Football

‘Fernandes isn’t firing & Man Utd can rotate’ – Van de Beek wasn’t signed to sit on the bench, says Chadwick

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The former Red Devils midfielder admits it was always going to be difficult for a Portuguese star to maintain the standards he set in 2019-20

Bruno Fernandes “isn’t firing as much” at Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer now has the option to rotate, says Luke Chadwick, with the former Red Devils midfielder pointing out that Donny van de Beek was not acquired to “sit on the bench all season”.

The Red Devils have seen standards slip in 2020-21 on an individual and collective basis as those who found form so easy to come by towards the end of last season suddenly scratching around for it, with consistency proving to be elusive as a result.

Fernandes is among those to have wobbled slightly, with the Portuguese having set the bar so high on the back of his January arrival from Sporting.

He remains an important figure for the Red Devils, with two goals and as many assists to his name this term, but more is now expected of a man who set Old Trafford alight following a big-money transfer.

There has been no suggestion that he will be dropped out of the side, as Solskjaer shrugs off reports of rifts inside the United camp, and the 26-year-old will likely line up against Newcastle on Saturday.

The Red Devils do, however, have the option of freshening things up if they so wish, with £35 million ($45m) summer signing Van de Beek straining at the leash as he waits on a first Premier League start.

Former midfielder Chadwick told CaughtOffside of the decisions Solskjaer faces: “Signing Van de Beek does allow a little bit of rotation.

“Bruno Fernandes isn’t firing as much and it was always going to be tough for him to stay at the same standard as last season.

“I can’t imagine they’ve signed a top young player just to sit on the bench all season.

“I think there will be changes made from the last game. 

“Van de Beek is the one you would expect to start this game. You need to find a way of winning games and I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t start.”

United suffered a humbling 6-1 defeat to Tottenham in their last outing and Solskjaer may decide to mix things up after having the international break in which to mull over big selection calls.

Football

‘Sane comeback looking very good’ – Flick happy with Bayern Munich winger’s recovery

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The former Manchester City forward is making strong progress back from a knee injury, according to his manager

Leroy Sane’s return from serious injury is looking “very good”, according to Bayern Munich head coach Hansi Flick.

The former Manchester City man joined the Bavarians in the summer after a long pursuit of the winger, with their decision to sign him a terrific show of faith given that he had missed much of the previous year with a serious knee injury.

Indeed, the Germany international managed only 13 minutes of the previous season before going off injured during City’s Community Shield victory against Liverpool. He returned briefly for an 11-minute cameo against Burnley in June, but that proved his last match for the club.

The 24-year-old was fit enough to start in Bayern’s spectacular 8-0 win over Schalke on the opening day of the Bundesliga season, grabbing a goal and an assist in the process, while he also featured in the following 4-1 loss to Hoffenheim. However, he missed the thrilling 4-3 victory over Hertha Berlin because of an injury related to his previous complaint.

Flick, though, says that the problem is not a serious one and that he expects to see the winger back on the field imminently.

“I can’t say when it will be exactly,” the coach said, speaking after a DFB-Pokal victory over FC Duren on Thursday. “It looks very good. He’s doing training sessions.”

Despite the positive prognosis, Sane is expected to miss Saturday’s league clash with Arminia Bielefeld and the opening fixture of Bayern’s European Cup defence against Atletico Madrid. 

“First of all, a very thorough diagnosis is required to see whether the problem in the knee joint that sustained the cruciate ligament rupture really is just the capsule,” Dr Michael Lehnert, a former doctor for the ladies’ team at VfL Wolfsburg, told Goal and Spox. 

Speaking at the time when the injury was announced, it was his estimation that it would be roughly four weeks before Sane is back to training with the ball and it may be six before he is able to play. 

Reports however suggest that he could be back training with the team next week, with his return forecast as early as the trip to Cologne on October 31.

Football

Alexis Sanchez injury doubt for Milan derby after muscle problem on international duty

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The Chile captain and Inter star has picked up a knock that may be serious enough to keep him out of the showpiece clash against rivals AC Milan

Inter star Alexis Sanchez is facing a race against time to be fit for Saturday’s derby against AC Milan, Goal can confirm.

The former Arsenal and Manchester United star picked up a muscular injury during the international break.

The Chile captain managed to complete his nation’s fixture against Colombia on Wednesday but sustained a problem that puts his presence for the big Serie A clash under question.

He will return to Appiano Gentile on Friday, where he will be given a number of tests before a definitive judgement on his problem is passed, but Inter are optimistic that it will not prove to be anything too significant.

If he was to miss out, it would be a major blow to the Nerazzurri as he has rapidly established himself as a key member of Antonio Conte’s squad.

He finished the 2019-20 season at a tremendous pace, scoring three goals and creating seven more in the club’s 12 post-lockdown fixtures despite starting only eight times, while he has begun the 2020-21 campaign in similarly impressive form.

The attacker may not have been on the scoresheet for Inter to date, but he created goals in the 4-3 win over Fiorentina and the 5-2 success over Benevento.

Sanchez, however, was back on the goal trail with Chile, who he captained in their opening two World Cup qualifying matches.

He scored his 43rd international goal in the 2-1 defeat away against Uruguay – a game in which Chile conceded the decisive strike deep into second-half stoppage-time – before he was on target again versus Colombia in what was his 133rd outing for La Roja.

For the 31-year-old, it represents a welcome return to form after a difficult 18-month period with Manchester United, where he scored only three goals in 32 Premier League outings for the Old Trafford side as he spent much of his time battling hamstring and knee problems.

He has previously turned out with Cobreloa, Udinese, Barcelona and Arsenal during his professional career, as well as loan spells at Colo-Colo and River Plate. Indeed, his move to Inter was initially undertaken on a temporary basis before being made permanent on August 6 for free.

Football

Liverpool won’t dominate title race, Man City will be back & Man Utd may have a new manager by January – McAteer

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The former Reds midfielder is not expecting a repeat of a runaway triumph from 2019-20, with rivals looking to chase Jurgen Klopp’s side down

Liverpool are unlikely to run away with the Premier League title in 2020-21, admits Jason McAteer, with Manchester City expected to come back into the picture while Manchester United may have a new manager in place by January.

A first English top-flight crown in 30 years was captured by those at Anfield last season, with Jurgen Klopp overseeing a record-setting triumph.

Many expected the Reds to be as dominant again in defence of that crown, but leaks at the back have opened up and a stunning 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa last time out proves that anything is possible.

Everton and Aston Villa are the only sides at this early stage of the campaign to still boast a 100 per cent record, with the expected pack of title challengers still scratching around for consistency.

McAteer believes that will leave the title race wide open, with it possible that renewed confidence and the odd change of personnel here and there could see former champions come back into contention.

Former Liverpool midfielder McAteer told FreeSuperTips: “It’s still difficult to say whether Liverpool will run away again with the Premier League.

“As we’ve seen in the first four rounds of Premier League matches, teams seem to be struggling to win at home, with only 14 home wins out of 38 matches, which suggests that away teams have nothing to fear and play more expansive football when there are no fans in the stadium. 41 goals were scored in the last round of fixtures which is great to watch but makes things very unpredictable.

“It’s still early days but don’t count Manchester City and Manchester United out just yet.

“Pep Guardiola always loves a challenge and Manchester United might have a new manager before the next transfer window which might shake things up – a lot can happen in the next two months.”

Next up for Liverpool, who have still taken nine points from four games so far, is a derby date with Merseyside neighbours Everton.

McAteer believes the Reds could be considered underdogs at Goodison Park, given how impressive Carlo Ancelotti’s Toffees have been so far, but anything is possible in contests that often see form go out of the window.

“For the first time in quite a few years, this is Everton’s best opportunity to cause an upset against Liverpool,” said a man who graced many such occasions in his playing days.

“On current form, Everton will go into the game as favourites, after an outstanding start to the season, with them winning all four games and scoring 11 goals. 

“Carlo Ancelotti’s recruitment this summer was outstanding, bringing in midfield strength in the form of Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan, as well as having the creativity of James Rodriguez in attack which is bringing the best out of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who deservedly won the player of the month award for scoring 11 goals including two hat-tricks in all competitions.

“Although Liverpool were beaten convincingly in their last Premier League game against Aston Villa, I do expect changes to the personnel and performance, so I don’t see Everton having it all their own way.” 

Football

Mourinho hints at Tottenham team selection with Bale in contention

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The Wales winger has been working hard at Spurs’ training ground during the international break in the hope of featuring this weekend

Jose Mourinho has refused to rule out handing Gareth Bale his second Tottenham debut against West Ham this weekend, but says any decision taken will be for the good of the team.

Though he re-joined the club nearly a month ago, Bale has yet to make an appearance for Spurs because he has been working his way back from a knee injury picked up over the summer.

The 31-year-old withdrew from the Wales squad in order to build up his fitness and has spent the past few weeks working hard at Tottenham’s training ground.

Mourinho was understandably coy about his team selection when asked whether Bale had done enough to earning a starting spot this weekend, but he did not rule it out either.

“The team is the most important thing and Gareth is here to help the team, but at the same time we care about about him,” he told Sky Sports.

“So the decision we are going make is going to be for the good of the team, but also for him.

“It is very important he has a happy season with us at this moment in his career.”

Mourinho will be hoping his side can pick off where they left off against the Hammers on Sunday, having thrashed Manchester United 6-1 at Old Trafford immediately prior to the international break.

That made it seven games unbeaten in all competitions for the north London side, with their only defeat coming against early pacesetters Everton on the opening weekend of the campaign.

They have played more games than any other team in the Premier League so far because of their involvement in the Europa League qualifying rounds.

“We coped well with that busy period just because the squad is very good and the boys were fantastic,” added Mourinho.

“It is a big match on Sunday against a team that is playing well and getting very good results, and it is a London derby too.

“So let’s forget what we did well these in the past couple of weeks where we got results. The new period starts Sunday.”

Football

Mikel Arteta fires back at Atletico Madrid for their frustration over Thomas Partey

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Mikel Arteta has addressed the backlash from Atletico Madrid following Arsenal’s decision to match the buy-out clause of Thomas Partey with only hours remaining of the summer transfer window

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has questioned the anger of Atletico Madrid.

The Gunners decided to match the £52.5m release clause written into his contract with Diego Simone’s side on a frantic final day of the summer transfer window, giving his former side no time to react.

They allege that Arsenal failed to give them adequate notice on their intentions, despite there being no need of negotiations between the two clubs due to their agreed clause.

It is thought that the move got over the line with less than an hour of the window remaining.

After The Athletic reported the fury of Atletico, Arteta replied: “When you have a release clause in your contract you assume that that situation can arise at any minute. While the market is open it’s completely legal to do it.

“We have had some communication with them prior to that as well so hopefully they can respect that action.”

Before adding when asked if he doubts over the late talks: ”Yes. When it’s up to the last minutes it’s always a risk.

“A lot of things have to happen at the same time. It was a challenge to do it in 24 hours but I’m really happy because at the end we managed it.”

Arteta has also said of his plans for Partey: “I think he allows us to play different formations and he can fit in within those formations in different positions.

“It’s a really good thing to have in a squad where, in midfield, I think we were a little bit short.

“I have a few things in mind that I want to start to train with the team and [Partey’s signing] is going to give us a little bit more adaptability and more balance in defending and attacking transitions and the way we have to set up certain structures to attack better in certain moments of the game.”

With the Ghana international adding: “I feel so happy, I already feel part of the family because the fans have received me, everybody is saying nice things about me and, you know, to be received like this is a great feeling.

“This a great club, it is one of the biggest clubs in Europe and it is a club that deserves to be aspiring for greater things and I think it doesn’t happen in a day, we have to work hard to make sure we are back to where we belong.

“I want to make everyone feel happy.”

Football

Serie A award Juventus 3-0 win after Napoli decline to travel for match in Turin

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Local health authorities blocked the visitors from travelling to the match due to two positive Covid-19 cases among the playing squad

Serie A announced that Juventus have been awarded a 3-0 win over Napoli after the visitors did not travel to Turin for a scheduled match on October 4.

In addition, Napoli have been punished with a one-point deduction for failing to turn up for the game at Allianz Stadium.

Napoli were blocked from travelling to the match by local health authorities after two players, Piotr Zielinski and Eljif Elmas, tested positive for Covid-19 along with a member of staff at the club.

Though Napoli did not travel, Juventus did turn up to the game, which was officially cancelled 45 minutes after kick-off by the referee.

Gennaro Gattuso’s side had hoped that the match would be rescheduled, but a judge from Serie A has ruled that “force majeure”, the legal term for an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond any party’s control, did not exist in this case.

“In the opinion of this sports judge, the case of force majeure is not proven,” a statement read.

The judge would go on to indicate that Napoli’s impediment from travelling to Turin was evident only on the day of the match, but that the club had already decided in the days leading up to the game that they would not be heading to Turin.

Napoli have indicated that they will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and then to CONI, the highest Italian sports authority.

After the game was postponed, Juve president Andrea Agnelli said that he believed his side should be awarded the win.

“Napoli president [Aurelio] De Laurentiis sent me a message and I replied that [we], as always, abide by the rules,” Agnelli said.

“He wanted to postpone the match, but we have regulations that tell us how to proceed. Every industry has its rules and we need to respect them. I don’t think the ASL [local health authority] of Naples can intervene if the FIGC protocol, which refers back to the government’s circular, is not observed at some point. If the protocol changes, we will once again abide by it”.

With the result, Juventus move up to fourth in the table while Napoli have dropped down to eighth.

Football

How ‘super-agent’ Jorge Mendes is extending his power over Barcelona

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The powerful intermediary has played an integral role in many of the Camp Nou side’s latest deals and will be key in renewing Ansu Fati’s contract

Jorge Mendes has dealt his way back into a position of influence at Barcelona in recent months. The prominent Portuguese agent, who had previously fallen out of favour at Camp Nou, has managed to take on a key role in many of the club’s recent moves, becoming something of a strategic ally.

As well as Ruben Dias’ big money move from Benfica to Manchester City, Everton‘s purchase of James Rodriguez from Real Madrid and Diogo Jota’s switch to Liverpool, the 54-year-old’s tentacles spread to Barcelona as Nelson Semedo joined Wolves, Jean-Clair Todibo made a deadline day loan to Benfica and Francisco Trincao moved to Catalunya. He is also a pivotal figure in deciding the future of Barca’s rising star Ansu Fati.

It was Mendes who was trusted to handle negotiations for Rodrigo Moreno in January, due to his close relationship with Valencia chief Peter Lim. Barcelona soon dropped their interest in the striker, however, and he eventually joined Leeds in the summer.

He had more success when it came to getting Semedo off the Catalan team’s hands, using his influence at Wolves to orchestrate a deal for a hefty £28 million ($37m) fee, which could rise to £37m ($47m) with bonuses. Barca’s recent financial troubles and need to sell players have become common knowledge and without the substantial price they got for Semedo, they may never have been able to sign Sergino Dest from Ajax.

Mendes took charge of arranging a move for centre-back Todibo after a late move to Fulham fell through. He offered the 20-year-old to Benfica and the Portuguese giants agreed to pay €2m to take him on loan with an option to buy him outright for €20m (£18m/$24m) next summer. Mendes grabbed the reins as something of a favour to last season’s La Liga runners-up, helping to bolster his reputation among the club’s board.

But as an astute businessman, Mendes has made sure to earn himself a decent pay packet along the way. Even though Mendes is not 20-year-old Trincao’s agent, his company Gestifute took on a role as an intermediary as the winger made the move to Camp Nou from Portuguese side Braga for €31m (£26m/$34m). Mendes pocketed around 22 per cent of the transfer fee in that deal, which was announced in January.

Barca are expected to offer 17-year-old winger Fati a significant pay rise and increase his release clause from €170m (£153m/$200m) to €400m (£361m/$470m). As the Spain international’s agent, Mendes will take on a central role in extending his contract, which currently runs until 2022.

After a profitable summer transfer window, Mendes’ stock at Barca is on the rise and it may not have peaked just yet.

Football

Bayern sporting director addresses Coman to Manchester United transfer rumours

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The French winger was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford during the summer transfer window

Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has addressed rumours of a potential transfer to Manchester United for Kingsley Coman.

Coman has spent the last five years of his career with Bayern, having joined the club on an initial loan deal from Juventus in 2015.

The German champions brought the 24-year-old onto their books permanently two years later, after seeing the talented winger establish himself as an important member of the squad.

Coman has suffered serious injury setbacks since then, with a knee issue forcing him to miss most of the 2019-20 campaign, but he returned to action in time to help Bayern seal a historic treble.

The Frenchman netted the winning goal in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on August 23, heading home after meeting a perfectly-flighted Joshua Kimmich cross at the back post.

Despite the ex-Juventus star’s impressive contribution on the European stage, he was touted for a move away from Bayern during the summer transfer window, with Old Trafford mooted as his most likely destination.

Coman was one of several wingers reportedly under consideration at United as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sought to bolster his attacking options, but a final deal never came to fruition.

Salihamidzic insists Bayern would not have sanctioned the departure of a prized asset with three years left to run on his current contract, and that the Red Devils never formalised their supposed interest in the first place.

“There was nothing, and we wouldn’t have looked into it either. His goal in the Champions League final should explain enough why we are relying on him wholeheartedly,” the Allianz Arena chief told Sport Bild.

Thiago Alcantara ended up being the only high-profile exit at Bayern this summer, as he completed a £20 million ($26m) move to Liverpool, while Leroy Sane, Marc Roca, Bouna Sarr and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting were added to Hansi Flick’s squad on permanent deals.

Douglas Costa also returned to the Allianz for a second spell on loan from Juventus, but the Bundesliga giants missed out on the signing of Ajax defender Sergino Dest, who joined Barcelona for £19m ($25m).

Salihamidzic added on Bayern’s failed move for the United States international: “There are transfers that come to the point where you have to say: ‘We are out immediately’. 

“It is all the more important that one thinks about alternatives or alternative paths right from the start.”

Football

McTominay claims Man Utd squad behind Solskjaer amid rumours Bruno Fernandes has lost faith in Red Devils boss

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The midfielder says the Norwegian still enjoys the full confidence of his players at Old Trafford despite a poor start to 2020-21

Scott McTominay has claimed the Manchester United squad are behind Ole Gunnar Solskjaer amid rumours that Bruno Fernandes has lost faith in the Norwegian.

The pressure is beginning to build on Solskjaer at the start of his second full season in charge at Old Trafford.

United managed a third-place finish in 2019-20, but have so far been unable to build on the promise of an impressive post-lockdown run between June and August.

The Red Devils opened their latest campaign with a home defeat to Crystal Palace, before picking up a fortunate victory away at Brighton in between Carabao Cup wins against Luton Town and the Seagulls.

Any momentum built up after three wins on the bounce was wiped out completely when Solskjaer saw his side thrashed 6-1 by Tottenham before the international break, which already leaves them nine points behind early pacesetters Everton having played a game less.

Fernandes scored United’s goal from the penalty spot against Spurs, taking his overall tally for the club to 14 in 26 appearances since joining from Sporting CP in January.

The €55 million (£50m/$65m) playmaker quickly settled into life in the Premier League while seemingly inspiring his new team-mates to raise their own performance levels, but the mood of optimism surrounding the club has been replaced by frustration and disappointment in recent weeks.

It has been reported that Fernandes no longer believes Solskjaer is the right man to take the Red Devils forward, and that he was left bemused by the club’s failure to significantly strengthen the squad during the summer transfer window.

However, McTominay has rubbished any suggestion of discord in the dressing room, insisting the 47-year-old head coach still enjoys the full confidence of his players.

“The whole club is behind him,” the Scotland midfielder told TV2 while away on international duty. “We believe in every word he says, and it’s not just him. 

“We trust every word from Mike Phelan, Kieran McKenna, Michael Carrick and the entire support staff.”

Asked to assess the first two-and-a-half years of Solskjaer’s reign, McTominay added: “Fantastic. You see it in the way he has developed me and given me playing time and how I have played. That is a lot to his credit.”

United are due back in Premier League action away at Newcastle on Saturday, before their focus shifts to a Champions League group-stage opener against Paris Saint-Germain three days later.

Football

‘Thiago is a phenomenal player’ – Liverpool’s new ‘magician’ will be the signing of the season, says Enrique

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The former Red is confident that the Spanish midfielder will add a new dimension to Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI for the 2020-21 campaign

Jose Enrique has described Thiago Alcantara as a “phenomenal player” and backed Liverpool‘s new “magician” to be the signing of the season.

Liverpool bought Thiago from Bayern Munich for £20 million ($26m) on September 18, tying him down to a four-year contract.

The former Barcelona playmaker has won 24 major trophies over the course of his career, including two Champions League crowns, the second of which he picked up with Bayern in 2019-20.

Jurgen Klopp threw the experienced 29-year-old straight in at the deep end two days after his arrival at Anfield, bringing him on as a substitute in the 2-0 victory over Chelsea.

Thiago gave Liverpool fans a tantalising glimpse of what he will bring to the side during his 45-minute cameo, setting a new record for the number of passes played in a single Premier League game.

The Spaniard was forced to self-isolate after testing positive for coronavirus shortly after the Chelsea game, but will be available for selection once again for Saturday’s Merseyside derby against Everton.

Enrique believes Thiago will add a creative spark to Klopp’s side which has been lacking since Philippe Coutinho’s move to Barcelona in January 2018, and that his decision to join the Reds shows how far they have come in recent seasons.

“He’s a phenomenal player. He’s a top midfielder but he’s also a magician in the way that [Philippe] Coutinho was,” the former Liverpool defender told the Daily Mail.

“I can see him alongside Jordan Henderson and Fabinho in midfield, giving the team something they didn’t have before. It says a lot about where the club is right now that someone who is an important player at Bayern Munich wants to come and play for Liverpool.”

Enrique continued to wax lyrical over Thiago after approving another of Liverpool’s summer signings, with £41 million ($53m) Diogo Jota considered to be the ideal man to provide competition for Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah after moving to Anfield from Wolves.

“Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri are good players but we were missing someone who, if he adapts, can reach the level of the other three forwards,” he added. “Now with Jota, it would not be as serious a problem if one of the others were out for a longer period.

“I think [Jurgen] Klopp has the best squad he has had since he has been at the club, and he will make the signings better players. He makes all of them better players.

“It’s difficult to improve someone who a top Bayern player but Thiago will learn new things. He will be, if not the signing, then certainly one of the signings of the season.”

Football

Cristiano Ronaldo Tests Positive for Coronavirus and Enters Isolation

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Cristiano Ronaldo has been released from the Portuguese national team camp after testing positive for Covid-19.

A statement released by the Portuguese football federation on Tuesday confirmed the 35-year-old is asymptomatic and feeling fine, but he must now undergo a period of self-isolation.

This means he will miss Portugal’s Uefa Nations League clash with Sweden on Wednesday and is also a doubt for Juventus’ upcoming fixtures against Crotone and Dynamo Kyiv.

The Serie A club are yet to make a statement but the Portuguese federation confirmed the rest of the Portuguese squad all returned negative Covid-19 test results on Tuesday, and Ronaldo is the only player who must miss the Sweden game.

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‘I don’t understand’ – Southgate responds to reports of Mourinho rift over Kane fitness

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The England boss was rumoured to be on a “collision course” with Tottenham’s head coach, but he claims to know nothing about it

Gareth Southgate says he “does not understand” the fuss surrounding Harry Kane’s fitness as he insists that the striker is “fully fit” following a public exchange with Spurs boss Jose Mourinho.

Prior to the international break, Mourinho stated his hopes that Southgate would not overuse Kane, with the England boss saying that Mourinho should back that up by resting Kane ahead of the Euros next summer.

The 27-year-old striker has been dealing with muscle fatigue and was not involved in a friendly match against Wales last Thursday.

He then started on the bench against Belgium on Sunday before replacing Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the 66th minute.

Southgate has stated that Kane is due to start against Denmark despite Mourinho’s concerns, which the England boss doesn’t necessarily understand.

“I don’t really understand the story because he has been fully fit since the end of last week, just before the last game,” Southgate said. 

“He would have started the last game but he hadn’t had enough training time really. He was fine during the game so he is fit and I didn’t understand the story.

“So where that is coming from is not to do with the conversations that we have been having with Spurs medically and it is not affecting us in the camp. He is fit, he hasn’t had an injury. 

“He had delayed muscle soreness [that stopped him training initially] but there hasn’t been an injury at any point.

“We don’t risk players, I said this before the camp. My priority is always the welfare of players, we never risk the player and we have ended up having on very rare occasions injuries during matches. 

“That happens. But we have never lost a player through injury because of training loading and we pride ourselves on looking after the players.

“We want them fit and sharp as possible for the games. Our issue with Harry before Sunday’s game was just to be able to perform at the highest level. Now he has trained for a few days, it is not an issue.”

England are set to face Denmark on Wednesday before Kane returns to Spurs ahead of Sunday’s clash with West Ham.

After that, Tottenham will look ahead to the start of the Europa League as Kane, Mourinho and Co. play host to LASK in London on October 22.

Football

Aguero: Messi and I are like an old married couple!

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The Manchester City striker says that he and the Barcelona star have conflicting habits that leads to a bit of bickering

Sergio Aguero joked that he and Lionel Messi are like “an old married couple” whenever they room together while on international duty with Argentina.

The Manchester City star has been a member of Argentina’s senior setup since 2006, having earned 97 total caps while scoring 41 goals.

Aguero is Argentina’s third-leading goalscorer, trailing only Gabriel Batistuta and, of course, Messi, who sits atop the country’s scoring list with 71 goals.

With Messi having made his Argentina debut in 2005, the Barcelona star and Aguero have become close throughout their careers as they’ve featured together at three World Cups, four Copas America and during the gold medal-winning run at the 2008 Olympics.

And Aguero says that sharing a room with Messi isn’t always easy as the two have developed a unique relationship during their time as team-mates with Argentina.

“He always complains, we are like an old married couple,” Aguero joked on the “Santo Sabado” program.

“I always fall asleep with the TV on and when I wake up the next morning he is always complaining to me.

“He arrives at the hotel and is instantly taking a shower while I’m just sitting talking on my mobile phone. Then he will remind me that we need to go down to dinner and we do not have time.”

Messi scored the lone goal from the penalty spot in Argentina’s recent 1-0 win over Ecuador to kickstart CONMEBOL’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

With that goal Messi has now scored 21 times in World Cup qualifiers, with his former Barcelona team-mate Luis Suarez’s 22 goals the most ever in the competition. 

Messi and Argentina are set to face Bolivia on Tuesday before returning next month for qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru.

Aguero is currently battling injury, with Manchester City set to face Arsenal on Saturday ahead of an October 21 Champions League opener against Porto.

Messi, meanwhile, will rejoin Barcelona ahead of this weekend’s clash with Getafe before the club turn their focus towards their Champions League clash with Hungarian side Ferencvaros.

Football

‘Henderson knew Van Dijk was captain competition’ – Liverpool skipper saluted by Aldridge for raising game

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The former Reds striker remains a big fan of the man chosen by Jurgen Klopp to be an on-field leader for the reigning Premier League champions

Jordan Henderson has “upped his game as a captain” at Liverpool because he knew the arrival of Virgil van Dijk would place his role as skipper under threat, says John Aldridge.

The Reds added a commanding centre-half to their ranks in the January transfer window of 2018 when Van Dijk slotted seamlessly into the fold, with his value and leadership qualities apparent from the off.

He has taken the armband at times while at Anfield, but Henderson remains very much the go-to man for Jurgen Klopp in that department.

The England international has shown himself to be deserving of such responsibility since inheriting the job of captain from the legendary Steven Gerrard, with consistency added to his game that few believed he had when making a slow start to life on Merseyside.

Henderson’s game has been taken to even greater heights under Klopp, allowing him to get his hands on Champions League and Premier League crowns, with the challenge posed by Van Dijk successfully fended off.

Former Reds striker Aldridge told the Liverpool Echo of a power battle at Anfield: “When Virgil van Dijk came to the club, everyone was saying he would go on to be the captain and Jordan’s not soft, he probably knew what people were thinking and that the big Dutchman was a threat to his hopes of keeping hold of the armband.

“But he upped his game as a captain, in the dressing room and on the pitch, and I really think he’s been a brilliant captain for Liverpool and deserves all the accolades which have come his way in recent times.

“When he’s on the pitch he’s always shouting orders, lifting and organising the players around him and if he’d have been playing at Aston Villa we would not have lost 7-2, without a doubt.”

Henderson is currently away on UEFA Nations League duty with his country, with his efforts to earn a penalty in a 2-1 victory over Belgium seeing him come in for criticism from Roy Keane.

Aldridge is not surprised to see a man he knows well speak out against supposed theatrics, but he has no issue with the Liverpool midfielder going to ground under little pressure from Thomas Meunier.

“I see he’s got a bit of stick from my old Republic of Ireland team-mate Roy Keane for ‘screaming’ and drawing attention to the fact he was fouled for the penalty which brought about England’s equaliser,” Aldridge said.

“At the end of the day, he was only doing what many players, foreign and home-grown, have been doing pretty much since football began although it does seem to have crept into the game more and more over the years.

“There’s a big difference though between what Jordan did and what we see from other players who go down like a sack of spuds when they’ve not been touched.

“He was fouled by the defender, who clearly pulled him back when Jordan was going to get to the ball ahead of him so it was a penalty, all day long.

“We’ve seen plenty of examples, including a few with Mo Salah in recent times, when players have tried to do what is supposedly the right thing by staying on their feet and the referee takes the view that because the attacker stayed upright he didn’t have to give a decision.

“A foul is a foul whether the forward ends up on the ground or not and until referees start to give them in those situations, players will feel they have no alternative.”

Football

When is the next El Clasico? The dates of Real Madrid vs Barcelona 2020-21 fixtures

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Goal brings you all the information about this season’s Clasico games, such as when they are, where and how to watch

The 2020-21 La Liga season has ushered in a new era for Barcelona, in the wake of talisman Lionel Messi informing his club that he wants to leave .

The Catalan side has been undergoing some hardship in recent seasons, with a failure to pick up a single title in the 2019-20 season amid their hugely embarrassing exit at the hands of Bayern in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Real Madrid will be defending their La Liga title under Zinedine Zidane, and Spain‘s showpiece fixture promises to be one of the most highly anticipated match-ups in football.

Goal has what you need to know about when the Clasico will take place this season and more.

When is the next Clasico?

The next Clasico will be held on October 24 at Camp Nou, with kick-off at 15:00 BST / 10:00 ET. The return fixture will be played at the Santiago Bernabeu on April 11, 2021.

New Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman will oversee the Blaugrana following the dismissal of Quique Setien.

Setien was dismissed following Barcelona’s humiliating 8-2 Champions League destruction to Bayern Munich.

Last season’s El Clasico in La Liga saw a draw between the two at Barcelona, with Real Madrid registering a 2-0 victory in the return leg in March.

Real Madrid were crowned winners of La Liga for the 34th time in 2020.

How to watch El Clasico

In the UK, La Liga matches will be available to watch and stream on La Liga TV, while Premier Sports and FreeSports also have rights for some games.

In the US, La Liga games will be broadcast on the beIN Sports network, which has both English language and Spanish language channels, as well as an online streaming service, beIN Sports Connect.

Football

Ex-Man City & Liverpool striker Balotelli to sign for a new club “in a few weeks”

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The Italian frontman has been without a club since leaving Brescia at the end of last season, but says he’s got a new destination lined up

Former Manchester City and Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has revealed he will sign for a new club “in a few weeks”.

Balotelli dropped into the free agency pool after being released by Brescia at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

The 30-year-old forward failed to report for training with the Italian club following the coronavirus lockdown, and was publicly criticised for a lack of discipline by his manager.

Brescia head coach Diego Lopez told Corriere della Sera in June: “There’s only one truth here: the team have followed one path, Mario has followed another. I thought he could give so much, playing in the city of his birthplace.

“He had a lot to give but he had to do more, much more. These are the facts. Therefore, it’s normal that there’s disappointment.

“I spent a lot of time on him. He didn’t even show up on Zoom during quarantine.”

Genoa were reportedly prepared to offer Balotelli a one-year contract during the summer transfer window, but a final deal never came to fruition.

The Italian frontman has also been linked with a move to MLS, and he now claims that he has already got his next destination lined up.

During a live conversation with his brother Enock, who is currently taking part in the Italian version of the reality show Big Brother, Balotelli fielded questions on his future.

Asked where he has gone to ply his trade at the start of the 2020-21 campaign, the ex-City star responded: “I still don’t play, in a few weeks I’ll sign, don’t worry.”

Balotelli joined Brescia as a free agent in August 2019, and went on to score five goals in 19 appearances for his boyhood club.

He took in a brief spell at Marseille earlier that year after terminating his contract at Nice, where he had initially rebuilt his reputation after a disastrous spell at Liverpool.

Balotelli only managed to score four goals at Anfield between 2014 and 2016, failing to fill the boots of Luis Suarez upfront following the Uruguayan’s move to Barcelona.

The ex-Italy international enjoyed a prolific spell at Milan prior to his ill-fated stint on Merseyside, having moved to San Siro from City in 2013.

He also managed to win a Premier League title at Etihad Stadium, but never quite managed to live up to the potential of his early days at Inter, who sold him to the Manchester outfit for €22 million (£20m/$26m). in 2010.

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‘Napoli haven’t treated me well’ – Premier League-linked Milik wants January transfer

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The Polish international nearly left the club in the recently completely window and now must wait three months until he can depart

Napoli‘s Arkadiusz Milik believes he has “not been treated well” by the Neapolitan outfit after they failed to sanction a move to another club despite the player having accepted offers, and then subsequently leaving the striker out of their squads for Serie A and the Europa League.

Milik appeared to be on the brink of leaving Napoli in the most recent transfer window, as Juventus and Roma were close to a deal while Tottenham also showed interest in the Poland star. 

The 26-year-old, however, would end up staying at Napoli despite admitting he had accepted offers from other teams. Milik has revealed he turned down the chance to stay with Napoli long term, with his current contract set to expire at season’s end.

“Napoli wanted to extend my contract for five years and gave me two choices: to sign or leave,” Milik told SportoweFakty. “I decided that I would like to try something else.”

“The life of an athlete is beautiful but short. I am 26 years old, I want to grow, to be a better player,” the striker continued. 

“I think this is the right time to try a new challenge. There has never been hostility on my part towards Napoli. I wanted to solve everything professionally. I have great respect for the club, I spent four wonderful years in Naples. I respect Napoli, the fans. That’s what I decided. Right or wrong, but it’s my decision.

“I don’t want to name the teams that have contacted me, but the truth is that I had accepted some of the offers. But the teams in question never reached an agreement with Napoli and I had to stay.”

After his proposed move fell through, Napoli responded by leaving Milik out of their Serie A and Europa League squad. The striker was especially dismayed to find out that news from media reports rather than the club itself.

“I heard it from the press,” Milik said. “I expected this decision but the lack of communication from the club is not professional. I believe I haven’t been treated well.”

Milik has now been forced to train separately from Napoli with his only likely game action to come on international duty with Poland. All the striker can do now is wait until the transfer window opens again in January and find a new club then. 

“I’m waiting for the next transfer window,” Milik said. “I hope the clubs reach an agreement at that point. I feel good physically, I have trained individually. I will play other matches with the national team. In three months my form will not suffer a lot. Where will I go? We’ll see. 

“I have no regrets for what I have done and what I have decided. I will suffer a little, but I will resist.”

Football

Veteran star Modric sets Real Madrid future target

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The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner admits he is approaching the end of his career, but he still feels that he has plenty to offer at Santiago Bernabeu

Luka Modric accepts that he has reached a “certain age”, but the 35-year-old believes he still has plenty to offer at Real Madrid and would welcome the opportunity to extend his association with the club.

As things stand, the Croatian playmaker is due become a free agent in the summer of 2021. He will have spent nine years at Santiago Bernabeu by the time his current contract ends.

Many notable highs have been experienced since swapping Tottenham for the Spanish capital back in 2012. Modric has enjoyed two La Liga title triumphs and four Champions League successes, while also landing the Ballon d’Or in 2018.

He has seen regular game time under several different coaches, with Zinedine Zidane continuing to find a role for him in his present star-studded squad.

With there no sign of him slowing down, Modric hopes fresh terms will be put to him at some stage in 2020-21.

Discussing his club future while away on UEFA Nations League duty with his country, the classy playmaker said: “It’s the same as with the national team. I go from match to match and then we’ll see what happens.

“Of course I’d like to stay at Real Madrid. However, I am aware that I am at a certain age and the club must do the best for everyone. 

“As long as I feel that I am an important part of Real Madrid, I would like to stay. When that is no longer the case, I will look for new challenges. However, this issue is not yet on the agenda.”

Modric is approaching the 350-appearance mark for Real and 130 caps for Croatia. He has been a talismanic figure for club and country at times and believes he can maintain his standards for the foreseeable future, with there no plans on his part to start considering retirement any time soon.

Modric added: “I don’t want to set any limits or dates for myself. I’m going from match to match and I’ll see how I feel both physically and mentally. As long as I feel good, I want to play for the national team.”

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