Marseille
Marseille suspend Andre Villas-Boas after outburst over loan signing from Celtic
Marseille have confirmed that they have suspended manager Andre Villas-Boas through a statement on their official website. Earlier today, the 43-year-old sensationally tended his resignation after the club signed Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham on loan when he was not interested in him. Les Phoceens have now released a formal statement confirming that they have suspended the Portuguese from the head coach role with immediate effect. The club added that his comments against general manager Pablo Longoria are ‘unacceptable’ and possible sanctions will be taken against him after disciplinary proceedings. Sportlens view: Marseille have been burdened by financial concerns and their league form has been dreadful of late with just one point gained from four games. Amidst this, the fans have...
Liverpool complete loan deal for Schalke defender
Liverpool have completed the deadline-day signing of Ozan Kabak from Schalke, subject to international clearance. The 20-year-old defender will move to Anfield on loan until the end of the season, with the Reds having the option to make the move permanent in the summer for a fee of £18 million ($25m). Kabak, a Turkey international who moved to Schalke from Stuttgart in 2019, will be the first of two signings on a busy day on Merseyside. He will be joined by Preston centre-back Ben Davies, who finalised his switch earlier on Monday. Goal understands that Liverpool will pay an initial loan fee of around £1m ($1.4m) for Kabak, while the deal for Davies could be worth in excess of £1.6m, should all performance-related add-ons be triggered. The Reds had been insistent that it would be a quiet w...
PSG defeat Marseille to win Trophée des Champions
Paris Saint-Germain won the Trophée des Champions last night defeating rivals Olympique Marseille 2-1 in an enthralling encounter at the Stade Bolleart Delelis in Lens. The victory last night was the first piece of silverware for Mauricio Pochettino, since taking over at PSG earlier this month. The Parisiens got off to the better start and took the lead when Argentine Mauro Icardi punished a mistake from experienced goalkeeper Steve Manadanda to give PSG the lead, and put them on their way to victory. PSG controlled the game from that point, and Brazilian superstar Neymar added the second from the penalty spot, on his return from injury to put the game beyond doubt for PSG. While Marseille did find a late consolation goal in the path of Dimitri Payet, it proved to be too little t...
Ligue 1 Clubs in Financial Crisis After Collapse of TV Deal
A number of Ligue 1 clubs have been left on the brink of financial ruin, following the collapse of a lucrative TV contract. In 2018, the LFP – French football’s governing body – sold the broadcasting rights to Mediapro and BeIN Sports, in a deal worth upwards of €1.15bn per year – the second biggest TV deal in Europe. This saw a drastic 60% increase in TV revenue for Ligue 1 sides. Mediapro’s Ligue 1 gamble has not paid off It was hoped that this would revitalise the French leagues, given that they have had no success on the European stage since Marseille’s Champions League triumph in 1993. However, the TV deal has fallen apart, leaving French football at risk of a financial collapse. Spanish broadcaster Mediapro, who were supposed to be paying €814m per year for the broadcasting...
AC Milan Tracking Marseille Pair
AC Milan are eyeing up a double swoop on Ligue 1 side Marseille, as they target winger Florian Thauvin (Telefoot) and Boubakar Kamara (Calciomercato). The Rossoneri have made a flying start to the new campaign. Still unbeaten, Milan are five points clear at the top of the Serie A table, while veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the league’s leading goalscorer with ten in six appearances. Ibrahimovic has rolled back the years this season Nonetheless, manager Stefano Pioli is aiming to bolster his squad at both ends of the pitch in an attempt to win a first major trophy since 2011. In an interview with French outlet Telefoot, Milan’s former captain and technical director Paolo Maldini confirmed that the Italian side were keeping tabs on World Cup winner Florian Thauvin, who he labelled a “...
Andre-Villas Boas: Marcelo Bielsa’s nomination for The Best FIFA Coach award ‘scandalous’
Marseille boss Andre-Villas Boas has taken a swipe at Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa’s nomination for The Best FIFA Coach Award. The Argentine has joined a five-match shortlist that also includes Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Sevilla’s Julen Lopetegui and Bayern Munich’s Champions League-winning coach Hansi Flick. Bielsa was at the helm as Leeds returned to the top flight of the English game for the first time in 2004, but Villas-Boas has suggested that these achievements pale into comparison with other coaches who have been overlooked. “Bielsa? Bielsa has to win a prestigious trophy,” he told the media on Friday. “But he’s not among the best five coaches in the world in 2020. It’s a scandal. He won the Championship!” Villas-Boas, who risks provoking the M...
Manchester City ease into Champions League last 16
Manchester City booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League but there were more concerns for Pep Guardiola over his side’s lack of ruthlessness in a 1-0 win at Olympiakos on Wednesday. Phil Foden’s low strike nine minutes before half-time ensured City deservedly kept up their 100 percent record in Europe this season. But a one-goal margin of victory was a scant reward for the visitors’ dominance even with a heavily-rotated side. Guardiola made five changes to the team beaten 2-0 at Tottenham on Saturday to see City off to their worst league start since the first few months of the club’s Abu Dhabi-backed ownership. Scoring goals has been City’s big problem in the Premier League, but they had scored three in each of their opening three Champions League wins over Porto, Marseill...
Manchester City flight redirected ahead of West Ham clash
Manchester City’s flight to London had to be rerouted after a technical issue on the plane meant that they could not land at their scheduled destination. The first-team squad flew to the capital on Friday ahead of City’s lunchtime Premier League clash with West Ham United. But their flight had to redirected from City Airport to London Stansted more than 30 miles away. Goal reports that there was a problem with the plane’s anti-skid system which meant that it could not land at an airport with a short runway. The team suffered a slight delay ahead of travelling to the hotel before Saturday’s clash. It is understood that there was no fault on the part of the airport but the flight would not have needed to be rerouted had it been scheduled to land at a major airport. In 2016, a City team fligh...
Michaël Cuisance: OM’s Deadline Day Coup
Cuisance possesses a playstyle reminiscent of his former Spanish teammate Thiago. There is a large emphasis on progressive passes through or over top opposition back lines, and a sublime first touch and technique that allows him to run with the ball through opponent’s midfield with ease. Cuisance’s first thought is always to look for the ball forwards that will directly lead to a goal-scoring opportunity. He is capable of changing directions with the drop of a shoulder or picking out a run of a winger exploiting an opposition defender who has momentarily switched off. At 1.81m, Cuisance is a robust and agile player, who is able to hold his own defensively, however, this is still a facet of his game that needs to improve. He is also a threat in the final third, showcased in his long-range s...
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...
Leeds United confirm one-year contract extension for Marcelo Bielsa
Leeds confirmed that manager Marcelo Bielsa signed a one-year deal on Friday ahead of the club’s first Premier League game for 16 years. “Leeds United are pleased to confirm Marcelo Bielsa has signed a new one-year deal with the club to remain as head coach for the 2020/21 season,” Leeds said in a statement. After finally leading Leeds back into the top-flight, Bielsa’s side face the daunting task of beginning their Premier League campaign away to champions Liverpool on Saturday. The Argentine has a history of walking out early in the campaign after leaving Marseille just one game into the 2015/16 season and lasted just two days in charge of Lazio a year later. However, he eased Leeds fans’ fears on Thursday by signalling his intention to remain at Elland Road for another season. “I will b...
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...
