..::Football IV::..

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Mata offers honest assessment of Man Utd’s ‘very disappointing’ & ‘painful’ season


Juan Mata admits the 2018-19 campaign was “very disappointing” for Manchester United, with the Red Devils needing “honest reflection” as they try to piece together plans for a positive response.

The Red Devils headed into the season under the guidance of Jose Mourinho looking to build on a runners-up finish in the Premier League from the previous year.

They were, however, to stumble out of the blocks and were forced into a managerial change by December that brought Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back to the club.

He enjoyed a bright start to his tenure, earning a three-year contract in the process, but a run of two wins in 12 games saw the curtain brought down in sorry style on a club stuck in sixth spot.

Mata, who is heading towards free agency, wrote in his personal blog when assessing a forgettable collective effort at Old Trafford: “The season has come to an end in England and obviously we head into the summer break disappointed.

“A defeat on the Premier League’s final weekend [to Cardiff] was the worst way to finish off what hasn’t been a good campaign for anyone who is part of the Manchester United family.“There have been some good moments and matches along the way, which have to be remembered, but the feeling, in the end, is very bitter.

“I believe that now, once the season has finished, is the time for sincere and honest reflection.“None of us are satisfied with the general performance levels that we have offered, for one reason or another.“When we win, we do so together, and when we lose we also share the responsibility.

“Now is the moment to analyse, reflect and improve, because this club should be in a different situation to the one we find ourselves in, there can be no doubt about that.“Although it isn’t healthy to just focus on the negatives, it also isn’t possible to deny the obvious, we have to be realistic and the season has been very disappointing.“It’s very painful and that feeling will last through the whole summer.

“All of you, however, have been way better than the team. When I see your faces at Old Trafford, applauding, supporting and cheering us on after waiting for ages to say goodbye to us, I understand how big this sport is… and how big this club is.

“Your support has been admirable, especially in those moments. You all deserve a lot more than what you’re getting. That is the reality.”

Mata may not be back for more in 2019-20 as no extension to his expiring contract has been agreed as yet.

 

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Aguero identifies Liverpool clash as title race turning point as he sights on Champions League glory


Sergio Aguero says Manchester City’s victory over Liverpool in January proved to be the turning point in this season’s Premier League title race.

Liverpool had the opportunity to go 10 points clear at the top of the table if they had won at the Etihad Stadium at the turn of the year, but City closed the gap to four points following a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

Jurgen Klopp’s side later dropped points against Leicester City, West Ham, Manchester United and Everton before winning their final nine matches to keep the title race alive until the final day.

But City’s run of 14 consecutive victories since the end of January propelled them to their second successive title, with Aguero scoring in the 4-1 win at Brighton on Sunday that saw them over the finish line.

"The Premier League is complicated," he told reporters at the Amex Stadium. “I’ve been here eight years and the truth is that every game is difficult. [This season] we knew that our only option was to win."I think the key was in January when we beat them and managed to get a few points closer, and after that it was a question of them drawing a few games.

"We knew that Liverpool were always there in the fight, but luckily we could just think about ourselves and we knew that we had to win today. That’s how it went and I’m happy with my fourth Premier League title and I hope it goes on like this.”
Despite more domestic success, the Argentine insists that City will be setting their sights on the Champions League next season.

City could yet complete an unprecedented domestic treble - they face Watford in the FA Cup final on Saturday - but were denied the chance of a quadruple after being eliminated from Europe in dramatic circumstances by Tottenham in April.

 

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Real Sociedad 3 Real Madrid 1: Los Blancos humbled as away woes continue

Real Madrid's woeful away form under Zinedine Zidane continued as 10-man Los Blancos succumbed to a 3-1 LaLiga defeat at Real Sociedad.

Madrid needed a win, combined with an Atletico Madrid defeat, to keep their chances of leapfrogging their neighbours into second place alive, but they failed to gain a positive result on the road for the fifth straight league game since Zidane started his second spell as coach.Brahim Diaz put Madrid ahead six minutes in at Anoeta, but Sociedad fought back through Mikel Merino before Jesus Vallejo received a red card for handball.

And though Willian Jose failed to convert the resulting penalty, Joseba Zaldua's header just before the hour and a first senior goal for Ander Barrenetxea earned Sociedad their second win over Madrid this term.

Diaz's first Madrid goal was a memorable one. Having exchanged passes with Karim Benzema, the former Manchester City man skipped past his marker and slotted a composed effort under Geronimo Rulli.Madrid's lead was cancelled out 20 minutes later, though - Merino hammering home from the edge of the box moments after Mikel Oyarzabal had a goal ruled out for offside, with VAR upholding that decision after a lengthy check.

Matters were made worse for Madrid when Vallejo saw red for using a hand to deny Willian Jose a certain goal, but Sociedad's striker was unable to beat Thibaut Courtois from the spot.Madrid's goalkeeper was at fault for Sociedad's second goal, however.

Having connected with Ruben Pardo's looping cross, Zaldua sent a header back across goal with Courtois wrong-footed, and Sociedad had the win wrapped up 10 minutes later.

After Oyarzabal rattled the woodwork, 17-year-old Barrenetxea reacted quickest to the loose ball, sending a powerful first-time finish under Courtois, with the crossbar preventing Adnan Januzaj adding further gloss.

 

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Roma 2 Juventus 0: Florenzi, Dzeko strike late to boost Champions League hopes



Alessandro Florenzi and Edin Dzeko scored late on as Roma beat Juventus 2-0 to boost their top-four hopes.It means the champions have recorded only one win in seven games across all competitions for the first time since 2010.

Claudio Ranieri's men looked to be heading for a disappointing draw that could have contributed to them potentially ending this round of fixtures five points adrift of the Champions League spots, but Florenzi and then Dzeko found the net in the final 11 minutes to keep them right in the race.


A thrilling first half brought a host of chances, with Antonio Mirante in the Roma goal impressing, while the woodwork denied both Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala at either end.

Despite Roma's greater need for a result, Juve continued to look the more threatening in the second half, but Florenzi made the most of his solitary opportunity and Dzeko wrapped victory up on the break, moving the hosts to within a point of fourth-placed Inter ahead of their game against Chievo on Monday.

Juve made a lightning start and went close three times in the first 16 minutes, with Cristiano Ronaldo shooting just wide before Mirante produced remarkable saves from Juan Cuadrado and Dybala.Moments later Juve were worried at the other end – Pellegrini striking the crossbar from inside the box after a rapid counter.

Roma remained reliant on Mirante, however, as he blocked Dybala's effort in the 28th minute and the ball subsequently came back off the post.Ronaldo thought he had opened the scoring just past the hour when slotting past Mirante, but a VAR review showed he had strayed offside.

Roma capitalised in the 79th minute, as Florenzi raced onto Dzeko's pass and clipped a lovely finish over the approaching Wojciech Szczesny.And Dzeko sealed the important victory on the break in stoppage-time, sweeping home from Cengiz Under's precise pass.

 

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Barcelona 2 Getafe 0: Champions return to winning ways after European exit

Barcelona responded to their shock midweek Champions League exit at the hands of Liverpool with a lethargic 2-0 win over Getafe at Camp Nou on Sunday.The LaLiga champions, who were knocked out at Anfield after letting slip a three-goal advantage from the first leg, seemed to still be struggling in the aftermath against opponents aiming for a top-four finish.

Arturo Vidal capitalised on one of the few opportunities Barca carved out in a game played at a leisurely pace, with Ernesto Valverde's men in no mood to over-exert themselves having wrapped up the title two weeks earlier.


Lionel Messi forced an own goal by Mauro Arambarri in the closing minutes to seal a result that allowed Valencia, who won at home against Deportivo Alaves, to leapfrog Getafe in the table.
Getafe had threatened to heap further misery on Barca before falling behind; Jorge Molina blazed a golden chance over the crossbar early on and while he did find the net after 25 minutes, his effort was ruled out for offside.Barcelona created little in the final third before Ivan Rakitic had a first-time shot saved by David Soria, who could then only parry Gerard Pique's glancing header, allowing Vidal to pounce on the rebound.

Malcom should have made it two when he arrived unmarked in the penalty area but Soria saved his effort to keep the deficit down to one at the break.The Brazilian forward missed another opportunity early in the second half, failing to convert from point-blank range after Pique's shot had bounced back into his path.

Molina hit the post as Getafe went agonisingly close to equalising before Messi powered his way into the box in the 89th minute, forcing Dakonam into a desperate sliding challenge that only deflected the ball against team-mate Arambarri and into the net.

 

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‘Most satisfying title win ever’ – Kompany salutes ‘ridiculous’ Man City


Vincent Kompany has hailed Manchester City’s “ridiculous” efforts in the 2018-19 campaign as the “most satisfying Premier League title win ever”.The Blues skipper had his hands back on the grandest of prizes in English football after a final day meeting with Brighton on Sunday.

A 4-1 victory for Pep Guardiola’s side got them over the line, as they edged out Liverpool by a solitary point, and wrapped up back-to-back crowns for the first time in the club’s history.

Kompany has played a prominent role in the emergence of City as a force to be reckoned with at home and abroad, with four title triumphs having been taken in at the Etihad Stadium.

There have been some notable successes along the way, but the Belgian defender claims a thrilling battle for supremacy this season makes his most recent medal the most special.“It was the hardest and most satisfying Premier League title win ever,” Kompany told City’s official website.

“Liverpool were exceptional this year and I don’t mean to rub it in – it is what it is – they didn’t deserve to be second this year, but it only makes me that much more happy that we’ve been up against such a good team and when our backs were against the wall we kept finding the results.“We won at the Etihad against Liverpool and I think that made the difference and once we got our noses in front, we were able to stay in front – I’m so happy for myself, the team and our fans.”

Kompany insists that the City players had no idea how Liverpool were getting on against Wolves on the final day – with Jurgen Klopp’s side eventually running out 2-0 winners – with the focus of Guardiola’s troops locked on the pursuit of more silverware.

That quest is set to take them back to Wembley on Saturday, with an FA Cup final date with Watford presenting the Blues with an opportunity to complete an unprecedented domestic treble.“I wasn’t aware [how Liverpool were doing],” Kompany added.“I did hear the Brighton fans singing ‘1-0 to the Liverpool’ and then we fell behind, but we’ve done it before, and we stayed calm.

“We were finding the gaps and the space and though the pitch was slow, we felt we did everything we needed to do and were magnificent.“This title is a combination of the staff, the group of players we have and the desire we have to over-achieve and it’s hard to over-achieve with a team as good as we have.

“It wasn’t just the way we won – we had so many clean sheets on the run-in – it was ridiculous – and won our last 14 games.“I’m so proud of the guys because when we had to dig deep and defend and win 1-0, we did it again and again.

“We’re looking forward to the FA Cup final now – what we are doing is unprecedented – and we are just thinking about the game against Watford, now.”

 

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'Almost all Man Utd's failures down to the players' - Departing Herrera insists Mourinho 'tried everything' at Old Trafford


Ander Herrera believes Manchester United's players are responsible for 75 per cent of the team's failures this season and has defended Jose Mourinho, saying he "tried everything".

The midfielder is set to depart Old Trafford following the expiry of his contract this summer, amidst transfer speculation linking him with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Herrera has insisted that Mourinho's replacement, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is the right man to bring success back to the club, claiming the players are fully behind the Norwegian.

However, the 29-year-old says the Red Devils' squad must shoulder the blame for their trophyless season and sixth-place Premier League finish. “We have to take responsibility,“ Herrera told the club's official website. ”All of us. It's not fair to blame others. When you have a bad season, 75 per cent is the responsibility of the players.

"It's very easy when a manager is sacked to blame someone else, but it is the fault of every one of us.“Every player in the dressing room has a responsibility for what has happened this season. We have done bad things.

"We have done some good things but, for Manchester United, it is not enough. Probably 14 teams, if they are sixth, they are happy, but Manchester United cannot be happy."Jose Mourinho was dismissed by the United hierarchy in December last year after a miserable start to the campaign, despite having won the Carabao Cup and the Europa League in his first season in charge.

“If we are speaking about this last season, I have huge respect for Jose," Herrera added. "He tried everything. The first season with him was quite successful.

Then we were second and we had a lot of expectation for this season but it didn't work. Not only because of him (but) because, I repeat, every player has responsibility."Solskjaer's side ended the season with a 2-0 home defeat to relegated Cardiff City, with the manager admitting afterwards there is a "long and hard road ahead" to get the club back on track.

They eventually finished 32 points behind champions Manchester City, having ended the season without a win in five league games.

 

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'Almost all Man Utd's failures down to the players'

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Spalletti & Conte rumours doing Inter no favours - Marotta


Inter chief executive Giuseppe Marotta admits rumours about Luciano Spalletti's future are not helpful as the Serie A side continue to be linked with Antonio Conte.

Despite third-placed Inter set for their best finish in the league since 2010-11, doubts remain over head coach Spalletti and whether he will continue in Milan next season.

Goal has revealed that former Juventus, Italy and Chelsea boss Conte is set to replace Spalletti – who led Inter back into the Champions League last season.Marotta, however, leapt to the defence of Spalletti prior to Monday's 2-0 Serie A victory against Chievo.

"The rumours about Spalletti's future aren't helpful," Marotta told Sky Sport Italia.
"I believe it's the new generation of communication that spread these stories so easily, they create a distraction and can be annoying to read sometimes."Spalletti has done a good job and that should be recognised. Our goal was to get into the Champions League spots, and we are going about it the right way.

"I don't understand the criticisms of the last few weeks, as we have almost achieved our goal."Inter are third – a point clear of Atalanta and three ahead of rivals AC Milan – with two matches remaining.

Spalletti has insisted that his focus remains locked on ending the season as positively as possible, with no thought being given to his future.He has said: "The newspapers have been writing for months that I won't be Inter coach next season and they must have their reasons for that, because that's how the game works.

"That doesn't change one iota what our goal is this season. I'd happily open the doors to our training sessions to prove just how well the players are training.

"There is only one route forward for us, which is to win matches and to secure Inter's place in the Champions League once again. That is the future. End of story.
"The players aren't thinking about Spalletti or other coaches, there is only Inter on their minds. The same goes for me.

"We want to qualify for the Champions League this season, just as we did last term. That would be a significant objective."

 

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'It will be difficult to stay' - Lichtsteiner set to leave Arsenal in summer


Arsenal defender Stephan Lichtsteiner expects to leave the club this summer at the end of his 12-month contract.The 35-year-old right-back started 19 games following a free transfer from Juventus that raised eyebrows in some quarters last summer.

He was given a one-year deal with an option of a further year but it appears he is set to depart after the Europa League final against Chelsea at the end of the month.“I see it being quite difficult to stay but we are going to see what happens,” he is quoted as saying by the Evening Standard.

“I don’t know anything. The only important thing is the Europa League final now.
“I really want to win this cup and bring this club back to the top level, back to the Champions League and winning important titles.”Lichtsteiner had a solid Serie A career with Lazio and then Juve and was recruited largely as back-up for right-back Hector Bellerin.

But the emergence of Ainsley Maitland-Niles as a player who can fill in as a wing-back or right-sided defender means Lichtsteiner is set to be squeezed out.He does, however, wants to leave on a high after the disappointment of Arsenal missing out on the Premier League's top four.

The Gunners can qualify for the Champions League by beating Chelsea and winning the Europa League in Baku on May 29 and Lichtsteiner added: “It is hard. Five weeks ago, we were in the perfect situation."We gave too many easy points in our away games. We were also a little bit unlucky but we have to ask more from ourselves.

"At the end, of course, with so many games and the Europa League and everything, we lost a bit of energy in the last games.”Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Unai Emery still does not know if “political issues” will prevent him from selecting Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the Europa League final.

The Gunners have expressed concerns over the safety of the 30-year-old ahead of a trip to Baku due to the political tension which exists between Azerbaijan and the midfielder's native Armenia.

 

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'Man Utd slumping like Liverpool & AC Milan' - Evra claims rivals wouldn't take talent from Old Trafford


Manchester United have been warned by Patrice Evra that their fall from grace could emulate similar slumps experienced by AC Milan and Liverpool, with there an alarming lack of talent at Old Trafford.The Red Devils once dominated the English and European football scenes, with Sir Alex Ferguson overseeing an unprecedented era of success.

United claimed the Premier League title on 13 occasions and were regulars in Champions League finals, lifting the most prestigious of European trophies in 1999 and 2008.

They have suffered a humbling tumble down domestic and continental pecking orders since then, with the 2018-19 campaign delivering a sixth-place finish and no major silverware.

Former defender Evra believes too many mistakes have been made in recent years, with United having failed to bring the required level of quality onto their books despite spending big.

He told Sky Sports of the playing staff in Manchester: “I will be honest with you, I love all of them. I see them a lot - when I go to the games, I visit them in the dressing room and encourage them - they know how much I love them.

“But name me one or two players who can play for Real Madrid, Juventus or Bayern Munich? It's a few. I would say Paul Pogba and David de Gea. I have a lot of respect for the rest of them.”Evra added on the slippery slope that United now find themselves on: “I think one of the most important things the club has to resolve is hiring a director of football. It's going to be hard to find the right man.

“I've got the fear, even though I am positive, I don't want United to become like Liverpool, AC Milan or Arsenal were - they have to wait many years to get back at the top. The future doesn't look bright.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the latest manager to have been charged with the task of restoring former glories to Old Trafford, with a man who enjoyed considerable success as a player being asked to replicate those triumphs as a coach.The Norwegian has conceded that he faces a tough task, with Evra also of the opinion that there is much work to be done.

Quizzed on what United are missing, the Frenchman said: “I will say it is the spirit and the passion for the club. I know I am talking 'old school'. I don't want to blame the players because I think that some players are here and they themselves don't even know why they are here.

“They don't have leadership in the dressing room to show them what it means to play for Manchester United. In our time, I remember I played nine years for United and for seven years I don't think I lost two games in a row“When I met Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill in Monaco at the time, when they interviewed me, they asked me questions like 'are you going to be ready to not lose any games?' and 'are you ready to play only at the top of the game and get criticised for a normal game?' You had figures at the club who tell you what you are going to represent.

“The problem now is on the pitch but also off the pitch.”

 

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Man Utd boss Solskjaer admits to reality check for ‘biggest and best club in the world’


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits Manchester United were handed a painful reality check in 2018-19, with the “biggest and best club in the world” needing to rebuild quickly.

The Red Devils have seen the curtain come down on a forgettable campaign that delivered a sixth-place finish in the Premier League, no silverware and failure to qualify for the Champions League.

A serious rebuilding job is required at Old Trafford, with Solskjaer the latest manager to be charged with the task of putting foundations for future success in place.He has experienced a steep learning curve since returning to familiar surroundings, with a positive opening to a reign as interim boss having been countered by a run of two wins in 12.

Quizzed by United’s official club app as to what lessons he has taken from a season that promised much but delivered little, he said: “I’ve learned that I don’t like losing. I like winning.

“We started off fantastically. The boys were unbelievable when I came in. We were positive. We won games.“The whole group gelled together and I enjoyed winning but I know that football is hard. You can’t just expect everything to go that way and the reality hit us.

“We are in a league with loads of very good teams and, to be at our top [level], we need to be 100 per cent focused.“We came into some games really, really focused with the full team and I thought that was fantastic.

“Then you learn a lot when you go through tough times and think about who can be build this team around, and who we think is going to take the next step because we need to go to the next level.”

He has experienced a steep learning curve since returning to familiar surroundings, with a positive opening to a reign as interim boss having been countered by a run of two wins in 12.Quizzed by United’s official club app as to what lessons he has taken from a season that promised much but delivered little, he said: “I’ve learned that I don’t like losing. I like winning.

“We started off fantastically. The boys were unbelievable when I came in. We were positive.We won games.“The whole group gelled together and I enjoyed winning but I know that football is hard. You can’t just expect everything to go that way and the reality hit us.

“We are in a league with loads of very good teams and, to be at our top [level], we need to be 100 per cent focused.“We came into some games really, really focused with the full team and I thought that was fantastic.

“Then you learn a lot when you go through tough times and think about who can be build this team around, and who we think is going to take the next step because we need to go to the next level.”

“You can see by City winning the league and possibly a domestic treble, maybe to Liverpool and Spurs in the Champions League final, and Arsenal and Chelsea in the Europa League final, that we’re competing against the best clubs in the world.“That’s a challenge we won’t take lightly. It’s a great challenge for this club, the biggest and best club in the world.”

United are expected to splash the cash in the next transfer window as they endeavour to close the gap on those around them, with Solskjaer having already admitted that his squad for 2019-20 will look markedly different to the one he inherited from Jose Mourinho.

 

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Mourinho has his say on Man Utd problems: The players, the organisation & the ambition


Jose Mourinho says his struggles at Manchester United were down to the "players, organisation and ambition" of the club as he denied suggestions Paul Pogba was to blame for his sacking.

The Portuguese coach was sacked in December after a poor start to his third season in charge. Mourinho’s time at United was reportedly plagued by issues and fall-outs with members of his playing squad, with clashes with Pogba frequently referred to in public.

Although the Red Devils’ form picked up once Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed as his replacement, their performances dipped again toward the end of the season and they ended up finishing sixth in the Premier League.

United’s underwhelming end to the campaign has underlined the need for reinvestment in the squad, but there has been renewed talk of stars such as Pogba looking for summer moves.And Mourinho says United have serious issues that prevented him from achieving his objectives, saying there was more to blame than his bad relationship with the star midfielder.

Asked by L’Equipe if he was a victim of Pogba, Mourinho said: "No, no. The problems are there, you can imagine that the problems are the players, the organisation, the ambition. I will only say that I cannot say 'yes' when you ask if Paul was the only one responsible."He added: "On Man Utd, I only want to say two things. One, is that time has spoken. Two, it's that the problems are still there."

The former Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid boss also had a tough time with getting the best out of Anthony Martial, who struggled to break into the team but has since signed a five-year contract extension with the club.The 56-year-old says his tense relationship with Martial was different to the one he had with Karim Benzema at Madrid.

"With Karim, there was no conflict - I only wanted to help the player, who is incredibly talented - to change his mentality, to help him reach his maximum," he said. "To become a killer, a decisive centre-forward. I liked working with Karim a lot."Martial is a boy with a different personality. The thing I can say is that I hope he will reach a level of the measure of his potential."

One of the highlights of the season for the English side was their Champions League comeback against Paris Saint-Germain. After losing 2-0 at home in the first leg, United sealed a spot in the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win in France.And Mourinho suggested the victory was a bit of a freak incident for the club, saying: "I don't want to explain it. I think I know the reasons, but I'm not going to make my analysis public. I don't want to speak about United.

"For Man Utd, this victory was a bit out of context, even though we won in Turin in the group stage. For PSG, I think I know the reason, tactically and mentally."

 

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Griezmann confirms he is leaving Atletico Madrid as Barcelona rumours swirl


Antoine Griezmann has confirmed he is leaving Atletico Madrid in a video posted to the club's official Twitter account.The France star only signed a five-year contract extension last summer, but has now said his time with the club will end after Saturday's match against Levante.

The move comes amid rumours of a new bid from Barcelona for Griezmann, who turned down the Blaugrana's advances last summer before going on to help France lift the World Cup in Russia.

Barca are reportedly willing to pay Griezmann's release clause, which Goal understands will be €130 million (£113m/$146m) on July 1, for him to join ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.

The Catalans were in hot pursuit of Griezmann last year, but the France star opted to sign a new contract with Atletico through 2023, announcing his intention in a televised special called "La Decision".

But the 28-year-old has now had a change of heart, and will depart the club he joined from Real Sociedad in 2014.In the video, Griezmann went on to say that he decided to leave the club to seek a new challenge, and made the decision after a meeting with manager Diego Simeone and club CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin.

"After talking with Cholo [Diego Simeone], Miguel Angel and the people from the offices, I wanted to talk to the fans who have given me a lot of love," Griezmann said.

"I have decided to leave, see other things, have other challenges and with great difficulty, this is what I feel and I need."It's been five great years where I've won my first important trophies with a club. It's been a very important stage.

"I have enjoyed a lot, I have left everything in the field, I have tried to behave well, I have tried to give joy to the people who have come to the Metropolitano and also away from home, and I only have gratitude for all of you.

In his time at Atletico, Griezmann has established himself as one of the world's top attacking players, and helped his side to the Europa League title last season. Griezmann has scored 15 La Liga goals this season, continuing a trend of having reached double digits in all five of his seasons with Atletico.

 

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Coutinho's agent refutes claims Griezmann will replace Brazilian at Barcelona


Antoine Griezmann will not replace Philippe Coutinho at Barcelona at the end of the season, according to the Brazilian's agent.Despite an encouraging start to life at Barca, Coutinho has failed to recapture the form he showed at Liverpool before his €160million switch in January 2018.

This term, the attacking midfielder has managed only five La Liga goals in 34 appearances and failed to nail down a place in the starting XI, with 12 of his league outings coming from the bench.

Coutinho's underwhelming form has seen him become a target for Barca supporters who have jeered him on several occasions in recent months, while media reports have linked him with a move.

Griezmann's announcement on Tuesday that he will leave Atletico Madrid in the coming months will likely increase speculation surrounding Coutinho, though his representative is convinced the Frenchman potentially joining Barca will not impact his client."It's untrue that Griezmann is going to replace Philippe at Barcelona," Andrea Bertolucci told AS.

"I don't know why they are saying that. I don't know about that and that's why I don't want to talk anymore, but it's false."Coutinho has a contract at Camp Nou until 2023 and is said to be interesting Manchester United, who look set for a major rebuild over the close-season.

Barcelona have already wrapped up La Liga, as the club has amassed 86 points to Atletico Madrid's 75 through 37 matches.

The champions will wrap up the La Liga campaign against Eibar on Sunday while Atletico Madrid take on Levante on Saturday in their final match.Barca will then turn focus towards the Copa del Rey, where they'll face Valencia in the finale.

 

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Man Utd Unveil New 2019/20 Home Kit

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Former Manchester United manager Mourinho expects return to coaching this summer


Jose Mourinho says he plans to be back coaching in July. The former Manchester United boss has been working as a commentator since being sacked by the Premier League side in December.

Mourinho has maintained that he would be back on the bench soon and now says he made the decision to sit it out until the summer from the moment United let him go.

Jose Mourinho says he plans to be back coaching in July.The former Manchester United boss has been working as a commentator since being sacked by the Premier League side in December.Mourinho has maintained that he would be back on the bench soon and now says he made the decision to sit it out until the summer from the moment United let him go.

The 56-year-old has not specifically said he would only return to manage a side expected to contend for titles, leaving plenty of options open to resume his career.
His time at Manchester United may have been a sour spell, however, as he left amid rows with several players, most notably Paul Pogba, leaving him less enthusiastic about his time at Old Trafford than he has been about other stops along the way.

“It's difficult for me to talk about Manchester,” he said. “I can't talk about them in the same joy and freedom as I talk about other clubs.”

 

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Ibrahimovic suspended two matches by MLS for throat grab


Zlatan Ibrahimovic has made plenty of headlines since arriving in Major League Soccer, but after one too many of those headlines was negative, MLS officials have stepped in and issued some punishment on the Swedish star.

MLS has suspended Ibrahimovic for two matches for grabbing New York City FC goalkeeper Sean Johnson by the throat during NYCFC's 2-0 win against the Galaxy last Saturday. Ibrahimovic will miss the Galaxy's match against the winless Colorado Rapids on Sunday and then the club’s visit to Orlando City on May 24.

Ibrahimovic and Johnson were issued yellow cards during the match. The league’s disciplinary committee has now cited Ibrahimovic for violent conduct, for what the committee deemed to be a malicious act. The suspension was announced on Friday evening.

That incident wasn't the first controversial moment for Ibrahimovic in recent weeks.
He made headlines on April 28 for a trash-talking incident with Real Salt Lake defender Nedum Onuoha. The two opponents exchanged words during the match, including Ibrahimovic gloating in Onuoha's face after scoring the eventual winning goal.

After the match, Ibrahimovic went to the Real Salt Lake locker room, presumably to offer an olive branch to Onuoha, but the RSL defender rejected the forward’s visit and criticized him for trash talking and making threats during the match.

Onuoha also suggested that Ibrahimovic is allowed to get away with behavior that other players wouldn't. Last week, Ibrahimovic was issued a fine by MLS for diving during a loss to the Columbus Crew. The forward went to ground in the Crew box without being touched during a 3-1 loss for the Galaxy.

Ibrahimovic isn't the first superstar to be suspended by MLS for on-field misbehavior. Both David Beckham and Thierry Henry were issued suspensions during their time in the league for on-field transgressions.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'There will come a day when I retire - for now, relax' - Casillas quashes retirement rumours


Iker Casillas has dispelled rumours that he is set to retire from football following a heart attack during a Porto training session.

The 37-year-old goalkeeper was rushed to hospital on May 1 after suffering a heart attack during a routine training session with the Portuguese side, with his club confirming he “suffered an acute myocardial infarction”.

The former Real Madrid man left hospital five days later and told Spanish press “I don’t know what will happen in the future”, before going on to add that he was “grateful” to have returned to full health.

Many expected his retirement to be announced in the coming days, and rumours swirled around early on Friday that an official statement from the goalkeeper himself was imminent.

Casillas is not done yet, however, with the Spaniard confirming via his official Twitter account that “everything is going well” and that he will be the one to call time on his career when the day comes.“Retire? There’ll come a day when I have to retire,” he said.“Let me announce that news when the moment comes, for now, relax.

“I had an appointment with Dr Filipe Macedo yesterday and everything is going well.“Now that is great news I wanted to share!”The news will come as a relief to football fans around the world, with Casillas firmly cemented as one of the game’s most iconic goalkeepers in recent years.

The former Real Madrid and Spain man has enjoyed a highly decorated career so far, lifting the World Cup in 2010 as well as the European Championship in 2008 and 2012 during Spain’s period of dominance on the international stage.At club level, Casillas most notably guided Los Blancos to three Champions League trophies and won La Liga five times before joining Porto in July 2015 after falling down the club’s pecking order.

The Spaniard lifted his first trophies with the club in 2018 as Porto won last season’s Primeira Division and the Portuguese Super Cup, and they are still in contention this season as they sit two points behind leaders Benfica with one game remaining.

 

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‘Zaha as good as Mahrez & worth £60m’ – Winger told to make a move by former Palace chairman


Wilfried Zaha is “every bit as good as Riyad Mahrez” and worth £60 million ($77m) to those pursuing his signature, says former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan.The Ivory Coast international is reported to be pushing for a move away from Selhurst Park this summer.

A return to Manchester United has been mooted for the 26-year-old, while the likes of Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund have also been credited with interest.

Concerns have been raised as to whether his asking price may put potential suitors off, but Jordan believes a proven Premier League performer should be valued as highly as a two-time title winner at Manchester City.

He told talkSPORT when quizzed on the speculation surrounding Zaha: “Without wanting to alienate myself from a group of fans I adore, I think now is the time for Zaha to go.“I think Palace need a change of direction and probably need to be able to rebuild with the right amount of monies being achieved for Zaha.

“Now, I don't think that right amount of monies is likely to be £80m, but I certainly think it's in the £50m or £60m bracket and I think he can play for any of the top-six clubs.“I think he's a £60m player - I think he's every bit as good as Mahrez.

“He hasn't played in sides quite as fashionable, because Leicester won the league when Mahrez was in his pomp and now he is at Manchester City, while Wilfried has played at Crystal Palace.“So I'm not surprised now Wilf wants the opportunity to ply his trade somewhere else.”

Concerns have been raised as to whether his asking price may put potential suitors off, but Jordan believes a proven Premier League performer should be valued as highly as a two-time title winner at Manchester City.

He told talkSPORT when quizzed on the speculation surrounding Zaha: “Without wanting to alienate myself from a group of fans I adore, I think now is the time for Zaha to go.“I think Palace need a change of direction and probably need to be able to rebuild with the right amount of monies being achieved for Zaha.

“Now, I don't think that right amount of monies is likely to be £80m, but I certainly think it's in the £50m or £60m bracket and I think he can play for any of the top-six clubs.“I think he's a £60m player - I think he's every bit as good as Mahrez.

“He hasn't played in sides quite as fashionable, because Leicester won the league when Mahrez was in his pomp and now he is at Manchester City, while Wilfried has played at Crystal Palace.“So I'm not surprised now Wilf wants the opportunity to ply his trade somewhere else.”

Jordan added: “When he signed a contract, my mindset was that it's merely Crystal Palace maintaining the value and negotiation for in a year's time.“If they've got Wilfried on a four or five-year contract there can be no leverage that any football club can put on them to be able to get this player for a fraction of his worth.

“So I'm not surprised we are now at the point where Wilfried is making his intentions very clear.”