Ronaldo plays full part in training as Real star bids to win fitness race for City tie

Cristiano Ronaldo completed Monday's training session with Real Madrid as he stepped up his bid to be fit for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester City. Ronaldo sat out last week's goalless draw at the Etihad Stadium with a groin strain which also kept him out of Saturday's 1-0 Primera Division win at Real Sociedad. However, the Portugal captain was back in training on Sunday, participating with his team-mates for the first half before working individually for the remainder, and he was able to take full part in Monday's session.

Madrid, Atletico, Villareal na Sevilla kuweka rekodi ya kucheza fainali zote za ulaya msimu huu?

Ubora wa ligi kuu ya Hispania umekuwa unathibitishwa na uwezo unaoneshwa na vilabu vya Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Villarreal na Sevilla katika michuano ya bara la ulaya – Champions League na Europa League wiki iliyopita.

Sare ya 0-0 ya Manchester City dhidi ya Los Blancos yanawapa nafasi zaidi vijana wa Zinedine Zidane katika mchezo wa pili wa marudiano utakaofanyika wiki hii kuelekea fainali ya Champions League mnamo May 28. Lakini mambo yanaweza kuwa magumu zaidi kwa upande wa Atletico Madrid ambao watasafiri mpaka Allianz Arena kucheza vs Bayern Munich. Pamoja na kwamba wanaenda Ujerumani na ushindi wa 1-0 shukrani kwa goli la Saul na safu yao nzuri ya ulinzi yenye rekodi bora inaweza kuwasaidia kuvuka.

  Katika Europa League, Sevilla walifanikiwa sare ya 2-2 ugenini huko Ukraine dhidi ya Shakhtar Donetsk na wana imani wanaweza kushinda mechi ya marudiano nyumbani kwao katika dimba la Sanchez Pizjuanna kufuzu kwenda fainali ya tano katika historia yao ya michuano.Villareal kwa upande mwingine, wanaenda Anfield wakiwa mbele kwa goli moja walilofunga dakika ya mwisho ya mchezo. Itakuwa sio rahisi kushinda Anfield, na ukiangalia matokeo ya nyumbani ya Liverpool hasa katika michuano hii, utaona kikosi cha Jurgen Klopp kinaweza kubadili matokeo.

Ikitokea timu zote za Hispania zikafanikiwa kuingia kwenye fainali za michuano hii mikubwa miwili ya ulaya, oitakuwa ndio mara ya kwanza kwa fainali za michuano hiyo kuhusisha timu za kutoka kwenye ligi moja. Katika historia ya Champions League, kumekuwepo na fainali nne za timu kutoka taifa moja. Hata hivyo, katika misimu hiyo hakujawahi kutokea kukuwepo fainali ya Europa league iliyohusisha timu kutoka taifa moja pia.

Namba ya juu zaidi ya idadi ya timu katika fainali za UCL na Europa ni timu tatu, jambo hilo lilitokea, msimu wa 1989-90, 1994-96 na 1997-98 wakati vilabu vitatu kutoka Italia vilipokutana kwenye fainali zote mbili. Vilabu vitatu vya Ujerumani navyo vimewahi kuingia katika fainali hizo mbili kwa pamoja msimu wa 1979-80, wakati msimu wa 2013-14, vilabu vitatu vya Spain vilicheza kwenye fainali hizo mbili za michuano ya ngazi ya juu ya ulaya.

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Mane on the money with hat-trick as City's gamble to rest players fails against Saints

SOUTHAMPTON 4-2 MANCHESTER CITY - MATT BARLOW AT ST MARY'S: Was it worth it, Manuel? On Wednesday, in Madrid, we will all find out, but for the time being it feels like a costly gamble gone wrong. Manchester City's second-string were torn apart by Southampton's rampant attacking unit as Sadio Mane helped himself to a hat-trick after Shane Long had opened the scoring.

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This was proof of the shift in power: Leicester are striding to glory but Manchester United need a new manager and better players

IAN LADYMAN AT OLD TRAFFORD: Louis van Gaal's summation of the game was remarkable. The Dutch manager suggested his team had produced one of their best displays of the season. Even by the modern Manchester United's low standards, this was not true. Indeed, to watch this game was to witness one team moving slowly forwards to a future already more magical than anyone could have imagined, and one stuck hopelessly in quicksand.

Leicester gathered themselves, went back to the compact, organised and methodical football that they know and hauled themselves back into the contest.

From the moment captain Wes Morgan equalised in the 17th minute until Danny Drinkwater was sent off with four minutes left, Leicester were the better team.

SWANSEA YAICHAPA LIVERPOOL

Swansea City imeitoa nishai Liverpool na kujihakikishia maisha kwenye Premier League ndani ya msimu ujao.

Andre Ayew alianza kutupia bao la kwanza kwa kichwa kabla ya goli linguine kutoka kwa Jack Cork na kuiweka Swansea mbele kipindi cha kwanza kwa magoli 2-0.

Goli la Christian Benteke ililifufua matumani kwa Liverpool kipindi cha pili lakini la pili la Andre Ayew ambalo lilikuwa ni la tatu kwa upande wa Swansea lilimaliza matumaini ya Liverpool japo kuondoka na pointi moja kutoka uwanja wa ugenini.

Brad Smith kwa upane wa Liverpool alitolewa nje kwa kadi nyekundu baada ya kuoneshwa kadi mbili za njano.

Matumaini ya Liverpool kufuzu kucheza Champions League yamebaki kuwa ni kutwaa taji la Europa League pekee.

Ushindi huo unamaana kubwa kwaSwansea ambao wamebakiza michezo miwili tu kabla ya ligi kumalizika, matokeo hayo yanawafanya wasalie nafasi ya 13 kwenye msimamo wa ligi huku wakiweka gap la pointi 11 kati yao na Sunderland inayoshika nafasi ya tatu kutoka chini.

Mambo muhimu ya kufahamu

• Andre Ayew amefunga magoli mawili kwenye mechi moja kwa mara ya kwanza tangu atue Swansea.

• Swansea imefurahia ushindi wake wanne mfululizo kwenye uwanja wa nyumbani, ikiwa ni kwa mara ya kwanza kwenye Premier League.

• Christian Benteke amefunga goli lake la 50 ndani ya Premier League.

• Swansea imefunga magoli matatu kwenye Premier League kwa mara ya kwanza tangu ilipofanya hivyo mara ya mwisho 25 April, 2015, time Jack Cork kwa mara ya mwisho.

• Gylfi Sigurdssonamehusika kwenye magoli 41 ya Swansea ndani ya Premier League (amefunga magoli 25 na kutoa assists 16), magoli 10 zaidi ya mchezaji yeyote wa Swansea (Wilfried Bony ndiye anayefata akiwa kahusika kwenye magoli 31 wakati akiitumika klabu hiyo).

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