal during the remaining portion of the first half. Yaya Toure unleashed three scorching efforts and Sergio Aguero found himself one-on-one with Gianluigi Buffon, but in every case, they lacked the necessary finishing touch.

WhoScored.com showcased that lack of execution as part of the first-half stats:

Juventus did well to slow the pace of the action after the half-time break. City still managed to hold a possession edge, but the home side limited their space and prevented them from turning it into a constant barrage on Buffon.

The visitors did generate a couple of chances.

A Kevin De Bruyne corner was redirected on goal by Fernandinho, but a slight touch from Juventus’ veteran goalkeeper was enough to knock it off the post. Toure couldn’t regain his balance in time to tap home the rebound, either.

Second-half substitute Raheem Sterling also found himself with a close-range opportunity, but he placed his shot just wide of the far post.

Bleacher Report UK summed up the miss:

Making matters worse, Hart exited the match late due to an apparent hamstring issue, according to Mark Ogden of the Telegraph:

And, in the end, City could never find the final touch they needed to earn at least a point.

Juventus celebrated the victory:

OptaPaolo provided another note about the early advancement:

Looking ahead, Manchester City will seek to end their three-match winless streak when they take on Southampton in Premier League action Saturday. It’s the latest stop amid an extremely busy schedule that features seven games in 22 days.

Juventus is caught up in a similar stretch of seemingly non-stop action. The Vecchia Signora will return to the pitch Sunday as they square off with Serie A foes Palermo. It’s an opportunity to grab three much-needed points as they sit nine points behind Inter Milan through 13 fixtures.

City and Juve return to Champions League play on Dec. 8 to close out the group stage. The Sky Blues will battle Borussia Monchengladbach while the Bianconeri visit Sevilla with the coveted top spot still up for grabs.

Post-Match Reaction

To follow…

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Borussia Dortmund have acted quickly to dismiss reports Mats Hummels is ready to hand in a transfer request and attract the interest of Premier League side Manchester United.

Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has played down suggestions the World Cup-winning centre-back is at odds with the club, particularly new manager Thomas Tuchel, according to Liam Spence of the Daily Express:

Today I read of a problematic relation between Mats and us. But that’s definitely not true.

Mats Hummels is a very important player for us. He is our captain. I have an excellent relationship with him. Sometimes he is not too easy, but that does not have to be a disadvantage.

He is a very decent guy, and we will support him entirely. There is nothing more to say about it.

Watzke was responding to claims from German publication Bild (h/t talkSPORT) suggesting Hummels is ready to quit the Bundesliga due to his fractious relationship with Tuchel.

The same reports indicate Hummels’ potential availability would pique the interest of United boss Louis van Gaal. He’s described as an “admirer” of Hummels, a player who could partner the revitalised Chris Smalling.

A Hummels-Smalling centre-back pairing would no doubt be an effective one. The German international boasts the comfort on the ball Van Gaal loves his defenders to have. Playing out from the back is vital in the methodical, possession-based game he preaches.

While Smalling doesn’t have anywhere near the same level of confidence in possession, his rough-and-ready athleticism is perfect for the frenetic pace of the Premier League.

With Hummels and Smalling offering contrasting styles, United would have a similar level of balance at the back to the days when Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic operated at the heart of defence.

While Dortmund’s reaction to the rumours has been an inevitably defiant one, they may still struggle to keep Hummels beyond this season. The club missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification last season, Jurgen Klopp’s final year in charge.

Tuchel’s men are currently second in the Bundesliga, eight points behind the mighty Bayern Munich, per Sky Sports. Even with a return to Europe’s premier club competition next season, Hummels may believe he stands a better chance of lifting trophies if he leaves Dortmund.

United, with their endless bags of cash, along with the experience and winning mentality of Van Gaal, would be an attractive destination for the 26-year-old.

So, Watzke’s words may not be the blow they initially sound like.

United Have to Wait for Marko Grujic

One transfer United will have to wait for is any deal for Red Star Belgrade midfielder Marko Grujic, dubbed the “new Nemanja Matic.”

According to Sportske (h/t Football-Italia.net, via Daily Express writer Spence), Red Star sporting director Zvezdan Terzic is adamant he won’t sell before the summer: “He can’t leave the club before August, or in any case not before the end of the season.”

Yet, Terzic also claimed that while Grujic won’t be allowed to officially switch clubs this winter, he would be allowed to sign a pre-contract agreement ahead of a later move: “If we can’t guarantee support from the sponsors of the club, then there’s the possibility of signing a pre-contract with a club, but he’ll stay with us until the end of August, until the end of the European preliminaries.”

That’s potentially welcome news for the growing list of suitors Grujic is attracting. The player—who is also wanted by United and Serie A sides AS Roma and Inter Milan—recently claimed Chelsea want him, according to David Wright of the Daily Express: “Nemanja Matic is a friend, he’s Serbian and he has been at Chelsea for over a year. He tells me that they want me.”

United would no doubt be keen on beating Chelsea to the punch. Their central midfield ranks are getting long in years. Michael Carrick is 34 and increasingly injury prone, while Bastian Schweinsteiger is 31.

Adding a gifted 19-year-old with a burgeoning reputation would be a positive step toward refreshing the ranks.

Grujic hasn’t been bashful about encouraging interest from several clubs. He recently suggested Inter have been tracking him, something he intends to discuss with the 2009/10 UEFA Champions League winners, per La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Daily Star‘s Chisanga Malata): “At the end of the season I’ll be in Milan for talks. Inter are a possible destination.” 

Van Gaal is still fine tuning his Old Trafford rebuild. The middle of both defence and midfield needs an influx of talent and fresh legs.

But as the latest rumours prove, United’s path to acquiring new recruits isn’t going to be easy to tread. Selling clubs know the Red Devils aren’t shy about spending and will do all they can to drive up fees.

A centre-back as accomplished as Hummels may be worth paying over the odds for, but a teenage midfielder not shy about talking up how much he’s wanted is best avoided.

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Humbled in the Clasico on Saturday evening and now surpassed atop the Champions League goalscoring charts, Real Madrid have more reason to despise Barcelona this week.

The Catalan side’s impressive 6-1 thrashing of Roma at the Camp Nou on Tuesday night saw them overtake Real as the competition’s all-time leading scorers.

Adriano’s goal, Luis Enrique’s side’s sixth, was their 1,037th in the competition—one more than Real Madrid’s 1,036 goals.

Of course, Rafa Benitez’s side have the chance to regain that crown when they take on Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday night.

There’s daylight between the two Spanish giants and third place, with Bayern Munich boasting 856 goals in Champions League history.

The top 20 is as follows, thanks to Opta (via Daily Mail):

1. Barcelona (1,037 goals)
2. Real Madrid (1,036)
3. Bayern Munich (856)
4. Juventus (746)
5. Anderlecht (640)
6. Benfica (639)
7. Liverpool (612)
8. Milan (612)
9. Ajax (606)
10. Inter Milan (606)
11. Manchester United (594)
12. Porto (542)
13. Valencia (529)
14. Red Star Belgrade (507)
15. PSV (503)
16. Celtic (500)
17. Atletico Madrid (488)
18. Sporting Lisbon (463)
19. Rangers (461)
20. Club Bruges (458)

[Daily Mail]

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Italian World Cup winner Marco Materazzi has slammed Real Madrid manager Rafael Benitez‘s style of play and listed numerous top players who have not enjoyed playing for the Spaniard.

Materazzi was at Inter Milan during Benitez’s short spell at the San Siro in 2010 and was dismissive of his appointment as Real manager back in the summer, per MailOnline’s Matt Maltby.

Following Los Blancos’ 4-0 defeat to Barcelona on Saturday, Materazzi has taken a swipe at the former Liverpool, Chelsea and Napoli boss, claiming the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Gerrard have not enjoyed playing for Benitez, per Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Marca):

“Are Napoli winning and playing entertaining football? That’s because they have a coach now. I watched El Clasico on Saturday and I felt like Cristiano Ronaldo, Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Paolo Cannavaro. Those are all players who did not like playing under [Benitez].”

Liverpool legend Gerrard has previously described to Football Focus that his relationship with Benitez was “distant” despite the pair leading the Reds to Champions League and FA Cup glory.

It was recently reported, following the Clasico defeat, that Ronaldo is not happy with having Benitez as manager at the Bernabeu, per Jack de Menezes in the Independent.

Life in the Real dugout has not been easy for Benitez since he succeeded Carlo Ancelotti in the summer.

Defeat to Barcelona followed a 3-2 loss to Sevilla and Real now sit six points back from the league-leading Catalans in the Spanish top flight.

Their poor recent form has seen them drop dramatically down Bleacher Report’s European club rankings, per Sam Tighe:

Following the weekend’s thrashing, the 55-year-old Benitez was given the backing of Real president Florentino Perez, per the Guardian‘s Sid Lowe.

However, as noted by Spanish football expert Andy West, that is by no means an indication that he will stay in the role long term:

Indeed, Sky Sports’ Guillem Balague does not believe Benitez will be in charge of Real next season, despite being contracted until 2018. 

Certainly Benitez will need to turn Real’s form around if he is to remain in his job for any length of time and maintaining good relationships with his players will be key if Los Blancos are to bounce back.  

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Real Madrid and Manchester United are under the spotlight as the 2015 UEFA Champions League’s fifth round of group matches continues.

The former have already qualified for the knockout phase, but they have some damaged credibility to repair after being thumped 4-0 at home by last season’s tournament winners Barcelona in La Liga.

As for United, manager Louis van Gaal’s men are still not assured of progressing from Group B. Yet, inconsistent summer signing Memphis Depay, who has looked most comfortable in this competition, can bail the Reds out.

But that isn’t the only prediction worth betting on. Find out the full match odds and best tips for the fifth matchday’s Wednesday fixtures. All lines and tips courtesy of OddsShark.com and OddsChecker.com:

Depay to Strike Again in Europe

Depay has netted three times already for United in this season’s edition of Europe’s premier club competition, according to ESPN FC. One of those came during the first meeting with his old club PSV Eindhoven in a 2-1 defeat for the Red Devils.

Facing your former club always presents special challenges, but it also carries extra motivation. That incentive, along with Depay’s renewed confidence—proved by a goal in the recent 2-1 Premier League at Watford—make him a good bet to punish old friends again.

Lump on the talented, yet temperamental, 21-year-old at 7/4 to score anytime at Old Trafford.

Paulo Dybala to Out-Duel Sergio Aguero

The understudy will beat the master when Juventus entertain Manchester City. Juve star Paulo Dybala is often compared to City talisman and fellow Argentinian striker, Sergio Aguero.

It will be the young pretender who opens the scoring in Turin. The Old Lady recently revived its flagging Serie A campaign with a 1-0 win over AC Milan, where Dybala proved decisive with a smartly taken half-volley.

The 22-year-old is being credited with filling the void left by Carlos Tevez for last season’s finalists, according to Ian Hawkey of the Daily Telegraph. Wanting to impress his more illustrious countryman, Dybala will strike first against a City side already assured of qualification.

Odds of 11/2 for Dybala as first goalscorer represent the chance to earn a solid windfall.

More Frustration for Rafa Benitez

A squad humbled by El Clasico humiliation and having to deal with a tricky trip to Ukraine to face a Champions League veteran, makes a draw a very good bet when Real Madrid meet Shakhtar Donetsk.

At 14/5, you’ll get solid odds on betting on more misery for under-fire Los Blancos chief Rafa Benitez.

The former Inter Milan and Napoli gaffer recently got the dreaded vote of confidence from club president Florentino Perez, according to BBC Sport’s Andy West:

But after the beating from Barca, it’s all about the quality of performances for Madrid. Even with qualification already wrapped up, another tame and stunted showing would spell disaster for Benitez.

Elsewhere, the Manchester rivals will experience contrasting fortunes in their bids to qualify in top spot in their groups. United are likely to be all smiles, while City will struggle in Italy.

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