Manchester City full-back Pablo Zabaleta hailed the team s spine after they virtually sealed the club s first Champions League quarter-final appearance on Wednesday.
Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, David Silva and Sergio Aguero were crucial to City s 3-1 win over Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
Zabaleta said the win only served to underline the quintet s importance to the squad.
Those players are like the spine of the team, he said.
Joe Hart, David Silva, Kompany, Yaya, Sergio they are the main players of this team.
Vinny has been out for long periods, Silva the same, we lost Aguero with a bad injury too.
It s great they are all back and you need your best players in their best form if you’re goi…
Keylor Navas is ready to remain with Real Madrid for many years to come despite the Spanish and European champions being regularly linked with moves for other goalkeepers.
Navas inherited the Madrid number one shirt after Iker Casillas left to join Porto ahead of the 2015-16 season, although a key factor in the Costa Rica international retaining his spot was the club failing to get a move for Manchester United s David de Gea over the line on deadline day.
Madrid have continued to be linked with De Gea since, while a move for AC Milan sensation Gianluigi Donnarumma hit the buffers when the 18-year-old penned an new contract at San Siro.
Chelsea s Thibaut Courtois is also a rumoured target but Navas is focused upon matters on the field, having overcome a string of…
Valencia sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch revealed Napoli defender Raul Albiol is keen on a return to Spain.
Albiol, 30, has been with Napoli since 2013 following a four-year stint at Real Madrid.
However, the Spain international is interested in a return to boyhood club Valencia, where he joined the youth academy at a young age.
The situation is in Napoli s hands, Pitarch told Radio CV.
The player wants to come, but he has a [one-year] contract left over there.
Pitarch also spoke about the tough transfer window ahead for Valencia as the club look to bounce back from a disappointing season.
If we don t let players leave then it is difficult for us to approach any signings, he added.
I hope big players can co…