blogsarahjames

[blogsarahjames]

"they did not want to whistle for it"- Cadiz boss

Cadiz Club strongly criticized the decision of the Football Federation to suspend the head coach for four matches. In the game against Granada, in a suspicious collision, the Cadiz striker was knocked down by the Granada defender in the penalty area, but this collision was not a foul from the referee's point of view. The head coach of Cadiz complained against the decision of the refereeing team. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. The head of Cadiz's main complaint was why no good decision was made despite the availability of VAR technology. Cervera's statements that led to his fine were as follows: "Everyone has seen it but there are three people who have not seen it (the foul). The only explanation is that they did not want to whistle for it." Cadiz Club said in an official statement: "consider this sanction unfair and disproportionate." Cervera can not lead his team from the bench against Real Sociedad, Elche, Barcelona and Celta Vigo.Therefore, he will not be available until December 16 and the Copa del Rey games.

[blogsarahjames]

Rebic joins Milan on five-year deal

Ante Rebic has completed a permanent move to Milan from Eintracht Frankfurt, signing a five-year contract.

The Croatia international impressed on loan with the Rossoneri last season, scoring 12 goals in 30 appearances to finish as their top goalscorer.

Excluding penalties, only Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo (12) has scored more goals in Serie A in 2020 than Rebic (11).

With Andre Silva having secured a permanent switch to Frankfurt for a reported €9million, Milan are said to have signed Rebic for effectively no transfer fee.

The 26-year-old made 100 competitive appearances for Eintracht, scoring 25 goals and providing 12 assists, before moving to Milan on an initial two-year loan last September.

Sporting director Fredi Bobic said via the club's website: "Our fans will always remember Ante, not only because of his outstanding performance in the 2018 DFB-Pokal final [when he was man of the match in a 3-1 win over Bayern Munich].

"We wish Ante all the best for the future. He will always be a welcome guest in Frankfurt."

[blogsarahjames]

Maddison signs new Leicester City contract

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has confirmed the club intends to bring in further transfer market reinforcements as they aim to take back the Premier League title from Liverpool.

Pep Guardiola's side were unable to make it three domestic titles in a row in 2019-20, falling well short of a dominant Liverpool, who ended 18 points clear of second-placed City.

Winger Ferran Torres and defender Nathan Ake have already arrived at the Etihad Stadium from Valencia and Bournemouth respectively, for a combined outlay in excess of £60million.

Speaking to his club's official website, Khaldoon said City would seek to strengthen further and would not limit themselves to younger players if readymade, experienced performers are what Guardiola requires.

"When it comes to the two acquisitions we've made – Ake and Ferran Torres – we moved quickly and clearly," he said. "These were our targets and when the opportunity came we were able to come in very quickly and swiftly and do that business

"There are additional players that we will be bringing in and we will stick to the plan, within the realities of the market that we live in today.

"If you look at the acquisitions we've made over the past couple of years, there's a consistency in terms of the type of player we've targeted – their age and quality.

"We will continue down that road for the first team in that 20-25 years old category. That's kind of the spot we like.

"But, at the same time, sometimes opportunities come up that fit with what the manager wants and what we need for the squad that might be outside of that box.

"Nothing is set in stone. We have a set of targets who are well defined but, at the same time we're pragmatic enough to take the opportunity if that opportunity comes up."

Those words chime with City being persistently linked to a move for Napoli's 29-year-old centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, even if it might a stretch to associate them with Lionel Messi, 33, and his apparent unrest at Barcelona.

Guardiola has been variously linked with further reinforcements in attack, central midfield and at left-back as City pick over a campaign that ended with their lacklustre 3-1 Champions League quarter-final defeat to Lyon.

Khaldoon noted their failure to make an impression on the final stages of the tournament in Lisbon amounted to a significant opportunity missed.

"Me and Pep have something very important in common – we both hate losing and we don't take it lightly," he said of Champions League glory continuing to elude his club.

"On this, we have the same level of disappointment. We had a great opportunity this year, the same as the last couple of years.

"When it comes to the Champions League it is always challenging. It boils down to two games or, in the case of this season, one game and you have to deliver.

"We are upset with that result because we knew it was a great opportunity to go to the semi-finals and a great opportunity to actually win this competition.

"We have to be able to look back at this season, take the learnings, go back to the drawing board and make sure we are ready next year to give it another shot."

[blogsarahjames]

Carson to spend second season on loan with Man City

Derby County goalkeeper Scott Carson will spend a second season on loan at Manchester City.

The former England international spent the 2019-20 campaign with Pep Guardiola's side as third choice keeper behind Ederson and Claudio Bravo.

City have signed the 34-year-old on for another season, so he appears to have played his last game with Championship side Derby as his contract expires in June 2021.

Carson will again provide cover for Ederson, with Zack Steffen set to be the Brazilian's understudy after the United States international returned from a loan spell with Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Former Barcelona keeper Bravo has left the Etihad Stadium after his contract expired.

[blogsarahjames]

Aubameyang sparks Arsenal contract speculation with teasing tweet

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sparked a flurry of speculation about his future on Sunday when Arsenal's FA Cup final hero posted a teasing tweet.

The Gabon striker has entered the final year of his contract with the Gunners, who have been keen for him to commit for a longer duration.

He posted an image of an egg-timer on Twitter, possibly suggesting there could be imminent news to announce.

There was speculation it may mean that Aubameyang, who joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund in 2018, has signed a new contract.

The 31-year-old scored 22 goals in the Premier League for Arsenal last season, just as he did in the previous campaign.

He struck both of the goals for Mikel Arteta's team in their 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the FA Cup final on August 1.

There has been a clamour among supporters of the north London club for them to get a deal agreed, and many followers on social media begged Aubameyang to reveal what his cryptic message meant.

One, going by the Twitter handle @bhavss14, replied: "Bro, don’t play with our hearts like this."

[blogsarahjames]

Real Madrid was not the right step - Nagelsmann

Julian Nagelsmann has revealed he turned down an offer from Real Madrid as it was not the right step for his career.

Then at Hoffenheim, Nagelsmann was on a shortlist of candidates to replace Zinedine Zidane at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2018, but Julen Lopetegui was eventually appointed to the post.

Lopetegui's tenure ended in October that year, however, while Santiago Solari also having a brief spell in charge before Zidane returned in March 2019.

Nagelsmann, meanwhile, opted to join RB Leipzig, taking charge in 2019 and guiding the side to a third-placed finish in the Bundesliga. The 33-year-old has confirmed he decided against joining Madrid, as he thought he was not yet ready to take on a job of such magnitude.

"We had phone calls, but in the end the one who decided was me," Nagelsmann told Marca ahead of Leipzig's Champions League quarter-final with Atletico Madrid.  

"I believed that it was still not the right step to go to Real Madrid. I was one of the candidates and the list was not very long.  

"For me, it was very important. I had a good chat with [Madrid general director] Jose Angel Sanchez and we decided that it was still not the right step.  

"We agreed that we could talk again in the future if Real Madrid needed a coach, and if I was available."

Nagelsmann added that Leipzig provided the ideal platform for him to develop as a coach.

"I wanted the next step to be logical. I try to plan a career in football, even if it is difficult," he said.

"I'm a young boy, I don't have to go to the top shelf right away either. I give myself time to develop. Leipzig went to great lengths to sign me. That was the most important thing.

"Relatively fast I had an offer on the table. We had good conversations and I saw that it was a good next step. A bigger club, with a bigger budget than Hoffenheim, which would allow me to continue developing.  

"They have also given me a free hand to introduce my ideas. I do not have to permanently justify what I do, but I have the possibility to evolve and transfer my ideas to the field of play.  

"It was a good next step in my career to prepare myself and in the future, maybe."

[blogsarahjames]

Conte preaches unity as Inter eye Europa League glory

Inter head coach Antonio Conte preached unity amid doubts over his future as he eyes Europa League success.

Conte's future has dominated headlines since hitting out at the club for not protecting him or his players in the midst of criticism during the season following Saturday's 2-0 Serie A victory over Atalanta.

Inter are reportedly weighing up Conte's position after just one season at the helm, with former Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri and ex-Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino linked to the Nerazzurri.

But ahead of Wednesday's one-legged Europa League last-16 clash against LaLiga side Getafe at neutral venue Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen due to coronavirus, Conte told reporters: "When I speak I do it for Inter.

"This is very important for me. It is not important for me, it is important for Inter. As usual when I speak. Let's try to speak about us, about something that keeps us close to each other under the same flag."

Inter ended the 2019-20 Serie A season as runners-up, just a point behind Juve after collecting 82 points from 38 matches – equalling the total of the 2009-10 treble-winning team under Jose Mourinho.

The Italian powerhouse now have their sights set on winning the Europa League, with Conte adding: "I think that Europa League is a very important competition for everybody, mostly for us.

"We need to be good, as [captain] Samir [Handanovic] said, because we don't want any regrets. We don't know where we will arrive with our best but in the end no regrets giving everything as we did everything in the league [Serie A] and across the season."

"When you win you feel more confidence in yourself," he continued. "This is nothing new. I say that it is not easy to win and if you succeed your level starts to be important.

"I think this is a very important competitions for us and winning it will help us to feel more confident in our qualities and team skills. But you need to win."

[blogsarahjames]

Fiorentina prepared to sell Chiesa for right price, says club president

Fiorentina are willing to sell Federico Chiesa for the right price, club president Rocco Commisso said.

Chiesa, 22, has been linked with a move to Serie A giants Juventus, Inter and Milan.

After a 3-1 win over SPAL on the final day of the 2019-20 season on Sunday, Commisso once again reiterated Fiorentina are open to selling the star forward but are in no rush to see him leave.

"Chiesa still at Fiorentina? We hope so," he told Sky Sport.

"He can do whatever he wants. The main thing is that if he goes, he will get to the cash desk as much as we ask."

Commisso added: "I hope he will stay, but if he wants to leave they must pay him what we value him, on our terms."

Chiesa scored 11 goals and provided six assists in 37 games this season for a Fiorentina side that finished the league in 10th place.

[blogsarahjames]

Werner reveals how Lampard convinced Germany star to join Chelsea

Timo Werner has revealed how talks with Frank Lampard were key to his decision to join Chelsea from RB Leipzig.

The Germany striker agreed to a move to Stamford Bridge last month after the Blues paid a reported £47.5million to activate a release clause in his contract.

Werner, who has started training in west London but cannot play for his new club until 2020-21, was linked with a host of top sides in Europe before Chelsea moved swiftly to secure his signature.

The 24-year-old says speaking to head coach Lampard helped to convince him he was making the right move.

"He [Lampard] was the main point," Werner told Chelsea's website. "We talked a lot about things like system, like how he wants to play and sees me playing, and how the system fits to me.

"He is a really nice guy who not only told me what he wants from me as a player because he wants to help me as a guy. He knows me now a little bit better and it fits very good between us and now I am happy to be here.

"When you have a decision to go from your old club and you come to a big club like this, it was for me a dream which came true because Chelsea is a very big club.

"I know of the players before when they won the Champions League with [Didier] Drogba, with my new manager Frank Lampard, Petr Cech as the technical advisor, it is like a little dream for me but I want to become, not a same player like them, but I want to be part of a new era here so I will play to try to give my best."

Werner is confident his style will suit the Premier League.

"The style of the Premier League is very fast and my speciality is that I am really fast so I think it is perfect for me to play here," said Werner, who scored 34 goals in 45 games for Leipzig in 2019-20.

"It is another league in another country so I can improve myself to bring it to another level, so those are the reasons I come to the Premier League and to Chelsea.

"I'll try to score as much goals as I can for Chelsea, that is the big reason why they bought me, to bring the goals I scored in Leipzig here, and maybe score more goals than there."

[blogsarahjames]

Messi to Inter? That's fantasy football, says Marotta

Inter chief executive Giuseppe Marotta says talk of the Serie A giants signing Lionel Messi is "fantasy football" and the forward is set to stay at Barcelona.

Messi - widely considered one of the greatest players of all time - has endured a tumultuous campaign at Barca, his only senior club.

The Blaugrana failed to defend their LaLiga title, losing their crown to rivals Real Madrid, while Messi clashed with the board as coach Ernesto Valverde was sacked.

So news of Messi's father buying a house in Milan prompted optimism among Inter fans they could be set for an incredible coup.

Nerazzurri CEO Marotta insists this is not the case.

"We are talking about fantasy football," Marotta told Sky Sport Italia. "[Signing Messi] is absolutely not our goal.

"There is no negotiation and I think he is focused on continuing with Barcelona."

Inter beat Genoa 3-0 on Saturday to climb to second in Serie A, although rivals Juventus can clinch the Scudetto with a win against Sampdoria on Sunday.

After the match, coach Antonio Conte was also asked of the possibility of signing Messi but simply repeated Marotta's message.

"I think Marotta has already said: it is fantasy football," Conte said. "At this moment, there are many reasons Messi cannot join Inter."

[blogsarahjames]

Grealish 'not too sure' on Villa future after vital win

Jack Grealish - who has been linked with Manchester United - acknowledged he is "not too sure" if he has played his final home game for Aston Villa.

Villa captain Grealish led his side to a vital 1-0 home victory over Arsenal on Tuesday, moving Dean Smith's side above Watford and out of the Premier League relegation zone.

Regardless of his current club's top-flight status, though, the midfielder's future appears to be in some doubt.

United have been among the clubs touted as suitors for Grealish, who could not confirm he would be back in a Villa shirt at the start of next season.

"I'm not too sure at the moment," he told Sky Sports. "I have one aim and that's to keep this club in the Premier League.

"This whole club, this whole stadium and fanbase knows where we belong. That's all I'm thinking about at the moment, keeping this club in the Premier League. Hopefully we can do that on Sunday."

Trezeguet got the decisive Villa goal - his third in three matches - and Grealish still has not provided a goal or assist since the Premier League's restart.

However, the Villa talisman felt he was back to somewhere near his best against Arsenal, including sending Keinan Davis clear for one big second-half miss.

"It would mean everything to me [to keep Villa up]," Grealish said. "I think since we've been back, I probably haven't been as effective as I was before.

"Truthfully, I haven't felt as fit as I did before the break, but that's no excuse. I just need to do what I know I can do.

"I've probably done it today. I was probably unlucky not to get an assist in the end."

[blogsarahjames]

Former Bayern Munich boss Kovac takes over at Monaco

Monaco have confirmed the appointment of former Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac as their new head coach.

Kovac, who has signed a three-year deal with the Ligue 1 club, was relieved of his duties by Bayern in November last year.

The Croatian led Bayern to a domestic double in his first season at Allianz Arena, but his position became untenable following a 5-1 defeat to his former side Eintracht Frankfurt.

Bayern have gone on to win another double this season under Hansi Flick and hold a comprehensive 3-0 advantage over Chelsea in the last 16 of the Champions League from the first leg.

Kovac replaces Robert Moreno at Monaco, with the club having confirmed the Spaniard's departure earlier on Sunday.

"We are very happy to welcome Niko to the club," said Monaco vice president Oleg Petrov.

"This season marks the start of a new chapter for Monaco, with an asserted sporting orientation in line with the club's objectives.

"This direction will be embodied by Niko as coach. Niko is recognised for his work both for the national team and for the club, in the development of young talent, the management of experienced players and the ability to achieve very good results. I'm convinced that his experience and personality will help us achieve our goals."

Monaco finished ninth in Ligue 1 in 2019-20, which was ended early due to the impact of coronavirus.

[blogsarahjames]

Mourinho will let Aurier decide if he wants to play following brother's death

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho said he will let Serge Aurier decide if he wants to play or not following the death of his brother.

Media reports began to circulate on Monday claiming Christopher Aurier had been shot outside of a nightclub in Toulouse.

The 26-year-old's death was later confirmed in a statement by Spurs.

Tottenham are in action against Newcastle United in the Premier League on Wednesday.

Mourinho confirmed he will talk with Aurier before deciding whether to involve him, while he also confirmed the player can go back to France should he wish.

"He can do what he wants. Let me speak with him. We are going to make the decision that he wants. We are going to speak," he said.

"He's here now. I don't know his state of mind. We are not going to put any pressure on him. Maybe he travels with us, because it's good for him.

"I have no idea. The only thing that is clear is that we are here to support him."

[blogsarahjames]

Milan target Szoboszlai 'ideal' for Napoli, says Hungary boss Rossi

Hungary head coach Marco Rossi believes Salzburg star Dominik Szoboszlai is the "ideal player" for Serie A side Napoli.

Szoboszlai is a player in demand and tipped to leave Salzburg following his exploits for the Austrian champions – the Hungary international linked to Napoli, Milan, Inter, Lazio and Premier League outfit Arsenal.

The 19-year-old midfielder has scored 12 goals across all competitions in 2019-20, supplying 10 league assists for Salzburg in Austria.

Amid growing speculation, Hungary's Italian boss Rossi feels Szoboszlai would thrive with Gennaro Gattuso's Napoli.

"He's a 19-year-old who made his debut for the national team at the age of 18. He's a very elegant and talented player, rich in technique," Rossi told CalcioNapoli24.

"He plays between the lines and is good at assisting in the final third. He has great physicality and is tall but, despite its height, also has an excellent burst of pace.

"If he decides to accept an offer from Serie A, it would complement his technical expertise with a couple of things where he still needs to improve, for example his defensive game.

"Tactically speaking, Salzburg have played him high up on the left and he's posted good numbers there, but in possession he often plays between the lines to make room for the full-back.

"In a 4-3-3, instead, he could be a box-to-box midfielder, capable of supporting the centre-forward.

"Szoboszlai expresses himself best in a team who play positionally. In Italy, Napoli must play football and not counterattack because they're among the best teams in Italy, [even if] they might suffer in a couple of games every season.

"Dominik would be the ideal player for [Napoli’s] style of play."

[blogsarahjames]

Klopp: I'm still the normal one

Jurgen Klopp insisted he was "still the normal one" despite delivering a long-awaited league title for Liverpool.

Liverpool have secured their first league title since 1990 after a dominant Premier League campaign.

After taking the helm at Anfield in October 2015, Klopp labelled himself 'the normal one' – and the Liverpool manager said that had not changed.

"I am still the normal one. I. Am. Not. Special," he told the Mirror.

"I have a few skills and, luckily, they are needed in football, which is something I really love, but that's all. I am not special. I am not fishing for compliments.

"I think I am a good guy, I think I am a nice guy. That sounds boring but it is the truth."

Klopp has won the Premier League, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup since taking charge of Liverpool.

But the 53-year-old has no plans to extend his managerial career for too long, having coached against Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson – who turns 73 next month – in June.

"I don't see me doing that at that age. When I became a manager, I thought … 'Right, now 25 power years start," Klopp said.

"I was seven and a half years at Mainz, seven at Dortmund and in 2024 it will be 23 and half.

"I have no plans beyond that."

[blogsarahjames]

Aubameyang hits 50 and joins elite class of Premier League forwards

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's achievement of scoring 50 goals in 77 Premier League games for Arsenal makes him the sixth fastest player in the competition's history to hit the half-century milestone.

That Aubameyang arrived at 50 goals in fewer league matches than the likes of Sergio Aguero and Thierry Henry tells you just how prolific the Gabon international has been since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018.

Aubameyang's landmark goal, which arrived for Arsenal against Norwich City on Wednesday, is made all the more remarkable by the fact that he has not been playing in a particularly successful team during his time at Emirates Stadium, with the Gunners finishing sixth in his first season, fifth in his second, and starting the day in 10th as they faced the Canaries.

The five players to have reached 50 Premier League goals in fewer matches than Aubameyang all did so in teams challenging at the top end of the table, and all with very distinct goal-scoring styles.  

Andy Cole – 65 games

After scoring 12 goals when Newcastle United were promoted as Division One champions in 1992-93, Andy Cole plundered 34 in 40 top flight games to help Kevin Keegan's side finish third in the table the following season.

A real six-yard box striker who could also finish from distance and beat defenders for pace, he netted another nine Premier League goals for the Magpies before joining Manchester United, where he took his top-flight tally to 50 before the end of the 1994-95 season.

Alan Shearer – 66 games

Alan Shearer reached 50 Premier League goals during Blackburn Rovers' title-winning campaign in 1994-95, having netted 47 goals in 62 games in the two seasons prior.

Shearer's matchless eye for goal and thunderously powerful shot helped him to 34 goals in 42 matches as Rovers became champions, and he passed the 100 mark just a year later.

Ruud van Nistelrooy – 68 games

Ruud van Nistelrooy cost Manchester United £19million when he joined the club from PSV ahead of the 2001-02 season and he quickly set about repaying their faith in him.

The Netherlands international netted 23 Premier League goals in 32 games in his first season, followed by a further 25 in 34 games in 2002-03.

He then passed 50 in the 2003-04 season on his way to scoring 20 goals in 32 matches as United were beaten to the title by Arsenal.

Fernando Torres – 72

More similar to Aubameyang in terms of playing style than any of the players listed above, Fernando Torres scored his 50th Premier League goal during his third season as a Liverpool player.

It was a season that would end with Torres becoming a World Cup winner with Spain, but it was not a happy one for the Reds, who finished seventh in the table despite Torres' 18 goals in 22 games, and the striker left the club to join Chelsea part way through the following campaign.

Mohamed Salah – 72

Mohamed Salah scored his 50th Premier League goal during a 4-3 victory over Crystal Palace in April 2019, becoming the second-fastest player to reach the milestone in terms of minutes played.

Only Shearer, who netted a half-century in 5,337 minutes for Blackburn, reached the landmark in a shorter on-pitch timespan than free-scoring Reds forward Salah, who did so in 5,374 minutes of play following his £34m transfer from Roma.

[blogsarahjames]

Chelsea-bound Werner reveals reason for Champions League snub: I had to hurt one side

Timo Werner said he had to "hurt one side" after opting out of RB Leipzig's Champions League campaign to join new club Chelsea.

Werner is set to link up with Premier League giants Chelsea on Wednesday following his reported €53million (£47.5m) transfer from German outfit Leipzig.

The Germany international forward played his last match for Leipzig on Saturday – netting a brace in a 2-1 Bundesliga victory over Augsburg to become the club's all-time leading scorer.

And Werner explained his decision to abandon Leipzig's 2019-20 coronavirus-hit Champions League campaign, with Julian Nagelsmann's men already through to the quarter-finals prior to the COVID-19 crisis after easing past Tottenham.

"Of course it hurts me that I can't help out [RB Leipzig] to play in the Champions League. But I'm a Chelsea FC player from July 1st and I'm being paid by Chelsea from then on," Werner told Sportbuzzer.

"It was clear that all parties - Chelsea, RB and my side - should and must settle this. Of course I tried to keep out of the Champions League issue as much as I could because it was clear that I would have to hurt one side.

"That's why my agent finally agreed it with the clubs."

Werner scored four goals in eight matches to help Leipzig progress to the last eight of the Champions League, which is set to be based in Lisbon for one-match knockout fixtures.

The 24-year-old finished the Bundesliga campaign with 28 goals in 34 appearances this term.

"I am forever connected to Leipzig and RB, will sit in front of the TV during the quarter-finals and keep my fingers crossed - maybe I can even be on site in Lisbon," Werner said.