Real Madrid
Aston Villa set to break transfer record with Emi Buendia signing
Aston Villa are set to break their transfer record for the third consecutive summer window after agreeing a £30,000,000 initial fee with Norwich City for Emi Buendia. The transfer will include a number of add-ons and a sell-on fee should the Argentina international move on from Villa Park in the future. It is thought that the deal offered by Aston Villa was too good to refuse, with the deal set to potentially rise to £40,000,000 in the future. It marks a huge profit for Norwich City, who signed Buendia for £1,500,000 from Spanish side Getafe. It is thought that Emi Buendia has agreed personal terms today whilst away with the Argentina national team, while also completing his medical. When the transfer is set to be officially announced remains to be seen, but it is a sign of Aston Villa’s c...
Barcelona and Real Madrid player wage cuts expected to continue next season
It is no secret that the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in crippling financial implications for clubs across the globe. The world’s strongest sides have been no exception to this, with La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid amongst those affected. The fierce rivals have felt the repercussions of the pandemic significantly harder than their European counterparts, who benefit from more elaborate broadcasting rights and stronger financial stability from billionaire owners. Barcelona are estimated to have surrendered close to €500 million in revenue due to COVID-19, while Madrid’s losses are around €400m. During the first coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, Los Blancos players agreed to a 10% wage cut to allow non-playing staff to receive their full pay. The Barca squad agreed to give up ...
Real Madrid star leads the mutiny as several Brazil players ready to boycott Copa America
The 2021 Copa America is under threat after it was reported that several Brazilian players were contemplating boycotting the tournament. According to reports from Spanish publication AS, several players from the Brazil camp are ready to walk out after the country was announced as hosts amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. The popular international tournament was supposed to be hosted by Colombia and Argentina. However, both were removed as co-hosts following street protests and a rise in coronavirus cases. Brazil were given the duty to host the tournament by CONMEBOL at the last minute after a bid from the United States was rejected. Brazil is one of the worst affected pandemic-hit countries in the world, with the death toll in the nation is over 470,000. The New York Times reports th...
Odegaard and two more: Real Madrid outcasts who could become regulars under Carlo Ancelotti
Real Madrid recently appointed Carlo Ancelotti as their head coach for a second stint after Zinedine Zidane decided to step down from the position. The club have a potential squad rebuilding job this summer but before that, they are likely to offload multiple players to recoup funds for new signings. As many as ten Los Blancos players, valued at a combined €177 million, featured for different teams on loan in the recently-concluded campaign. It is unlikely that all of them will be shown the exit door. We look at five players, who could emerge as regulars under Ancelotti next term. Martin Odegaard The Norwegian was definitely the most valuable player, who was sent out on loan last term. The 22-year-old had an impressive 2019/2020 season on loan with Real Sociedad, registering seven goals an...
Antonio Conte unconvinced by Tottenham project
Antonio Conte has major doubts about becoming Tottenham’s next head coach and is inclined to turn them down, according to Sky Italy. Spurs have been in talks with the former Chelsea boss, who left Inter Milan after winning Serie A last month. But after considering the role for several days, Conte remains unconvinced Spurs are a team ready to win trophies immediately. The Italian has won five league titles in the last decade and is looking for another ‘winning project’. He is trying to understand if it is possible to bridge the gap with the top four or five Premier League teams in a short period of time – with Spurs having finished 24 points behind champions Manchester City. It is understood Spurs would not pressure him to win trophies. If the parties fail to strike a deal, Conte could also...
Real Madrid talks with Sergio Ramos stay deadlocked
Sergio Ramos remains locked in talks with Real Madrid over his future at the club, according to Cuatro. The 35-year-old’s contract is set to expire at the end of the month and it appears increasingly likely that he will leave this summer. However, Los Blancos have not confirmed that Ramos is heading elsewhere, raising the possibility that he could remain with the club. Ramos is believed to have had a fallout with Madrid President Florentino Perez, and Spanish publication AS reported that he will definitely leave. Ramos made just 15 La Liga appearances last season, with injuries limiting his game time. He subsequently missed out on a place in the 26-man Spain squad that will contest the European Championships this summer. He may now be in the final years of his career but Ramos will be...
No sign of Sergio Ramos in Real Madrid shirt launch
Sergio Ramos was one of the noticeable face that didn’t appear in any of the photos of Real Madrid’s kit launch campaign for the 2021/22 season. MARCA has learned that he wasn’t present at the photo shoot for the new kit, which was launched by Real Madrid and Adidas this Tuesday. While it’s true that the entire squad doesn’t attend such photo shoots, Ramos has always been a central figure in such campaigns. It’s not known if this decision was the club’s or Ramos’ or a mutual one. It could also be the case that the photo shoot was held when Ramos was in isolation due to COVID-19, but Adidas always want as many stars as possible present and the dates would have been moved if there had been a desire for the captain to be present. It should also be pointed out that this has nothing to do with ...
Eden Hazard says he will be ready in time for Euros
Eden Hazard is still having “some thigh problems” after missing much of Real Madrid’s season but “will be there when the Euros start”, he told a video press conference on Monday. The midfielder said he was “not yet at 100 percent” but added that “physically I still have to prepare myself and I obviously hope to be ready for the first game on 12 June.” Belgium, one of the favourites for the title, start Euro 2020 on June 12 against Russia in a group that also includes Denmark and Finland. Hazard arrived at the national training centre at Tubize on Monday, at the same time as most of his team-mates and, as captain, was the first to speak at the press conference. “I missed the last game with Real because of a little discomfort in my thigh. Since then I have been able to rest for a week and me...
Ronaldo’s next home: Manchester United, Real Madrid or elsewhere?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s future is likely to be a main topic of discussion this summer with his contract with Juventus due to expire in 13 months. The Portuguese had another top individual campaign for the Bianconeri with 36 goals in all competitions, but it was not sufficient to extend their Serie A dominance. After nine straight league titles, the club were outclassed by Inter Milan in the race for the Scudetto. The Nerazzurri finished 13 points ahead of them at the top. Elsewhere, they only booked their Champions League spot for next season on the final matchday, courtesy of Napoli dropping points against Hellas Verona (1-1 draw). Since the end of the season, the hierarchy have made big changes with the decision to part ways with CEO Fabio Paratici and manager Andrea Pirlo. Massimiliano Alle...
UEFA supremo: Barcelona, Real Madrid & Juventus ‘paralysed themselves’ with ‘strange’ Super League approach
Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus have “paralysed themselves” with their “strange” approach to the Super League, according to UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. A controversial proposal for a new competition to rival the Champions League was met with universal condemnation in April, leading to the withdrawal of nine of the original 12 founding clubs. The Super League plans were subsequently put on hold, but Barca, Real and Juve have vowed to continue pushing for change despite being threatened with serious sanctions by UEFA, who are in the process of investigating their involvement in the breakaway. The three remaining clubs released a statement criticising European football’s main governing body last week, which read: “FC Barcelona, Juventus FC and Real Madrid CF wish to express their a...
Darren Bent: Arsenal need a manager ‘better’ than Mikel Arteta
Ex-Tottenham striker Darren Bent believes Arsenal need to appoint a ‘better’ manager than Mikel Arteta. The Gunners fan thinks his boyhood club should try and attract the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Mauricio Pochettino and Antonio Conte. Discussing the North London club on talkSPORT, Bent said: “I think we could get better if I’m honest. “I’m not quite sure about the Zidane appointment because he fell into a situation with the best players in the world and won three Champions Leagues. “Pochettino is never going to go to Arsenal because of his Spurs ties. “Conte is probably someone where you go, ‘Yeah, I wouldn’t mind him, but I think he’d end up taking a bigger job because he’s a top manager. read also:Arteta demands Arsenal improvement after missing out on Europe “He won the league in Engla...
PSG president: Super League didn’t have the interests of football at heart
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi says the Super League project was not in football’s best interests, insisting the Champions League must be protected. PSG were not among the 12 founding members of the competition, which pledged to break away from UEFA and compete with or replace the Champions League. The plan collapsed within days of its announcement, as football’s governing bodies and fan protests convinced nine clubs to pull out and Al-Khelaifi believes football is better off without the controversial idea. “Football has been around for years and years. The Super League did not have at heart to defend the interests of football,” he told AFP. “You can envisage changes but not break the tradition that every club can hope to achieve their dreams. “All teams must have the opp...
