Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid go into Saturday’s La Liga showdown at the Vicente Calderon with old and new tactical questions to resolve. Diego Simeone’s side started out as superphysical scrappers who outworked and outfought their more talented opponents from across town. More recently, the balance has changed — especially as Zinedine Zidane’s men are more than comfortable to sit deep, defend and look to hit on the break. According to Aitor Lagunas, editor of Panenka magazine and beIN Sports pundit, the main poser centers on who will want to hold possession and who will choose to take the game…
Author: David Folami
Jose Mourinho had his perfect 10. “He is unique,” he said. “There is no copy of him, not even a bad copy. He is the best No. 10 in the world.” But he was speaking in 2013, long before he became Manchester United manager. The object of his admiration was not one of his current charges, but an opponent on Saturday. He was discussing Mesut Ozil. These comments have a renewed pertinence, and not just because the fixture list brings a reunion this weekend. There is speculation that Mourinho would like to bring Ozil to Old Trafford. While Arsenal may…
Those who have worked closely with Arsene Wenger during his 20 years as Arsenal manager will tell you that Jose Mourinho never could get under the Frenchman’s skin, no matter how low he stooped in trying to do so. “It has never bothered Arsene,” one source close to Wenger told ESPN FC. “He was always quite serene about it. Mourinho could never get to him.” There are two sides to every story, of course. The Wenger loyalists perhaps brush over the physical evidence of a feud that now extends beyond a decade when insisting that their man has always been…
Arsene Wenger says he will shake hands with Jose Mourinho before Arsenal’s game at Manchester United on Saturday — and seemingly challenged his rival to put on a display of entertaining football. Wenger’s relationship with Mourinho was one of the main talking points at the Arsenal manager’s news conference on Thursday as Saturday’s match at Old Trafford will be their first since the Portuguese took over United in the summer. However, Wenger was careful not to deliver any verbal barbs after the two feuded frequently during Mourinho’s two stints as Chelsea manager. “Look, I don’t think I have to describe…
Thierry Henry has told Sky Sports that Manchester United’s game against Arsenal on Saturday is a “must-win” for Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho. Mourinho has not had the smoothest of rides since taking over United in the summer and his side head into the weekend’s Premier League clash against the Gunners sitting sixth in the table. Arsenal can move to the top of the standings with a victory on Saturday, albeit potentially just for a few hours — a result which would leave United nine points off the summit. “It’s ‘must-win’ for United if they want to stay close to…
Brendan Rodgers has said he found it “very, very difficult to connect” with Mario Balotelli after the striker labelled his former Liverpool manager’s player management skills were “disastrous.” Balotelli, 26, made the claim in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport in which he spoke of the best and worst coaches he has worked under, adding he would have liked Jurgen Klopp to have given him more of a chance. “Klopp was not [my worst],” Balotelli said. “I’ve got nothing against him. A situation had been created at Liverpool and maybe he should have had more patience with me. “In reality,…
Manchester United will trigger a financial penalty in their £750 million kit deal with Adidas if they fail to secure a top four finish this season, but the club will avoid an instant £22.5m black hole in their finances, sources with knowledge of the contract have said. Jose Mourinho’s United face fourth-placed Arsenal at Old Trafford on Saturday currently lying six points adrift of Arsene Wenger’s team in the race for Champions League qualification. Having failed to finish in the top four under Louis van Gaal last season, the terms of the 10-year agreement with Adidas ensure that United will…
Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin will be sidelined for four weeks in a big injury blow for the Gunners, but Arsene Wenger is still hopeful Alexis Sanchez will be fit for Saturday’s game at Manchester United. Bellerin took a kick to his ankle against Tottenham Hotspur before the international break and had to pull out of Spain’s under-21 squad after it flared up in training. Wenger confirmed on Thursday that the Spaniard will be out for a month, dealing a big injury blow to the Gunners ahead of a crucial part of the season. “Hector is out for about four weeks,”…
Barcelona have denied that their new four-year, €220 million sponsorship deal with Rakuten contains a “Lionel Messi clause” and hinges on him staying at the club. Vice president Manel Arroyo said that was not the case and reiterated the club’s expectation that the Argentina forward will end his career at the Camp Nou. “What is certain is that no ‘Messi clause’ exists,” Arroyo said. “Leo wants to end his sporting career with Barca, as he’s repeated on many occasions. We can’t even think about letting him leave — and we are working for that to be the case.” Arroyo’s comments…
Former Colombia international Faustino Asprilla has told ESPN Deportes that Cristiano Ronaldo is a bad influence on James Rodriguez, inspiring “ugly gestures” that show a lack of respect to teammates. Ronaldo and James have played together at Real Madrid since summer 2014, and Asprilla told ESPN Deportes he believed their friendship is “damaging” James. Speaking after Colombia’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Argentina, he said: “James is my friend and I love him a lot. “But I can see that his friendship with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid is damaging him. “He now has the same gestures as Ronaldo…
Jurgen Klopp has sympathised with Wayne Rooney after the Manchester United forward was photographed allegedly drinking late into the night while on international duty. Rooney has apologised to England interim manager Gareth Southgate and Football Association technical director Dan Ashworth for his behaviour and said the images, taken over the weekend, were “inappropriate for someone in his position.” The Football Association is conducting a “proper investigation,” but Liverpool manager Klopp said he believed the issue is “not really serious” and went on to praise the professionalism of footballers in the modern era. Speaking at a news conference ahead of his…
Jurgen Klopp is confident that Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge’s future is firmly at Liverpool. Coutinho has been linked with Barcelona but sources have told ESPN FC the Spanish champions have made no contact with Liverpool regarding a transfer and that the player is “clearly happy” on Merseyside. Coutinho is Liverpool’s joint-top goal scorer so far this season and has played an integral role in the team reaching the top of the Premier League. Klopp feels the 24-year-old is currently thriving at Anfield and believes he can improve even further. “My feeling and my opinion is that he feels really…
Arsene Wenger will face a familiar foe in an unfamiliar environment on Saturday when Arsenal travels to Manchester United. The Arsenal boss will come up against bitter rival Jose Mourinho for the 15th time in his career, but it’s the first time he faces a different team than Chelsea under the Portuguese. Wenger has never beaten Mourinho in a competitive game — with all due respect to the Community Shield — while he has lost eight of their 14 previous meetings. Here is a look at five of the worst moments for the Frenchman against his old enemy … Arsenal…
The Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused factional chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff of working for the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Makarfi PDP also said that Sheriff and his supporters are trying to destroy the party. The comments were made by PDP spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye. “At the charade called campaign flag-off, not a word of condemnation was uttered by the ‘PDP members’ against the APC government, but rather, abusive words were hurled at Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, whereas, the contestant the so called PDP members are to wrestle for…
The Governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha has stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors and the party’s national leader, Bola Tinubu are in support of Rotimi Akeredolu. Akeredolu is the APC guber candidate in the upcoming Ondo state governorship election slated to hold on November 28, 2016. According to Punch, Okorocha said the party leaders are united in their support for the APC candidate. He said “We are not jittery, but we are concerned. We are not happy that we are losing some of our illustrious members of the APC. I will call on them to please make…
The factional candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo state, Eyitayo Jegede has called on indigenes of the state not to collect the loaves of bread allegedly being shared by the All Progressives Congress (APC). According to Punch, Jegede said the loaves of bread are poisonous and those who ate it have landed in the hospital. The PDP guber candidate, through the spokesman of his campaign team, Kayode Fasua, said “Though there is nothing bad in distributing bread more so that under the APC national administration, life has become unbearable for the common people, our major concern now…
The reported peace accord between the two factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might not go ahead any longer. The recent war of words was sparked when Ahmed Makarfi, the Chairman of the PDP caretaker committee, called Ali Modu Sheriff an agent of the All Progressives Congress (APC), reports say. Sheriff however slammed back at Makarfi, describing his caretaker committee as a disbanded group. According to Punch, the spokesman in the Makarfi team, Dayo Adeyeye, said “My attention was drawn to another set of lies contained in a statement issued by Dr. Cairo on behalf of his master, the…
A former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, has said he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to correct the insinuations that the party an ethnic or religious contraption. Kalu, who established and funded the Progressive Peoples Alliance, announced on Wednesday, November 16, that he had dumped the party. Speaking at a press briefing, Kalu said: “If they see us in this place, they will know that that APC is not an ethnic or religious party.” He admitted that it will be difficult to sell the APC in the South East, but expressed optimism that it is workable. “It…
The embattled All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Timi Frank has waded into the war of words between Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai and ex-VP, Atiku Abubakar. Atiku in an interview, alleged that Governor El-Rufai offered him shares of Transcorp, which he turned down. The Kaduna Governor immediately issued a statement calling the former Vice President a liar and corrupt man. Speaking on the issue between the two APC big shots, Frank slammed El-Rufai, and called him an ingrate. According to Daily Post, the APC spokesman said Atiku helped influence the appointment of El-Rufai into the Bureau for Public…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) have warned indigenes of Ondo sate against voting for Olusola Oke, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) governorship candidate. The party also accused Oke of pretending to be a progressive, adding that his spirit is still with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Oke was a member of the PDP for 16 years before she decamped to the APC and then to the AD. According to Vanguard, the Chairman of the Akeredolu Campaign Platform, Ade Adetimehin said “Oke’s spirit was still with the PDP where had spent 16 years before crossing to the APC and later the…