MX23RW : Friday, January 31 02:45:34| >> :120:38032:38032:
[monks data]
Attendance: 27,866
Wolves logo
Europa League | Group Stage
Dec 12, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
Besiktas

4-0

Jota (58', 63', 69'), Dendoncker (67')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Nuno Espirito Santo brushes off Raul Jimenez exit reports

Nuno Espirito Santo brushes off Raul Jimenez exit reports
© Reuters
Raul Jimenez has scored 15 goals for Wolves in all competitions this season.

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo has cooled any fears over losing star striker Raul Jimenez.

The striker has hinted his long-term future could be away from Molineux but insisted he remains happy at the club.

Record £32million buy Jimenez has scored 15 goals in all competitions this term to fire Wolves into the last 32 of the Europa League.

They host Besiktas in their final Group K game on Thursday but Nuno refused to criticise his striker for being ambitious.

He said: "What I know is we're delighted with Raul. He has been sensational and fantastic for us. Being ambitious, having ambitions and dreaming is something that all of us have.

"Our ambitions are built on the present, on a daily basis. What he is doing is amazing – every day of his life is dedicated to Wolves so we are delighted with it.

"We are delighted with him and our present is very good with Raul."

Jimenez had told Marca in Spain he was enjoying life at Molineux but always wants to improve.

He said: "The most important thing for me is to keep moving forward. I am happy with Wolves, but I always have to seek something more and keep fighting.

"This has been the best year of my career – but I want more. I'd have to look at the conditions (of a possible move), if they suited myself, Wolves and the other club."

Mexico international Jimenez is likely to be rested against Besiktas after Wolves returned from a three-day trip to Marbella on Wednesday.

"A break is always important, we have been doing it for three years and we appreciate it," Nuno added.

"We are together, we train and prepare ourselves for this game and the future. The most useful thing is the time we spent together as a group."

Nuno is without Morgan Gibbs-White (back), Jordao (ankle) and Willy Boly (fractured leg) but will hand starts to John Ruddy and Ruben Vinagre.

The visitors are resting several players, including Liverpool loanee Loris Karius, after they failed to reach the last 32.

They are bottom of the group but Mohamed Elneny believes it could be a blessing in disguise with the squad going for the title at home.

"It could help us, of course we want to continue but we're more focused on the league," said the on-loan Arsenal midfielder, with Besiktas second in Super Lig.

"If we don't have two games every week the team will focus more and it'll be good for us.

"We need to win, we have won six in a row and we need to keep this going. In football you need luck but we haven't had luck in this competition."

ID:382564: cacheID:382564:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4059:
Written by
P A
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Domagoj Vida in action for Croatia at the World Cup on July 11, 2018
Read Next:
Norwich interested in Domagoj Vida?
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
QLazio861119
2Athletic Bilbao861119
3Man Utd853018
4Spurs852117
5Frankfurt851216
6Lyon843115
7Olympiacos843115
8Rangers842214
9Bodo/Glimt842214
10Anderlecht842214
11FCSB842214
12Ajax841313
13Real Sociedad841313
14Galatasaray834113
15Roma833212
16Plzen833212
17Ferencvaros840412
18Porto832311
19Midtjylland832311
20AZ832311
21Union SG832311
22FC Twente824210
23Fenerbahce824210
24Braga831410
25Elfsborg831410
26PAOK831410
27Hoffenheim82339
28Besiktas83059
29M. Tel Aviv82066
30Slavia Prague81255
31Malmo81255
32RFS81255
33Ludogorets80444
34Dynamo Kiev81164
35Nice80353
36Qarabag81073


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!