BPL - Sport: BLUES CRUISE PAST WEST HAM Terry and Costa keep Chelsea on top

Chelsea beat West Ham 2-0 in the first of the Boxing Day fixtures to stay top of the Premier League table.

John Terry and Diego Costa scored in Mourinho's side's win at Stamford Bridge. Terry gave the home side the lead when he got on the end of a Costa header after a corner. The Brazilian-born Spain international sealed the points with a trademark goal. 

Source - Marca

Sport: Man City - PELLEGRINI'S MEN TAKE ALL 3 POINTS AGAINST WEST BROM

 City's snow-capped goal-fest. Fernando opened up the scoring just 8 minutes after kick-off after taking advantage of the West Brom keeper's blooper: Four minutes later, Yaya Touré made it his team's second from the penalty spot. 11 minutes before half time, David Silva hit a well-placed low shot from inside the box, making it 3-0 to City.

Source - Marca

BPL: ROONEY, FALCAO AND MATA FINISH OFF NEWCASTLE Red Devils indeed

In their Boxing Day fixture at Old Trafford against Newcastle United, Manchester United were infinitely the better side, and three of their players proved decisive - Falcao, Rooney and Mata.

Between the three of them they cooked up the first two United goals, and then Rooney created the third for Van Persie to finish Newcastle off with a beautifully measured 40-yard ball towards the far post in the second half. Red devils, they certainly were.

It wasn't Newcastle's day and they had no resistance to the power of Manchester United. Van Gaal's side went on to the pitch with the aim of not losing sight of league leaders Chelsea, who had already beaten West Ham 2-0 earlier on.

Mata and Rooney were the driving force of the team, and Falcao fought the Newcastle defence time and again for every ball. They were the three best players on the pitch.

The first goal came in the 22nd minute. Mata put through a long ball to Falcao, who threw himself onto the ground, managing to flip the ball over to Rooney, who scored. The second goal came five minutes later, with the same players; Falcao laid off the ball to Mata, who passed it to Rooney to take his second strike.

The third goal came in the 53rd minute. Rooney changed roles and sent a carefully judged centre into the area. Van Persie out-jumped the defender marking him and headed the ball home. Van Gaal then made a few changes to rest some of his players.

Newcastle recovered a little in the final stages of the game, and got one goal back through a Cissé penalty, but it was a mere consolation prize and the game ended 3-1. 

Source - Marca

MISSES A PENALTY, SCORES AND ASSISTS AGAINST QPR Alexis does the works with Arsenal

Chilean player Alexis Sánchez led Arsenal to a 2-1 victory against Queens Park Rangers, allowing his team to get back to winning ways and near the top part of the league table headed by the mighty Chelsea.

Alexis managed to shrug off the penalty he missed in the ninth minute, blocked by QPR keeper Robert Green. After that hiccup, the player and his teammates pressed hard, keeping their rivals firmly on the back foot for the rest of the game.

Luis Suárez: "We'll try to win something"

Luis Suárez has been talking about his first few months at Barcelona. He assures that it was a dream come true when he signed for Barça, even though on a personal level he was having a difficult time.

On adapting: "When you come to a new club it's always hard to adapt, but you are a professional and have to be able to adapt to any changing circumstances. Always being able to play is good for you, and of course in my particular case I was out of the game at the time".

On Luis Enrique: "Everybody knows that he is very demanding. Having a trainer who wants to get the most out of you every day is a good thing as you are not allowed to relax at any moment. I firmly believe that he was one of those who brought me here".

On the Barcelona attacking trio: "I don't know if opponents are afraid of us, but they will have to be careful. Everybody knows about the quality of Messi and Neymar. An opponent should be respected but they have to take care as these guys have the quality necessary to decide a game".

His overview of 2014: "I've come to Barcelona, one of my dreams has come true and in that sense I can say it has been an incredible year, though on a personal level I've had some hard times which I would rather forget about".

His hopes for 2015: "My top priority is my family's health, and on a personal level, a lot of successes. We are at a club where successes can be achieved. We will try to win some titles by the end of the season".

Source - Marca

Sport: Neymar: "I don't know if I'll ever be as good as Messi or Cristiano"

In an interview given to 'Globoesporte' at the opening of the facilities at the Instituto Neymar Jr. project, Neymar said that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are on another level to any other player and that reaching them is no easy feat: "I don't know if I'll ever be as good as Messi or Cristiano. They're better than everybody else out there right now. It's hard to compete with them. I just hope to keep improving and bettering myself every day".

The Brazilian also spoke about his arrival at Barcelona eighteen months ago: "Things take time. I'm improving every day, every season. I think it's been a good experience. I was happy at Santos, but was looking for a change of scenery, with bigger challenges, and I hope to continue being happy".

To conclude, Neymar took stock of 2014: "It was a year of learning. I had my ups and downs. I know I have to keep improving my game and can't just rest on my laurels. I have to get better and better. That's the lesson I learnt during 2014".

Source - Marca

Khedira Saga Continue- Khedira: Talk to the hand

Everyone at Real Madrid is gobsmacked withSami Khedira. From his teammates to the club's directors and fans. They just can't fathom the player out.

The German might sign for any other club any day now, as on 1st January, he moves into the final stretch of his contract, which runs out on 30th June, 2015.

Not a word has passed Khedira's lips since last July, when Real Madrid presented another offer for his renewal and the player turned it down. Since then, he has been as quiet as a church mouse.

Ancelotti has been hoping during all this time that the player would at some point finally give in and put pen to paper. But this has not been the case.

Kheidra arrived at Real after the South African World Cup in 2010. All was good with him until last summer he let it be known that he was looking for a move. His club decided to make moves to ensure his continuance. They presented him with two renewal proposals that were both turned down. The first one was met with a firm 'no' shortly after picking up a ligament injury while playing for his country. The second was turned down after his return from the World Cup tournament.

Since then, the player has said nothing. Faced with this wall of silence, Real decided not to play him during the summer, but Xabi Alonso's departure changed things completely. Unfortunately, he once again became injured. So far, he has taken part in eight matches, clocking up 249 minutes of game time.

Source - Marca

Football Transfer: Bayern casting long shadow over Khedira

Several clubs have been linked withSami Khedira, chief among them Bayern and Arsenal, who have repeatedly been mooted as possible destinations for the midfielder. Though they have denied any contact with the World Cup winner, the Bernabéu suits are inclined to believe that there is no smoke without fire.

The Bavarian giants in particular are regarded with suspicion in Madrid, where there is a feeling that Bayern still hold a personal grudge over the loss of Toni Kroos and are determined to get even. The fans remain unable to understand, let alone accept, Kroos's departure and the higher-ups at the Allianz Arena want to respond with a coup that could heal some of those wounds.

Real Madrid plan to make another attempt to persuade Khedira to sign a new contract. Some consider this merely for show, a matter of course. However, such a move would also please Carlo Ancelotti, who considers that Khedira still has a lot to offer - particularly in the current circumstances, with Luka Modric injured and Asier Illarramendi yet to do enough to hold down a place. The latter point was hammered home by the ex-Real Sociedad man being named on the bench for the Club World Cup final in Marrakech.

The club can't help but feel that it is typical of German players to run down their contracts - they secured Kroos in part thanks to such tactics - and that Khedira's mind is made up. That won't prevent Florentino Pérez and co. from trying to talk the 27-year-old round, though.

Source - Marca

James named Sports Personality of the Year

James Rodríguez has been named the 2014 Sports Personality of the Year by America's International Sports Press Association. The Colombian footballer played a key role in Colombia's World Cup campaign in Brazil, as well as scoring the goal of the tournament against Uruguay and winning the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer, with six goals.

On the back of his outstanding World Cup performances, James joined Real Madrid, where he quickly established himself in Carlo Ancelotti's team. In barely four months with 'Los Blancos', he has already won the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

"There's such a gulf between Cristiano Ronaldo and second best" - Jorge Mendez

Cristiano Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes was again full of praise for his player, who he said could even have a future in acting.

In an interview to 'Globoesporte', Mendes again bigged up the Real Madrid striker's talents, describing him as "football's greatest-ever player", before adding that "it'll be impossible for anyone to emulate him in the future. There's just such a gulf between him and second best".

When asked whether Real Madrid should retire the number 7 shirt when Cristiano Ronaldo hangs up his boots, he said: "I think they should. I respect great players like Raúl and Di Stefano, but none of them compare to Cristiano Ronaldo", he explained.

"Cristiano Ronaldo kicked off Real Madrid's transformation. Five or six years ago, the team were not as good as they are now. They weren't Barcelona, whom everybody considered the greatest team ever", he said.

Regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's future, he said that "he'll stay at Real Madrid for a long time because he is still very keen to win more trophies with the club".

"Braga's Danilo will be the best Brazilian midfielder of the next few years. Neymar is the best Brazilian player. He isn't Cristiano, but he's very talented and will definitely be up there amongst the world's top players over the next few years. However, he was unlucky, because when he came on the scene there was already a Cristiano Ronaldo", he said.

When asked whether Cristiano Ronaldo had a future in acting, he did not rule it out, saying "Maybe, because he has the talent".

Source- Marca

BIG BUSSINESS: Real madrid want to reach €700 Million

Ramos's goal in Lisbon is not going to be quickly forgotten.

Just a few days ago, that 93rd-minute goal along with a couple more Sergio Ramos goals, brought Real Madrid the World Champions title. The celebrations at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon sealed the Champions League but also laid the foundations of the strategy for the immediate future of the club.

The Real Madrid board believe that the club's means of generating income have to be changed. For this to happen it was essential for them to win the 'Décima'. Market research has been carried out which shows that that goal in Lisbon, and the ones that came in extra time could be worth €200 million, thanks to the international expansion policy launched by the club.

Florentino Pérez and his team want to make big changes to the ways the club generates income, and their main aim is that audiovisual rights should cease to be the biggest part of it, and that marketing should play a larger role than in the 2013-2014 season, when it represented 32% of the €550 million operating revenues of the club.

The plan is for this to reach 40%, which will mean a total potential income of €700 million over last season's figure of €603.9 million, with the figure of €800 million as an outside challenge.

Source - Marca

Messi gunning for major league crown

Lionel Messiis a rapacious record-breaker. He has smashed all sorts of records in recent seasons and this year he has twice added his name to the history books, dethroning two legends in Telmo Zarra and Raúl as the top scorer in La Liga and the Champions League respectively. The Argentine's running total stands at 257 goals in the Spanish top flight and 75 in Europe's premier club competition.

Now, with the new year looming, the Barça man has another target in his sights: becoming the leading marksman in the history of Europe's biggest leagues. He is already within striking distance of surpassing the current records in the Premier League, Serie A and Ligue I, but the Bundesliga mark is somewhat further away.

Messi's 257 goals put him just three behind Alan Shearer's Premier League-highest tally of 260. It is worth remembering, however, that the Premier League was only founded in 1992: Jimmy Greaves is the all-time leading scorer in English top-flight history with 357 goals. The next person in line after Shearer is Silvio Piola, who notched 274 times in Serie A. Eclipsing the Ligue I record will likely have to wait until next season, though, as Messi is still 42 goals behind Delio Onnis, who scored 299 times in league action for Monaco.

The biggest challenge Messi faces comes from Germany. The ultimate fox in the box in football history, Gerd Müller, netted some 365 times in the Bundesliga, but there is one man who was even more prolific. Uwe Seeler managed 404 goals between the Oberliga - the Bundesliga's predecessor - and the German top flight under its current name.

Source - Marca

Cr7 Leads Messi 25-15 Goals In League Scoring Table

Cr7 In a league of his own

The past year has seen a change at the pinnacle of world football, withCristiano Ronaldothrusting himself to the fore through goals, trophies and individual honours.

Leaving aside the World Cup, when he was clearly hampered by injury, the Real Madrid star's performances over the last 12 months have been so consistently brilliant and his stats so impressive that barely a few years ago they would have been unfathomable.

Both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi belong to that select band of greats who have been touched by the gods. They may walk on the same ground and breathe the same air as the rest of us, but they are of a higher order and their feats have long eclipsed what mere mortals are capable of.

In 2014, the Portuguese ace has outscored the Argentine by six goals at club level (56 to 50), though the Barça man played a game more. The difference becomes more conspicuous when strike rates are considered: while Cristiano has racked up 1.10 goals a game, Messi has averaged 0.96 goals per encounter.

The gap widens when only La Liga is taken into account. The 'Azulgranas' maestro has netted 35 times in 36 league appearances, while CR7 has bagged 38 goals in 28 fixtures in the Spanish top flight, giving him an extraordinary strike rate of almost 1.36 goals a match.

The biggest factor in this disparity is Ronaldo's extraordinary start to the 2014-15 season. The ex-Manchester United forward has got his name on the scoresheet 25 times in just 14 La Liga appearances this term, while his closest challenger - Messi, who else? - has 15 goals under his belt.

Source - Marca

Bale going nowhere

Gareth Balewill not be moved. In fact, the club's plans for the near future hinge on him. Though the Bernabéu higher-ups acknowledge that he isn't getting the most out of his ability right now, they already consider the Welshman a key figure and feel he can play an even bigger role further down the line. He was a Florentino Pérez signing and no one at the club will so much as entertain offers for him. On top of this, the forward himself has no intention of leaving.

Whatever the debates over Bale's all-round contribution, his continued struggles to adapt to Spanish culture - especially because of the language - and whether he is being used in the right position, there is no doubt that the former Tottenham man is staying put.

Source - Marca 

Guardian goes for Ronaldo over Messi as 2014's best player

British newspaper The Guardian has givenCristiano Ronaldothe nod ahead of Leo Messi as the best player in the world in 2014.

Since December 2012 the paper has compiled an annual list of the 100 top players in the year gone by. On this occasion, a 73-strong panel hailing from 28 countries cast close to 3,000 votes on the way to drawing up the rankings, and CR7 came out clearly on top.

According to The Guardian, "What is certain is that taking the year as a whole Ronaldo has been the single dominant figure, a phenomenal influence in the world's champion club team, with 56 goals in 51 matches overall, along with league title, Champions League and Club World Club medals for Real Madrid".

Some 74% of the experts on the jury voted for Cristiano as their no. 1 pick, meaning the Portugal captain comprehensively dethroned Messi, who had topped the list for the previous two years. In 2013 the Barcelona talisman captured 60% of the votes as the world's best player, while incredibly in 2012 his case was backed by every single one of the experts involved.

This time around, however, only 12% named the Argentine on top, despite Messi "continuing to perform miracles of incision in La Liga", as the paper's summary put it.

Four other players were nominated as the world's best player by at least one member of the panel: Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, a Ballon d'Or candidate, got 8% of the votes; his fellow German and teammate, Thomas Müller, got 4%; while Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba joined another Bayern star, Arjen Robben, with a vote each.

Source - Marca English Version

Meet Lil Wayne's new tattoo with illuminati Symbol

How do you put this kind of thing on your face/chin? This is very scary Lil wayne tattoo has   gone to another level

Chris Brown shares sad photo

Any way there must be something wrong with him at the moment but i don't pity him at all because

may be there enjoying himself with his girl friend... He just shared it to have fun.

Bomb blast in Gombe motor park, 15 people reported dead

At least 15 people have been confirmed dead after a bomb went off at the Dukku motor park in Gombe state this morning Dec. 22nd. The blast occurred around 11am when passengers traveling for the Christmas holiday were in the park.

New photos of alleged T72 tanks bought to fight Boko Haram

Last week, I shared a mail and photo of T72 tanks allegedly recently acquired by the federal govt to tackle Boko Haram. (read here). It was from a man claimed to be an officer but many of you doubted its authenticity. Well, he just sent me an update with new photos. Read below...

After reading the comments and most people are in doubt if the tanks are in Nigeria, here are more evidence to proof that the T72 computerized tanks are in Nigeria. And the real war has just begun, this administration will flush out BH now.

Please find attach pix of the T72 tanks with our boys to proof critics that the tanks are in Nigeria and are ready to flush BH for good. With the immense support from the administration, the boys morals are high and ready to maintain the army's integrity.

Photos: Another Florida police officer killed

Charles Kondek (pictured left), a 45 year old police officer and a 17-year veteran of the local police department was shot and killed yesterday Dec. 21st in Tarpon Springs, Florida, by 23 year old Marco Antonio Parilla Jr (pictured right), a fugitive wanted for a parole violation.

The married father of six was killed while responding to a noise complaint at an apartment complex. According to reports, Kondek arrived at the complex and saw Marco confronting another man with a gun in his waistline. When Marco spotted the officer, he immediately opened fire, killing the officer.

He then stole a car and ran over the cop he'd just shot but he then lost control of the car and hit a power pole. That was where he was apprehended by back up police.

Marco later told police he killed Kondek because he did not want to return to prison. He has now been jailed on first-degree murder charges.

Nigeria's foreign reserve drops by $500million in the last one week

Nigeria’s foreign reserve has depreciated by $544million in the last one week. According to Daily Independent, figures posted on the website of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN shows the nation’s foreign reserves stood at $35,740,495,640 as at December 11, but fell to $35,196,352,296 as at last week, December 18.

This fall in foreign reserves is coming despite the devaluation of Nigeria's Naira. According to the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, a large sum form the foreign reserves is being spent in defending the Naira from falling following its devaluation.

According to the governor,

“The CBN took the decision that it would be sub-optimal to continue to use up the country’s reserves in defending the Naira. This decision was right because neither the Central Bank nor the Federal Government is in control of the major factors causing the depreciation of the nation’s currency. In fact, the Russian Central Bank has abandoned its defence of the currency and allowed its depreciation, but only after it was said to have spent over $90 billion in defending the currency.”.

Photo: Bomb attack foiled in Yobe state

A statement from the Nigerian Police below...

On December 16th at about 9:10am, military personnel on Stop and Search along Potiskum Road by Ashaka/Bajoga Junction intercepted one Honda Odyssey vehicle with registration number AT 670 DKA (Yobe) driven by a man later identified as Nuru Fika. The driver who claimed that the car was faulty requested the security personnel to assist him in pushing the car. But the driver was requested to open the booth for searching which he refused. The booth was forced opened and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) were discovered there in. The driver took to flight but was arrested after sustaining gunshot wound, he was pronounced dead at the Hospital. Police EOD team moved to the scene where ten (10) cylinders were recovered from different compartments of the vehicle, all recovered IEDs were safely detonated. State CID Gombe is investigating.

Real Madrid lead Barça 79 titles to 78

Comparisons with Barcelona are par for the course and with Real Madrid now the new 'kings of the world' it was bound to happen again. 'Los Blancos' have got firmly back to winning ways and that has seen them once again overtake Barcelona as Spanish football's most decorated side. With the Club World Cup in their trophy cabinet, 'Los Blancos' now lead their La Liga rivals by 79 titles to 78.

Cristiano Ronaldo and co. already had the chance to overtake the Catalans in August. They drew level with Luis Enrique's side when they beat Sevilla to win the UEFA Super Cup, but they could not finish the job and were defeated by Atlético de Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup. However, it was just a matter of time as winning the Champions League gave them the chance to play in yet another final at the end of the year, the Club World Cup, a chance they took full advantage of to clinch another title and reclaim top spot in Spain's silverware charts. Real Madrid are truly back on top.

Carlo Ancelotti's men's trophy-laden 2014 has been key to gaining ground on and overhauling Barcelona, and in terms of trophies it's been a whitewash.

Source - MARCA.com (English version)

Sterling captures Golden Boy gong

Liverpool winger-cum-forward Raheem Sterling has been awarded the prestigious Golden Boy prize, handed out each year to the best young player in Europe as judged by Italian sports paper Tuttosport.

Sterling got the nod ahead of Lille's Belgian striker Divock Origi and PSG's Brazilian centre-back Marquinhos, becoming only the second Englishman to be given the accolade, after Wayne Rooney a decade ago. The 20-year-old Jamaica-born starlet succeeds Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba in the Golden Boy throne, while Real Madrid playmaker Isco won the award in 2012 back when he was at Málaga.

Source - MARCA.com (English version)

2014, Real's annus mirabilis

2014 will take pride of place in Real Madrid's history books, being remembered for the conquest of four pieces of silverware spanning two seasons, two apiece in 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Last term, 'Los Blancos' beat their biggest rivals - Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid - to claim Copa del Rey and Champions League glory.

The 'Décima' victory in Lisbon paved the way for Carlo Ancelotti's men to feature in and win two further competitions: the UEFA Super Cup, in which Sevilla were defeated in Cardiff, and the Club World Cup in Morocco, sealed with a comfortable triumph over San Lorenzo.

Messi signs off on another cracking year

Lionel Messijust keeps pulling it off again and again with Barcelona. The Argentinean star put in another cracking performance in the gameagainst Córdoba.

Messi scored twice, but this time with his right foot - something relatively uncommon for the left-footed player.

The first goal was a belter. The ball fell to him in the area on his right and he smashed it into the top corner. The Córdoba keeper had no chance.

For the second, he brilliantly brought the ball down and fired it at the near post. The goalkeeper Juan Carlos got a hand to it, but was unable to palm it away.

Messi netted another two goals to finish 2014 with a haul of 58 and 22 assists in 66 matches (52 for Barça and 14 for Argentina). Figures like this are the perfect response to those who claim the Argentine has been on poor form for several months.

It has been a big year for Lionel Messi. He crowned himself the top scorer in the history of the Spanish league after surpassing Telmo Zarra's record. He is also the top scorer in the history of the Champions League. Furthermore, Lionel Messi took home the Golden Ball award at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Messi is one of the three nominees for the 2014 Ballon d'Or. The other two are Cristiano Ronaldo and Manuel Neuer.

Source - MARCA.com (English version)

Club World Cup takes centre stage at old boys' lunch

The Club World Cup trophy won by Real Madrid in Marrakech, where they beat San Lorenzo, was on display at the Christmas lunch held at the Santiago Bernabéu by the club's Former Players Association.

Source - MARCA.com (English version)

Cazorla hit by De Jong-esque challenge

MARCA TV | BORINI'S DANGEROUS STUDS-UP LUNGE

Santi Cazorla was on the receiving end of a terrible challenge away at Liverpool, bearing the brunt of Fabio Borini's studs in a sequence reminiscent of Nigel de Jong's infamous karate kick on Xabi Alonso.

De Jong's 'tackle' on Xabi Alonso during the 2010 World Cup final.

Read more:Cazorla hit by De Jong-esque challenge - MARCA.com (English version)

Read more:Cazorla hit by De Jong-esque challenge - MARCA.com (English version)

Diego López: "I'm in the best moment of my career"

Although the man of the match in the 0-0 draw between Roma and Milan was 'Rossoneri' defender Philippe Mexès, Spaniard Diego López proved decisive with a string of saves: "I'm in the best moment of my career", López told Sky television.

The match aside, after congratulating Real Madrid on their victory in the Club World Cup, López said he was enjoying life at Milan: "I'm very happy here and I can get even better with the help of my teammates". Meanwhile, Fernando Torres spent the entire game watching from the bench.

Source - MARCA.com (English version)

Muhammad Ali in hospital with touch of pneumonia

Muhammad Ali, 72, considered by many to be the best boxer of all time, was taken to hospital on Saturday with a touch of pneumonia.

Ali, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, is in hospital but his family don't want to say which one, even though the pneumonia is "slight", according to reports. It is hoped his stay in hospital will be a short one, as his condition is stable, sources have stated.

Named 'King of Boxing' by the World Boxing Council in 2012, Muhammad Ali lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona, and for many he is the greatest boxer of all time. Besides his talent in the ring, he has also gone down in history for his gift of the gab, which spawned catchphrases like "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee".

Source - MARCA.com (English version)

MADEIRA PAYS TRIBUTE TO FAVOURITE SON Cristiano: "My aim is to win the Champions League again"

Cristiano Ronaldounveiled a statue of himself on the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira, his homeland, and revealed his aim for the coming year: to "win the Champions League again" with Real Madrid. The forward also received a medal of honour, the highest distinction from the regional government.

During a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Regional Legislative Assembly, Cristiano expressed his gratitude and delight: "It is an honour to be back in Madeira, where I grew up and I have my roots and my family. It means a lot to me and it is a huge privilege to be here with the Madeiran people".

Cristiano standing tall at 2 metres and 40 centimetres
The bronze statue is two metres and 40 centimetres high and weighs 800 kg. It is located in the port of Funchal, the capital of Madeira, near the museum dedicated to the player, which has become a tourist attraction in the region.

During the tribute, organised by a local newspaper and attended by hundreds of Madeirans, the footballer's mother was visibly touched and Cristiano acknowledged that these types of testimonials delight him.

"It is a privilege to be on my island, where I have my roots, my education, and where my football life began", Ronaldo said, before adding that without his family "it would not have been possible" to achieve what he has achieved.

Source - MARCA.com (English version)

Cesc Fábregas: "I would love Chelsea to sign Messi"

Radio MARCA travelled to London to interview Cesc Fàbregas and see his views on Chelsea and Barcelona.

Mourinho:"Mourinho adapts to the players he has. What makes him so great as a coach is that he adapts to any situation and his teams can play in many different ways. It's a very intelligent way of managing".

Mou at Barça?:I'd say that Barça have a style that he has already experienced and understands perfectly. We play a very similar game: we want to be the protagonists, have possession and look to score. We may have a different system, but the philosophy is similar".

And if Mourinho went out to sign Messi?:"I wish! Why not? I'd love that to happen. I'd be all for it. As a Barça man, I believe that Messi deserves to retire at Barça for all that he has given the club. He is a legend that has changed Barça history. But, as his teammate and friend, without doubt I'd love to have Leo by my side. This season Barça are Messi and ten others. Messi has saved his team on many occasions".

Real, Champions League favourites:"Real have started well, but football is all about dynamics. They started by losing the Supercopa and hemorrhaging points in the league. Everyone said that after the exits of Xabi Alonso and Di María, it'd be a tough season for them, and then look what happened

Source - MARCA.com (English version)

Sergio Ramos takes Club World Cup Golden Ball

Sergio Ramos, who opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the Club World Cup semi-final and final, was named the player of the tournament.

The defender picked up the adidas Golden Ball from his club president Florentino Pérez, one of several dignitaries present down on the pitch at the Grand Stade de Marrakech after the showpiece.

Cristiano Ronaldoand Auckland City captain Ivan Vicelich were awarded the Silver and Bronze Ball respectively, while Iker Casillas collected the Fair Play Award on behalf of Real Madrid in recognition of their excellent disciplinary record during the tournament.

SoUrce - MARCA.com (English version)

Skrtel saves point for Liverpool in 97th minute

A dramatic 97th-minute equaliser from Martin Skrtel avoided a second straight Premier League defeat for Liverpool and prevented Arsenal from making up ground in the chase for the Champions League places.

Liverpool forged ahead on the stroke of half time at Anfield through Philippe Coutinho's drilled finish from Jordan Henderson's pass, but Arsenal went right up the other end and drew level courtesy of a Mathieu Debuchy header after Mathieu Flamini had got up well in the air.

Olivier Giroud gave the Gunners the lead with a close-range strike after some fine interplay with Santi Cazorla and the points looked for all the world to be heading back to London, especially when home substitute Fabio Borini foolishly got himself sent off for two quick-fire yellow cards. However, up popped a bandage-sporting Skrtel - the Slovakian sustained a nasty head wound in an accidental clash with Giroud - to power a header home from Adam Lallana's corner during the stoppage time added on because of his own injury.

Read more:Skrtel saves point for Liverpool in 97th minute - MARCA.com (English version)

Read more:Skrtel saves point for Liverpool in 97th minute - MARCA.com (English version)

"We want Carlo Ancelotti to be Real Madrid's Ferguson - Perez

With Carlo Ancelotti by his side, Florentino Pérez has enjoyed his best year as Real Madrid's president.

The two understand each other so well that he has even been heard to say, "We want Carlo to be Real Madrid's Ferguson".

'Los Blancos' have signed off 2014 with four titles, something that no other Real president has ever achieved. The president has built the perfect team of professionals, while always leading by example. Next year, his players will be able to show off a new emblem on their shirts, identifying them as the World Champions.

The year hasn't been a walk in the park for Real's head honcho, however. It started off shrouded in doubt. When the season kicked off, the team was only just finding its new identity and Ancelotti's skillful engineering was nowhere to be seen in the first few weeks. The club's rocky start to the season even had some predicting that the Italian had one foot out of the door.

Today, Ancelotti is worshipped by all the Real faithful, but during this fantastic 2014, he has come under fire on a couple of occasions. The first was in Lisbon. The second, at the start of the season following the two defeats one after the other against Real Sociedad and Atlético de Madrid.

Florentino was not sure of allowing the manager to continue in the Real Madrid dugout until they both sat down with José Ángel Sánchez five days after the Lisbon final. Since then, it has been success all the way.

Source - MARCA.com (English version)

Attend YEEx for Women 2014 this Saturday & stand a chance to win up $100k in business investment!

More good news... This opportunity is not just for women, it’s for everyone and attendance is free

This Saturday 20th December 2014, youth entrepreneurs will gather to showcase their goods and services at YEEx For Women 2014. Up to $100,000 could be invested in the most viable business at the discretion of our investors after a selection from a Pitching Competition for both exhibitors and guests.   

 

Entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, workers, students and every other person who loves beautiful and quality things are all invited. 

How does it work? There would be a Pitching Competition out of which the top 3 would be selected to meet our investors with their business plans after the event. Two will be selected from the exhibitors while one (any gender) would be selected from entrepreneurs or aspiring ones in the audience.

The least that could be invested in your business is $25,000!

Our Panelists would speak on personal entrepreneurial success and sub-topics on the Theme of the Day, 'Growing the 21st Century Women Enterprise'. 
The Panelists would include:

·         Executives from the Central Bank of Nigeria-Accessing SME Funds

·         Tunde Kehinde, founding partner of JUMIA and MD of Ace.ng - Having A Successful Business Pitch to Investors

·         Yinka Thomas, Founder, Thomas O. Women Network and Member YouWIN 3 Panel of Judges-Branding Your Way To Success In The Male Dominated Business Environment

·         Ejiro Amos-Tafiri ,CEO, Ejiro Amos Tafiri Fashion Label, an award winning Fashion Designer- Overcoming Challenges As A Woman Entrepreneur

·         Angela Ihunweze, CEO, Angela Itambo and Small Business Consultant - Understanding The Technicalities In Writing A Business Plan

Our investors have a special partnership with Silicon Valley and have the mandate to find viable businesses which have online presence. They are technology driven, and they have said the businesses must be online driven. Most of our guests and panelists would also be at our Networking Lounge.

Date: 20th December, 2014. Time: 9a.m - 6p.m

Venue: LCCI Conference and Exhibition Center, 10 Nurudeeen Olowopopo Drive, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos (Behind MKO Abiola Gardens)

Come, see and buy quality products and services from our exhibitors, and have an opportunity to be rewarded with free gifts, be at our Networking Lounge, appear on TV and in our post event pictures. Also, ten people who patronize the exhibitors the most would get a chance to win free gifts and get an opportunity to appear on TV. 
What is YEEx Networking Lounge? It's a lounge specially created for networking outside the exhibition ground. Exhibition attendance is FREE but our Lounge comes with a fee of N3,000 to access. There would be free cocktail at the Lounge. This is where contacts would be made and future partnerships struck. Our exhibitors have automatic access to the Lounge.

Other benefits are; Sales, Mentoring, Training and Brand Exposure. 
Special Guests are Dame Abimbola Fashola, First Lady of Lagos State and Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola, First Lady ofOsun State. Guests of Honour are Mr. Femi Mokikan, Executive Director, Seven-up Bottling Co. PLC and Mr.Mudashir Olaitan, Director, Central Bank of Nigeria.

The first 100 people to get to the venue will get free business plan training! This would help those who need it for opportunities that come from Business Plan Competitions.

This event is supported by: CBN, FIIRO, YOUWIN, PEPSI, EDC, NEPC & SMEDAN and TOWN. For more information, please call  08088038606, 07064870764; Email - yeexnigeria@gmail.com, info@yeex.com.ng;   Visit: www.yeex.com.ng; Add BB PIN 2AF61EF8

"I dream about Real Madrid" - Lucas Silva

Lucas Silvaspoke to MARCA from Brazil where he's on holiday, waiting for news about his future and following the Club World Cup.

"I belong to Cruzeiro, whatever needs to happen will happen...", Lucas said at the start of the conversation.

League champions."This is probably the best season of my career. The team's won the league and I've grown a lot as a footballer. I think I'm more mature and now have more clout in the team".

Real Madrid."To have people say a club like Real Madrid want you is a great honour and achievement. I'm on holiday right now and I try not to think about it all too much. If something happens, then Cruzeiro and my agent would let me know".

Dream."Of course it would be a dream to play for Real Madrid, I make no secret of that. It would be an honour for me to join that team, but in order for that to happen both clubs have to come to an agreement. All I can do is wait".

Possible postponement of the transfer."If I were to go now, I'm ready for that. If I were to stay here at Cruzeiro 'till June and then go there, that would also be a good solution as I would be able to play in the Copa Libertadores with my club, which is a big challenge. I'm ready for every eventuality".

Source - MARCA.com (English version)