Monday, 26 May 2014

Go Western with Chanel's Dallas inspired shirt


She's one of fashion's most long standing sweethearts.
And Indian beauty Frieda Pinto has made us love her even more thanks to her latest interview in Harpers Bazaar Arabia.
The Slumdog Millionaire star, who's a self confessed Chanel addict, graced the cover of the magazine looking simply gorgeous in a head to toe look from Chanel's Paris-Dallas Métier d’Art collection.
Chanel's latest collection features tasselled trims, heavy tweeds, blanket prints and statement ponchos all inspired by Texan style. Dolly Parton would be proud!
Frieda's look touches down in Chanel boutiques in June, but you can get the look now with our edit of the high street's best embellished shirts.
With pearls, gems, crochet and lace, they're perfect to dress up with a full midi skirt and heels, or down with jeans and ankle boots. Plus if you're feeling crafty, you could even tie a length of black ribbon into a bow to nail the Texan trend on a budget.
Take your pick from the shirts below, with styles new in at River Island, Marks & Spencer, Topshop and Net A Porter.
Yeehah!
Read More »

Update your look with an exotic print off shoulder jumpsuit


Well Tom Parker and his girlfriend Kelsey Hardwick look like they had a good night.
And Kelsey made sure she turned heads in this bold and bright tropical print jumpsuit which she styled with super high platform heels. We all love an all-in-one and they've become a staple piece in every girl's wardrobe, but if you feel like yours needs a reboot in time for summer then why not take inspiration from the lovely Kelsey?
This off shoulder ruffle look is a bit of a thing right now and is a great way to update your evening wear. Just imagine how fabulous this will look against a Balearic sunset. Kelsey got hers from a small boutique called Hey Dolly and you can buy it too by clicking the link (right).
At £30 it's a style steal for sure but if you want to save even more money then take a look at the similar jumpsuits we've found below. Cameo Rose at New Look, Ribbon at Bank and Boohoo have all got stand out prints that will help you recreate Kelsey's ensemble at just the click of a mouse.
Style with heels for night or keep it casual with a pair of pool slides for day.
Read More »

Brave it in a backless dress by Amanda Wakeley


If Simon Cowell is planning on marrying Lauren Silverman any time soon, Amanda Holden is ready and waiting to be a bridesmaid in this dress!
And what is with backless dresses at the moment? All we have seen from the Kimye wedding so far is a shot of the cut out back of her Givenchy Haute Couture gown and Khloe Kardashian posted a picture of the back of her bridesmaid dress too. Come on ladies, let's see the front too!
But the dress Amanda is modelling in Hello! magazine is gorgeous from all angles. It's by Amanda Wakeley, a label loved by the likes of Liz Hurley, Eva Longoria and Nicole Scherzinger. The luxe looking silvery satin adds extra glamour and the dramatic length is flawless. Plus, the asymmetric shape oozes old school Hollywood glamour.
We're wedding obsessed at the moment thanks to Kimye, but you have to admit that this dress would be perfect if you've got one coming up. Click (right) to get Amanda's dress now. But if you'd rather spend a whole lot less, shop the backless options we've found on the high street. Then get perfecting your over the shoulder pose.
Read More »

Make them green with envy in a dress by Kate Moss for Topshop


Denise Van Outen is looking great for her spread in Hello Magazine.
She may be nearly 40 but she looks just as fresh faced and gorgeous as she did when she first appeared on our television screens back in the 1990s. And we love the emerald dress she was styled in for the shoot.
It is of course from Kate Moss' latest collection for Topshop. In all the frenzy that surrounded it you may have thought you'd missed out and that it had all disappeared the second it hit the shelves (and the internet) but you'll be pleased to hear there are still some key pieces available to buy.
And this lovely asymmetric, chiffon cocktail dress is one of those pieces. Woohoo. It's a high street version of the stunning vintage yellow dress Mossy wore back in 2003. She created a similar look for her first Topshop line and thankfully has brought it back once more for 2014. Click the link (right) to buy it now in green like Denise before it really does sell out for good.
It will be the perfect dress for a summer wedding or a balmy dinner beneath the stars on holiday. Style with metallic high heel sandals, a statement cuff and glossy undone locks to complete the look.
Read More »

Do it like David Beckham in a pair of shorts by Undefeated


When it comes to men and style there's often a disconnect. So many of the poor lambs get it so wrong. It's either all too smart or way too scruffy or there's a ridiculous amount of gel in their spiky hair.
So thank goodness for Mr David Beckham. The sports star and fashion icon gets it right every time and while he may have made some interesting choices in the past (sarongs anyone?) he is now consistently the best dressed man about town.
Whether he's on the red carpet or hanging out with his family, he gets the balance right. So men, please take it from us. If you want to make the girls swoon then take some style inspiration from Becks.
For a start, when you're working out to get that Beckham-esque body... can you please follow his lead? A grey sweatshirt (always good) and a nicely loose pair of shorts by a cool street style brand will do the trick. David's are by Undefeated, a label previously seen on One Direction's Niall Horan and while you can't get them in blue anymore we've found a black pair at Asos that are in the sale.
But if you want to stick to blue then take a look at the similar shorts we've found elsewhere. Franklin & Marshall, Stussy, Superdry and Topman will all sort you out.
Read More »

Check out what Rita Ora wore as she returns from Radio 1's Big Weekend

She rocked out with multi-coloured dreadlocks at Radio's 1 Big Weekend.
But Rita Ora seemed to have had enough of showcasing her long locks on Sunday as she sported an unusual hat to cover up her tresses.
The 23-year-old singer looked more like a Russian guard in the strange brown 1930s train driver chic headgear.
All aboard: Rita Ora wore a 1930s train driver chic hat as she arrived back in London from Radio 1's Big Weekend in Glasgow
All aboard: Rita Ora wore a 1930s train driver chic hat as she arrived back in London from Radio 1's Big Weekend in Glasgow

The star appeared to have been inspired by her Scottish surroundings during the Big Weekend in Glasgow as she wore a black and sand-coloured skirt which resembled a modern kilt.
Rita also made sure she showed off her toned tum in a matching lumberjack shirt.
The star added a rock chick vibe to her look courtesy of a leather jacket and matching knee-high boots.
At the airport: The 23-year-old star appeared to have been inspired by her Scottish surroundings during the Big Weekend in Glasgow as she wore a black and sand-coloured skirt which resembled a modern kilt
At the airport: The 23-year-old star appeared to have been inspired by her Scottish surroundings during the Big Weekend in Glasgow as she wore a black and sand-coloured skirt which resembled a modern kilt
Back in London: Rita also made sure she showed off her toned tum in a matching lumberjack shirt and added a rock chick vibe to her look courtesy of a leather jacket and matching knee-high boots
Back in London: Rita also made sure she showed off her toned tum in a matching lumberjack shirt and added a rock chick vibe to her look courtesy of a leather jacket and matching knee-high boots
  


But it wasn't long before the blonde beauty was departing London once again as she took to her Instagram account on Monday morning to reveal she was in Paris.
She wrote: 'I'm in Paris'
The star posted a picture of the iconic Eiffel Tower as well as another of herself sat in the back of a car in the French capital city.
During her performance in Glasgow, the singer drew wore blue, green, yellow and pink hair extensions braided through her hair, to match the Adidas onsie and trainers of her stage outfit.
Sacre bleu: It wasn't long before blonde beauty was departing London once again as she took to her Instagram account on Monday morning to reveal she was in Paris
Sacre bleu: It wasn't long before blonde beauty was departing London once again as she took to her Instagram account on Monday morning to reveal she was in Paris
Read More »

Van Gaal and Giggs are the perfect pair for United, says Van der Sar

Edwin van der Sar believes that Louis van Gaal and Ryan Giggs are the perfect match to take Manchester United forward from their dismal campaign.
The 43-year-old former goalkeeper, who made 266 appearances for the club in a six-year spell, told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek that Giggs can only improve working under the veteran Dutch manager.
'I'm sure under the guidance of Louis he [Giggs] can become an even better coach or manager in the future,' Van der Sar said.
Old guard: Ryan Giggs and Edwin van der Sar during their playing days at Man Utd
Old guard: Ryan Giggs and Edwin van der Sar during their playing days at Man Utd

Winners: The two won four Premier League titles and a Champions League whilst they were together at the club
Winners: The two won four Premier League titles and a Champions League whilst they were together at the club

Oranje: Louis van Gaal was Van der Sar's manager at Ajax and for the Netherlands
Oranje: Louis van Gaal was Van der Sar's manager at Ajax and for the Netherlands
'Even when I played with him he was busy with his coaching badges and the philosophy of the club is in the right hands with him.
'Ryan is going to be there as assistant manager and that should be enough, with his experience, to bring United in a better frame than this year.'
As well as playing for Man Utd, Van der Sar also played under Louis van Gaal at Ajax in the mid-90s and during his first spell as Netherlands manager between 2000-02.
'The main thing is he has the pedigree,' Van der Sar said of his old boss.
'He's won trophies in Spain and he did an excellent job in Germany with Bayern Munich, that's also not an easy club to go to with all the powerful people that are there in the stands.
'He also has experience with the national team being at the World Cup so he has the respect of the players I presume.
'He likes attacking football, he's tactically very strong and he likes to prepare teams to the smallest detail.
'He has a very clear vision on how he wants to play and I think that's very important at United.
'I've been there six years and the way the supporters want Man Utd to play, I think that's very important to bring United back to the place where it belongs.'
Cohorts: Van Gaal (centre) and Van Der Sar (bottom left) from their Ajax days in 1995
Cohorts: Van Gaal (centre) and Van Der Sar (bottom left) from their Ajax days in 1995

Struggle: Giggs will be hoping for a more successful future beside Van Gaal than he managed beside Moyes
Struggle: Giggs will be hoping for a more successful future beside Van Gaal than he managed beside Moyes
Read More »

Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas enjoys dinner with girlfriend Daniella Semaan

Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas was photographed having dinner with girlfriend Daniella Semaan as Manchester United dropped their interest the former Arsenal star.
Fabregas, 27, was spotted at the Chiltern Firehouse restaurant in London as the midfielder was preparing to join up with Spain's World Cup squad.
The pictures emerged at the same time as the news that the new Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal does not want to sign either Fabregas from Barcelona or Toni Kroos from Bayern Munich.
Outcast? Barcelona could be willing to allow Cesc Fabregas (right) to leave the Camp Nou this summer
Outcast? Barcelona could be willing to allow Cesc Fabregas (right) to leave the Camp Nou this summer

La Masia: Fabregas was a graduate of Barcelona's famous academy and returned to the club in  2011
La Masia: Fabregas was a graduate of Barcelona's famous academy and returned to the club in 2011

Barcelona have hired a new manager themselves in recent weeks in the form of former player Luis Enrique.
His appointment comes after the departure of Argentine Tata Martino who failed to win any of Spain's three major trophies.
The ex-Celta Vigo manager could oversee a major overhaul of the playing staff in the summer and Fabregas is one of those at risk.
Both Fabregas and Kroos were targets under David Moyes but Van Gaal's preference is Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Capital: Fabregas (right) and his girlfriend Daniella Semaan (left) were spotted in a London restaurant
Capital: Fabregas (right) and his girlfriend Daniella Semaan (left) were spotted in a London restaurant

Not a target: Despite being tracked by Manchester United for some time it seems Toni Kroos is no longer an option
Not a target: Despite being tracked by Manchester United for some time it seems Toni Kroos is no longer an option
Read More »

EXCLUSIVE - Father of 'devastated' model singled out by virgin killer as the reason why he hates all women insists she 'isn't a bully and barely remembers him

The model branded an 'evil b****' by virgin killer Elliot Rodger and blamed for his hatred of women is 'absolutely devastated' that she has been linked to the massacre, her father revealed today.
Stunning blonde Monette Moio 'teased and ridiculed' Rodger after they met at school, sparking his vendetta against female kind, he claimed in his rambling 141-page manifesto.
Enacting his 'revenge', he stabbed three friends to death at his home before shooting dead two sorority sisters and another male student in Santa Barbara on Friday.
But now Monette's father, Hollywood stuntman John Moio, has defended his daughter, saying it is ridiculous to even suggest she played a part in Rodger's spiral into a mass murderer.
Anger: The killer who stabbed and shot dead six people in Santa Barbara on Friday blamed a 'pretty blonde girl' he met as a teenager for sparking his hatred against women. The girl is circled right
Anger: The killer who stabbed and shot dead six people in Santa Barbara on Friday blamed a 'pretty blonde girl' he met as a teenager for sparking his hatred against women. The girl is circled right
Anger: The killer who stabbed and shot dead six people in Santa Barbara on Friday blamed a 'pretty blonde girl', Monette Moio, for sparking his hatred against women. Her father has said she barely even knew him

Sick: Elliot Rodger, 22, stabbed three people in his home and shot dead three other students before he took his own life on Friday. The rampage came after he posted rants online about how women hated him
Sick: Elliot Rodger, 22, stabbed three people in his home and shot dead three other students before he took his own life on Friday. The rampage came after he posted rants online about how women hated him
Speaking from his home in West Hills, California, he told MailOnline: 'She was ten years old for God's sake - she can barely remember the guy. He's a sociopath. She hasn't seen him since school.'
'She's devastated over the whole thing,' he went on. 'It's like she's being implicated in this terrible tragedy for something she hasn't done and can't remember.'
He added that Rodger's claims that Monette had 'teased' him were impossible.
'How is a ten-year-old girl going to bully a 12-year-old boy?' he asked. 'Maybe the girls she hung around with did poke fun at him, but they were kids.
Monette
Monette
Crush: He claimed that he had a crush on the girl, pictured left and right, but said that she 'teased and ridiculed' him - but it is believed they met in the eighth grade and had not been in touch for years
Innocence: Her father has said she has not seen Rodger in years and should not be implicated in the case
Innocence: Her father has said she has not seen Rodger in years and should not be implicated in the case
'My daughter was not a bully, she's one of the sweetest people you could ever meet. She probably rejected his aggressive advances. If you want to call that bullying then fine.'
Mr Moio added that he and his daughter only remember Rodger as a 'strange kid'.'He was weird then and he's weird now,' he said. 'He had a secret crush on her, but she was completely unaware of him. She had no idea... If you think about it, he could have killed her, he could have come after her.

'I was hands on at that school and I don't remember him. She just remember that he was a strange kid, she knew he wasn't a normal type person, but there are a lot of people like that at that age.'
But he added that his sympathy was with Rodger's parents - who alerted the police to the manifesto after they received a copy - and for the six young victims. He also had some sympathy for the killer.
Shock: John Moio said his daughter is the 'sweetest person' who would never bully anyone
Shock: John Moio said his daughter is the 'sweetest person' who would never bully anyone
Shock: John Moio (left) said his daughter (right with his son, actor Ashton Moio) is 'one of the sweetest people you could meet' and said she would not have been able to bully Rodger, who was older

'I also feel sorry for him because he obviously wasn't getting the proper help,' he said. 'From what I understand he was receiving psychological help two years before he met my daughter. I am not here to judge anyone.'
He added: 'My heart goes out to the victims' families. God bless them.'
In his manifesto, Rodger had launched a scathing attack on the women he met throughout his life, saying he did not understand why they did not find him attractive. His hatred started with Monette, he said.
'The way I was treated by girls at this time, especially by that evil b**** sparked an intense fear of girls,' he wrote.
'The funny part of this is that I had a secret crush on Monette. She was the first girl I ever had a crush on, and I never admitted it to anyone.
Crush: He also wrote about a college classmate and his anger at learning she had a boyfriend
Crush: He also wrote about a college classmate and his anger at learning she had a boyfriend

'I WILL NEVER FORGET HER': KILLER'S BITTER MANIFESTO RANT

In his 141-page manifesto, Rodger named Monette Moio, who was a year younger than him at their private Los Angeles school, and claimed she teased him while she was in the seventh grade.
'She must have thought I was the ultimate loser,' he wrote. 'I hated her so much, and I will never forget her. I started to hate all girls because of this. I saw them as mean, cruel, and heartless creatures that took pleasure from my suffering...

'The way I was treated by girls at this time, especially by that evil b**** sparked an intense fear of girls. The funny part of this is that I had a secret crush on [her]. She was the first girl I ever had a crush on, and I never admitted it to anyone.
'To be teased and ridiculed by the girl I had a crush on wounded me deeply. The world that I grew up thinking was bright and blissful was all over. I was living in a depraved world, and I didn’t want to accept it.
'I didn't want to give any thought to it. That is why I immersed myself entirely into my online games like World of Warcraft. I felt safe there.'
'To be teased and ridiculed by the girl I had a crush on wounded me deeply. The world that I grew up thinking was bright and blissful was all over. I was living in a depraved world, and I didn’t want to accept it.
'I didn't want to give any thought to it. That is why I immersed myself entirely into my online games like World of Warcraft. I felt safe there.'
Monette's brother, Ashton, is an actor who had a small role in the Hunger Games. In the manifesto, Rodgers also him, lambasting him as one of the 'popular' kids and describing his jealousy at learning he was becoming an actor.
Rodger also blamed other girls in the manifesto for his pain, and there is no suggestion that these women share any blame for his heinous crimes.
In another show of bitterness, he named another beautiful classmate who he believe he was meant to be going out with throughout college. He said how, like an 'obsessed stalker', he found her on Facebook.
'What I found shattered my already wounded heart to pieces,' he wrote. 'She had a boyfriend. Not only that, but her boyfriend was the type of boy I have always hated and despised: a tall, muscular surfer-jock with a buzz cut.
'As I looked at all the pictures of the two of them together, I shivered with pure hatred... I wanted to kill both of them, and I was capable of doing it. [The girl] should have been mine, and if I can't have her, no one should!'
He wrote how he fantasized about killing him and forcing her to watch.
'I dropped my math class immediately after learning that [she] had a boyfriend,' he wrote. 'I couldn't look at her beauty anymore, knowing that some punk was able to enjoy having sex with her every day.'
Bitter: He named another girl - the stepdaughter of a family friend (pictured) - who he also kept his distance from. 'She is a true representative of everything I hate about women,' he wrote
Bitter: He named another girl - the stepdaughter of a family friend (pictured) - who he also kept his distance from. 'She is a true representative of everything I hate about women,' he wrote




HIS FIRST FRIEND AND THE ONLY GIRL HE EVER SAW NAKED

In his manifesto, Rodger also detailed his relationship with a girl whom he met when he was five - the only girl he ever called a friend. But he also wrote that the girl, the daughter of a British singer who lived in California, ultimately came to represent everything that he hated.
He was born in the U.K. but moved to the U.S. when he was five, and met the girl at one of his first schools.
'I was a 5 year old boy playing with a girl my own age like any normal boy would do,' he wrote. 'I was playing innocently with this girl, in the manner that all children play. We even took baths together; it was the only time in my life that I would see a girl my age naked.'
He said they became close friends and wrote fondly about their time going on 'adventures' and watching movies together. But his view of the relationship changed as women 'mistreated' him as he got older.
'I was happy, and completely oblivious of the fact that my future on this world would only turn to darkness and misery because of girls,' he wrote. 'This girl who was my friend would eventually come to represent everything I hate and despise.'
Soon after, he dropped all of his classes.
'I didn't want to torture myself with going to college and looking at all of those beautiful girls I could never have,' he explained. 'The only thing I could do was even the score. I wanted to make everyone else suffer just as they made me suffer. I wanted revenge.'

Rodger, who moved to the U.S. from the U.K. when he was five, also named a British girl he made friends with when he relocated to the Los Angeles area.
But he said they grew apart after she became more popular, writing: 'My first friend in America had grown up to represent the type of people who have caused me so much pain in my life. She would eventually come to represent everything I hate.'
The girl's stepfather told MailOnline that he didn't want to comment on how she was coping, but added: 'It’s tragic, our heart goes to everyone, to the victims and all their families.'
He also detailed his loathing for the stepdaughter of a family friend who was a year younger than him.
'My fear of girls made me keep my distance from [her]. She was a total b**** anyway, and her attitude would only get worse. She is a true representative of everything I hate about women.'
The women are to talk to the FBI to determine how he turned into a killer, the Mirror reported.
He also shared his hate for women in a video posted online called Elliot Rodger's Retribution.
He unleashed a tirade about his 'loneliness, rejection, and unfulfilled desires,' and blamed women for preferring 'obnoxious brutes' to him, 'the supreme gentleman'.
'I'm 22 years old and I'm still a virgin. I've never even kissed a girl,' he said in the video.
'College is the time when everyone experiences those things such as sex and fun and pleasure. But in those years I've had to rot in loneliness. It's not fair. You girls have never been attracted to me. I don't know why you girls aren't attracted to me. But I will punish you all for it.'
Elliot Rodger's victims included his college roommate Weihan Wang, 20, of Fremont
Elliot Rodger's victims included his college roommate Cheng Yuan Hong, 20, of San Jose
Victims: Rodger's first victims included his roommates Weihan Wang, left, and Cheng Yuan Hong, right

Elliot Rodger's victims included George Chen, 19, of San Jose
Chris Michaels-Martinez, 20, was an English major from Los Osos, California, who had planned to go to London next year and to law school after graduation
Gunned down: George Chen, left, was also found stabbed to death in their home - although he did not live at the house - while Rodgers gunned down Chris Michael-Martinez, right, when he opened fire at a deli

Katie Cooper
Veronika Weiss
Loss: Katie Cooper, left, and Veronika Weiss were standing outside a sorority house when they were shot
He repeatedly promised to 'punish' women and lays out his plan for 'retribution' in the video.
'I'm going to enter the hottest sorority house of UCSB and I will slaughter every single spoilt, stuck-up, blonde s**t that I see inside there.
'All those girls that I've desired so much, they would've all rejected me and looked down on me as an inferior man if I ever made a sexual advance towards them,' he said.
'I'll take great pleasure in slaughtering all of you. You will finally see that I am, in truth, the superior one. The true alpha male. Yes... After I have annihilated every single girl in the sorority house I will take to the streets of Isla Vista and slay every single person I see there. All those popular kids who live such lives of hedonistic pleasure...'
On Friday, Rodger, the son of Hunger Games assistant director Peter Rodger, acted upon his threats, killing six people before shooting himself dead.
Weihan Wang, 20, of Fremont, and Cheng Yuan Hong, 20, of San Jose, were both stabbed to death by Rodger on Friday at the apartment they had shared with him.
Killed: Surveillance footage outside the IV Deli Mart shows Martinez, top right, moments before he was shot
Killed: Surveillance footage outside the IV Deli Mart shows Martinez, top right, moments before he was shot

Heartbroken: His father, Richard Martinez, breaks down next to his brother as he speaks to the media outside the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Headquarters on Saturday
Heartbroken: His father, Richard Martinez, breaks down next to his brother as he speaks to the media outside the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Headquarters on Saturday
Sadness: Two students comfort each other as they attend a candlelight vigil for the victims on Saturday night
Sadness: Two students comfort each other as they attend a candlelight vigil for the victims on Saturday night


The body of another UCSB student, George Chen, 19, of San Jose, was also found at the apartment, but he did not live there.
Rodger then climbed into his SUV and drove towards the Alpha Phi sorority house, where he shot dead Katherine Cooper, 22, and Veronika Weiss, 19. 
He then got back into his car and drove to a nearby deli, where he opened fire. There, he killed student Chris Michael-Martinez, 20, in an attack that was captured on surveillance footage.
The gunman then climbed back into his car and continued to shoot at passersby as he drove, hitting three pedestrians before he police officers returned fire and shot him in the hip.
He tried to escape and knocked down a cyclist, before he eventually shot himself in the head and smashed into parked cars.
When police found his body, he was surrounded by three semi-automatic handguns and nearly 400 rounds of ammunition, which had all been purchased legally.
Read More »

Brendan Rodgers targeting Champions League glory with Liverpool

The Reds return to Europe's elite club competition
for the first time in five years next season in pot
three of the draw, making a tough group assignment
likely
Brendan Rodgers expects Liverpool to be tough to
beat in the Champions League next season as he
looks to turn them into a leading club in Europe.
The Reds boss was rewarded with a new long-
term contract on Monday after leading the Anfield
club back to the Champions League with a
second-place finish in the Premier League, ending
a five-year absence from Europe's premier club
competition.
Liverpool narrowly missed out on the league title
to Manchester City, with a home defeat against
Chelsea and a dramatic collapse in a 3-3 draw
with Crystal Palace in the penultimate game of the
season effectively ending their hopes of winning a
first English top-flight crown for 24 years.
Rodgers is eager to atone for that near-miss and
win the Premier League next season, but also has
high hopes for the Merseyside club's Champions
League campaign.
Liverpool have won the competition five times but
are expected to enter the group stage in pot three,
meaning that they will likely face a difficult
assignment to qualify for the last 16.
But Rodgers is hopeful that the legendary Anfield
atmosphere in continental clashes will have an
impact on their fortunes.
"We're into the Champions League. Our dream and
goal is to win the Premier League," Rodgers told
the club's official website.
"That's what we want to do. We've shown this
season that we can compete for that. With some
new additions in the summer, we believe that we
can fight again.
"The objective for me was to try to get Liverpool
established again as one of the leading clubs in
European and domestic football and we're on
course for that.
"I've seen the games before and I've been
fortunate enough to have been at Anfield on a
Champions League occasion and they are truly
special occasions.
"You see the support the players get. Throughout
my time here, in the big games, the supporters
really show how passionate they are and they
show why they are the great set of supporters that
they are.
"We'll really look forward to it. We know that, in
the Champions League, if we can perform well
away from home, that in the home games, we're
going to be hard to beat because of the supporters
and the quality of the team."

Read More »

Pique the best centre-back in the world, says Barcelona president Bartomeu

The Blaugrana supremo is delighted by the defender's decision to commit to the Catalans, while the Spain international is keen to win more silverware at Camp NouGerard Piqué, Barcelona - Champions League Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu has labelled Gerard Pique the best centre-back in the world following the defender's contract renewal until 2019.


Pique put pen to paper on a new five-year deal on Sunday and Bartomeu is delighted with the former Manchester United man's decision to continue his career at Camp Nou.

"It is very important to consolidate Gerard Pique at Barcelona," the Barca supremo is quoted as saying on the club's official website.

"He’s the best centre-back in the world and he is a core part of the new project here at Barcelona."

Sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta, meanwhile, was equally pleased by the 27-year-old's contract extension.

"Renewing Pique, our main centre-back, confirms the mutual confidence of the player and the club in the continuation and improvement of our project," the former Barca goalkeeper stated.

Pique has won four La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies since his return to Barcelona from United in 2008 but he is desperate to win more silverware under new coach and former Camp Nou favourite Luis Enrique.

"I hope we can enjoy as many successes as we have had already," the Spain international admitted.

"I am very excited. In his press conference Luis Enrique showed that he’s very clear about his ideas.

"He knows this place well and I think he’ll do a lot of good for us. I am really looking forward to working under him.

"Barcelona have to be at the top, winning titles and feeling important among the elite of European and world football. We have a team, and a coach. We have all the ingredients to get back where we belong."
Read More »

Arsenal need the right striker to get the best out of 'devastating' Ozil - Lahm

The Germany playmaker received plenty of criticism during his first season in England but his international team-mate says that he needs a top-class forward to play behind

Mesut Ozil Arsenal and Hull City - EPL 12042013

Philipp Lahm is confident that Mesut Ozil will be "devastating" for Arsenal next season - if the club can sign the right striker this summer.

Ozil lifted his first silverware as a Gunners player on Saturday when his side beat Hull City in the FA Cup final at Wembley but his debut season in English football was marked by widespread criticism.

Following some below-par displays over Christmas and into the New Year, the €50 million signing was accused of lacking fight in some quarters but Bayern Munich utility man Lahm says that the playmaker's talent is obvious and just needs to be properly exploited.

"Anybody who has played with Mesut will tell you how intelligent he is as a player," Lahm told Goal. "His vision is probably the best I have ever seen and that is why it is so important to have the right striker ahead of him.

"He is a dream for strikers and you saw that with [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Karim] Benzema when he was at Madrid. If Arsenal can find the right striker who is fast and makes intelligent runs - then Mesut will be devastating next season."



Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was criticised by many of the club's fans for his failure to sufficiently bolster his squad in January, leaving France striker Olivier Giroud unchallenged as the only quality striker on the books.

Yaya Sanogo has failed to make a positive impact since being introduced to the side after Christmas, while Wenger has lost patience with Nicklas Bendtner following the Dane's latest controversial off-pitch incident.

Wenger sent scouts to assess Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa earlier in the season but the Frenchman will not be following up that interest with a summer bid. The Brazil-born Spain international has agreed a deal to join Chelsea.
Read More »

Follow Me