Champions League
Ajax vs Liverpool: Team News, Predicted line-ups from Champions League
Ajax will play host to Liverpool in the opening Champions League group fixture at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Wednesday. The Dutch giants find themselves second in the Eredivise table, one point behind PSV Eindhoven after five games. They are heading into this game on the back of a convincing 5-1 victory against Heerenveen at the weekend in the Dutch league. Dusan Tadic scored twice, while the likes of Mohammed Kudus, Davy Klaassen, and Antony added their names on the scoresheet and sealed all three points for Erik ten Hag’s side. Liverpool, on the other hand, are heading into this match on the back of a 2-2 draw against derby rivals Everton. In arguably one of the most intense feisty encounters in recent years, Everton twice came from behind to earn a point. Sadio Mane and Mohamed Sala...
Lyon set deadline for Memphis Depay’s departure
Olympique Lyonnais have set Barcelona an ultimatum on signing their forward Memphis Depay this transfer window, as per Diario AS. The report cites how Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has told French media outlet Telefoot: “I think I will tell the players that all those who did not leave on Friday will remain at Lyon. As of Friday there will be no more departures.” It is reported how he is referencing both Memphis and midfielder Houssem Aouar – who has been linked with a switch to Arsenal. The Blaugrana are keen on a move for Memphis but it remains unlikely that they will be able to finance a deal, despite clearing Arturo Vidal, Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez from their wage bill. Memphis, 26, netted 11 goals across his last 18 matches for the Dutch national side and has also developed into ...
Thiago Silva not at Chelsea to ‘visit tourist sites’
Thiago Silva is eager to point out that he is not at Chelsea to “visit tourist sites” and “go through the motions”, with the Brazilian defender determined “to win” with the Blues. The 36-year-old centre-half has made a habit of doing that throughout his career to date. Stints with AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain delivered Serie A and Ligue 1 titles, while Confederations Cup and Copa America glory has been savoured with his country. Silva is now taking on a new challenge at Stamford Bridge after forming part of a serious squad refresh by Frank Lampard in west London. He is still finding his feet in new surroundings, with a costly error made on his Premier League bow against West Brom, but the intention is to become a commanding presence for the Blues. Silva told Chelsea’s official matchday...
Ian Wright accuses Manchester United of ‘dithering’ over transfers
Ian Wright has urged Manchester United to sign RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano. The 21-year-old impressed with his performances in the Champions League last season, most notably against Atletico Madrid. Upamecano recently revealed he held talks about a potential move away from RB Leipzig and his focus, for now, is the Bundesliga club (via Manchester Evening News). We all know that would quickly change if United came knocking with an offer in the morning, and former Arsenal star Wright thinks we should make move. When you look at the defence — despite Solskjaer claiming to be happy with it — it shouldn’t be hard to look into the transfer market to find better options. Victor Lindelof is an awful partner to Harry Maguire, but hopefully we see more combinations in the foreseeable future —...
Paris Saint-Germain sign Alessandro Florenzi on loan from Roma
Paris Saint-Germain have completed the signing of Alessandro Florenzi from Roma, with the defender arriving on a loan deal with an option to buy. The 29-year-old has been contracted to Roma throughout the duration of his career however he spent the second half of last season on loan with Valencia in the Primera Division. The 36-time Italy star will team up with international team-mate Marco Verratti in the French capital. “I’m especially proud and happy to become a PSG player,” he said in a statement on the club’s official website. “It’s one of the biggest clubs in Europe today, as was confirmed with their run to the Champions League final last month. “I’ve got the desire to give my maximum for PSG and the supporters of the club. There are enormous challenges ahead of us this season. It wi...
Philippe Coutinho to remain at Barcelona after Ronald Koeman call
Philippe Coutinho will remain at Barcelona for the upcoming 2020/21 season, according to his agent Kia Joorabchian. Coutinho spent last term on loan at Bayern Munich, making 38 appearances as they won the Champions League, Bundesliga and DFB Pokal. The 28-year-old was offered to several Premier League clubs – including Arsenal and Newcastle – but Joorabchian claims that new head coach Ronald Koeman has since persuaded him to stay. “Coutinho to stay at Barça? Yes,” he told Talksport. “Koeman called him right after the Champions League victory with Bayern and told him he’s very much in his plans and would like him to return. “Coutinho was due to return on September 7th, but he began training earlier because he didn’t want to lose his momentum and fitness.” Coutinho has made 76 appearances fo...
Paris Saint-Germain star tests positive for coronavirus
Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe has tested positive for coronavirus and has left the France national squad Mbappe has returned home and will not face Croatia on Tuesday night in the UEFA Nations League. He featured in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Sweden and scored the winning goal in that clash Mbappe is also set to miss PSG’s fixtures away to Lens on September 10 and at home to Marseille on September 13 according to Telefoot. A statement from the French FA told Goal. “The result of his Covid-19 test carried out by UEFA on Monday morning was found to be positive. He was placed away from the group after receiving the results, at the end of training, before going back to his own home in the evening. “Like the entire delegation, Kylian Mbappe had undergone a test prior to the games of th...
Plateau United coach seeks financial support to achieve Champions League Semi final target
Plateau United coach Abdu Maikaba has stated that they need the required support to meet the target of semi-finals of the 2020/2021 CAF Champions League. The former Akwa United coach admitted the 2017 NPFL champions will require even more backing and hard work to realize their last-four ambition in the competition – a feat which was last achieved by a Nigerian club – Sunshine Stars in 2012. “They (Plateau State Government) gave us enough support, but actually, we have to work very hard to achieve that target,” he said. “Getting to the semi-finals (of the CAF Champions League) is not an easy task, and we have to work very, very hard. We have to be given all the necessary support to get there. “In terms of personnel, like the replacement of players, I have to get the support to make the repl...
Virus-hit club loses CAS appeal against UCL ouster
Slovan Bratislava lost its appeal Friday against exclusion from the Champions League by UEFA after players tested positive for COVID-19 in pre-game checks. The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld UEFA’s ruling last week that ordered the Slovakian champion to forfeit a first qualifying round game in the Faeroe Islands without playing. Public authorities in the Faeroe Islands put two different squads of Slovan’s players into quarantine when a virus infection in each group was reported in tests required by UEFA. The game was postponed twice, then UEFA’s appeal panel awarded Faeroes champion KI Klaksvik a 3-0 win to advance to the next round. Slovan later said all 35 players tested negative on returning to Slovakia. Friday’s urgent ruling from a CAS judge – without yet specifying reasons – w...
Gareth Bale: Real Madrid blocked my return to Premier League
Gareth Bale has accused Real Madrid of making it “very difficult” to leave the Spanish club as the Wales forward looks to end his Bernabeu exile. Bale is out of favour with Real manager Zinedine Zidane and played just 48 minutes of Madrid’s 12 games when the Spanish season resumed after the coronavirus lockdown. Zidane, who has feuded with Bale throughout his two spells in charge, said the winger did not want to play in last season’s Champions League last-16 second-leg tie at Manchester City. Bale has two years left on his Real contract, but there appears little chance he will force his way into the manager’s plans. The 31-year-old almost joined Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning in 2019 before Real pulled the plug on the deal, a decision that still irks Bale. “I think the club needs...
Neymar, Angel di Maria, Leandro contract coronavirus
Neymar has tested positive for Covid-19 alongside Paris Saint-Germain team-mates Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes. According to L’Equipe, they are the three unnamed players the club revealed had contracted the virus today. Neymar and Paredes have been holidaying on the party island Ibiza and the news plunges the club in crisis just eight days out from their first game of the season. The French champs have had an extended rest after they made it to the Champions League final in Lisbon. The Ligue 1 season started on August 21 but PSG is not due to play until they travel to Lens on Thursday, September 10. But that fixture could now be in jeopardy, with players to be tested regularly in the coming days. The Premier League has also been rocked by a surge of Covid-19 cases thought to be relate...
Bayern Munich make Lionel Messi transfer decision
Bayern Munich will not be making an audacious swoop to sign Lionel Messi from Barcelona as they simply can’t afford it, according to club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. On Tuesday, Messi sent a fax to Barca officials indicating his desire to leave the club, requesting that he be let out of his contract. The Argentine is unhappy at the decline of the Blaugrana on the field, as in 2019/20 they failed to win any major silverware for the first time in 12 years. He is also disillusioned with how the club is being run at boardroom level. It was actually Bayern who arguably caused the final straw for Messi as it was the German side’s 8-2 destruction of Barca in the Champions League which led to Quique Setien being fired and then the player handing in his request to leave. Only a handful of clubs arou...
