The whole world will have noted in recent months that much speculation has focused on Barcelona, and whether the Spanish giants can afford to keep their ridiculously talented trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez at Camp Nou given their financial constraints. The Blaugrana have repeatedly said they do not intend to sell any of the three players, but both Manchester clubs will test the Catalan club’s resolve next summer in a “£1 billion battle,” according to The Sun. The paper reports that United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is “desperate to land Neymar,” while “Woodward’s rival at City, Khaldoon…
Author: David F.
Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos says his former Bayern Munich teammate David Alaba is “an outstanding player” but refused to be drawn on speculation linking the Austria international with a move to the Real madrid. Alaba has established himself as one of Bayern’s leading stars after impressing in a variety of roles under coach Pep Guardiola, leading to reports of interest from Madrid. Kroos, who left Bayern for Real in 2014, said in an interview that he rates Alaba highly. “David is very good player and he has shown his class both at Bayern and the Austrian national team,” the Real…
UEFA.com has announced its Champions League XI for the 2015-16 group stage, with no representatives from European champions Barcelona. Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have the most representatives with two apiece, with Thomas Muller and David Alaba making the cut for the German champions and Kevin Trapp and Thiago Silva included from the French side. Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who was the leading scorer in the group stage with 11 goals and also contributed three assists, is included alongside Muller (five goals, two assists) and Hulk, whose three goals and four assists helped Zenit St Petersburg top Group H.…
Cesc Fabregas has said Chelsea’s players must take responsibility for their poor Premier League form in 2015. Chelsea’s 2-1 loss at Leicester City on Monday night left them a point above the relegation zone after 16 matches played this campaign. Blues manager Jose Mourinho accused his players of betraying his work after the Premier League champions suffered their ninth league defeat of the term, and Fabregas accepts he and his teammates need to improve. The midfielder is quoted by Sky Sports as saying: “We will all have to take responsibility. If you are a big player and paid like a…
Spain international Thiago Alcantara always knew he’d choose Bayern Munich when he left Barcelona, even though his countryman David De Gea tried to lure him to Manchester United. Thiago, 24, trained and learned the game of football at Barca’s famed La Masia academy, but when the son of Brazil World Cup winner Mazinho moved on from the Catalans in 2013, he knew where he wanted to play. “David De Gea wanted me to join [Man United],” Thiago told the Daily Mail. “He wrote a message on my match ball after we’d beaten Italy in the final [of the 2013 U21…
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure says that Chelsea are like a “wounded animal” and should not be written off by their upcoming opponents. Jose Mourinho’s side got their ninth defeat in the Premier League this season when they lost 2-1 at Leicester City on Monday. That result means the defending champions are 16th in the table — just one point above the relegation zone — having picked up only 15 points from their opening 16 league games, while such poor form has led to renewed speculation about Mourinho’s job. City are in much better shape in third, but Toure, 32,…
England’s top teams will pay particular attention to a certain Spaniard in Bavaria this festive season with Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola due to announce his future plans before Christmas. Guardiola, 44, is halfway through the third and final year of his current contract and says he will announce his decision to stay or go before December 25. Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is ready to make Guardiola a generous offer to extend his stay by laying out “many positive reasons to stay at Bayern”. Club captain Philipp Lahm has told the coach the squad want him to stay. “The team’s position…
Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad (EDS) coach, Simon Davies has moved to explain the reason behind the inclusion of Kelechi Iheanacho in the Under-21 side that defeated Southampton 3-1 at the Academy Stadium on Monday night. Iheanacho was impressive, a force of nature, as his involvement in all three of City’s three goals condemned the Saints to a heavy defeat. Davies says the inclusion of Iheanacho in the side he last played for in May (eight months ago) should not be seen as a surprise move. “I think it is important that they’re in the first-team squad. “They’re training really…
Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez says he left Manchester United because Louis van Gaal told him he only had a “one percent” chance of getting into the team. Mexico international Hernandez joined Bayer Leverkusen on the penultimate day of the summer transfer window and has scored 15 goals in his last 12 games for the Bundesliga club, while United have found goals hard to come by. Van Gaal only granted Hernandez three substitute appearances at the start of the current campaign, preferring to use captain Wayne Rooney as his main striker and then signing Anthony Martial for a fee that could rise…
Bayern are expected to announce Guardiola’s decision on his future within the next week, with the Catalan having yet to commit himself to the club despite his contract due to expire next summer. “My reading is that Pep will leave Bayern because Manchester City will loosen the purse strings even more,” Hitzfeld said. “There is no reason to wait until December to make a decision because no titles can be won right now.” Guardiola — who won a hatful of trophies during his time in charge of Barcelona, including three La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns — has…
Portugal great and former FIFA world player of the year Luis Figo said that in all likelihood a player from Barcelona will be the 2015 Ballon d’Or winner, although he didn’t rule out his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo. Real Madrid forward Ronaldo has won the award for the past two years, with Barcelona star Lionel Messi winning it for each of the four years previous to that. And with Ronaldo named in 2008 too, one of the pair has been voted the best player in the world on the last seven occasions. Messi’s Barcelona teammate, Neymar, completes the three-man shortlist for…
Jose Mourinho admits he cannot guarantee he will still be Chelsea manager when Sunderland visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but hopes that owner Roman Abramovich will give him more time to turn the club’s nightmare season around. Leicester City handed the Premier League champions their ninth defeat in 16 league matches on Monday, with goals from Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez securing a 2-1 win that moves Claudio Ranieri’s men back to the top of the table and leaves Chelsea just a point above the relegation zone. After the match, Mourinho accused his players of betraying his work by not…
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho watched his team suffer a 2-1 loss at table-topping Leicester City on Monday and then said he felt ashamed at their lowly Premier League position and betrayed by his players. The champions have now lost nine of their 16 league games and stand one point above the relegation zone in 16th place after goals from Leicester’s Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez condemned the visitors to another painful defeat. Vardy volleyed home Mahrez’s precise right-wing cross after 34 minutes and Algeria forward Mahrez teased Cesar Azpilicueta on the right side of the area before curling a sublime…
Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc refuses to see his side as favourites to beat Chelsea in their Champions League last 16 tie despite the contrasting form of the two teams. PSG beat Chelsea on away goals at the same stage of last season’s Champions League and their only defeats in their last 39 games have come against Barcelona and Real Madrid. They sit a huge 17 points clear at the top of Ligue 1, while Chelsea are a lowly 16th in the Premier League, only one point above the relegation zone after Monday’s defeat at Leicester City. “This time it…
Lecister City’s dynamic duo Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez are not for sale at any price, manager Claudio Ranieri insisted after the pair combined again to get their team back to the top of the Premier League. Genuine title challengers? Ranieri, with a wry smile, still takes such talk with a pinch of salt but after a 2-1 victory on Monday over floundering champions Chelsea the Italian will find it hard to keep a lid on the clamour for much longer. With Vardy and Mahrez in such outstanding form – at this rate who will be able to split them…
If Atletico Madrid’s 2013 King’s Cup triumph was a shock and their 2013-14 La Liga title a surprise, few would raise an eyebrow if Diego Simeone’s ruthlessly efficient side were to win another major trophy. Atletico have quietly been going about their business while Spain’s big two, Real Madrid and Barcelona, have dropped form in recent weeks. Simeone’s team are level on points with champions Barcelona at the top of La Liga after 15 matches. Real are five points adrift in third. Atletico, characterised by a mean defence, talented midfielders such as Koke and Yannick Carrasco and skilful forwards like…
Barcelona star Lionel Messi has avoided another embarrassing court case for tax fraud after he and his foundation were cleared of allegations relating to charitable friendlies played in 2012 and 2013 on Monday. Messi is already facing a separate tax fraud charge along with his father for allegedly failing to declare €4.16 million in taxes related to his image rights between 2007 and 2009. The four-time World Player of the Year was being investigated to see if Messi had failed to declare to the tax man any revenue made from taking part in a series of friendlies in Mexico, Colombia,…
Olivier Giroud is proving the critics wrong and lifting Arsenal, who face holders Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League, towards what may be their best season of modern times, according to club manager Arsene Wenger. The French international joined a magnificent seven of Gunners’ strikers by scoring his 50th Premier League goal in their 2-0 win at Aston Villa on Sunday. His composed strike from a penalty helped to steer them to victory and the top of the league after a week in which they also secured their Champions League passage in dramatic fashion, with Giroud scoring…
Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal is expecting the Champions League last 16 clash against his former club Juventus, but says he would have prefered to meet them in the final. Bayern play Juventus in Turin in the first leg on February 23, then host last season’s finalists at Munich’s Allianz Arena on March 16 for a place in the quarterfinals. It will be Vidal’s first return to Turin since signing for Bayern in July and the Chile international is wary of resurgent Juve, who have climbed to fourth in Serie A on the back of six straight victories. “They are…
To fully appreciate the awesomeness of Leicester City’s astonishing rise to the top of the Premier League, take the clock back 12 months. A year ago, Leicester were at the foot of the table, five points from safety with 10 points from 16 matches and looking dead certs for an immediate return to the Championship. Now they are top, with 35 points from 16 games, and making a mockery of pre-season odds of 2 000-1 by mounting the most unlikely title challenge in the recent history of the English game. “It’s a magical time,” said manager Claudio Ranieri after Monday’s…