Las Palmas youth team smash 47 goals in one game to incite fury on the Canaries

Las Palmas youth team smash 47 goals in one game to incite fury on the Canaries

A47-0 win for Las Palmas B against Las Coloradas B has raised questions about how the domination of the Gran Canarian club at youth level is damaging grassroots football in the Canary Islands.

Last season Las Palmas easily won all 11 of their youth category leagues, a normal feat for a club which has dominated the football scene on the islands for decades.

But on Saturday, the size of the 47-0 result appears to have been the final straw for many involved in youth football with a debate brewing on social media about the future of the grassroots game.

Las Coloradas, who went into the game having conceded 147 goals and scoring just 12 this season, are not happy to be in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

They blame the competition's system which forces them to play a team as vastly superior as Las Palmas are.

They have also questioned the attitude of the LaLiga team's youth coaches for not encouraging their young players to pass more instead of persisting with relentless attacking pressure.

Is grassroots football well designed in the Canary Islands? Do children learn by humiliating others? Will those who lose in this way learn to hate the sport as they grow up? The debate is underway.

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Nacho: The doctor told me football was over for me

Nacho: The doctor told me football was over for me

Ever since he was 12 years old, Nacho has had diabetes, and at one point, that even threatened to end his career before it had even started.

The Spanish defender has fit in excellently and is enjoying his best Real Madrid campaign to date, although few realise how close he came to not being given clearance to play.

"The doctor had told me that football was over for me," Nacho looked back. "I remember we had a tournament in Madrid when I was younger and I wasn't allowed to travel with the rest of my teammates."

Nevertheless, another doctor gave him permission all the same, stating how important sport can be in a child's wellbeing, and the Spaniard remains grateful to this day.

"That Monday, my life came back to me," he continued. "I have to try three times as hard to take care of myself but that makes you a more responsible person.

"I have to be a little bit careful with what I eat, but everything I want to do, I am able to."

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Sergio Aguero: Manchester City have no intention of selling striker in summer

Manchester City have no intention of selling Sergio Aguero this summer, despite the striker being left out of the team for the past two matches.

The 28-year-old signed a contract extension earlier this season, meaning he has three years left on his deal.

After coming off the bench in City's 2-1 win over Swansea, Aguero said: "I want to stay, of course.

"In these [next] three months I have to help the club and then they will decide if I have a place here or not."

Despite Aguero expecting a decision to be made in the summer, senior City figures indicated on Sunday that they do not expect to sell the player.

The Argentina forward came on for the final seven minutes as City secured a dramatic win over Swansea thanks to Gabriel Jesus' injury-time winner, the second of the game for the Brazilian, who has taken Aguero's place in the starting XI.
Analysis: Jesus not ready to replace Aguero yet

Aguero is City's top scorer this season with 18, 11 more than Raheem Sterling, who is next on the list.

He is third on City's all-time scoring chart with 154 and was the Premier League's Golden Boot winner in 2014-15. He was also City's leading scorer in their 2011-12 title-winning campaign, when he netted the famous injury-time winner in the final game of the season against Queens Park Rangers.

However, he was left out of a key Champions League qualifier againstBarcelona at the Nou Camp on 19 October, which led to reports he is not in manager Pep Guardiola's plans.

"In three years my contract is up. That's why I say I'm happy at the club," said Aguero.

"When you're on the bench you have to wait for your opportunity. I have three months to do my best and try to help the team. Then we'll see what happens with my future."

Guardiola said Aguero remains "one of the most important players in our squad" and will "play a lot of games" between now and the end of the season.

But Jesus, 19, has impressed his manager, scoring three goals in three starts since joining from Palmeiras, and the Catalan suggested he would not be left out of the team as long as he continues his scoring form.

Guardiola said Aguero's reaction to being omitted was "perfect", adding: "It must not be easy. I understand that."

City's next three matches are in different competitions, at Bournemouth in the Premier League on 13 February, Huddersfield in the FA Cup on 18 February before they entertain Monaco in the Champions League last-16 first leg on 21 February.
Analysis - 'Writing is on the wall'

Former Manchester United defender Phil Neville

I don't think Pep Guardiola fancies him. You have got one of the greatest strikers in world football sat on the bench and not for the first time this season.

For me it looks like the writing is on the wall.

Aguero has said he will play until the end of the season but he will not be happy.

If you look at the stats, City are better without him in the team but I think if you are going to win a title you need someone of his quality.

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Scolari: Neymar will dethrone Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi

within two years, Barcelona forward, Neymar, will dethrone the world's two best players, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, according to former Brazil coach Luis Felipe Scolari.

Now at Guangzhou Evergrande, the 68-year-old, who won the 2002 World Cup and who has 24 titles in a 35 year career, enjoys watching the Brazil of Tite and, if he had to choose between training Real Madrid or Barcelona, would opt for Los Blancos.

"Ronaldo and Messi always contend, inch by inch, the title of best in the world, but in two years I would put Neymar at that level," Scolari told EFE.

"In fact, he is possibly already starting to dethrone one of the two, because he is one of the best players I worked with."

Barcelona are the reigning LaLiga champions whilst Zinedine Zidane's Real seem poised to take their crown and are also the current Champions League holders.

"Today Real Madrid would resemble my style more than Barcelona," he continued.

"Luis Enrique likes to play good football but the Catalans have changed in the last two years with Suarez, Messi and Neymar.

"Ronaldo is the best player in the world because he becomes the best in the world, he trains for that and devotes himself to that in a different way than any other player.

"He imposes himself and Messi does not."

Asked if he had to choose the best players he trained, not surprisingly, the names offered were all Brazilian.

"Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos too."

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Everton 0-4 Manchester City F.c. goals [Full Screen] Premier League [HD]

Everton 0-4 Manchester City F.c. goals [Full Screen] Premier League [HD]

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5 talking points ahead of Sevilla - Real Madrid

t is a demanding start to the year for Real Madrid and 2017 won't get any easier with yet another important game against Jorge Sampaoli's Sevilla.

Both coaches have reiterated how significant the match is, with the Andalusian side hoping to leapfrog back into second after Barcelona's 5-0 win over Las Palmas.

Here are the five major talking points that have dominated the headlines in the build-up to the marquee match-up:

1) Sergio Ramos

All eyes will be on the Real Madrid centre-back after his confrontation with the Biris ultras. What type of welcome will he receive?

2) A different Sevilla

Nico Pareja, Steven N'Zonzi, Samir Nasri and Vitolo all mark their returns after Sampaoli's midweek cup rotations. This time around it'll be Los Nervionenses full-strength squad.

3) Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric back in XI

If Sevilla has a few returning faces, none will be more welcome than Cristiano Ronaldo up front and Luka Modric in midfield for Los Blancos, key figures that go a long way in determining the outcome of the game, and ultimately, their season.

4) The Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan factor

The second Copa del Rey leg took on an entirely different dimension than the first, and Sevilla's home ground played a huge part in that. Will it prove decisive once more?

5) Stevan Jovetic

He has hardly been at the club a week and he has already fit in like a glove. Scoring less than 10 minutes into his debut, Sampaoli is even considering starting the Montenegrin star.

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Toure agent glad to see him stay at City

Toure agent glad to see him stay at City

Yaya Toure's agent Dmitri Seluk has said the player is "pleased" to stay at Manchester City, despite his ongoing struggle for first-team action. The Ivorian midfielder was linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium during the transfer window, with clubs in China and Italy reported to have expressed an interest in signing him, but Seluk claims he was happy to see Toure remain at City. Toure has been left out of all three of Pep Guardiola's Premier League matchday squads this season, and the 33-year-old was a notable omission from City's Champions League squad. Seluk told Sport Express in Russia: "We are pleased that Yaya was in the team until the end of the contract. Of course, he could leave, but we decided that he would stay. "Yaya is a great professional. He was show that, in spite of some decisions, the player has to do their job. "He has won the Premier League twice, and in general everything in the world, except for the World Cup. "Everyone understands everything. The man has a year on his contract." UEFA rules dictate that eight of the 25 players named by Champions League clubs must be homegrown, but City's shortage of English talent meant they could only name 21 players and Toure was not selected. Seluk added that time will tell whether Pep Guardiola was right to leave him out of his European campaign, saying: "This decision was made by an ingenious modern manager, Guardiola. "Yaya is a professional. Perhaps Pep took into account the fact that his contract ends in a year, and wants to give other players a chance to work on themselves. "This is the vision of the coach. And life will show whether it is the correct decision or not. We will see at the end of the season." 

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Manchester City struggles for Pep Guardiola come as no surprise to Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller

Pep Guardiola's failure to dominate the Premier League with Manchester City has come as no surprise to Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller.
The Spaniard started superbly after arriving at the Etihad Stadium this summer, signing a number of notable stars before guiding them to a 10-game winning streak across all competitions.
As pundits were getting ready to hand them the title before the clocks went back, City suddenly fell away and now sit in fourth place, seven points behind Chelsea.

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