Robert Lewandowski's full focus is on beating Wales in their Nations League opener despite his determination to leave Bayern Munich, according to Poland boss Czeslaw Michniewicz.
Tuesday, May 31, 2022
^ ^ Manchester United confident Erik ten Hag’s coaching will turn Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford into key stars again
Manchester United are confident Jadon Sancho can become one of the club’s most important players playing under Erik ten Hag.
While plenty of changes are expected at Old Trafford this summer, ten Hag has underlined his intention to put the work in with the current United stars who underperformed last season.
Ten Hag has warned his squad he expects them to ‘co-operate’ and buy into his ‘total high-pressing’ style of football with belief around Old Trafford that Sancho is one of the players who will benefit most from the Dutchman’s clearly defined style of play.
After excelling in Germany, Sancho returned to English football last summer in a £72million deal from Borussia Dortmund. The England international finished the 2021-22 season with five goals and three assists to his name.
While he provided glimpses of his talent, United believe Sancho will benefit from the structure ten Hag will implement, according to The Telegraph, with the club confident he has the tools to become a ‘bona fide star’ under the new manager.
United harbour similar hopes for Marcus Rashford following what is widely regarded as his worst season for the club.
The report claims Rashford’s miserable campaign has been attributed to ‘confidence, mood and outlook’.
But United are confident that if the England international commits fully to the new manager’s methods then he will ‘benefit enormously’ from ten Hag’s coaching next season.
There had been speculation Rashford might need to leave the club to get his career back on track, but recent reports claim that the forward wants to stay and fight for his place under Ten Hag.
MORE : Manchester United and Liverpool stars among Champions League Goal of the Season contenders
MORE : Manchester United go cold on signing Chelsea star over fears of copying Arsenal’s Willian mistake
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Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.^*^ Robinson & Zinchenko lock horns as Scotland & Ukraine look for World Cup pathway
Scotland and Ukraine are finally set to lock horns as the last UEFA representative at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar have yet to be decided.
Emotional Graeme Souness admits he wouldn’t want to play against Ukraine and wants them to BEAT his beloved Scotland in tomorrow’s World Cup play-off https://t.co/fb1z14PzyL
— MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) May 31, 2022
Both nations have been made to wait in their quest to reach the winter tournament this year after the unjust invasion of Ukraine by Russia earlier this year, and the clash at Hampden Park in Glasgow has major implications for both parties involved.
What’s at stake
For manager Steve Clarke and Scotland, England’s noisy neighbor to the north has a chance to reach the World Cup for the first time since 1998 in France. There, the Scots were largely a disappointment after finishing bottom of Group A comprised of Brazil, Norway, and Morocco while managing just one point in group play to show for their efforts.
Moreover, Scotland has never advanced past the group stage in any of the eight World Cup appearances they have managed across their national history despite players the likes of Kenny Dalglish, Denis Law, and Graeme Souness. To reach the final this time around would be another achievement worth noting, but Scotland still has a long way to go if they are to reach the level of England or even Wales.
As for Ukraine, the story of the Blue and Yellow is one of hope as the Eastern European nation remains under siege by Russian forces. But its people, and its footballers, have no intentions of giving up or accepting favors, either.
ROME, ITALY – JULY 03: Andriy Shevchenko, Head Coach of Ukraine looks dejected after the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Quarter-final match between Ukraine and England at Olimpico Stadium on July 03, 2021 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
National icon Andriy Shevchenko recently stated that he would have been against any automatic passage for Ukraine given the geopolitical situation that continues to rage inside the nation’s borders, insisting that his country’s footballing destiny this cycle must be allowed to play out on the pitch.
But for a nation that has only reached the World Cup on one occasion (2006), there is so much more riding on the line than a nation’s pride tomorrow.
Form guide & How they got here
Scotland
Despite being in the World Cup playoff bracket, Scotland gave a very good account of themselves during qualifying irrespective of the fact that they finished runner-up in Group F behind potential dark horse Denmark, while the Scots posted a very credible 7-2-1 record across group play.
Group F was tricky, however, and Scotland opened play with successive draws against Austria (2-2) and Israel (1-1), and only managed a single win in their opening four outings after thrashing the Faroe Islands 4-0 before losing to group winners Denmark 2-0. But from there on out, Scotland was a side in form as they won six matches on the spin to guarantee the runner-up spot, while recent draws against Poland and Austria again show they have been committed to their approach.
Ukraine
For a side that only mustered two wins during their qualifying campaign, there are many that may feel that Manchester City star Oleksandr Zinchenko and the rest of his compatriots are underdogs.
That said, however, Ukraine managed to go undefeated in their qualifying program including a pair of 1-1 draws against superpower France but hardly ran the table against smaller sides the likes of Finland, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Despite their credible team game and solid defensive numbers, Ukraine continues to struggle for goals that don’t come from a player named Andriy Yarmolenko but are still a threat to Scotland in all areas of the pitch.
Possible Starting XIs
Scotland
Ukraine
^*^ Barcelona boss Xavi holds talks over Premier League midfielder
Barcelona boss Xavi has held talks with Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves over a potential transfer, according to Diario Sport.
Barcelona are said to have targeted the 25-year-old as a long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets and it is Xavi himself who is trying to convince Neves to make the switch to Camp Nou, with his current deal at Wolves set to expire in 2023.
As a result, given the contract situation of the Portuguese, Wolves could be best severed cashing in on him this summer, rather than losing him to a top club for free next year.
No potential fee is mentioned in the report from Sport. But given Neves’ contract situation, it is hard to see Bruno Lage and co. being able to demand too much of a high fee.
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The arrival of Neves may also open the door to a Frenkie de Jong exit. The Dutchman was expected to be Busquets’ replacement when he was first signed from Ajax, as his natural position was a deep midfielder in a three. However, since his arrival in Spain De Jong has, for the most part, been used in more of a no.8 role. And with Pedri, Gavi and Nico Gonzalez also competing for a spot in that role, Barcelona may see it is a clever move to cash in on De Jong and replace him with the cheaper Neves.
Neves has been on Wolves’ books since 2017 when he was signed from FC Porto along with now Liverpool man, Diogo Jota.
Neves has featured 212 times for the Midlands-based outfit, scoring 24 goals – most of which were long-range rockets – and providing 12 assists along the way
Wednesday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier betting tips: Previews, predictions and odds
Wednesday’s international friendly betting tips: Previews, predictions and odds
^*^ No excuse for Uefa echoing Hillsborough by instantly blaming Liverpool fans | David Conn
Rush to instant judgment during the chaos in Paris instead of waiting for the facts was shocking from those responsible
Two days on from the Paris horrors, where Uefa demonstrated shocking ignorance of lessons learned from Hillsborough and other football catastrophes, Liverpool were already facing another one: beware the “independent inquiry”.
The Portuguese MP Tiago Brandão Rodrigues may well be made of the sternest independent mind, but Uefa has appointed him to conduct the review into the Champions League fiasco and Uefa itself is very much a focus for the necessary investigation.
Continue reading...^ ^ Jack Wilshere claims Mikel Arteta was ‘teacher’s pet’ at Arsenal as a player
Jack Wilshere says Mikel Arteta was the ‘teacher’s pet’ at Arsenal during their playing days together.
The 30-year-old has just finished a stint in Denmark and has hinted at retirement as he looks ahead to a career in coaching.
However, from 2011-16 he featured alongside Arteta at the Emirates, winning two FA Cups, with the Spaniard captaining the side for the final two of those years and going on to become the north London side’s manager.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Wilshere – who made over 100 appearances in a red shirt – suggested it was not hard to see Arteta going into coaching due to how the Spaniard carried himself at Arsenal.
He said: ‘I was the naughty one and he (Arteta) was the teacher’s pet. When I was back at Arsenal (coaching recently), Manuel Almunia was there.
‘I went over to him when he was talking to Mikel and we were chatting. He said to me, “Are you the same Jack?” Mikel said, “No, he’s not. He’s the complete opposite”.’
During his time at Arsenal, Wilshere was not an entirely controversial character but, occasionally, found himself in hot water.
In 2015, he sung some choice words about Tottenham during an Arsenal victory parade. While, he was often criticised for smoking and drinking in nightclubs during his spells out with injury.
The midfielder spent this season at Aarhus in Denmark, making 14 Superliga appearances, and is considering his next move, while holding ambitions of getting into coaching.
He added: ‘I’d love to sit here and say I want to be England manager, I want to be Arsenal manager. But I am not stupid enough to think that just happens. You have to go and start somewhere, learn your trade, build yourself up.
‘I’ve got a big desire to coach and become successful at that. You look at the managers who have been successful in the last five or six years, they started young, so I just think, why not?’
MORE : Jose Enrique urges Jurgen Klopp to sign Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka for Liverpool
MORE : League Two side Crawley Town target Arsenal Under-23 boss Kevin Betsy for vacant manager role
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Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.^ ^ Lucas Torreira tells Arsenal he wants to return to Fiorentina
Lucas Torreira has told Arsenal that he wants to return to Fiorentina this summer.
The Uruguay international has just spent the season on loan in Serie A and established himself a key player in Fiorentina’s midfield.
But earlier this month Torreira’s agent, Pablo Bentancur, claimed Arsenal have rejected Fiorentina’s attempt to lower the €15 million (£12.6m) right-to-buy option.
Fiorentina’s president Rocco Commisso subsequently hit back at Bentancur’s suggestion that the Serie A club are to blame for a permanent deal not yet materialising.
Torreira, meanwhile, has now made it clear that he wants Fiorentina to reach an agreement with Arsenal.
‘My intention is to stay at Fiorentina,’ Torreira told FanPage in Italy.
‘But it will be necessary for the club to find an agreement with Arsenal. I’m perfectly fine in Florence. In am fine in Italy.
‘It was a very positive year, even if we failed to qualify for Europa League.
‘Perhaps, we deserved something more, but in the end, when you lose games, it means that you did not do everything you could. Sometimes, you must accept that opponents may be superior. Much credit goes to the coach, who made me feel important to the team.
‘Personally, I felt very loved by the teammates and fans, and when you have confidence in your means and feel trust from people around you, everything goes for the best. All these conditions helped me make it to the top and reach my record for goals in a season.’
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Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.Monday, May 30, 2022
^*^ Champions League: France's interior minister blames Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp for final mayhem
Shambolic scenes outside the Stade de France saw supporters with tickets made to wait in enormous queues, before French police sprayed tear gas at scores of peaceful fans.
^ ^ ‘There are no doubts this year’ – Lionel Messi names Karim Benzema as his pick to win the 2022 Ballon d’Or
Lionel Messi has named Karim Benzema as his pick to win the 2022 Ballon d’Or, following Real Madrid’s Champions League victory.
Benzema capped off the best season of his career by winning his fifth Champions League medal after Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 in Saturday’s final in Paris.
He finished as the competition’s top scorer with 15 goals, and also won the Pichichi (La Liga golden boot) after netting 27 times in Los Blancos’ title-winning campaign.
Even before the final, the French international was a favourite for the Ballon d’Or, the prestigious trophy awarded to the best footballer of the year, and the 34-year-old is almost certain to win now.
That is a view shared by Messi, who told TyC Sports: ‘I think there are no doubts this year.
‘It is very clear that Benzema had a spectacular year and ended up consecrating himself with the Champions League, being essential from the last 16 onwards in all the games.’
It may surprise some to see Messi, who has won a record seven Ballon d’Ors, pick Benzema, given the former’s close relationship to Madrid’s arch-rivals Barcelona, but his reasonings are more than justifiable.
At numerous times during the knockout stages, Benzema was on hand to save his side from elimination, netting hattricks against PSG in the round of 16 and Chelsea in the quarter-finals, before scoring the decisive penalty against Manchester City in the semi-finals.
A nine-time nominee, Benzema has never won the Ballon d’Or, coming closest last year as he finished fourth behind Messi, Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski and Chelsea midfielder Jorginho.
Despite his incredible goal-scoring heroics over the past decade and before, he, like many others, has been often overshadowed by then-Real teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Portuguese forward or Messi winning the award in every year since 2008, with the exception of Luka Modric’s triumph in 2018.
The 2022 Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held at the end of the year, where Benzema’s main competition is likely to be Liverpool wingers Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
MORE : Isco announces Real Madrid departure with next club yet to be confirmed
MORE : Real Madrid star Karim Benzema sends message to Kylian Mbappe after Champions League final
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Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.^ ^ New Chelsea owner Todd Boehly sends message to fans: ‘Our vision is clear’
New Chelsea owner Todd Boehly says his vision for the club is simply to make the fans proud, as his takeover of the Blues is officially confirmed.
The £4.25bn purchase of Chelsea from Roman Abramovich by the consortium led by Boehly was finally completed on Monday afternoon.
The west London club was put up for sale in March after Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government over his links to Russian president Vladimir Putin following the invasion of Ukraine earlier this year.
Since then, Chelsea have been operating under a special license which was due to expire on 31 May – with Monday’s deal rubberstamped just in time to beat the deadline.
The consortium also includes Clearlake Capital Group, and billionaires Hansjorg Wyss and Mark Walter, but is led by LA Dodgers owner Boehly.
The American is quick to try and impress the fans, saying he is in London to make them proud with success on the field, planning to invest in new players and develop homegrown talent.
A statement from Boehly read: ‘We are honoured to become the new custodians of Chelsea Football Club. We’re all in – 100 per cent – every minute of every match.
‘Our vision as owners is clear: we want to make the fans proud. Along with our commitment to developing the youth squad and acquiring the best talent, our plan of action is to invest in the Club for the long-term and build on Chelsea’s remarkable history of success.
‘I personally want to thank ministers and officials in the British government, and the Premier League, for all their work in making this happen.’
Clearlake co-founders and managing partners, Behdad Eghbali and Jose Feliciano, said, added: ‘We are excited to commit the resources to continue Chelsea’s leading role in English and global football, and as an engine for football talent development.
‘We also want to thank the authorities for all their work throughout the process. As pioneers in sports and media investing, we are thrilled to partner with Todd and the rest of the consortium to meaningfully grow the Club as a global platform.
‘Together, we will expand the Club’s investment across infrastructure, technology, and sports science to support the incredible Chelsea football and commercial teams – all with the goal of leveraging this growth to fuel even more on-pitch success.’
MORE : Roman Abramovich era officially over as Chelsea confirm sale to Todd Boehly consortium
MORE : Chelsea considering swoop for Romelu Lukaku’s old wingman instead of Christopher Nkunku
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Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.^ ^ Cristiano Ronaldo orders changes to Manchester United training ground after complaints
Manchester United are upgrading their training ground facilities after receiving complaints from Cristiano Ronaldo, according to reports.
United have just registered their worst season in the Premier League era with their lowest-ever points tally, while a sixth-placed finished ensured that there will be no Champions League football at Old Trafford next season.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, ended the campaign with 24 goals in all competitions, and was not shy in showing his frustrations on the pitch on several occasions.
However, The Mirror reports that Ronaldo also made it clear to United’s hierarchy that he was unhappy with some parts of the training ground, and improvement works will begin ahead of pre-season.
The report claims that Ronaldo didn’t want to use the pools at Carrington because loose and chipped tiles made it dangerous.
It’s claimed that Ronaldo told United’s hierarchy that he could not believe the pool had not been refurbished since he left the club in 2009.
A source at United told the newspaper: ‘Cristiano is an important voice at the training ground.
‘In the past players might have said something but nothing happened. If Cristiano speaks up, people listen, take notice and things tend to change’
Meanwhile, The Telegraph report that United are spending around £5 million on improving Carrington this summer.
United have already improved the catering facilities and dining area during the season, and are freshening up the gym, the pool and installing new pitches before the start of next season.
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Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.^*^ Arsenal’s two-man striker plans for next season confirmed
An insight into the plans of Premier League outfit Arsenal to reinforce the club’s frontline ahead of next season has been provided on Monday.
The subject of the Gunners’ striker pursuit has of course taken its place front and centre in the media headlines for several weeks now.
This comes with Mikel Arteta’s squad in desperate need of central reinforcements, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s January departure set to be followed by Alexandre Lacazette too calling time on his Emirates stint over the coming weeks.
In turn, Arsenal have been tipped as a potential landing spot for a whole host of high-profile hitmen, ranging from Darwin Nunez to Victor Osimhen to Gabriel Jesus.
LISBON, PORTUGAL – APRIL 23: Darwin Nunez reacts after missing a goal opportunity during the Liga Bwin match between SL Benfica and FC Famalicao at Estadio da Luz on April 23, 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
And now, as alluded to above, a fresh insight into the plans of those in a position of power on the red half of north London has been provided.
The info comes courtesy of the reliable David Ornstein of The Athletic, who has confirmed that Mikel Arteta’s current plan is based around heading into the new season with two centre-forward options at his disposal.
One of these players will come in the form of Eddie Nketiah, who was of course rewarded with a new contract at the Emirates earlier this week owing to his impressive form over the closing weeks of the campaign.
And the other, all going according to plan, will be the aforementioned Gabriel Jesus.
Brazilian international Jesus represents Arsenal’s priority summer transfer target, ahead of the expiration of his terms with Manchester City in just over 12 months’ time.
Only in the case that a deal for the 25-year-old cannot be found will Edu Gaspar and the transfer team in north London therefore seek out alternative avenues.
.@David_Ornstein on Arsenal’s striker position: “As far as I know, Jesus & Nketiah are the current priority/plan.” [@TheAthleticUK] #afc pic.twitter.com/QWLhZ5zodM
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) May 30, 2022
Arsenal target Cody Gakpo’s future ‘should be clear’ by the beginning of August, claims PSV technical director
Quartet of Premier League sides, including Arsenal, eye Barcelona defender
^*^ Manchester City plan two more summer signings following Erling Haaland deal
- Khaldoon al-Mubarak says club will continue to strengthen
- Chairman adds: Haaland ‘saw potential of what he can do’ at City
Khaldoon al-Mubarak has stated Manchester City expect to add two more signings to their squad this summer.
City have signed Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund for £51m and Julián Álvarez for £14m, the latter deal completed in January with the player loaned back to River Plate until the close season.
Continue reading...^*^ Kylian Mbappé’s new contract makes him the most powerful figure at PSG
Paris Saint-Germain are paying Mbappé €250m over three years, but they are also giving him a say in how the club is run
By Adam White for Get French Football News
Presidential candidate was not the title Kylian Mbappé was aiming for at the start of the campaign. However, some of those uninspired by the choice in France’s presidential elections last month crossed out the names Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen to scrawl “Mbappé” on their ballot papers instead. With his humble smile, tailored suit and nonchalant waves to fans outside the Parc des Princes, there was something presidential to Mbappé’s media address following his shock signing of a new three-year PSG contract. The new power that comes with it could match his presidential demeanour.
Mbappé’s decision to stay at PSG, a fanciful situation a few months ago, marks the start of sweeping changes within the club. Leonardo, the sporting director, has already exited for the second time and the coach, Mauricio Pochettino, is widely expected to follow. Large parts of an unwieldy squad are finally expected to be sold too, something Leonardo struggled with, while PSG’s prolific but little-used academy could finally take on genuine importance.
Continue reading...Sunday, May 29, 2022
^*^ Nottingham Forest see off Huddersfield to seal glorious Premier League return
Even Jürgen Klopp made his case for Steve Cooper deserving the manager of the season award and it is impossible to argue otherwise after Nottingham Forest ended their 23-year exile from the top flight to seal promotion to the Premier League. When Cooper took over in September, Forest were bottom but after an extraordinary run they are back in the big time.
An own goal by Levi Colwill proved the difference but those of a Huddersfield persuasion will point towards two peculiar refereeing decisions late in the second half as moments that went against them. By the end Forest fans, many with hands on heads taking it all in, swayed through six minutes of stoppage time, nerves frayed. Up in the directors’ box, Evangelos Marinakis, superstitious at the best of times, stood hands on hips.
Continue reading...^*^ Andy Robertson accuses UEFA of LYING and scapegoating Liverpool fans after Champions League chaos
DOMINIC KING IN PARIS: Liverpool were beaten 1-0 by Real Madrid but the result effectively became inconsequential given the widespread reports of shocking behaviour by French police.
^ ^ Manchester United end pursuit of Spurs striker Harry Kane and turn to Darwin Nunez
Manchester United have reportedly ended their pursuit of Harry Kane with the striker now very happy to stay at Tottenham.
The England captain pushed for a move away from north London last summer, coming close to joining Manchester City before staying with the Lilywhites.
United had previously held strong interest in signing Kane, but according to The Athletic, the Red Devils have given up on the transfer, largely because the 28-year-old is now very content at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The reports say that qualifying for next season’s Champions League and the commitment from manager Antonio Conte has convinced Kane to stick with Spurs.
After a terrible start to the season under Nuno Espirito Santo, Kane’s form was resuscitated under Conte, and it is said that the two have a very good relationship.
Kane ended the season with 17 goals and nine assists and could become Spurs’ all-time top goal scorer next season, with the striker now just 18 goals behind the legendary Jimmy Greaves
Conte’s great start to life at Spurs has given fans hope that the club’s long-wait for silverware could be over soon and the Italian has reportedly been given a summer transfer budget of £150million, with Daniel Levy keen to back his manager as much as possible.
United meanwhile, are exploring a number of forward options as new boss Erik ten Hag looks to reshape the Red Devils following an awful 2021/22 campaign.
Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez is one option but it remains to be seen whether United are willing to pay the £60m that Benfica want for the 22-year-old.
Through Jorge Mendes, Nunez shares an agent with current United players Cristiano Ronaldo and David de Gea, and this factor could convince the striker to choose Old Trafford with Arsenal and Atletico Madrid also linked.
MORE : Manchester United confirm Ralf Rangnick consultancy role is scrapped
MORE : Tottenham set to rival Arsenal in race to sign £25million-rated Leicester City star
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Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.^*^ Manchester United duo Jadon Sancho & Marcus Rashford set challenge ahead of World Cup
Manchester United pair Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford have been set a challenge by England boss, Gareth Southgate.
Manchester United on the whole had a terrible 2021/22 campaign and that is reflected in England’s latest squad for their upcoming UEFA Nations League games in June.
The Three Lions will face off with Hungary (twice), Italy and Germany next month, with Southgate naming his squad for said matches earlier this week.
Manchester United had just one star included in that team in the form of Harry Maguire. Previous England regulars from the Red Devils such as Luke Shaw, Sancho and Rashford did not make the cut:
Confirming your #ThreeLions squad for our upcoming #NationsLeague fixtures! 🦁
— England (@England) May 24, 2022
Shaw has had some injury issues of late, which goes some way to explaining his omission. As for Rashford and Sancho though, they have simply not been up to par for the majority of the last campaign.
Luckily for them, however, the World Cup this year is not taking place until the winter, meaning they have time to win their place back.
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And when speaking about the duo recently, Southgate stated that they must start playing well for their clubs:
“There’s enough of a block of games at the beginning of next season that people can still play their way in [to the World Cup squad]. Of course, the closer we get, the more difficult it is.
“But they’ve [Sancho and Rashford] got to start playing well with their clubs. Neither of them have really played at the end of the season. England is a consequence of what you’re doing at your club and you’ve got to get your club bit right.”
Manchester United squad assessment: Who should they keep, who should they sell?
Manchester United 2021/22 season review: Best signing, biggest flop & more
^*^ ‘Messed up’: Liverpool’s Andy Robertson rejects official accounts of Paris chaos
- Player gave ticket to a friend, who was told at ground it was fake
- ‘The force used by certain authorities should not be happening’
The Liverpool defender Andy Robertson has said Uefa “messed up” its organisation of the Champions League final and condemned the heavy-handed response of French police who teargassed fans trapped outside the Stade de France.
Liverpool have demanded Uefa conduct a formal investigation into the shambolic and dangerous scenes that occurred before, during and after the final against Real Madrid in Paris on Saturday.
Continue reading...^*^ Delays and confusion set the tone for Liverpool’s disappointment | David Hytner
The tardy kick-off to the Champions League final may have unsettled players on a night when nothing went right
Sadio Mané stood with his arms folded, weight on one foot, his features loaded with frustration and disdain. The Liverpool forward looked a little like the punter being ignored at the bar but he was actually about to play a Champions League final against Real Madrid.
Behind him in the tunnel at the Stade de France, Mohamed Salah was perfectly still, eyes shut, trying to remain focused; to process it all, perhaps. Because this really ought not to have been happening.
Continue reading...^ ^ Arsene Wenger says Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane ‘lacked belief’ in Liverpool’s Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid
Arsene Wenger believes Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane lacked belief during Liverpool’s Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid.
Jurgen Klopp’s side fell at the final hurdle at the Stade de France on Saturday evening as Vinicius Junior’s goal sealed a 1-0 win for Madrid.
Liverpool had 24 attempts on Madrid’s goal and the Spanish champions needed an excellent performance from Thibaut Courtois to keep a clean sheet.
But Wenger believes both Salah and Mane looked off the pace against Carlo Ancelotti’s men.
‘I would like to give some credit to Liverpool,’ Wenger said in his post-match analysis with beIN Sports.
‘They’ve gone for all the trophies they can go for and they just failed with the two biggest ones by just a yard, they’ve been exceptional as well.
‘I wonder after watching that game if the disappointment of last week, being beaten [to the title] in the last game of the season had somewhere dropped a level of confidence.
‘You felt as well that Salah, Mane, the guys who make the difference, didn’t have the same freshness, the same belief that they can make the difference.
‘Overall they came short, we must be honest, because of Courtois.
‘I felt at some stage that if Liverpool came back to 1-1 they’d come back and win the game.
‘But they never found that special moment where they could finish their chances off, and a lot of that is down to Courtois.’
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Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.Saturday, May 28, 2022
^ ^ Todd Boehly wants to make Barcelona star first signing of post-Roman Abramovich Chelsea era
Chelsea are finally in a position to get their summer rebuild underway after the club confirmed an agreement to sell to US magnate Todd Boehly.
The Premier League giants expect the transaction to be completed on Monday for what will be a sports franchise record deal of £4.25billion and will bring to an end Roman Abramovich’s 19-year reign at Stamford Bridge.
The Russian-Israeli billionaire presided over an era of unprecedented success at Chelsea which saw an assortment of managers win a total of 21 major trophies.
Roman Abramovich Statement
‘It has been an honour of a lifetime to be a part of this club – I would like to thank all the club’s past and current players, staff, and of course fans for these incredible years.
‘It has been nearly three months since I announced my intention to sell Chelsea FC. During this time, the team have worked hard to find the right custodian for Chelsea FC that would be best positioned to successfully lead the club into its next chapter.
‘The ownership of this club comes with great responsibility. Since I came to Chelsea nearly 20 years ago, I have witnessed first-hand what this club can achieve.
‘My goal has been to ensure that the next owner has a mindset that will enable success for the men’s and women’s team, as well as the will and drive to continue developing other key aspects of the club, such as the academy and the vital work of Chelsea Foundation.
‘I am pleased this search has now come to a successful conclusion. As I hand over Chelsea to its new custodians, I would like to wish them the best of success, both on and off the pitch.
‘I am proud that as a result of our joint successes, millions of people will now benefit from the new charitable foundation which is being established. This is the legacy which we have created together.’
Abramovich was forced to relinquish control of Chelsea after he was sanctioned by the UK Government of a direct consequence of his ties with Vladimir Putin, who continues to wage war on Ukraine.
During a protracted bidding process, Chelsea have been in a state of flux, unable to negotiate new contracts with the current playing squad or conduct any transfer business ahead of the summer window.
The levels of uncertainty has led to the departures of Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger, but Thomas Tuchel, who admitted last week he would be unable to take a significant holiday given the work he needs to undertake in the close season, can finally make progress on new signings.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea plan to make Ousmane Dembele their first signing of the Boehly era.
The France international is out of contract next month and has a host of suitors including Liverpool and Manchester United.
Barcelona still retain a slim hope of agreeing a new deal but their perilous financial situation renders that unlikely and Chelsea are now in a position to pounce.
Dembele came close to leaving Barcelona in January before a dramatic late U-turn and played a key role in his side’s improvement under Xavi which helped secure Champions League qualification.
The former Rennes winger enjoyed the most consistent spell of his career, however, under Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund and would be keen on linking up with the German again, particularly with doubts surrounding the futures of Chelsea’s current wide players, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
MORE : Chelsea to make N’Golo Kante available for reduced price with Man Utd considering move
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