Lewandowski revels in ´incredible´ five-goal cameo

Robert Lewandowsk

Robert Lewandowski admits it was an "incredible" feeling to score five goals in just nine second-half minutes as Bayern Munich thrashed Wolfsburg 5-1.

Daniel Caligiuri had put Dieter Hecking's side ahead at half-time, prompting Pep Guardiola to introduce Lewandowski to lift the champions' lifeless performance.

And the Poland international did just that, bagging a hat-trick in four minutes before adding a fourth from close range and a sensational volley from the edge of the area for a fifth - all within 15 minutes of the restart.

"I am very satisfied, that was incredible," he told Sky. "I just wanted to shoot, I didn't really think what will happen afterwards.

"Having been one down, we knew that we must improve and score twice at least. But five goals, that's incredible."

Lewandowski's was the fastest hat-trick in Bundesliga history and also the first time a substitute had scored five in the German top flight, and the 28-year-old admits he was shocked when he looked at the scoreboard.

"I don't know how fast it was, but it was fast," he added. "But when you're on the pitch, you're just focused on football. After the fourth I looked at the scoreboard, it was the 60th minute and I only thought: 'Ooh'.

"Guardiola didn't need to say anything, I know what I have to do on the pitch. But it was only one game, we have to win the next games as well. We are Bayern Munich."

Lewandowski was immediately asked to compare the game to Borussia Dortmund's 4-1 thrashing of Real Madrid in the 2013 Champions League semi-final, in which he scored four.

"It was a very important game. That was a very big event in my life," he said. "Now five goals, that is a great night for me. But there are many games to go, and it won't be that easy to score in every game."

Wolfsburg midfielder Maximilian Arnold, however, could only rue the defensive collapse from his side in the early part of the second half.

"We can't explain that, five goals in nine minutes," said the 21-year-old. "There is no reason to talk about, it's just s***."​

Chelsea Extremely disappointed at Costa sanction

Diego Costa

Chelsea say they are "extremely disappointed" by the Football Federation's decision to suspend striker Diego Costa for three games following his conduct in Saturday's defeat of Arsenal.
Costa was involved in a series of incidents with Arsenal defenders Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel in the 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Gabriel was sent-off for kicking out at the striker after a bout of verbal jousting, though the Brazilian's own three-match ban has since been rescinded by the FA.
Referee Mike Dean cautioned the Spain international for an altercation with Koscielny just before half-time that left the Frenchman floored.
But it is an earlier clash between the two- which saw Costa swing his arm and catch koscielny in the face-which has prompted the FA to ban the striker, having dismissed the 26-year-old's appeal against his violent-conduct charge.
'We are extremely disappointed with the FA Regulatory Commission's Decision to suspend Diego Costa. We will await their written reasons before commenting further," read a Chelsea statement on Tuesday.
An FA statement earlier in the day outlined the punishment meted out to the former Atletico Madrid striker.
It read: "An FA charge against Diego Costa for violent conduct not seen by the match officials but caught on video has been found proven following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing.
" The Chelsea forward will, therefore, serve the standard penalty of a three-match suspension with immediate effect.
As a result of the ban Costa will miss the League Cup clash with Walsall on Wednesday, plus the upcoming league  matches with Newcastle United and Southampton.
It is the second time in Costa's Chelsea career that he has been banned after a match, following a stamp on Liverpool's Emre Can last season.

CCT dock Saraki on 13-count charges

Saraki goes to the dock, pleads not guilty to 13-count charges,I was been told for the first time says Saraki.
Tribunal says the case is criminal in nature.

Breaking News: Costa charged with violent conduct

Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been charged by the football Association for " an alleged act of violent conduct" during Saturday's win Arsenal.
Arsenal defender Gabriel-sent off for kicking out at Costa-has also been charged with improper conduct while teammate Santi Cazorla has been warned following his red card.
Both clubs have been charged for failing to control their players.

Arsenal have the players to win the Premier League, claims Jose Mourinho as Chelsea boss goads rival Arsene Wenger

Jose Mourinho

Before Jose Mourinho disappeared into the manager’s office at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon, there was one last chance to twist the knife into Arsene Wenger.

Chelsea’s manager was in full flow, swiftly moving on from an inevitable disagreement with Wenger over Diego Costa’s behaviour and turning his attention to the quality of the Arsenal team.

‘I think Arsenal have the squad to be champions — and every season I feel that,’ claimed Mourinho. It was another pointed dig at Wenger.

No-one in their heart of hearts really believes Arsenal are good enough to win the Barclays Premier League title with this team but it suited Mourinho to give Wenger another sharp jab in the ribs.

‘I don’t know why they can’t win it, but that’s my feeling — I like every player,’ added Mourinho.

‘If one of their players is a free agent and Arsenal don’t want him there, I would take every one. I like all of their players.’

Arsenal have not won the Premier League title since 2004, when Wenger assembled a team of Invincibles capture the biggest prize in English football. This was another painful defeat for Arsenal, another brutal lesson after they succumbed to Costa’s shenanigans and allowed ill-discipline to mask their usual inadequacies.

Gabriel lost out in a verbal exchange with Costa, all of it spoken in their native Portuguese tongue before the Arsenal defender’s petulant donkey kicked at the Chelsea striker towards the end of the first half.

That was nothing compared to the stupidity of captain Santi Cazorla, leaving his team-mates to play out the remainder of this fiery London derby with nine men after he was sent off 11 minutes from time. 

By then Kurt Zouma had headed Chelsea in front and they added a second in injury time when Eden Hazard’s strike deflected in off Calum Chambers.

Arsenal’s season has juddered to a halt, beaten in the Maksimir Stadium by Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League on Wednesday and losing, as is customary, to Chelsea.

This was the chance for Wenger’s side to build on the psychological blow that was struck on August 2 when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s strike at Wembley secured the Community Shield.

Instead the dopey dismissals on Saturday have given Arsenal an excuse again, preferring to blame Costa, the referee Mike Dean, or a combination of both for this defeat. There was more to it than that.

To match the champions Chelsea, on a bad run themselves in the league after successive defeats against Crystal Palace and Everton, would have been a powerful message. Instead, they are caught up in another cycle of excuses.

On Wednesday they travel to White Hart Lane for a Capital One Cup tie against their north London rivals, a tie that has suddenly taken on a different dimension.

‘We have played the last couple of games with 10 men in the second half and I hope we can play 11 v 11, but it’s another derby so it’s not guaranteed,’ added Wenger.

Arsenal’s manager will take some calming down after Costa’s shameful contribution, which included the demand for a yellow card when he tripped over his own feet, to this clash.

‘They (the FA) have to do it for everyone,’ he added. ‘I would like them, especially Mike Dean, to look at the whole action that happened and see if he stands by the decision.

‘You can spit in my face and if it’s in a game then I will not respond — but I do not guarantee that outside the game.’

In fact, Costa will find out on Monday if the FA will take retrospective action after studying referee Mike Dean’s report for his part in the incident that led to Gabriel’s dismissal. 

Costa is likely to be on the bench for Wednesday’s Capital One Cup tie at Walsall with Radamel Falcao starting while John Terry, dropped for Chelsea’s last two games, will return to the team.

Breaking News: Chief Olu Falae Kidnaps in Ondo

Chief Olu Falae

Former secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae Kidnapped from his farm in Ondo state.

Breaking News: Produce Saraki in 24hrs, CCT orders IGP Arase

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), has ordered the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to arrest and bring the Senate President, Bukola Saraki before the Tribunal on Tuesday, by 10am
Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar, gave the ruling on Monday, after Saraki for the second time, failed to show up before the Tribunal.