Martino not bothered by style debate

Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino has insisted that he isn't annoyed by questions over the style of play he is trying to impose on his players despite an almost flawless start to the season.

The Spanish champions have racked up five straight league wins, as well as beating Ajax 4-0 in their Champions League opener and regaining the Spanish Super Cup with an away goals victory over Atletico Madrid.

However, the Argentine did hint that he is being treated differently because he is neither a local nor Dutch given the history of coaches from Holland taking charge at the Camp Nou in the wake of Johan Cruyff's excellent side in the early 1990s.

"I am not bothered by the debate," he told a press conference on Monday.

"When a team has bordered on excellence there are always these type of situations, especially when the coach is neither from within the club or Dutch. What interests me is the group of players. They seem solid and calm to me and that makes me relaxed."

The debate over Barca's more direct new style was brought to the fore in their 4-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Saturday as despite the disparity on the scoreboard, Rayo had more possession than the visitors.

It was the first time in over five years that the Catalans had not had more of the ball, but Martino claimed that had more to do with Rayo's ball retention than a radical change on Barca's part.

"Possession is significant depending on the team. For Barcelona it is very important, but we need to look at the characteristics of the opponents. The possession against Rayo last season was 55 percent, which is also not what Barcelona are used to.

"I have not come here to change anything and if you ask me about the average possession, last year it was 66 percent and this year it is 65.8 percent. I don't think you can say everything has changed for this 0.2 percent.

"People talk about long passes, but I remember when Rafa Marquez played here so we are not doing anything that I haven't already seen here."

Barca's next test comes at home to struggling Real Sociedad on Tuesday evening.

A win will move Martino's men five points clear of Real Madrid for at least 24 hours before their trip to Elche on Wednesday.

And the match also offers another chance for Neymar to bag his first league goal in Spanish football having failed to find the net in five games so far.

However, Martino defended the Brazilian international's performances and highlighted the three assists he has to his name to show he is still contributing to the team.

"You look at his adaption in terms of scoring goals or not scoring goals, but he has made a great contribution in his creativity and recovery of the ball."

Sergio Busquets returns to Martino's 19-man squad after being rested at the weekend, but Cesc Fabregas is left out as he is the latest player to be given a break in the coach's rotation policy and Carles Puyol is not included despite taking a full part in training over the last few days.

Suarez 'chomping at the bit' to return

Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez is 'chomping at the bit' to return for Liverpool this week after the expiry of a 10-match ban for biting, manager Brendan Rodgers said on Monday.

Suarez is available for Wednesday's Capital One (League) Cup tie against Manchester United at Old Trafford after being suspended for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in April.

"It has been a really difficult time for him not playing games," Rodgers told reporters on Monday.

"How he has prepared himself over the last number of weeks has been fantastic. He's really chomping at the bit to help the team," added the manager.

"Everyone knows the depth of his quality and his attitude. Once he gets back on the field again he will show what he has shown since he's been here."

Rodgers did not confirm Suarez would start although he is expected to partner on-form striker Daniel Sturridge against United.

"The two of them will be a very strong partnership. I'm sure Suarez will be ready to be thrown back in," defender Kolo Toure told the Liverpool Echo.

"He has been very difficult to defend against in training. He is a winner. He's always working hard and fighting. You want those kind of players.

Arsenal prepared to spend again

Premier League leaders Arsenal are prepared to spend more on their squad after the record signing of German playmaker Mesut Ozil, the club's chairman said on Monday.

The arrival of Ozil for £42.5 million at the start of the month has lifted the mood among supporters angry at the departure of striker Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas over the past two years.

Arsenal have not won a trophy since 2005 and some fans of the north London club had questioned the club's ambition under Stan Kroenke, the American sports entrepreneur who is its majority shareholder.

Chips Keswick, whe became Arsenal chairman in June, said manager Arsene Wenger would be given more money to spend as he reported another season of financial profit off the pitch.

"With the Ozil transfer I believe we have made a significant statement and when Arsene decides the time is right to invest again, Stan Kroenke, myself and the rest of the Board will be delighted to support him," Keswick said in a statement.

Keswick said Arsenal would stick to their principles of running a financially sustainable club and developing young players but said their ambition should not be questioned.

"We have a controlling owner in Stan Kroenke and a Board which is united in our resolve to keep Arsenal Football Club at the pinnacle of the game both here and in Europe."

The sale of striker Van Persie to Manchester United helped Arsenal remain in profit in 2012-13. On the pitch, United won a record 20th English league title, helped by 26 goals from Dutchman Van Persie.

Arsenal finished fourth to clinch a spot in the lucrative Champions League for a 16th successive season.

Profit before tax was £6.7 million in the year to the end of May, down from £36.6 million a year earlier, Arsenal said.

The club made a £47 million profit on the sale of Van Persie and Alex Song, the midfielder who moved to Barcelona. However, the club said it had invested £58.7 million on buying new players and extending contracts, before the addiitonal spending on Ozil.

Arsenal currently lead the Premier League on goal difference from arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Wenger set to recall exiled Bendtner

Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner is set to play his first competitive game for Arsenal in over two years on Wednesday as Arsene Wenger rotates his squad for the Capital One Cup.

The Dane last played for the Gunners in their 2-0 Premier League defeat by Liverpool in August 2011 but is likely to make his 100th league appearance for the side he joined eight years ago in the third-round match at West Bromwich Albion.

"We have a Capital One Cup game at West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday and I will rotate the team, of course. Nicklas Bendtner has a chance to be involved," Wenger said in an email to Arsenal fans on Monday.

Bendtner, who has spent loan spells at Sunderland and Italian champions Juventus since last appearing for Arsenal, has not scored for the Gunners since bagging a hat-trick in the FA Cup against Leyton Orient 30 months ago.

Wenger also confirmed that midfielder Jack Wilshere will be rested for the match at the Hawthorns to help him recover for Saturday's league game at Swansea City.

"Jack Wilshere will not play. Normally I would have rested him on Sunday and I decided to take him off because he was a bit exhausted towards the end," said Wenger.

"Rotating the squad is important because we play again on Saturday and after that we have a massive home game in the Champions League (against Napoli).

"We will need everyone to play their part."

The Arsenal manager also lauded Mesut Ozil's impact since arriving from Real Madrid. The Germany international played a part in creating all three goals against Stoke at the weekend, something Wenger does not see as a fluke.

"When you look at his numbers, the assists are not a coincidence, it's just the reality of his game. I believe that once he is completely integrated we'll see even more from him," he said.

"It shows how important the delivery is and Mesut Ozil can provide that.

Balotelli gets three-match ban

AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli has been given a three-match ban for his sending-off at the end of Sunday's 2-1 home defeat by Napoli, the Italian league said in a statement on Monday.

Balotelli, who missed a penalty and scored a late goal in the game, was given a second yellow card after the final whistle for arguing with match officials.

In addition to the automatic one-match ban, he was given an additional two games for "directing insulting and intimidating expressions to the referee at the time of the sending-off," said the league in a statement.

AC Milan were also ordered to partially close the San Siro stadium for their next home game because of insulting chants by their fans aimed at Napoli supporters.

The disciplinary tribunals said the chanting "expressed discrimination based on their territorial origin

Sanchez inspires Espanyol win

Two goals by Victor Sanchez and one by Sergio Garcia gave Espanyol a thrilling 3-2 home win against Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league on Monday.

Espanyol midfielder Sanchez intercepted Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz's clearance and, having spotted a gap, risked using his less-favoured left foot to fire a beautifully precise long-range shot that bounced in from high up the near post in the 24th minute.

"I don't think I've ever scored a goal like that," Sanchez said. "We were lucky enough to be able to score first and finish the match with a win. We are a united team and that's the image that should be taken away from this match."

Bilbao intercepted Espanyol's attack, quickly passed the ball to Benat Etxebarria who found Mikel Rico racing up the right flank, crossing precisely for Oscar de Marcos to score from the middle of the box in the 43rd.

Sanchez added a second goal in the 49th after a complex sequence of one-touch passes placed the ball precisely onto his right foot.

As Espanyol surged forward, Iraizoz saved three shots on goal in rapid succession only to have the fourth bounce off him into goal after Sergio Garcia's close-range shot in the 66th.

Bilbao has not won at the Cornella stadium in 15 years.

We found it hard to get into the match, Espanyol tends to pressure you well, especially at the beginning of matches," said Bilbao forward Iker Muniain. "We were on the brink of equalising at the end, but we've got another match Thursday so it's time to think about that."

Atletico Madrid shares the league lead with Barcelona on a perfect 15 points after five matches. Espanyol is fifth on 11 and Bilbao sixth on nine.

Atlas reinstate Cufre for derby

Mexico's Atlas have hastily reinstated defender Leandro Cufre to face Guadalajara Chivas in their derby next weekend after having banned the former Argentina player at the weekend for seeking to have coach and compatriot Omar Asad sacked.

Cufre and Asad met at a board meeting late on Sunday to overcome their differences over the running of the team.

"Luckily and because of the good will of both sides we cleared up a lot of points that worried us and ... that's why I'm still here," Cufre told reporters on Monday.

Guadalajara City's two biggest clubs are languishing in the bottom four places of the Apertura championship with little hope of reaching the playoffs.