Holly Percival, Jacob Whitehead and more
March 26, 2022 at 10:03 AM EDT
March 26, 2022 at 10:03 AM EDT
Joan Laporta: Xavi can stay at Barcelona as long as he wants
The Barcelona president has been heaping praise on Xavi in an interview. It’s no surprise, given the turnaround he has overseen in recent months.
“We have a coach who has a high esteem for Barcelona and knows the club very well,” Laporta told Mundo Deportivo. “These are issues that we have not touched, that we know we will have to touch.
“As I see it, Xavi can stay here as long as he wants. One thing that happens is: As he knows the institution perfectly well and loves Barca, he knows at all times what he is contributing.
“He already did it as a player… The advantage of these great players who become great coaches is that they immediately know their moment.”
(Photo: David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Amitai Winehouse·
Managing Editor, News
GO FURTHER
Xavi ends Barcelona’s pursuit of total control, instead pressing high and going direct
March 26, 2022 at 9:25 AM EDT
Fabio Paratici heaps praise on Kulusevski and Bentancur for adaptation to Premier League
Both players arrived in the January transfer window, Bentancur on a permanent deal with Kulusevski joining on loan with an option for a transfer in the future.
“We know, me and Antonio Conte, we know these players very well because I was in Juve before and Antonio was in Italy, so he knows very well the players,” he said.
“We know that the character and mentality and the style of these kind of players would be right for us.
“Normally some players need time to adapt, to adapt to the Premier League, to England, whatever, so for Rodrigo and Deki it was really, really quick.”
Amitai Winehouse·
Managing Editor, News
March 26, 2022 at 8:51 AM EDT
Bologna’s Sinisa Mihajlovic to undergo further treatment for leukaemia
Bologna head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic will undergo further treatment as he continues to fight leukaemia.
The now 53-year-old revealed he had been diagnosed with an acute form of leukaemia back in July 2019. Mihajlovic had a bone marrow transplant after three rounds of chemotherapy and made a full recovery.
Leukaemia is a form of cancer that impacts the body’s blood-forming tissues.
He has now said he will carry out more treatment to pre-empt any issues in the future.
Amitai Winehouse·
Managing Editor, News
March 26, 2022 at 8:21 AM EDT
Didier Deschamps praises William Saliba after France debut
France manager Didier Deschamps has hailed Arsenal defender William Saliba, who is on loan at Marseille, after his senior national team debut.
Saliba came on as a substitute during the 2-1 win over the Ivory Coast on Friday night.
“No I wasn’t scared. It’s good for [Saliba and Matteo Guendouzi], even if I would have preferred [the cheers] to be for everyone,” he said at a press conference.
“They are two young players who have a lot of maturity. William is incredibly calm.”
The Athletic’s James McNicholas has taken a look at Saliba and his situation below.
Amitai Winehouse·
Managing Editor, News
GO FURTHER
Special report: Guendouzi is Arsenal’s past, but what about Saliba?
March 26, 2022 at 7:46 AM EDT
Fikayo Tomori encouraged Tammy Abraham to join Roma when he left Chelsea this summer
Fikayo Tomori says he encouraged Tammy Abraham to join Roma in the summer.
Tomori joined AC Milan on loan in January 2021 and made the move permanent last summer after impressing for the San Siro club.
Like Tomori, Abraham dropped out of the first-team picture at Chelsea over the course of last season. He has, however, thrived since moving to Italy.
The 24-year-old has scored 23 goals in 40 appearances for Roma, helping them to sixth in the league, and has worked his way back into the England picture.
Amitai Winehouse·
Managing Editor, News
March 26, 2022 at 7:22 AM EDT
Fans group launch campaign to block Super League breakaways through EU law
A fans group has launched a campaign to block future Super League-style breakaways through a new European Union law.
The Super League, which was launched in the early part of last year before collapsing only a few days later, would have involved AC Milan, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur.
It would have involved no qualification process for those sides, who would be permanent members of the mid-week competition.
While there would have been five further qualification slots, it would have represented something of a closed-shop tournament compared to the existing Champions League.
Despite the collapse of the competition, there are still concerns it could reemerge in another form, which has led to Football Supporters Europe, which is recognised by UEFA, launching a campaign to push for a new EU law.
Amitai Winehouse·
Managing Editor, News
March 26, 2022 at 6:44 AM EDT
Lionel Messi will ‘reassess many things’ after the World Cup
Lionel Messi has admitted he is unsure about his international future after the World Cup – and admitted he will have to “reassess many things” following December’s tournament.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward, who will be 35 in June, has collected 159 caps for Argentina since making his debut in 2005 and helped them ease through World Cup qualification.
They beat Venezuela 3-0 on Friday night, with Messi scoring.
Messi and Argentina won the Copa America in the summer, his first major international honour. He has now revealed he expects his situation to change after the World Cup.
Amitai Winehouse·
Managing Editor, News
March 26, 2022 at 6:13 AM EDT
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson on FA Cup semi-final venue
Jordan Henderson has admitted it would make sense to move Liverpool’s FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City to a neutral venue due to the travel chaos fans face to attend the game.
The match has been scheduled for 16 April and will be held at 3.30pm. However, there is no train travel to London from the north-west over the Easter weekend, which means fans will struggle to attend the game through public transport.
The Football Association are putting on 100 free buses to the game, which are expected to hold 5,000 supporters. City are also laying on 50 coaches.
And Henderson, 31, has admitted he has been thinking about the impact on fans in recent weeks.
Amitai Winehouse·
Managing Editor, News
March 26, 2022 at 5:40 AM EDT
The latest from Chelsea
Raine has shortlisted bids from Todd Boehly, David Blitzer and Josh Harris, the Ricketts family and Boston Celtics owner Stephen Pagliuca as the four candidates to take over Chelsea.
The Athletic reported on Thursday night that Nick Candy and Woody Johnson were out of the race to buy Chelsea.
And now it is understood that the Raine Group has shortlisted the final four bids.
Pagliuca, 67, is thought to be in with a real chance of buying the west London club. He owns the Celtics and co-chairs private equity group Bain Capital. He also owns a 55 per cent stake of Serie A side Atalanta.
Amitai Winehouse·
Managing Editor, News
March 25, 2022 at 5:00 PM EDT
That’s it for today
Join us again tomorrow as we bring you all the latest news from around football.
Anthony Hay·
EPL Staff Editor
March 25, 2022 at 4:26 PM EDT
Half-time in key Africa qualifers
Egypt are leading Senegal 1-0 through an own goal by Saliou Ciss, while Ghana and Nigeria remain goalless after the first 45 minutes.
Follow all the action here.
Anthony Hay·
EPL Staff Editor
March 25, 2022 at 4:06 PM EDT
And then there were four…
Here’s a reminder of the big news we broke earlier today. Read Matt Slater’s story by clicking on the link below.
Anthony Hay·
EPL Staff Editor
March Madness update: ladies & gentlemen, here’s your Final Four for Chelsea….
? Team Boehly
? Harris/Blitzer & friends
? Stephen Pagliuca & Bain
? The Ricketts & Ken GriffinA winner to emerge by end of Aprilhttps://t.co/9y08PBqxTs
— Matt Slater (@mjshrimper) March 25, 2022
March 25, 2022 at 3:34 PM EDT
Listen to the latest The View from the Lane
Join Jack Pitt-Brooke, James Maw and Danny Kelly as they discuss all things Tottenham Hotspur.
Anthony Hay·
EPL Staff Editor
March 25, 2022 at 2:53 PM EDT
BREAKING: Boehly, Blitzer and Harris, Ricketts family, and Pagliuca shortlisted for Chelsea takeover
Raine has shortlisted bids from Todd Boehly, David Blitzer and Josh Harris, the Ricketts family and Boston Celtics owner Stephen Pagliuca as the four candidates to take over Chelsea.
The Athletic reported on Thursday night that Nick Candy and Woody Johnson were out of the race to buy Chelsea.
And now it is understood that the Raine Group has shortlisted the final four bids.
Click here to read the full story.
(Photo: Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
Matt Slater·
Football Writer
March 25, 2022 at 2:06 PM EDT
Listen to the latest Talk of the Devils podcast
Manchester United fans can stay up to date with the club’s managerial search by listening to the latest episode of Talk of the Devils.
Anthony Hay·
EPL Staff Editor
March 25, 2022 at 1:30 PM EDT
Follow our live blog on Ghana vs Nigeria and Egypt vs Senegal
Click here if you want to be kept updated on tonight’s big 2022 World Cup qualifying games in Africa.
Rivals Ghana and Nigeria meet at 7:30pm while there is a repeat of the Africa Cup of Nations final at the same time.
Both games are likely to be thrilling so follow the updates right here on The Athletic.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Anthony Hay·
EPL Staff Editor
March 25, 2022 at 12:57 PM EDT
Special report: Guendouzi is Arsenal’s past, but what about Saliba?
Guendouzi and Saliba are two hugely promising young players, both part of Didier Deschamps’ most recent France squad.
Both players are technically on loan from Arsenal, although there is a tacit acknowledgement on both sides of the channel that Guendouzi will remain in Provence and not return to north London.
The midfielder’s loan arrangement came with an obligatory purchase clause in the region of €11 million (£9.2 million), provided certain on-field criteria were met. That deal will be formally completed in the summer.
Guendouzi, then, appears to belong to Arsenal’s past.
Many Arsenal fans hope that Saliba could yet belong to their future.
So what is the situation? James McNicholas reports.
Jacob Whitehead
GO FURTHER
Special report: Guendouzi is Arsenal’s past, but what about Saliba?
March 25, 2022 at 12:41 PM EDT
Explained: Liverpool’s £8.5 million NFT sale and why people view it as controversial
Liverpool could earn more than £8.5 million from non-fungible token (NFT) sales after becoming the latest sports team to venture into the complex world of digital assets.
In an announcement on Thursday that quickly attracted scorn on social media, the club said the “LFC Heroes Club” will give fans the opportunity to purchase animated, cartoon-style digital artwork of 23 players and manager Jurgen Klopp.
So why are some fans unhappy? Caoimhe O’Neill and Joey D’Urso explain.
Jacob Whitehead
GO FURTHER
Explained: Liverpool’s £8.5 million NFT sale and why people view it as controversial
March 25, 2022 at 12:13 PM EDT
NEWS: Eden Hazard a doubt to face Chelsea as Real Madrid forward undergoes surgery
Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard is a doubt to face Chelsea as he is planning to have surgery on his leg.
He will have a plate removed in his right leg, which was implanted after the 31-year-old broke his ankle in March 2020.
Madrid travel to reigning champions Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals on April 6.
A club statement read: “In the coming days, our player, Eden Hazard, will undergo surgery to remove the osteosynthesis plate in his right fibula.”
Full story here.
(Photo: David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Jacob Whitehead
