Enyeama is Titled Europe's Best Goal Keeper

Super Eagles Vice captain and Lille of France safe hands, Vincent Enyeama, has been picked as the best goalkeeper in the major leagues across Europe in the 2013/14 football season.

Research by supersport.com showed that the ratio of saves made to goals conceded by the Nigerian is by far and away the most impressive, compared to any goalkeeper at any football club in any of Europe’s top leagues this season.
The 31-year-old conceded eight goals in 19 league appearances for Lille OSC this season and was voted best player in Ligue 1 on two consecutive occasions ahead of stellar individuals like Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani, Mathieu Valbuena, Radamel Falcao and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Enyeama’s saves made to goals conceded ratio stands at seven, well ahead those of established goalkeepers like Victor Valdés (FC Barcelona), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) and Morgan de Sanctis (AS Roma).
Valdés’ saves made to goals conceded ratio in the 13 league games he played for FC Barcelona this season stands at 4.4 while Neuer’s in his 16 Bundesliga games this season was pegged at 3.9. Italy, the land famous for tight defences, catenaccio and legendary goalkeepers produced the fourth and fifth best stoppers using statistics in the first half of the 2013/13 season as the yardstick.
Veteran Juventus man, Buffon’s figures as far as the ratio of goals conceded to saves made stood at 2.3 while De Sanctis who has been in supreme form for AS Roma managed 2.2.
Buffon has made 16 league appearances for La Vecchia Signora this season while De Sanctis has made 17 Serie A appearances for the Giallorossi this term.
Enyeama’s recent accomplishments have attracted words of adulation from Nigeria’s goalkeeper trainer, Ike Shorunmu who believes the former Enyimba star has had a barnstorming season. “I work with (Enyeama) whenever he’s back on international duty so this news brings a smile to my face.
He is making us proud and more importantly the fact that these things are happening during the season leading to the World Cup is fantastic,” Shorunmu said yesterday. Enyeama made his debut for Nigeria in 2002 and has been capped 88 times by the Super Eagles.

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Van Persie- I will Play for another Ten (10) Years

Manchester United striker says he is motivated by the example of veteran team-mate Ryan Giggs to prolong his career with the Red Devils and Netherlands

The Netherlands international, 30 years old, is confident that next summer's World Cup in Brazil will not be his final major tournament for Oranje.

"We want to do better over there then at the European [Championships]," he told NUSport. "At least, I want that, and after that I want to do it better again. That's how I am.

"The World Cup won't be my last big tournament. I've never had a major injury, hardly any muscle problems. I will play for another 10 years."

The former Arsenal man cites the influence of Manchester United team-mate Ryan Giggs as a source of motivation in prolonging his playing career.

"Yes, serious, that's my goal when I feel myself like I do now," he continued. "It's a drive for me when I see Ryan Giggs train every day fantastic and play fantastic."
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MAN UTD STUNNED BY €80 MILLION

Manchester United have made an enquiry for Gareth Bale but have been stunned by Tottenham’s €80 million asking price.

United chief executive David Gill has approached Spurs chairman Daniel Levy about a deal for Bale, only to be told the 23-year-old would command a near-world record fee if the Londoners were to sell him to a Premier League rival.

Tottenham are instead focussing on talks with Bale's advisors over a new five-year contract worth €175,000-a-week, which would shatter the club’s wage structure. The Welshman has been rewarded for his rise to stardom with new deals in each of the last three years.

Bale has sad he is ready to reject a big summer move if Spurs clinch a place in the Champions League.

He has previously expressed an interest in playing abroad and Real Madrid remain favourites to sign him - but they might have to wait until 2014 at the earliest to land their man.

Tottenham are increasingly confident of holding on to Bale for at least one more season and that is reflected in the price quoted to United, with bids below €60m likely to be dismissed out of hand.

Bale was a guest at United’s home defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 earlier this month, but he will not push for a move away from White Hart Lane.

United’s interest in Bale again raises questions over the future of Wayne Rooney, who Sir Alex Ferguson insists will stay at Old Trafford despite reports that the striker could be sold this summer.

The Red Devils appear to be in the market for a marquee signing this summer and have been exploring the possibility of re-signing Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.

Ronaldo was sold to the Spanish giants in 2009 for a world record €93m fee but has so far refused to sign a new contract at the Santiago Bernabeu and has refused to rule out a return to Old Trafford.

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MOURINHO'S REACTION OVER TUESDAY VICTORY

The Madrid coach does not think his side deserved to win their Champions League match on Tuesday, and claimed the Red Devils were superior to los Blancos during the game.

And Mourinho insisted that regardless of that game-changing moment, his side were lucky to escape with a victory.

"Independent of the red card decision, the best team lost," Mourinho told ITV after the final whistle.

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CRISTIANO RONALDO APPEARING APOLOGETIC

The former Red Devil appeared to be apologetic after scoring the decisive goal in Real Madrid's Champions League last 16 victory at Old Trafford on Tuesday night

Cristiano Ronaldo has left the door open for a return to Manchester United after firing Real Madrid in to the Champions League quarter-finals on a “very emotional” night at Old Trafford.

Real Madrid knocked Sir Alex Ferguson’s side out of Europe's elite competition on Tuesday night with a 3-2 aggregate victory thanks to Ronaldo’s second-half strike on his first game at Old Trafford since his world record £80 million transfer in 2009.

Ronaldo received a hero’s reception from the home crowd and admitted it was a night of mixed emotions against his former club - who he has refused to rule out representing again despite insisting he is happy in Spain.

Ronaldo said: “The future you never know but the supporters here [at United] and the club, it's massive. The future you never know but at this moment I'm very happy at Real Madrid and I want to be here.

“It was an unbelievable night. It was very emotional.  What the supporters did for me was massive, I’m never going to forget this moment. I don’t have words for it.

“On one hand I’m happy for Madrid to go through but on the other side I’m sad because it’s not easy to forget. This was my home for six years, the people were very nice with me. I came here as a child.

“It’s quite strange - in both games I felt a little shy in my game. It’s a feeling you cannot explain - it’s just a feeling. I support and I am with the white collar, so these feelings stay in this stadium, the Theatre of Dreams.”

“I went to the dressing room to speak to all the players, to the coach, to the president, to the Glazers.”

Real Madrid booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory on the night having drawn 1-1 in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Ronaldo got los Blancos' goal.

It completed an excellent week for the Spanish giants in which they beat bitter rivals Barcelona twice in four days, first in the Copa del Rey and then La Liga.

“It was an unbelievable week,” Ronaldo added. “We won both games against Barcelona and now Manchester United. It was great. We are in good shape, we want to carry on like that because we want to try to win this competition.”

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OSAZE BATTLES MIKEL, MOSES AT STAMFORD BRIDGE

Out of favour Super Eagles forward Osaze Peter Odemiwingie is looking to score for West Brom against troubled Chelsea who feature two Super Eagles Nations Cup heroes, John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses in a Premiership match at the Stamford Bridge.

Osaze has not been in the good books of West Brom fans since his infamous drive to Queens Park Rangers to force a transfer. He reckons that a good performance against Chelsea today will close the gap between him and West Brom faithful. Osaze scored in the 2-0 win West Brom posted against Chelsea last year and it led to the sack of Roberto ‘D Mateo.

Osaze Chelsea are at the moment facing a coaching crisis as the fans have perpetually taunted Rafeal Benitez as the club continues to struggle to get results, despite the return of Nations Cup winners John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses. However, Moses have called on his team mates to close ranks and win their remaining games, perhaps the game against West Brom could be a turning point.

West Brom head coach Steve Clarke in an interview on the club’s official website urged his players to ignore the troubles surrounding Chelsea and Rafa Benitez and instead focus on making the best out of the situation. “We will go there looking to add to our points tally. Everybody keeps telling me that Chelsea are struggling but they’re doing okay. “It’s going to be a different game at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Chelsea are a team full of talent and their home record by and large is very, very good.

“So it’s a difficult place to go but we’re confident, we’re in a good place and we’ve managed back-to-back wins in the Premier League which is never easy,” Clarke said.

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