Roberto Martinez is considering calling up Manchester United’s Andreas Pereira for upcoming international friendlies, sources have said. However, a source close to the playmaker said he still has his sights set on representing the Brazil national team and would turn down a chance to play for Belgium in the September friendlies against Scotland and Iceland in order to wait for a call from Brazil coach Tite. Former Everton boss Martinez met United manager Jose Mourinho after the Red Devils’ 2-1 victory over Leicester City last Friday and the two spoke about Pereira, sources said. Pereira was born in Duffel, Belgium,…
Author: David Folami
Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui said “experts” Atletico Madrid “punished” his team in a 4-2 extra-time loss in the UEFA Super Cup. After the match, Lopetegui told reporters: “A final is typically won by the team who capitalises on circumstances and Atletico are experts in doing that and they deserved to win. “We aren’t happy with the result, it’s not normal for us to concede four goals and we need to improve. I insist that we played well, but they punished us with their goals.” But the coach said he was certain the team were still full of hunger to…
Unai Emery has backed Petr Cech to keep his starting role against Chelsea and praised the goalkeeper’s performance against Manchester City despite his struggles to play the ball out of the back. Emery, whose style of play puts added pressure on the goalkeeper’s passing ability, said that game has not made him change his mind about starting Cech over newcomer Bernd Leno when they travel to Stamford Bridge this weekend. “For Saturday, the decision for me is easy. Petr Cech can continue to start the match, I believe in him. [But] if Bernd starts, I believe in him also,” Emery…
Kick It Out chairman Lord Herman Ouseley said there has been a “shameful silence” over the criticism of Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling. Sterling was the focus of negative attention in parts of the media for a tattoo on his leg depicting a gun. He has also been in the newspapers for driving an unwashed car, shopping at a discount store and buying sausage rolls from the bakery Greggs. Despite England’s run to the World Cup semifinals yielding widespread praise across the country, Sterling’s performances were often the subject of criticism — and Lord Ouseley has called on English football’s governing…
Manuel Pellegrini has ruled out a move for free agent Yaya Toure, and said his squad is “complete.” “Yaya Toure is a good player, he will always be a good player, but for the moment he is not for West Ham,” Pellegrini said. “For the moment, the squad is complete.” Toure scored 20 goals in the Premier League as City claimed the 2013-14 title under Pellegrini, and the pair spent three seasons together at the Etihad. The former Ivory Coast international then saw his first team opportunities limited once Pellegrini was replaced by Pep Guardiola in 2016, and last season…
Fernando Torres may still be seeking a first goal in Japan but the Spanish striker is encouraged by the upturn in Sagan Tosu’s results since he arrived in July. The latest result was a fine 0-0 draw at the home of title-chasing Kawasaki Frontale on Wednesday that took Tosu, with just 17 goals in 22 games this season, into 15th in the 18-team league. It was another defensive display by the visitors but it left the former Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea striker isolated in attack and without any shots on goal over the 90 minutes. “This was a good…
Cesc Fabregas will not feature for Chelsea against former club Arsenal as he deals with a “very unusual” injury, but Mateo Kovacic could make his debut, head coach Maurizio Sarri said on Friday. The Spain international remains unavailable but Kovacic is likely to be on the bench, though Sarri said he is some way short of peak fitness. “Fabregas is out for this match. I hope he will be able to be on the pitch [training] next week. I’m not sure,” Sarri said. “[It’s] nothing serious, but he has a very unusual injury. [It’s] nothing serious, but he has a…
Roma sporting director Monchi said on Thursday that he believes midfielder Steven Nzonzi is a better player than Malcom, who spurned the club to join Barcelona last month. When asked about how the signing of the France international compares to what Roma would have had with Malcom, Monchi praised Nzonzi. “Don’t you think a world champion is better than Malcom?” Monchi said at a news conference. “I didn’t say I would have signed somebody with the same role. I said I wanted to sign somebody better, and to me, Steven is better than Malcom.” Nzonzi, 29, joined Sevilla from Stoke…
Kevin De Bruyne is facing a spell on the sidelines after injuring his right knee in training on Wednesday. A club statement said the full extent of the injury is not yet known, but the 27-year-old Belgium international was undergoing tests. De Bruyne, who was later seen on crutches, is expected to fly to Barcelona for further tests with Dr. Ramon Cugat, a specialist who treated him when he suffered a knee injury in January 2016. Cugat also helped City teammates Ilkay Gundogan and Benjamin Mendy recover from cruciate ligament injuries. “Kevin is a great player and it’s just unfortunate…
Arsenal will sign Romanian midfielder Catalin Carjan when he turns 16 in December as they continue to bolster their academy under new head coach Unai Emery. “It’s something else,” Carjan told DigiSport. “They’ve been watching for me to get more matches and that was it. After that, they sent me the tickets to go join them. They told me that I was a good player and that they wanted me to join the first team in two years.” Carjan will join Joel Lopez, a left-back who has left Barcelona’s academy and will sign a professional contract with the club when…
The Arsenal Supporters Trust is planning to reject Stan Kroenke’s mandatory offer for their shares in a last show of defiance against the American billionaire although they have no hopes of legally challenging the takeover. Kroenke is set to take single ownership of Arsenal after minority shareholder Alisher Usmanov agreed to sell his 30 percent stake in the club earlier this month. That deal means Kroenke can force the remaining shareholders to sell their combined 3 percent stake as well, but the AST — the leading Arsenal fan group — will not give up their six shares willingly. “By accepting…
Carlos Tevez would not be surprised if Lionel Messi decides to permanently retire from the national team. “It would be understandable if Messi doesn’t return to the national team,” Tevez told TyC Sports. “When you give and then you are criticised, it becomes very difficult. I’ve been through that and at times you don’t want to go [to the national team].” Argentina football federation (AFA) president Claudio Tapia said last month that it is important for his organisation to have Messi play for the national team for financial reasons, but that he would give Messi time to decide if he…
Daley Blind has said he was grateful to play for Jose Mourinho and that his former manager’s approach could help him now at Ajax. Blind, who left United last month to return to his former club after four seasons, said his experience with Mourinho the last two years was “very positive.” “I’ve almost played 150 games and won four trophies with them,” Blind said after a 3-0 victory over Standard Liege in the third qualifying round of the Champions League. “I’ve really had a great time with lots of beautiful moments. I am very thankful for the fans there that…
Sergio Ramos has insisted that ” Real Madrid have “always felt like a family after former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo said that his new club Juventus is “different, everyone is very friendly,” adding that he was sure the European champions would continue to be successful even after losing such an “important and decisive player.” “We’d have to see what Cris meant when he said that,” Madrid captain Ramos said ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup against Atletico Madrid in Tallinn. “We’ve always felt like a family here. I don’t know where his shots were aimed — the dressing room, the hierarchy……
It’s been almost three months since Liverpool lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid, yet it clearly still plays on the minds of all concerned. Jurgen Klopp still speaks with a little bitterness about one of the major turning points in the game — Mohamed Salah’s shoulder injury. For the Real player involved in the incident, Sergio Ramos, the implication is obvious. He was a winner by default, by cheating almost, and nobody would let any hint of that slip by without a retort. There must be some caution with reports of a player or manager “not letting it…
Diego Godin has said he is proud to take over as the club’s captain after having turned down interest from other clubs. After competing in the World Cup with Uruguay, Godin reportedly considered a move to Juventus, and Manchester United made a late attempt to sign him on the Premier League’s deadline day. Ahead of the UEFA season curtain-raiser in Tallinn, Estonia, Godin will replace midfielder Gabi Fernandez, who joined Al-Sadd, as Atletico’s captain, with Antoine Griezmann becoming one of the team’s vice-captains. “I am happy and proud, and above all, I feel a lot of responsibility wearing the armband…
Wayne Rooney has said he moved to the MLS “to work” amid claims many top level footballers make the switch to the U.S. for an easy paycheck. “I understand people might get frustrated when they see players coming over maybe a bit later in their career,” Rooney told the Washington Post. “But that’s for me to show with performances that I’m not here just to be on holiday. “I’m here to work, and I’ll have plenty of time when I finish playing to enjoy myself and have holidays.” Rooney left Everton join DC United in June and has scored one…
Victor Moses stunned the Nigerian football community by announcing his international retirement on Wednesday. The 27-year-old stated his desire to focus on his club career with his Premier League team, his young family, and encourage the progression of the next generation of Super Eagles players. “I would like to announce that after much thought I have made the decision to retire from playing international football. I have experienced some of the best moments of my life wearing the Super Eagles shirt and have memories with me that will last a lifetime. Nothing will ever compete to what it felt like…
Bukola Saraki has disclosed that he won’t get down in the gutter to fight with the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives’ Congress (APC) who recently accused him of committing treason. In a statement issued by the APC’s Acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, the party described Saraki’s failure to reconvene the National Assembly as an action bothering on high treason. In reaction to the statement, Saraki’s Special Adviser Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said the senate president refuses to be dragged down to the dirty level of the APC’s…
Alhaji Umar Imam, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the Aug. 11 by-election into Lokoja/Kogi Federal constituency has congratulated the winner of the election, Alhaji Haruna Isah of All Progressives Congress (APC). He said “My involvement in the by-election was to accentuate and defend our democracy. It shouldn’t matter whether I win or lose. My political philosophy is based on service to the people,’’ he said. He, however, said that the election “left us some bitter lessons and terrible experience, alien to our politics and dangerous to our democracy.” Imam commended his supporters for standing firm in the face…