Oscar Demands Better From Shanghai SIPG

Oscar demanded Shanghai SIPG improve "in many aspects" after the Brazilian star's big-spending side failed to convince in becoming the fourth Chinese team to reach the Asian Champions League group stage.
SIPG limped to a 1-0 home victory over Thai minnows Chiangrai United in coach Vitor Pnereira's first game in charge since taking over from the Portuguese Andre Villas-Boas.
Compatriot Pnereira, whose appointment late last year was met with a lukewarm response from SIPG fans, has vowed to achieve what Villas-Boas could not and win some silverware in his debut season in China.
But it will have to play better than it did on a chilly and heavily polluted Tuesday night in Shanghai and it had international winger Yu Hai to thank for his scrappy 48h-minute winner.
Attacking midfielder Oscar, who moved to the Chinese Super League (CSL) a year ago from Chelsea for an Asian-record €60 million (US$74.6 million), wore gloves to protect himself in the freezing condions. But the 26-year-old refused to use the bitter cold as an excuse for last year's Champions League semifinalists.
"We still need to improve in many aspects and to play better in the next stage," said the Brazilian.

AFP/Shanghai

Fiery Sanchez Can Spark United: Herrera

Ander Herrera claims Alexis Sanchez's fighting spirit has already ignited Manchester United as the Chile forward prepares his Premier League debut for his new club at Tottenham on Wednesday.
Sanchez is the highest paid player in the Premier League after making amblockbuster move to United from Spurs' local rivals Arsenal last week.
The 29-year-old marked his debut by setting up two goals in United's 4-0 beating of minnows Yeovil in the FA Cup fourtg round on Friday.
Sanchez paraded his sublime skills to lay on strikes for Marcus Rashford and Herrera, but it was not just his deft touch that impressed his United teammates.
Despite criticism of his attitude in the latter stages of his spell with Arsenal, Spain midfielder Herrera says Sanchez's grit and desire have rubbed off on his new colleagues and are certain to prove a huge asset.
"What I really like from him is the way he fights when the team loses the ball," Herrera told MUTV.
"He's always ready to be the first defender for the team, and that's big for us.
"Obviously we know his quality on the ball, he's amazing, but his fight, the way he defends, he's the first player to defend. I really like it."
United manager Jose Mourinho, whose second placed side is 13 points behind leader Manchester City, clearly agrees with Herrera about Sanchez:s catalyst qualities.
Sanchez has now been designed his own locker in the United changing room next to two specific players.
The pair on either side of the Chilean are Rashford and Jesse Lingard, and Mourinho is reportedly behind the decision.
It is believed that Mourinho wants Sanchez's positive attitude to work to rub off on the youngsters.
Michael Carrick, who captained United against Yeovil on his first appearance since September, has seen plenty of stars come and go in his 12 years at Old Trafford.
The former England midfielder was quick to hail Sanchz's signing as a coup as he labelled the flamboyant playmaker a perfect United star.
"He is not bad is he? Not bad for a little !an," Carrick said.
"He is going to be a terrific player, he is a proper Manchester United player, and it's great to have him here.
"He is so exciting and so dynamic. He's always looking to create opportunities, to play forward and the fans are going to enjoy watching him, hopefully we will enjoy playing with him."

Steven Griffiths
Agence France-Presse/London

Coaches Angry And Baffled Over VAR Decisions

The introduction of a video replay system (VAR) for referees was supposed to eliminate doubts over decisions and allow the soccer to take center stage.
The main talking-points from the Sunday's Serie A matches in Italy, however, again centered in refereeing only adding to the confusion rather than stopping it,
That could make worrying viewing for FIFA which is hoping to use VAR at the World Cup in Russia provided the system, currently in use on a trial basis in a number of countries, is authorized by the sport's law-making body IFAB. A decision is expected on March 3.
FIFA will have to ask how a system, which is still causing confusion after five months of use in Serie A, can be expected to run smoothly in a tournament where it will be new to most referees and players.
iFAB told Reuters in a stetement that it is "analyzing all live VAR tests worldwide to ensure that, if VARs were given the green light (...) the involved referees, video assistant referees and other match officials are effectively equipped and prepared."
It added that "it is the participating competition organizer's responsibility to provide adequate training and education for their referees."
The incidents which led Gazzetta dello Sport to talk of a "black Sunday for referees and VAR concerned a Milan goal against Lazio which both coaches agreed was handball and a last minute match-winning Crotone goal disallowed  against Cagliari.
Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi said it was unbelievable that Patrick Cutrone's goal for Milan was given when television replays showed the ball went in off his arms.
"I would like to lose for once withou VAR in the middle," said Inzaghi, who has previously complained that VAR has taken the enjoyment out of the sport.
Crotone's 90th-minute goal was initially awarded but the referee changed his mind and gave offside after reviewing the incident, a decision which took several minutes. Replays suggested the goal should have stood.
"We had won the game," Crotone coach Walter Zenga said after the 1-1 draw.
"I saw the incident on television and it dawned on me that it wasn't offside and I don't understand how the referee could have made that mistake despite reviewing the incident. It's inexplicable."
Another drawback with VAR, which had been exposed in Serie A, is that controversy also arises if a decision is not reviewed - as happened in Napoli's 3-1 win over Bologna.
Bologna thought they should have been awarded a penalty for handball by Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly when the score was 1-1 and wete equally angry at a penalty awarded to Napoli for the slightest contact on Jose Callejon.
"In the first incident, (the referee) took the responsibility for the decision himself, maybe to save time, and in the second, he left it to someone else, in this case, the VAR," Bologna coach Roberto Donadoni said.
"I would have prederred the same degree of judgment for both decisions."
The length of time it takes to make decisions is another bone of contention, with Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri warning last year that matches could last "three of four hours" if it was overused.
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini said on Monday that, with or without VAR, decisions would always depend on the interpretation of the referee.

Reuters/Milan

Barca's Pique Extends Contract Until 2022

Barcelona's Spain defender Gerard Pique has signed a contract extension until 2022 which will take him beyond his 35th birthday, the Liga club said on Monday.
"I am really happy to be celebrating my extension because this is my home and since my return, my desire has been to end my career here," said Pique, who will have served 14 years with the first team as a professional by the time the contract ends.
Pique started out in Barca's youth ranks before joining Manchester United in 2004 but returned to the Nou Camp four years later and has since played over 250 league games.
”It's a special day, Gerard Pique is an experienced player, a Barca fan from birth and let's hope we can continue to keep winning trophies. The deal was an easy one," Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu told a news conference.
Pique also said on the club's website, fcbarcelona.com, that there was never any question of him playing anywhere else.
"I can only see myself in a Barca shirt. If I had not extended my contract then I would have stopped playing because I only play football because I play for Barca," he said.
Pique has won three Champions League and six Liga titles plus five King's Cup, five Spanish Super Cup, two European Super Cup and three FIFA Club World Cup trophies with Barca.

Reuters/Barcelona

Mascherano Gets a Nickname In China

Disappointed Chinese soccer fans branded Carlos Tevez "very homesick boy" but they have an altogether fonder nickname for his fellow Argentine Javier Mascherano," pony brother."
The 33-year-old Mascherano last week left Barcelona for Hebei China Fortune in the Chinese Super League (CSL), weeks after the forward Tevez returned to Boca Juniors following a miserable year at Shanghai Shenhua.
Tevez's unflattering nickname was a play on how his surname is pronounced in Chinese and a nod to his problems setting for long periods anywhere un his career.
But defender Mascherano, who played with Tevez at Corinthians and West Ham United early in their careers, makes the move to the CSL with a far better reputation.
That is reflected in his "Pony Brother" moniker - the "Ma" in Mascherano sounds familiar to the word in Chinese for pony.
Hebei, in China's north, referenced Mascherano's nickname in announcing his signature on Wednesday, saying in a club statement: "He is famed for his iron-blood style and his forever tireless running.
"He is loved by his teammates and fans and has a loving nickname as 'Pony Brother."

AFP/Shanghai

Cahill Returns To Millwall Ahead of World Cup

Veteran Socceroo Tim Cahill has rejoined former club Millwall on a short-term deal, the English Championship side said, as the striker looks for more game time to secure his spot in the World Cup squad. Cahill, who quit Melbourne City in December after rarely featuring in the starting line-up since joining the A-League side in 2016, played a key role in helping Australia qualify for Russia 2018.
"I"m really happy. I've had a great career as a footballer, but to come here now at this stage of my career, with eyes on a World Cup place, it's such a professional environment," Cahill told Millwall's website in Monday. "The romance of the story is definitely not lost in me. I've always said that if I came back to England, I'd come home."
Cahill is Australia's most prolific international soccer with 50 goals and is seeking to represent his country for a fourth-consecutive World Cup in June-July.
The 38-year-old will join Millwall's squad for the rest of the 2017-18 season, which ends in early May ahead of the play-offs.
Millwall manager Neil Harris said the team would benefit from Cahill's wealth of experience and enthusiasm, adding that the Australian was "in terrific shape."

AFP/Sydney

Sane Damages Ankle Ligament: Man City

Manchester City winger Leroy Sane damaged ankle ligaments in his side's 20 FA Cup fourth-round win away to Cardiff City at the weekend, the Premier League leader confirmed on Monday.
The German wad injured in a nasty challenge in the first half by Cardiff's Joe Bennett, who was shown a second yellow card for the tackle and later sent off for a second bookable offence.
Sane wad replaced at half-time and City manager Pep Guardiola later said he feared he could be "out for a while," possibly a month.
While confirming the nature of the injury, City did not put a time table on a return for Sane, who was scored 11 goals and provided 14 assists in all competitions this season.
"I suffered ankle ligament damage, but I think it isn't bad as it looked," Sane wrote in Twitter. "My rehab will start soon and I'm motivated to be back on the pitch as soon as possible!"
Guardiola was furious about the challenge, and about a later one by Bennett on Brahim Diaz, and went onto the field after the final whistle to complain to referee Lee Mason.
Bennett was shown a second yellow for his challenge on Diaz.
Guardiola later called for referees to do more to protect players from bad challenges.

AFP/London