Messi Strikes Late To Down Tough Alaves

Barcelona escaped a scare on Philipe Coutinho's first start ad Lionel Messi struck with a trademark free-kick to drag the La Liga leader back from a goal down to beat Alaves 2-1 and restore its 11-point lead at the top.
Messi whipped home a beautiful free-kick six minutes from the end to down resilient Alaves, which just two points from the drop zone in 17th despite John Guidetti silencing the Camp Nou with a shock breakaway opener in the 23rd minute.
Luis Suarez had broken the away's side tough resistance with a sweet volley from Andres Iniesta's cross 18 minutes from the end, setting the stage for Messi's dramatic and stylish winner.
The Argentine's strije ensures that Barca stay unbeaten in the league, and keeps Atletico Madrid 11 points back despite their 3-0 hammering of Las Palmas earlier.
Barca coach Ernesto Valverdes said he was happy with Coutinho who had started Thursday's Copa del Rey clash with Valencia on the bench before making a second half appearance.
"Players are not machines who can fit in at once, like a new part," said Valverde.
"He did well, he wanted the ball. This is one more step for him. The other day, he played 25 minutes, this time a little more, he will integrate little by little."
With Diego Costa ouy injured, Atletico took a while to get going and had to wait until the 61st minute to open the scoring, Antoine Griezmann latching on to Juanfran's fine ball down the right flank before dinking neatly over Las Palmas stopper Leandro Chichizola.
"The first half was not very good but the coach gave us a good talking to at half-time, and we responded well," said Griezmann, whose goal was just his seventh in the league this season but his fourth in league and cup since the turn of the year.
"I feel good, I've started the year well and I hope to continue the goals and assists."
Frenchman Griezmann started the move that led to Atletico's second, intercepting a loose pass and setting Angel Correa free to scamper down the pitch and feed Fernando Torres, who shifted the ball onto his right foot and lashed home just his second goal of the season, the 600th scored by Atletico in all competitions during Diego Simeone's seven-year reign as coach.
An easy tap-in from Thomas Partey after great work from Yannick Carrasco two minutes from time completed the second-half rout of a desperate Las Palmas, who remain second from bottom and five points from safety.
Sevilla were denied the chance to close within three points of Real Madrid and the Champions League places after Angel Rodriguez scored a controversial equaliser deep in stoppage time to snatch a 1-1 draw for Getafe at the Roman Sanchez Pizjuan stadium. Luis Muriel had slid in a 72nd-minute opener for hosts but with seconds to spare Juan Cala challenged Sevilla keeper Sergio Rico for a hopeful high ball, and with the Sevilla fans and players clamoring for a free-kick, Angel lashed home the leveler and celebrated under a hail of whistles and boos.

Agence France-Presse
Madrid

Guardiola Urges Referees To Protect Players After Sane Injury

Pep Guardiola has called upon referees to provide greater protection for players after Leroy Sane wad injured during Manchester City's 2-0 FA Cup win away to Cardiff on Sunday.
First-half goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling ensured Premier League leader City stayed onna course for the last 16 of the FA Cup.
But some of the shine of this latest victory waw removed when Sane failed to take the field for the second half after a bad tackle by Joe Bennett left the Germany winger with an ankle injury.
Cardiff defender Bennett was sent off in the closing seconds for yet another poor tackle on City substitute Brahim Diaz.
"He (Sane) will be out for a while - minimum two weeks, three weeks, one month, we will see tomorrow exactly," said City manager Guardiola.
"I said many times the only thing they (referees) have to do is protect the players.
"I can accept our disallowed goal, I don't know why but I accept. But please protect the players.
"Not the Man City players, all players. The only thing they can do is that - to protect the players - because it would not happen again.
"It happened once with Leroy, then it happened with Brahim again at the end.
"So for the football in general, and for the players who are the artist, they must do that. That's why we are all here."
Guardiola saw his fears echoed by the German soccer federation for which Sane will play a key role in the World Cup in Russia later this year.
"Hey, @CardiffCityFC. Just letting you know, we have a really important tournament in the summer. Please don't hurt our players. Thanks, #inSane," tweeted @DFB_Team_EN.
City is 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League and faces Arsenal in the League Cup final next month, when it also resumes its Champions League campaign.
"There are no words to describe the pride I feel about my players and my team," Guardiola said. "We have played many games and we do not have a big squad because of so many injuries and players with problems."
Neil Warnock, the manager of second-tier Cardiff, defended his side's approach by insisting City had been guilty of some poor challenges as well.
"They dished it out a bit, they had one or two naughty tackles," Warnock said. "He (Guardiola) is in England, what do you expect?
"I suppose when you're like that, you want everything to be nice, pretty and perfect. But you don't get that here, you get different challenges.
"They're so quick, that's the problem, with the movement and everything else, you think you're there and all of a sudden he's gone."
Warnock, however, did slam Bennett for a red card which has ruled the full-back out of next weekend's Champuonship trip to Leeds.

Agence France-Presse
London

Teves 'Feels Alive Again' On Boca Return

Carlos Tevez said he felt "alive again" after marking the start of his third spell with Boca Juniors by setting-up a goal in his team's 2-0 win over Colon de Santa Fe.
The former Manchester United and Juventus striker - who turns 34 next week - is back at his chilhood club after a miserable and controversial brief spell with Chinese club Shanghai Ahenhua.
Cristian Pavon gave Boca a second-minute lead with Charrua Nandez adding the second just after the hour mark in Saturday's game.
"It's exciting to feel being alive again," Teves, who was named captain for the match, told Argentine television channel TyC Sports?
Despitr lacking match fitness, Teves did have a helping hand in Nandez's goal while falling victim to a foul by Gustavo Toledo who was sent-off for his troubles in the 71st minute.
"It's an extra motivation for me that people continue to show the same affection. I enjoyed every moment."
The win allowed Boca to move to 33 points and increase their lead at the top of the table to aix points from San Lorenzo.
Teves, who earlier played for Boca between 2001-2004 and 2015-2016, arrived back in Argentina after describing his time at Shanghai Shenhua as a "holiday." He was widely criticized in China as he struggled to form after Shenhua reportedly made him the world's highest paid player on a weekly salary of €730,000 (US$899,000).

AFP/Buenos Aires

Mertens Keeps Napoli Top, Milan Stalls Lazio

Dries Mertens scored a double as Napoli reclaimed top spot in Serie A ahead of Juventus with a 3-1 win over Bologna on Sunday as AC Milan rekindled its push for Europe with a 2-1 win over Lazio.
Napoli restored its one-point advantage over champion Juventus that had moved top after Sami Khedira and Gonzalo Higuain scrored in a 2-0 win at nine-man Chievo on Saturday.
The championship battle looks increasingly like a two-horse race as behind the leader Lazio - ten points off Juventus in third - Inter Milan and Roma all failed to win.
I think this battle with Napoli will last for the whole season," said Germany internatioal Kehira.
"We worked hard during the break, the season is long and we're still in the running in all competitions - we want to be there until the end in every one."
In Naples, it proved to be a battle with Rodrigo Palacio nodding Bologna ahead after 25 seconds before an Ibrahima Mbaye own goal four minutes later pulled the host back.

AFP/Milan

Klopp Still Backs VAR Despite Liverpool's FA Cup Exit

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insisted he remained a fan of the controversial video assistant referee system despite his team's bitterly disappointing 3-2 defeat by West Bromwich Albion in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Match referee Craig Pawson used the system no fewer than eight times during an eventful game at Anfield on Saturday, with VAR being trialed in English Cup competitions this season.
Three of those referrals, all in the first half, proved hugely important as Pawson and VAR Andre Marriner, based in a London television studio, disallowed a West Brom goal, awarded Liverpool a penalty and then allowed an Albion goal to stand.
"I think it's normal that it will change things," said Klopp. "Is it nice that West Brom celebrate a goal then somebody tells them it's not a goal? No, but I think it's important if a goal needs to be disallowed, it is disallowed.
"Normally after a game I have to explain to you (the media) a defeat which was not deserved because we didn't get a penalty or they scored another goal. Is it cool in January to have delays when it's cold, especially for the players? Maybe not.
"But it will become smoother and more fluent in the future," the German added.
In truth, Klopp and Liverpool benefitted from two of those three decisions and cold have been facing an even greater defeat had they not done so.
Roberto Firmino handed Liverpool an early lead only for Jay Rodriguez to score twice and Craig Dawson to add a third goal in first-half injury-time via defender Joel Matip, but only after the VAR ruled Rodriguez had not been offside.
Of the only two key VAR decisions, Pawson decided Gareth Barry was offside when Dawson headed in what would have been West Brom's third goal and then correctly judged that Jake Livermore fouled Mo Salah for a penalty which Firmino struck onto the crossbar.
Despite the victory, Albion manager Alan Pardew admitted he was amused by what he has witnessed.
"It's hard to know where to start," he said after his side, threatened with relegation from the Premier League, beat fourth-placed Liverpool.
"I don't think that is what we want to see going forward, whether you are a Liverpool or West Brom fan.
"Firstly there is no communication from the referee to us. Like in the NFL (American football), when there is a call and they say they are going to look at that.
"Then they reversed the Dawson goal, which if it wasn't for the system, would never have been dissalowed in any league game.
"The fourth official said it was offside, which surprises me from a corner. I have looked  at it and it is really marginal."
The experienced English boss added: "There is a question there. Are we going to start taking goals away from the entertainment for those slight margins? That is a worrt.
"The second one, you can argue Jake has lifted his arm. But would he have got a penalty in a normal game without VAR? I don't know.
"Buy the bigger decision was the four minutes for the Salah decision. You are going from high tempo work-rate to nothing. We had a hamstring (injury) just aftet that. As a coach, we have to get our players to mentally warm-up in that situation and keep themselves ticking over.
"You could say that is a lack of professionalism against us. I don't know. It is just bizarre. As a football person on the sidelines, I wasn't comfortable with the first half. It was a mysterious situation at times."
Liverpool was marginally better in the second half but could only add a consolation goal through Salah.
"I don't like to say it, but it's the truth," said Klopp. "West Brom deserved to win the game."

Ian Whittell
Agence France-Presse/Liverpool

English Teen Sancho Making Waves for Dortmund

An Englishmam is making waves in the Bundesliga with teen star Jadon Sancho, 17, showing off the skills at Borussia Dortmund which Pep Guardila watched slip away.
With their top-scoring striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sidelined as he chases a move to Arsenal, England Under-19 winger Sancho has been dazzling for Dortmund.
After he suddenly quit Manchester City last August, a move which shocked the club's head coach Guardiola, Sancho broke into Dortmund's first team a fortnight agp.
In order to move to Germany, Sancho reportedly rejected a £30,000 (€34,281, US$42,834) a week offer from City.
It left Guardiola claiming the Manchester giants could not have done more to keep Sancho, who cost Dortmund around €8 million.
Sancho, who turns 18 in March, started his first Bundesliga match a fortnight ago in a goalless draw at home to Wolfsburg and hit the post in the second-half.
The left winger played a key role in Dortmund's 1-1 draw at Hertha Berlin last Friday.
After Hertha scored early in the second-half, it was Sancho's cross which led to Shinji Kagawa's equalizer for Dortmund.
Sancho then linked up with Alexander Isak, 18, causing havoc down the left flank after the Swedish striker came off the bench.
Sancho fired just over the bar while Isak clipped the woodwork.
The teenagers are poised to link up again this Saturday when resurgent Freiburg - who are on a seven-match unbeaten run - visit Dortmund.
"He's a very good player, he's still very young, but I think we will have a lot of fun with him in the future," Dortmund head coach Peter Stoeger said of Sancho on Thursday.
The Englishman's talents are nothing new for Stoeger.
The Austrian had already tried to bring him to bottom side Cologne before the club fired Stoeger in December. A week later he replaced Peter Bosz at Dortmund.
Sancho originally seemed to be a long-term investment for Dortmund when he arrived last August.
He inherited Ousmane Dembele's No. 7 shirt, but spent the first-half of the season mostly with Dortmund's U-19 squad in the UEFA Youth League.
However, aftet Stoeger took charge, Sancho started in a friendly win against Fortuna Duesseldorf earlier this month in Marbella.
He has not looked back since the Spanish training camp.
"I'm in a happy place at the moment," Sancho told Bundesliga.com after atarting against Wolfsburg.
"I am just thankful the manager has faith in me and his team, that's a big thing for me, because I need to improve as a player.
Dortmund are 

Buffon Sets For Return, Lazio Prepares For Milan Match

Gianluigi Buffon is set to make his long-awaited return for Juventus as in-form Lazio travel to AC Milan for the first of their double header in Serie A action this weekend.
Veteran goalkeeper Buffon returns against Chievo on the weekend he turns 40 after struggling with a calf injury since the 1-0 win over Napoli on Dec. 1.
In his absence Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has impressed, conceding just one goal in seven Serie A games as the Turin side continue their push for a seventh straight Serie A title.
Juventus are just one point behind leaders Napoli after 21 games with Maurizio Sarri's side hosting Bologna on Sunday.
Massimiliano Allegri will be counting on bringing home all three points against Chievo, in 13th, and without a win in two months.
"Playing these kinds of games is always difficult, "said Juventus' Moroccan defender Medhi Benatia.
"If you face Inter or Roma, the coach does not even need to talk. Everyone is focused and ready to give their best.
"In games like the one on Saturday you can led to think that is easier to get a positive result, but that's not true.
"It will be a battle and we will have to be ready on both a physical and mental level."
The Italian championship looks increasingly like a two-horse race between Napoli and Juventus.
But Lazio, although seven points behind Juventus in third, have been picking up steam.
The Romans play AC Milan at the San Siro on Sunday in the first of a double header with the teams clashing again in the Italian Cup three days later.
Lazio are the Serie A's top scorers with 56 goals, including 13 in their last three games.
By contrast Milan are stuck in seventh position 15 points behind Lazio, despite the high ambitions and cash injected by their Chinese owners last summer.
"Lazio were a surprise for many people. We are up there now and they're starting to talk about us a little morw," said coach Simone Inzaghi.
Behind the leading trio Inter Milan and Roma have lost pacein recent weeks.
New Brazilian signing Rafinha is expected to make his debut as Inter look to get back winning at SPAL.
Luciano Spalletti's side have failed to record a victory since Dec. 3 with just four points from their last six games.
Inter are fourth and in the final Champions League position for next season but are increasingly under pressure.
Roma - fifth two points behind Inter - will play Sampdoria for the second time in the week after a 1-1 draw in Genoa last Wednesday.

Emmeline Moore
Agence France-Presse/Milan