mario balotelli :Ballon d'Or

​What a wonderfully funny man Mario Balotelli is.

It's cute that the Italian genuinely believes he will win the Ballon d'Or one day, despite his famously erratic performances at club level, although he also admits that he may be forced to kill Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo if it is to happen.

"I would have to kill them off first," he told ​​Calciomercato.
FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015
"If I think back on what I have achieved, it isn't much I can do much more."

Well, that would be one way to eliminate the main competition. Although, if anything does happen to the world's best two footballers, everyone will know that Balotelli had a motive, regardless of whether he actually followed through on the joke.

The former Manchester City and Liverpool striker admits he needs to do more, but it seems as if he is in the perfect place to finally develop as a footballer. Playing for Ligue 1 side Nice, Balotelli scored 15 goals in 23 league appearances, with three red cards and injury problems limiting his game time.
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Despite his obvious development Balotelli said he will not make any decisions regarding his future until he has had a chance to recover from this season's exploits.

"Now I'm going to pull the plug out for two weeks," he added.

"I'm going to go on holiday and not think about anything. I won't even watch the [Champions League] final. Then I will evaluate everything. One day I would like to end my career in my home city, but I'm still young."

copa del rey final head to head

After three years as manager of Barcelona, Luis Enrique is leaving his post with his final game coming courtesy of a Copa del Rey final against Alaves.

The Blaugrana surrendered their La Liga title to Real Madrid and they will be desperate to claim the other piece of domestic silverware available.

Enrique arrives in the fixture with a host of injuries and suspension, prompting eyebrows to be raised over whether they can see off their in-form opponents.

Here are four key battles which could decide the final fixture of the Spanish season.
1. Neymar vs Kiko Femenia

Barcelona v Eibar - La Liga
Barcelona's lethal left-winger has been in ridiculous form in 2017 and on Saturday, 26-year-old Femenia will be praying the Brazilian magician goes easy on him.

The Alaves defender was tortured by the Blaugrana forward in the 6-0 thrashing Barcelona handed out away from home earlier in the season - where he completed just 45 minutes - and all the signs suggest that the same scenario could occur again.

Femenia must stay disciplined all game to match the sheer brilliance of Neymar and if the Brazilian starts getting his own way, the Catalan's could run riot again.
2. Lionel Messi vs Zouhair Feddal

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If you are talking about battles in a match involving Barcelona, Messi simply has to be included. The Argentine forward will be looking to sign off his season in style at the expense of Alaves' central defenders.

Feddal has enjoyed a fairly good season in La Liga but facing Barca's talisman - who loves to inflict misery on defenders - will be the ultimate test.

The Moroccan must make sure he gets the correct support from his teammates and stays aware of his position, otherwise, Messi will drift inside and cut through Alaves' defence like a hot knife through butter.
3. Theo Hernandez vs Andre Gomes

Deportivo Alaves v Club Atletico de Madrid - La Liga
Hernandez has been possibly Alaves' finest player this season, hence the interest in him from both Barcelona and Real Madrid, with the left-back having a crucial role to play offensively on Saturday.

The athletic full-back will be tasked with getting his team up the pitch and targeting Barca's weak right-back spot, while attempting to supply Alaves' two strikers.

Gomes is expected to be drafted in due to the absence of Sergi Roberto, Aleix Vidal and Rafinha; if Hernandez can take advantage of the space left my Messi's fondness of drifting inside, he can target the out-of-position Portuguese international.
4. Andres Iniesta vs Marcos Llorente

Barcelona v Eibar - La Liga
If Alaves are to thwart Barca's star-studded lineup, they must gain some advantage in midfield. This means nullifying Iniesta, the man who makes the Blaugrana tick.

Real Madrid loanee Llorente will be one of those tasked with shackling the fleet-footed Spaniard and if he can halt his driving runs from deep, he can stop Barca's most potent supply route.

Should Llorente lose and afford Iniesta space, the likes of Messi and Neymar will see a lot more of the ball and that can only spell trouble for anyone.

The Uruguayan suffered the injury on Thursday during training

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez will be out of action for the next 15 days, according to the ​club's official website, after pulling his hamstring.
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The Uruguayan suffered the injury on Thursday during training and initial assessments reveal it is nothing too serious.
Barcelona v Eibar - La Liga
Barcelona have one more game left this season - the Copa del Rey final against Deportivo Alaves - but Suarez was already suspended for the match.
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The ex-Liverpool ace got himself sent off in the second leg of the semi-final against Atletico Madrid, and would have been ineligible anyway.
Suarez finished the season as the club's second top goalscorer with 37 in 51 appearances behind Lionel Messi, and is currently picking himself back up again along with the rest of his teammates after losing out in the Spanish title race to bitter rivals Real Madrid.
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Saturday's Copa del Rey final represents Barca's last chance of silverware this season, and the chance for the outgoing Luis Enrique to leave the club on a high.

13league champion across Europe

Another footballing season has almost come to an end. Whilst many teams have delivered upon their expectations of clinching league titles, other teams have surprised us all with their outstanding efforts this season.

Here's each league champion across Europe's top 13 divisions...
1. English Premier League - Chelsea

Chelsea v Sunderland - Premier League
After a very disappointing title defence last season - finishing 10th - Chelsea bounced straight back and were able to win the Premier League.

They finished seven points ahead of their nearest challenger Tottenham and won their fifth Premier League title in 12 years.
2. Spanish La Liga - Real Madrid

Malaga CF v Real Madrid CF - La Liga
After going four years without a league title, Real Madrid secured their 33rd La Liga title - finishing three points ahead of bitter rivals Barcelona.

It was Zinedine Zidane's first full year as Head Coach of Madrid, however he has steered them to the league title and has also led his team into the Champions League final.
3. Italian Serie A - Juventus

Juventus FC v FC Crotone - Serie A
Juventus are a team who can't stop winning, after they secured their sixth consecutive league triumph. They finished four points ahead of their nearest challengers Roma, and also find themselves in the upcoming Champions League final.

They will be hoping to finish off what already has been a remarkable season in style.
4. French Ligue 1 - AS Monaco

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After watching PSG win the league title for the last four years, the trophy has final changed hands as Monaco were able to topple the Parisians and won their first league title in 17 years.

The club have had a horrid few seasons - being relegated to Ligue 2 in 2011 - however after just three seasons back in the first division, Monaco have reached the pinnacle of French football once again.
5. German Bundesliga - Bayern Munich

Bayern Muenchen v SC Freiburg - Bundesliga
Bayern were once again crowned the top team in Germany after they won their fifth consecutive Bundesliga title - their 27th league title.

Despite some surprise opposition from RB Leipzig, Bayern were able to fight off all competition they faced, and won the league by a 15 point margin.
6. Dutch Eredivisie - Feyenoord

Feyenoord v SC Heracles Almelo - Eredivisie
One team many people wouldn't have expected to see on this list is Feyenoord. After PSV Eindhoven and Ajax shared the league title for the last six years, Feyenoord were able to win their first league title since the 1998-99 season.

The title was secured on the final day after veteran striker and former Liverpool favourite Dirk Kuyt scored a hat trick to give Feyenoord a 3-1 victory over Heracles Almelo.
7. Scottish Premiership - Celtic

Rangers v Celtic - Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership
Celtic won their sixth consecutive league title by an astonishing 30 point margin.

Despite their Old Firm rivals Rangers making their return to Scotland's top division, they were unable to halt the charge as Celtic ran away with their 48th league title in the club's history.
8. Portugese Primeira Liga - Benfica

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Benfica secured their 36th league title after their 2016-17 triumph.

They finished four points ahead of second place Porto and earned their fourth consecutive Primeira League title. They only lost two games all season as they ensured the trophy would remain at the Estadio Da Luz.
9. Belgian Pro League - RSC Anderlecht

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Anderlecht won their 34th league title, their first in three years.

They finished seven points ahead of second place Club Brugge and managed to win the league whilst only losing one game all season. They have now secured themselves a place in next season's Champions League by winning the title.
10. Russian Premier League - Spartak Moscow

FC Spartak Moscow vs FC Terek Grozny - Russian Premier League
Spartak Moscow secured their first league title since 2001 after winning the Russian Premier League.

They finished seven points ahead of their nearest challengers CSKA Moscow, and ensured that for the first time in six years neither Zenit Saint Petersburg nor CSKA Moscow won the league title.
11. Greek Super League - Olympiakos

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Olympiacos secured their 19th league title in 21 seasons after winning by a margin of six points.

It was their seventh consecutive league title and they now automatically qualify for next season's Champions League competition amongst the top clubs in Europe.
12. Swiss Super League - FC Basel

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FC Basel secured their 20th league title in the club's history after winning their eighth consecutive Super League title.

It proved to be a comfortable season for Basel after winning by a margin of 15 points and managing to only lose two games all season.
13. Danish Superliga - FC Copenhagen

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FC Copenhagen secured their 12th league title in the club's history after going the whole season without a defeat. They won the league by a margin of 12 points, and secured back-to-back league titles.

This league triumph will also see them entered for the Champions League group stage draw next season

5golden boot winners 2016-17

There have been goals galore this season, with talismanic strikers from across the continent stepping up to do the business for their respective sides.

With one game remaining in Serie A, Edin Dzeko and Dries Mertens will both fancy themselves for the accolade of top scorer with just a goal separating them (27 and 28 respectively).

But with all other top goalscorers virtually sewn up, we look back at the most deadly finishers from across Europe's top leagues this season.
5. Edinson Cavani (Ligue 1 - Paris Saint-Germain)

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Edinson Cavani has been prolific for PSG in Lique 1 this season with the Uruguayan scoring a staggering 35 goals in 36 games.

Nearest challenger Alexandre Lacazette will struggle to close the gap, sitting as he does on a creditable 28 for the season. Despite his remarkable goalscoring tally, Cavani's efforts weren't enough to prevent an unprecedented title win for Monaco this term.
4. Harry Kane (EPL - Tottenham Hotspur)

Hull City v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
Harry Kane has continued his superb scoring record, winning the Premier League Golden Boot in consecutive seasons. The England international has scored 29 goals in just 30 appearances and capped off an excellent season with a hat-trick of left footed goals against Hull on Sunday.

Kane's merciless eye for goal brought Spurs within touching distance of champions Chelsea for much of the season, and a number of Europe's top clubs including Real Madrid are reportedly interested in securing his services.
3. Nicolai Jørgensen (Dutch Eredivisie - Feyenoord Rotterdam)

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Former Liverpool man, Dirk Kuyt attracted most of the headlines in the British press when he captained Feyenoord to an unprecedented league win, with a hat-trick on the final game of the season.

But in truth, Feyenoord owe much of their success this season to the consistent goalscoring talents of Danish international Nicolai Jørgensen. He racked up an impressive 21 goals and 11 assists this season, guaranteeing a remarkable Eredivisie win and a place in De club aan de Maas folklore.
2. Lionel Messi (La Liga - Barcelona)

FC Barcelona v Villarreal CF - La Liga
Leo Messi regained the Pichichi Trophy for the first time since 2012/13 by finishing this season as La Liga's top scorer.

Messi's relentless brilliance shows no signs of fading as the Argentinian racked up 37 league goals this season, finishing eight goals ahead of last years winner Luis Suarez, and winning the scoring accolade for a fourth time.

Cristiano Ronaldo's 25 goals earned him third spot, as well as the La Liga title and place in the Champions League final.
1. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Bundesliga - Dortmund)

Borussia Dortmund v Werder Bremen - Bundesliga
The race for the Bundesliga's top scorer went to the wire this weekend, as Aubameyang scored a brace during Dortmund's 4-3 win against Werder Bremen.

The Gabon international's last gasp winner saw him earn the Torjagerkanone with 31 goals for the season, one more than Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski.

Aubameyang's performances have brought inevitable speculation about a move in the near future, with persistent rumours of an imminent reunion with Jurgen Klopp on Merseyside

Poor premier league XI 2016-17

Anyone who has played football at any level, knows how difficult it can be to play on the top of your game week in week out.

Unfortunately this group of players have really struggled to live up to expectations this season, in the world's most unforgiving league.

Here's a starting XI of Premier League 'stars' who really didn't do enough this season...
1. Claudio Bravo

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Many had their reservations at the start of the season when Pep Guardiola paid £17m for a 33-year-old keeper, who ousted, a more than able and fan favourite, Joe Hart.

In the end many of the sceptics proved to be correct as Bravo struggled in the Manchester City goal.

The Chilean ultimately lost his place in the City team to Willy Caballero and could leave the Etihad this summer.
2. Sam Byram

West Ham United v Crystal Palace - Premier League
After injury curtailed Byram's season in 2015/16, a lot was expected of the youngster this campaign.

However, like most in the West Ham squad he flattered to deceive at the times this season.

Next year could prove to be the making of the full-back who will need to start showing more consistent performances.
3. Wes Morgan

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Leicester's captain has failed to show the type of steady performances which saw him lift the Premier League trophy just 12 months ago.

At times Morgan looked slow and defensively naive, a shadow of himself from the previous season.

The Jamaican has also struggled with injuries this season and his future at the King Power is not a guarantee next campaign.
4. Chris Smalling

Middlesbrough v Manchester United - Premier League
Smalling was one of United's standout talents in the 2015/16 season, as many believed he was finally fulfilling his potential.

However, this year he has taken a huge step backwards and has slipped down the Old Trafford pecking order.

The likes of Phil Jones, Marcus Rojo and Eric Bailey appear to command a much higher status in Jose Mourinho's squad.
5. Alberto Moreno

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Moreno has endured a horrific year at Anfield, and not just because of that ludicrous hair cut.

The Spaniard appears destined to leave Liverpool this summer after spending most of this season on the bench.

To rub salt in wounds for Moreno, he has even found himself struggling to oust James Milner - a midfielder - from his natural position.
6. Moussa Sissoko

Tottenham Hotspur v Watford - Premier League
If ever there is an example of how things can change in 12 months, it is Moussa Sissoko.

Last summer the Frenchman had alerted many of Europe's top clubs following his impressive performances at Euro 2016.

Tottenham decided to gamble on the midfielder by paying a whopping £30m to secure his services on transfer deadline day.

Yet Sissoko's performances have been subpar all season, with many at White Hart Lane questioning his work rate and commitment. He just never seems to be enjoying himself out there and much more will be expected of him if he does end up staying with Spurs.
7. Jack Wilshere

Tottenham Hotspur v AFC Bournemouth - Premier League
Wilshere probably has the most uncertain future of any player in the Premier League.

It was hoped his loan to Bournemouth would provide the midfielder with regular playing time, which he could then use to secure his place in the Arsenal side next season.

That now looks unlikely as he failed to maintain his place in Eddie Howe's side, with the Cherries opting not to bring him back to the south coast next season an indication of his average year.
8. Mesut Ozil

Arsenal v Everton - Premier League
At times this season Ozil has produced superb displays that everyone in the game knows he is capable of.

Unfortunately, these have been few and far between for the German.

Often games and have passed Ozil by, with the World Cup winner regularly looking disinterested and unconcerned whether the Gunners win or lose.
9. Riyad Mahrez

Manchester City v Leicester City - Premier League
Arguably this side could be made up entirely of Leicester's XI from last year (obviously without N'Golo Kante), but Mahrez has probably been the biggest disappointment of the lot.

Last year's PFA Players' Player of Year looked a shadow of his former self this season, with his creative juices appearing to have withered away.

The Algerian didn't manage a goal from open play in the Premier League until March, and only managed six strikes this season compared to his 17 in 2015/16.
10. Daniel Sturridge

Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round
Sturridge's late season revival should not mask what a disappointing year it's been for the striker.

The former Chelsea man only managed three league goals this season and has fallen behind Roberto Firmino and Divock Origi in Jurgen Klopp's pecking order.

Sturridge will most likely depart Anfield this summer and will hope he can get his career back on track.
11. Wayne Rooney

Manchester United v Crystal Palace - Premier League
Rooney's performances are often the subject of much debate, but this year there has been no denying his mediocre showings.

The striker has appeared to have lost a yard of pace and the fire in belly which has burned bright for nearly 15 years now.

United's all-time top goal scorer looks destined to leave Old Trafford this summer, after 13 years with the club.

United want Atletico Madrid forward Griezmann

United finished the season on a high with victory in the Europa League but Mourinho wants to significantly strengthen the squad this summer as he looks to build a team capable of challenging in both the Premier League and the Champions League. Mourinho was decisive in the market last summer as he provided chief executive Ed Woodward with a list of targets from which Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly were signed. Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Paul Pogba joined United last summer And the United boss has handed Woodward a similar list of targets for this summer. United want Atletico Madrid forward Griezmann to help address a goal-scoring shortfall that saw them manage just 54 in the Premier League last season, 32 less than top scorers Tottenham. Ibrahimovic, the club's top scorer last season with 28 goals, faces an uncertain future as he continues his recovery from ruptured knee ligaments and he was coy about his plans when speaking to reporters after the Europa League final. Marcus Rashford featured heavily for United following Zlatan Ibrahimovic's injury Marcus Rashford featured heavily for United following Zlatan Ibrahimovic's injury His departure would leave a void up front for United and it is unclear whether Mourinho is ready to trust 19-year-old Marcus Rashford to fill it. Wayne Rooney's 13-year tenure at the club looks to be coming to an end after he confirmed he has received offers from other clubs in England and abroad, with the club captain admitting he "more or less" decided his future. Michael Carrick, 35, will be offered a new one-year contract by the club but Mourinho is keen to have another option in midfield after allowing Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger to leave during the season.