What a difference a decade makes. With exactly two weeks left to go until Christmas, Lionel Messi and his pals have taken to Instagram to show that they are fully prepared for the big day. Posing under the tree with wife Antonella and his two sons Thiago and Mateo, Messi beamed as he proudly announced: “Waiting for Santa Claus with my family.” It certainly looks a lot more sedate that Messi’s Christmas preparations in 2005, during which he geared up for the Yuletide festivities by donning his Santa hat and swimming with the local residents of Barcelona aquarium.
Author: David F.
With all of these big names rumoured to be headed to Manchester, the time may finally have arrived for one of the club’s biggest names in recent years to leave. The Daily Mail says Red Devils captain Wayne Rooney could be the beneficiary of a three-year, £75m deal to join his former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson at Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG. The CSL is growing quickly in the football-crazed nation. One reason is the astronomical sums the league’s clubs are willing to shell out to lure high-profile players and managers to ply their trades there. Rooney has been…
After United crashed out of the Champions League with a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Wolfsburg, the critics are circling at the Old Trafford gates. It’s desperate times for Louis van Gaal and chief executive Ed Woodard, and in this space, desperate times call for desperate rumours. And oh do we have a beauty on that front courtesy of The Times in London. The outlet reports that Manchester United are gathering funds to make a mega move to bring one of Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo or Neymar (or maybe all three) to the club. OK, the chances of these…
Before now, it was straightforward enough to show Louis van Gaal’s critics a copy of the Premier League table and a picture of Manchester United’s Champions League group and dismiss their critiques on the basis that he was making progress in both. But even though Van Gaal’s injury-ravaged United remain only three points off the top in the Premier League ahead of Saturday’s tricky-looking trip to Bournemouth, there are now profound questions over the quality of their team and Van Gaal’s methods. Elimination from the Champions League group stage on Tuesday was chastening. The manner in which Wolfsburg ruthlessly dissected…
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has reportedly dismissed Chelsea striker Diego Costa’s suggestion he could be set for a comeback to the Vicente Calderon. Costa left Atletico for Chelsea in 2014 and played an immense role in last season’s Premier League title success, but the 27-year-old has been linked with a move back for several months. The Spain international did not rule out a return when asked about Atletico in September, and this week he again left the door open to a potential reunion when interviewed on Onda Cero. However, Marca and Mundo Deportivo quote Cerezo as telling an awards…
Arsene Wenger’s description of Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil as “a musician who always plays the right note, and at the right moment” is not a new riff. Back in September 2014, the manager made a similar remark about his record-high £42.5 million signing. “He’s like a guy who plays the music,” the Arsenal manager said back then. “The timing of what he does is perfect, and you don’t get many players like that.” For Arsenal and Wenger, who revealed his great admiration for reggae legend Bob Marley last week, Ozil has not been the chart-topping superstar that many thought he…
Marouane Fellaini believes Manchester United could play more exciting football amid recent criticism of Louis van Gaal’s tactics. United manager Van Gaal has been under fire with his side scoring just 20 goals in 15 Premier League games, and exiting the Champions League group stages having netted seven in six matches. Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat at Wolfsburg consigned United to the Europa League, and Fellaini has called on his teammates to meet the fans’ expectations of attractive, successful football. When asked whether the club could be more exciting to watch, Fellaini told Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday: “Yes, of course. We are…
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu says the Premier League’s financial strenght represents a challenge to his club but denied it could lead to the exits of Lionel Messi, Neymar or Luis Suarez. Bartomeu admitted to the Financial Times that Barca are struggling to hold onto their young talent given the economic power enjoyed by clubs in the English top flight. “Our rival is the Premier League. It is not a specific club, it is the strength of the Premier League itself,” Bartomeu told the newspaper. “The 16 year olds constantly receive offers from the Premier League that are very tempting.…
Manchester City have dropped Kevin De Bruyne for the game against managerless Swansea on Saturday. City, who dropped to third place behind Arsenal and Leicester after a defeat to Stoke, have Sergio Aguero out through injury and so have opted for Wilfried Bony up front. However, the surprise decision is that £54 million man De Bruyne has been left out in favour of Jesus Navas who comes in. City can go top with a win as Leicester play on Monday and Arsenal on Sunday.
England coach Roy Hodgson has said it will be hard to leave Jamie Vardy out of his squad for Euro 2016 if the Leicester striker continues his form. Vardy broke Ruud van Nistelrooy’s 12-year record this season by scoring in 11 consecutive Premier League matches. The 28-year-old has 14 goals for the Foxes this term and has played three times for England. Hodgson said Vardy’s goalscoring record would make him a “very strong contender” to go to the tournament. “He won’t score in every game between now and when I select a team for the Euros,” said the England manager.…
Wales forward Gareth Bale believes his team can win Euro 2016 and will not just “make up the numbers” in France. Wales are preparing for their first major tournament since 1958. “I honestly believe if we have a bit of luck along the way, and play our football, we have a great chance of winning. Why not?” Bale told the BBC’s Sport Wales programme. Chris Coleman’s side will discover their group-stage opponents in Saturday’s draw in Paris. Coleman has said he would prefer to avoid England in the group stages. Wales are among the bottom seeds for the Euro 2016…
Forrmer Sunderland boss Gus Poyet is ‘interested’ in the vacant manager’s post at Swansea City. The Swans may compensate Poyet’s current club AEK Athens should he succeeds Garry Monk, who left on Wednesday after one win in 11 league games. The club wants to name a new manager before the Premier League game at home to West Ham on 20 December. Swansea’s caretaker manager Alan Curtis is in charge for Saturday’s league game away at Manchester City. Poyet is the bookmakers’ favourite for the Swans role, although former Wales winger Mickey Thomas believes Manchester United assistant manager Ryan Giggs would…
Goalline technology could be used at Euro 2016 and in next season’s Champions League and Europa League. If approved, Uefa’s system of positioning an additional assistant referee behind each goal would remain. European football’s governing body discussed the issue on Friday and said it would make a decision in January. Goalline technology was introduced in the Premier League for the 2013-14 season, and Fifa used it at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Real Madrid boss Rafael Benitez has recounted his support for troubled French striker Karim Benzema after he was indefinitely suspended from representing his country. Benzema faces criminal charges in france after allegedly becoming allegedly involved in a sex-tape blackmail attempt against international teammate Mathieu Valbuena. The 27-year-old now looks set to miss next summer’s European Championships on home soil unless the case is resolved before June, French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet said on Thursday. However, in contrast to the reaction in France, Benzema has received full support from Madrid with both Benitez and club president Florentino Perez insisting…
Arsene Wenger hopes the buzz generated from Arsenal’s against the odds qualification for the Champions League last 16 will provide a welcome increase to his side’s Premier League title charge. The Gunners recovered from a terrible start to the campaign to progress in Europe thanks to Olivier Giroud’s hat-trick in a 3-0 victory at Olympiakos on Wednesday. Sunday’s trip to bottom of the table Aston Villa gives Arsenal a good chance to maintain that momentum and Wenger has warned his players not to rest on their laurels. “We came back on Thursday morning but we have no injury worries after…
Jurgen Klopp has been very quick to point out that he will not be able to change Liverpool’s fortunes instantly and the Reds boss faces his next challenge on Sunday when West Bromwich Albion aim to become the latest visiting side to thrive at Anfield. Emphatic recent away wins at Chelsea, Manchester City and Southampton had some of Liverpool’s more optimistic supporters dreaming not only of Champions League qualification, but of a title challenge this season. Those expectations will have been tempered by a poor showing in a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle last Sunday – only the second time that…
Watford manager, Quique Sanchez Flores expects offers to come in for his Nigerian boy, Odion Ighalo but insists the striker is happy at the club. Ighalo has been in superb form for the Hornets this season scoring important goals that has shot the newly-promoted club to the top half of the Barclays Premier League standings. Flores however believes the impressive forward will not be leaving the club anytime soon. “We know the offers will start coming in for Odion and (Watford captain), Troy (Deeney) but we are confident they will stay. “They are both happy here and will not leave,”…
Manuel Pellegrini admitted he is not sure if Vincent Kompany will be fit enough to make his comeback in Manchester City’s potential title-decider against Arsenal. Captain Kompany, who has a calf injury, has missed City’s last six matches and will not feature in Saturday’s clash against struggling Swansea. But while he, along with Pablo Zabaleta, is scheduled to return to training next week, Pellegrini does not expect the centre-back to start at the Emirates Stadium on Dec. 21. “It’s difficult for a player just to work three days and to be ready to play,” Pellegrini said in a news conference.…
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has rated Gunners striker Olivier Giroud among the world’s best at his position, while backing his forward trio of Giroud, Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott as one of the game’s top units. With Sanchez sidelined for this weekend’s match against Aston Villa, Wenger is likely to start with Walcott out wide and the in-form Giroud as the main striker. The France international scored a hat trick in Wednesday’s 3-0 win in Olympiakos, which sealed Arsenal’s place in the Champions League knockout stages. Sometimes labelled as a player not good enough to fire Arsenal to trophies, Giroud…
Jose Mourinho has not ruled out the possibility of returning to manage Real Madrid one day, but insists he is committed to seeing out his contract with Chelsea. Mourinho is being lined up by the Spanish giants to succeed beleaguered boss Rafa Benitez next summer, according to a report in The Sun on Thursday, despite the Portuguese’s first spell at the Santiago Bernabeu ending acrimoniously amid clashes with powerful senior players in the squad. The Chelsea manager’s future at Stamford Bridge remains the subject of intense speculation, despite Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over Porto which guaranteed the Blues a place in…