Champions League
FSG rejects £3 billion offer to sell Liverpool
Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group has rejected a £3bn offer from the Middle East to sell. The offer was made to FSG prior to the announcement on Sunday night that principal owner John W. Henry had been involved in talks to take Liverpool into the ill-fated European Super League, reports the Mirror. Following anger aimed at FSG in the wake of the failed Super League plot there are other potential bidders waiting in the wings to see if the stance of Henry and Liverpool chairman Tom Werner changes as a result of the enormous criticism they face. FSG took charge of Liverpool in 2010, buying the club for around £300m to end the reign of the deeply unpopular Tom Hicks and George Gillett at Anfield, the American duo having left the Reds on a financial cliff edge by the time their exit arrived....
English FA ‘exploring all options’ to prevent Super League repeat
English football is set for a fan-led review, under the direction of former sports minister Tracey Crouch, following the fall-out from the widely criticised breakaway plans. Twelve of Europe’s leading clubs — including the Premier League’s “big six” — announced late Sunday they had signed up to compete in the Super League. But the plans dramatically unravelled two days later as clubs withdrew following an outpouring of outrage from fans, governing bodies, players and politicians. Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham all swiftly confirmed they would not be moving ahead with the proposals, which would have seen founder members exempt from relegation. Bullingham is determined there must be no repeat of the chain of events, which caused an uproar throug...
PSG boss: Idrissa Gueye a pleasure to work with
Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino has revealed his delight to work with Idrissa Gueye and praised him for his contribution to his side. The midfielder is currently spending his second season at Parc des Princes, having teamed up with the club from Premier League side Everton in the summer of 2019. Gueye has featured in more than 60 games since joining the side and in the current campaign, he has made 42 appearances, scoring two goals and providing one assist across all competitions. His performances ensured the Parisians to their second spot on the Ligue 1 table and their progression into the semi-finals of the Champions League. Pochettino has lauded the impact of the Senegal international to his side ahead of their encounter with the Maroons. “He’s a player with experience, ...
PSG president replaces Juventus supremo as ECA chairman
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been appointed as the new European Club Association chairman, replacing Andrea Agnelli in the wake of the Juventus executive’s departure. Agnelli stepped down from the ECA in response to the formation of the Super League, assuming the role of the new competition’s chairman. Although the Super League is not set to go ahead, Al-Khelaifi has been named as Agnelli’s replacement after his club resisted an invite to join the new competition. “I am honoured and humbled to have been appointed by my fellow ECA Executive Board Members as Chairman,” he said in a statement. “The leadership, integrity and togetherness of our organisation has never been more required than at this pivotal moment in European football. “I will provide my unconditional co...
FIFA chief to break silence as Super League plunges Europe into crisis
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is expected to deliver his verdict on the European Super League on Tuesday after the widely condemned breakaway competition triggered threats of legal action and punitive measures. European body UEFA will look to support from the world football chief at its congress in Switzerland as it attempts to quash an initiative that threatens its prized Champions League and the health of domestic competitions such as England’s Premier League. Twelve powerful clubs – six from England, and three each from Spain and Italy – have signed up for the Super League, which offers guaranteed spots for its founding members and billions of dollars in payments. Currently, clubs have to qualify for the Champions League each year through their national competitions, and face a length...
UEFA exco member: Super League clubs will be thrown out of Champions League
Manchester City, Chelsea and Real Madrid could be kicked out of this season’s Champions League this week, according to the Danish FA chairman Jesper Moller. Moller, who is a member of UEFA’s Executive Committee, says the teams involved in the new Super League could face sanctions following Sunday’s groundbreaking announcement. One team that wasn’t part of the Super League’s unveiling was Paris Saint-Germain, who are the only semi-finalists currently not involved in the new competition. “The clubs are going out, and I expect that to happen on Friday, and then you have to see how to finish the Champions League,” Moller told DR Sport. He added: “There must be one extraordinary executive committee meeting on Friday. I have an expectation that the 12 clubs will be thrown out.” As things stand, ...
Tottenham Hotspur sack Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho has been sacked as head coach of Tottenham. The club are yet to confirm the decision, but it is understood Mourinho has left less than a week ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City on Sunday. Mourinho had been in charge at Spurs since November 2019, replacing Mauricio Pochettino, signing a deal until the end of the 2023 season. In his first campaign, Mourinho took Tottenham from 14th in the Premier League to finish sixth – securing Europa League qualification – but were knocked out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage by RB Leipzig. Spurs are currently seventh in the table, five points off the Champions League places. Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a...
Borussia Dortmund chief confirms BVB, Bayern Munich reject Super League
Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has confirmed that both Dortmund and Bayern Munich are against the formation of a Super League. Plans to launch a Super League were announced by 12 of Europe’s leading clubs late on Sunday night. However, they do not have the support of either of Germany’s two biggest clubs. “The members of the European Club Association (ECA) gathered for a virtual conference on Sunday evening and confirmed the board decision of last Friday remains valid,” Watzke said in a statement released on Dortmund’s website. “This decision means the clubs wanted to implement the planned reform of the Champions League. It was the clear opinion of the members of the ECA board to reject the plans to form a Super League. “Both German clubs who are represented on the ECA board, Ba...
Despite opposition from Arsenal, Man Utd and other fan groups, new UCL format expected on Monday
Arsenal and Manchester United supporters’ groups have criticised the controversial proposal to reform the Champions League. The new 36-team format is set for final approval by UEFA’s executive committee on Monday, with a view to implementing it from 2024 onwards. In an open letter to European Club Association (ECA) chairman Andrea Agnelli, 17 fans’ groups from 14 clubs blasted the idea. “Your plans to restructure the Champions League by increasing the number of games, introducing qualification based on past achievements, and monopolising commercial rights present a serious threat to the entire game,” it read (via thefsa.org.uk). SL View The current Champions League format already rewards failure. Finished fourth in your domestic league? No problem. The group stage of the tournament also of...
Zinedine Zidane: I don’t think I’m a disaster of a coach
Zinedine Zidane has responded to more questions of his future at Real Madrid by pointing out that he is not “a disaster of a coach”, but is also unable to speculate on how long he will be sticking around at Santiago Bernabeu. The Frenchman has secured two titles in La Liga and three Champions League crowns across two spells as Blancos boss, and remains in the hunt for more glory down both of those avenues this season. Questions have, however, been asked of whether he will remain in his current post through to the end of his current contract in 2022, with calls for change at various intervals being added to a pot that also includes links to Serie A giants Juventus. Asked at a pre-match conference about those who continue to suggest that his success is down to good fortune, the World Cup win...
Paris Saint-Germain wait for Neymar to sign contract extension
Paris Saint-Germain were revelling in the joy of knocking holders Bayern Munich out of the Champions League in midweek when Neymar offered more cause for celebration. In an interview with Brazilian broadcaster TNT Sports following PSG’s away-goals victory in the quarter-finals, Neymar dropped a clear hint that he would be staying at PSG beyond the end of his current contract. “For me there is no debate, it is obvious that I feel very comfortable here and at home at Paris Saint-Germain. I feel happier than I did before,” the world’s most expensive player said. His current contract, signed following his arrival from Barcelona for 222 million euros ($264m) in 2017, runs out at the end of next season, at the same time as Kylian Mbappe’s deal. It has been reported in France since the Bayern gam...
‘Let’s go!’: Liverpool star posts message on Twitter ahead of UCL clash vs Real Madrid
Liverpool will face Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash at Anfield on Wednesday. The Reds lost 3-1 in the first leg in Madrid, and they need a near-perfect performance to book a place in the semi-final of the competition. Mohamed Salah’s crucial away goal has given the Reds a glimmer of hope. Ahead of the match, Liverpool midfielder Fabinho took to social networking site Twitter to post a message for the Reds fans. All set and ready to the big one tomorrow. Let’s go! 🔴🙏🏾 #YNWA pic.twitter.com/8Mosx7mfAA — Fabinho (@_fabinhotavares) April 13, 2021 Liverpool have struggled this season at Anfield, with the absence of the Reds fans being badly felt. They needed a moment of inspiration and quality from Trent Alexander-Arnold to ...
