Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, is interested in reuniting with Gundogan, as they previously worked together when Arteta served as Pep Guardiola’s assistant until 2019.
Manchester City are planning to offer Ilkay Gundogan a new contractCredit: Getty
The German’s City contract expires at the end of the season and early talks failed to find an agreement.
Barcelona indicated they were willing to offer him a two-year deal and Gundogan was holding out for a similar offer from his current club.
Thestand-off alerted Arsenal, who ran the champions close in the title race, to the possibility they could bring him to the Emirates for free this summer.
However, there is now optimism that a compromise can be reached which will see him extend his seven-year stay at the Etihad.
The deal proposed by City is believed to be structured differently to the one he has been offered at the Nou Camp but is closer to what he was looking for.
He had been linked with a move to ArsenalCreditAP
And if he does stay, it would be a timely boost for Guardiola who has regularly stated wants the German – his first signing at City back in 2016 – to stay.
Gundogan scored twice in each of his last two league starts – against Leeds and Everton – to put them on the brink of a third straight title.
He lifted the trophy at the weekend despite not getting on against Chelsea – and is now hoping to get his hands on two more before the season finishes.
The feeling is Guardiola would have thrown his captain on for a few minutes at the end to say his goodbyes if he had thought it was going to be his Etihad farewell.
His situation has taken on increasing importance with summer target Jude Bellingham expected to join Real Madrid rather than the English champs.
Guardiola is looking to strengthen his midfield this summer with Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic one name under consideration along with Celta Vigo’s Gabri Veiga.
Meanwhile, City remain in talks with teen defender Rico Lewis over a new deal – but are yet to finalise terms.
The 18-year-old full-back showed his versatility and quality again during the 1-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday and has been praised by Guardiola for his contribution to the title success.
To celebrate making it to theChampions League final, Manchester City had “60 bottles of champagne” in their locker room after Madrid game, but their manager, Pep forbade all of it.
On Saturday, June 10, the championship match of the top-tier European club football competition will take place.
Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Turkey will host the major match between City and Inter Milan of Italy.
The Cityzens defeated Real Madrid 4-0 to advance to the championship game with a 5-1 overall score.
Guardiola’s men are now odds-on to win the treble this season.
They are just three wins away from wrapping up the Premier League title, FA Cup and Champions League.
However, despite reaching the final of the Champions League for just the second time in their history, City’s manager was in no mood to let his boys get on the bubbly to celebrate.
The Daily Mail claims that “security staff removed 60 bottles of champagne that had been ordered for the home dressing room” following Wednesday’s demolition job of the current holders.
They claim that Guardiola has banned celebrations until they have won their first trophy in their Treble pursuit.
Officials at the club were allegedly “told that the champagne had been dispatched in error by hospitality staff” and it was instead “intended to be placed in the dressing room on Sunday” when they could potentially clinch a fifth Premier League title in six years.
And it is not only the champers that the star-studded squad has to look forward to.
Guardiola is believed to have promised to take his players and their families “out for a celebratory meal and drinks at the end of the season” even if they fail to land any silverware.
City’s attention has now returned to the Premier League, where they can wrap up the title with a win over Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.
They could seal it 24 hours earlier though if Arsenal lose to Nottingham Forest, or win it with a draw if that’s the result the Gunners get at the City Ground.
The FA Cup final comes next when the two Manchester clubs meet at that stage for the first time ever at Wembley on June 3.
Then all eyes will turn to the Champions League for the showdown with Inter.
The potential arrival of Lionel Messi at Al-Hilal, a team in the Saudi Pro League, has created apprehension among some of the current players, who are concerned about losing their positions in the team.
The widely acclaimed seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has been strongly linked with a move to Saudi Arabia after declining an opportunity to extend his contract with Paris Saint-Germain.
As per Sportskeeda, Ali Al-Bulayhi, a prominent player at Al-Hilal who had a previous altercation with Messi during the World Cup, is worried that Messi might include him among the players he prefers not to work with, should Messi join the club.
“I do not know what will happen, and I am afraid that he says, ‘I do not want number five.’ I do not know if Messi will come or not, but if he comes, may God protect me! If he comes, God willing, I will not attend the first two days until I monitor the situation from afar so that he may forget me.”
Messi has been offered a whopping €500 million annual deal to join this summer, although Barcelona are also bidding to convince the Argentine to return to Camp Nou.
Xavi unsure of Messi’s return
Meanwhile, Xavi is unsure whether Lionel Messi will return to Barcelona this summer but has admitted the decision lies firmly with the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, 90MIN reports.
The newly crowned La Liga champions are hugely confident of returning the World Cup winner to Camp Nou, even in the face of interest from Al Hilal, who offered Messi a whopping €500 million annual deal.
arcelona recently had their viability plan to sign Messi this summer approved by La Liga as the Catalan club intends to proceed with its quest to bring Messi back to the club.
Lewandowski makes strong Messi confession
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Robert Lewandowski has recently made a resounding statement expressing his fervent wish for Lionel Messi to make a fairytale return to Barcelona.
Messi departed Barca in 2021 due to the club’s ailing financial situation, joining Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year contract in the process.
But with his current PSG deal expiring in the summer, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has been urged to make a return to his ‘spiritual home.’
Manchester United supporters have taken to social media to express their desire for the talented Real Madrid player, Vinicius Jnr, to join their team after racist attacks.
The recent racial abuse directed at Vinicius Jr. by Valencia fans during his team’s 1-0 defeat has attracted significant attention.
While this incident is not an isolated occurrence, it appears that the Brazilian winger will likely continue his career at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Vinicius Junior was subjected to recist chants by fans during Real Madrid’s La Liga defeat to Valencia on Sunday. Photo by Quality Sport Images
According to Express Football, it is not the first time the 22-year-old has suffered abuse, with Mallorca and Atletico Madrid fans also targeting him earlier in the season.
Man United fans have now flocked to Twitter to call on Vini to move to Old Trafford this summer.
“We are with you Vini. Leave that dead league and come to United,” rallied @TheUtdLatest.
@ElijahBryant18 said:
“Just come to United my brother you deserve an exciting league free of racial abuse”
“Vinicius, come to United where you would be adored like your compatriot Casemiro,” were the words of @HenryNanthony.
Vincius Jr wants Madrid stay
Despite all the setbacks Vini Jr has had this season, reports have suggested the forward is eager to remain at Real Madrid, BBC Sports reports.
Those close to the player have reportedly begun to plan the forward’s possible exit from the Spanish capital.
Vinicius Jr has been urged to ditch Real Madrid for Man Utd this summer. Credit: @brfootball
Source: Getty Images
Vinicius, however, is said to be dedicated to Madrid and desires to win the war against racism by sticking to his guns rather than turning away.
Ronaldo sends message to Vinicius
Earlier, Sports Brief reported on Brazil legend, Ronaldo showing Vinicius Jr his support after the Brazilian was subjected to racism in a La Liga game against Valencia.
The unfortunate incident took place at the Mestalla Stadium on Sunday, with the Real Madrid winger cruelly targeted by chants from sections of the home crowd.
Among the legends who came forth to show support towards Vinicius after the incident was Ronaldo, who posted on social media in support of his fellow countryman.
Kylian Mbappe has expressed his full support for Vinicius Junior in the wake of renewed racist chants, standing by the Real Madrid winger.
Vinicius faced a distressing situation at the Mestalla stadium, where he was subjected to discriminatory comments and actions from the crowd during Real Madrid’s league match against Valencia.
Displaying immense determination to address the issue, the Brazilian promptly identified the individuals involved, resulting in a temporary suspension of the game.
Unfortunately, Vini could not finish the match after he received his marching orders following an altercation with some Valencia players, which resulted in the 22-year-old slapping Hugo Duro, which was captured by the VAR, The Guardian reports.
After the game, he took to social media to slam Spain, branding the European nation as a ‘country of racists’ while aiming a similar dig at La Liga for failing to tackle the persistent racial abuse which has bedevilled the competition, per Sky Sports.
The winger’s resolve to fight the racism has received support from PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe, who disclosed his desire to back the Brazilian.
Mbappe wrote on Instagram: “You’re not alone. We are with you & we support you.”
Vini blasts La Liga amid racist abuse
Relatedly, Sports Brief reported that Vinicius Junior has slammed La Liga, calling out Spain as a ‘country of racists’ after the Real Madrid winger was subjected to another heckling during his side’s league game against Valencia.
Vinicius Junior was subjected to racist chants by fans during Real Madrid’s La Liga defeat to Valencia on Sunday. Photo by Quality Sport Images
Source: Getty Images
Vini endured racist chants from the crowd and later engaged in a confrontation with Hugo Duro, resulting in heightened tension that required intervention from teammates to restrain him.
After experiencing racism on numerous occasions during this La Liga campaign, the enraged Brazilian winger expressed his frustration on Twitter, referring to Spain as a ‘nation plagued by racism’.
Mbappe nets stunning goal
Earlier, Sports Brief reported thatKylian Mbappe continued his spree in front of the goal as Paris Saint-Germain close in on winning a record 11th Ligue 1 trophy.
Mbappe bagged a brace in a space of two minutes, including a golazo, to help PSG secure a 2-1 win at Auxerre on Sunday.
The Frenchman dazzled his marker with his quick feet, sitting him down twice before unleashing an unstoppable drive into the top corner.
The 38-year-old last competed with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2021/22 season but did not participate in the league this year.
Over the course of his illustrious career, spanning 19 NBA seasons, Anthony attained numerous accolades, including 10 All-Star Game selections and 6 appearances in the All-NBA team.
Making the announcement through a social media video, he also highlighted his achievement as the NBA scoring champion during the 2012/13 season, with an impressive average of 28.7 points per game.
Carmelo Anthony
He retires as the No. 9 scorer in NBA history. He retires with 28,289 points. Anthony also won three gold medals with the USA Basketball team in 2008, 2012, and 2016.
He suited up for the Nuggets (2003-2011), Knicks (2011-2017), Thunder (2017-2018), Rockets (2018-2019), Trail Blazers (2019-2021) and Lakers (2021-2022).
His legacy is solid in the NBA. He was named as one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history. Nevertheless, he never got to the NBA Finals. He reached the conference finals in 2009 with the Nuggets, but they lost to the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers, per ESPN.
What Anthony said
In his emotional video announcement, Anthony was thankful
“I remember the days when I had nothing. Just a ball on the court and a dream of something more. But basketball was my outlet. My purpose was strong, my communities, the cities I represented with pride and the fans that supported me along the way.
I am forever grateful for those people and places because they made me Carmelo Anthon. But now the time has come for me to say goodbye. To the court where I made my name, to the game that gave me purpose and pride. With this bittersweet goodbye to the NBA,” via the Athletic.
Anthony was drafted No. 3 overall by the Nuggets in 2003 and was part of the star-studded class that included LeBron James at No. 1, Hall of Famer Chris Bosh at No. 4, and Dwyane Wade at No. 5.
Anthony and James watch their sons
Sports Brief earlier reported on Anthony and James watching their sons face off in high school.
LeBron’s sons, Bronny and Bryce James, and Carmelo’s son Kiyan Anthony stole the show in an exciting high school basketball game in December 2022.
LeBron James Carmelo Anthony and son
Kiyan Anthony ended with 10 points, but he was slightly overshadowed by the impressive display of Bronny James, who had 12 points.
City secured the crown with three games remaining, defeating Arsenal, while Nottingham Forest effectively dashed the Gunners’ hopes of claiming the title on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta’s team had been considered strong contenders for the championship, given their impressive form leading up to the season.
The north Londoners had dominated the league this term as they enjoyed an eight-point lead at the top at some point.
However, a string of poor results in recent weeks denied them a chance to win the title, with their defeat to Nottingham crashing their hopes altogether, per The Guardian.
Supercomputer predicts next season’s winners
While Arsenal are keen to give the title challenge a fresh shot next season, a supercomputer has painted a grim picture of their chances of winning the trophy.
According to The Sun, citing Ladbrokes’ prediction, Man City will retain the trophy once again next season.
Arsenal are billed to finish second once again, with Liverpool, who face the prospect of missing out on a Champions League spot this term, securing a third-place finish.
Manchester United, who have hopes of challenging for the title, will have to contend with a fourth-place finish, with Chelsea billed to finish fifth.
Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are both predicted to finish outside the top four.
The Norwegian hotshot was involved in a heartwarming moment with City fans as he was caught on camera leaving an on-pitch interview to join supporters in dance.
Talksport reports that Sky Sports had managed to get hold of the striker for an interview before the incident happened.
Romeloves Jose Mourinho for what he has done for AS Roma since taking over the club in 2021, and it’s not just football fans who adore him.
Before the postponed Euro 2020 in 2021, he unexpectedly assumed the managerial role of the Italian capital club and quickly won the city over.
In his debut season, he assisted Roma in ending their 14-year title drought since the 2008 Coppa Italia by helping them win the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League, which they did by defeating Feyenoord of the Netherlands in the final.
Giallorossi reached their second European final under the former Chelsea manager after beating Bayer Leverkusen to reach the Europa League final.
Mourinho receives standing ovation
Mourinho is not only loved by the football fans in Rome; he is also loved by non-football fans in the ancient city, due to his achievements in Italian football.
He was in attendance at the Italian Open final on Sunday to watch Daniil Medvedev beat Holger Rune, and was acknowledged by the fans, who gave him a standing ovation.
The former Real Madrid boss was in the company of his former player Marco Materazzi at the event, and was also in attendance a week earlier to watch Serbian star Novak Djokovic in the second round.
According to Daily Express, former world number 1 Boris Becker was also in attendance, five months after he was deported to Germany after time in UK custody.
Roma players relive Leverkusen game
Sports Brief reported that Mourinho relieved the Leverkusen game with his players at a dinner, after Roma progressed to the UEFA Europa League final on Thursday.
The Special one filmed his players having a meal and watching themselves. He uploaded the video to Instagram and labelled the players ‘warriors’ after a hard-fought game.
At the Northumberland Football League awards, Joshua Atsu Twasam, the eldest son of the late Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu, was honored with the Player of the Year title.
Joshua Twasam had an impressive season playing for Team Gosforth Football Club, which led to him receiving this recognition at the conclusion of the campaign.
Demonstrating remarkable potential at a young age, the talented youngster is poised to follow in his father’s footsteps in the world of football.
His mother, Marie-Claire Rupio took to social media to celebrate her son, adding his father will be proud of him.
Meanwhile, the Rupio Family was also award the Tyler Garwood award for their enormous support for Joshua.
Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Juventus and Brazilian defender, Danilo has paid an emotional tribute to Ghana winger, Christian Atsu, who passed away following the Turkey-Syria earthquake.
Danilo and Atsu were teammates at Portuguese giants, FC Porto, breaking into the senior team in the same year.
Atsu sadly died after being trapped under rubble for 12 days, following the devastating disaster which claimed the lives of over 40,000 people in Turkey and Syria.
Atsu’s body arrive for burial
The remains of Christian Atsu have finally arrived in Ghana from Turkey following his passing due to a devastating earthquake on February 6.
The government, family, friends and former footballers were all at the Kotoko International Airport to receive the body ahead of the final burial rites.
In emotional scenes at the airport, many struggled to hold back tears while others wailed openly as the body was painfully brought out of a Turkish Airlines plane.
Pep Guardiola, the manager ofManchester City, struggled to contain his joy as he played a pivotal role in guiding the club to clinch this season’s Premier League (EPL) title.
City secured the prestigious crown with three games remaining, following a remarkable series of victories in the final stretch.
The Cityzens were officially declared champions on Saturday evening, shortly after Arsenal suffered a detrimental 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
According to BBC, the Gunners’ loss meant it was mathematically impossible for them to catch up to City in the race.
However, Guardiola’s charges had to wait until Sunday before they could finally lift the trophy for the fifth time under the Spaniard.
Guardiola shows off dance moves
The former Barcelona andBayern Munich boss used the opportunity to parade his dance moves as he joined Man City players and fans in a dance, shortly after they were crowned champions.
The Daily Star reports that Man City fans were left in awe of their manager’s groovy dance moves, as the 52-year-old let loose in celebration.
Guardiola was sporting a City shirt with ‘Champions 23’ on the back as he joined the celebrations.
An overjoyed Pep Guardiola joined Manchester City stars, fans, and staff in dance after they were crowned English champions on Sunday
The experienced tactician will now be hoping to help City win a historic treble before the end of the season.
The English giants are in two finals- the Champions League and the FA Cup.
Haaland joins fans in dance
Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Erling Haaland was once again the centre of attention during Man City’s Premier League trophy presentation.
The Norwegian hotshot was involved in a heartwarming moment with City fans, as he was caught on camera leaving an on-pitch interview to join supporters in dance.
Talksport reports that Sky Sports had managed to get hold of the striker for an interview before the incident happened.
The Brazilian attacker was the subject of constant racist slurs during Madrid’s away clash against Valencia on Sunday, in what was the 10th racist abuse incident the forward has experienced this season.
The game had to be paused in one instance, as Vinicius, along with other Los Blancos players, went to point out a particular fan who was hurling racist abuse at the player.
Vinicius Jnr
Courtois has now shared his take on the matter. He lambasted the fans for their actions. Speaking to France 24, the big Belgian said:
“If Vini wants to keep playing, we keep playing, but if Vinicius Jr says he’s leaving, I’m leaving the pitch with him, because we cannot tolerate these things.”
Speaking of the incident that raised eyebrows in an already feisty fixture – Vinicius receiving a red card during a brawl in the 97th minute of the encounter, Courtois said:
“With the brawl, the first to receive a red card should be Hugo Duro, who grabbed Vinicius by the neck.”
TheReal Madrid goalkeeper also said that there were racist slurs aimed at his Brazilian teammate earlier in the game, too:
“I feel bad because there was an act of racism. I remember at the start, around the 20th minute there were monkey sounds; sometimes it’s hard to see if it is or not, (but) the first thing is that we cannot accept this; we cannot tolerate this. One day, you will have to put a camera just focused on these people because the disgusting things you can hear are crazy.”
"The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi, today belongs to the racists." —Vinicius Jr. #SportsGist#PerfectMatchXtra Denzel Washington | Ashantis | Mohammed Kudus | Big Brother | Rudiger pic.twitter.com/Jigp2CO3Le
The racism controversy at the Mestalla made football take a back seat. In the game, Real Madrid lost 1-0, with Diego Lopez netting a 33rd-minute winner.
Despite bossing possession, Los Blancos failed to score, slumping to their second straight loss across competitions without scoring.
Earlier in midweek, they went down 4-0 at Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg, bowing out with a 5-1 aggregate defeat.
Following their loss at the Mestalla, Carlo Ancelotti’s team have slipped to third spot in the league. They have 71 points from 35 games and trail second-placed Atletico Madrid by a point. This loss serves as a boost for Atletico Madrid who as per Daily Mail reports, hope to finish ahead of rivals Real Madrid.
Vinicius fires back at Tebas
Earlier Sports Brief reported Real Madrid forward Vinicius fired back with a fiery statement to La Liga’s President Javier Tebas’s stand on Sunday’s event.
Vinicius Junior, the forward for Real Madrid, is expressinghis anger towards Javier Tebas, the La Liga president, and urging him to take decisive measures against racism in the Spanish topflight.
Once again, during Real Madrid’s La Liga match on Sunday, May 21, the Brazilian player was targeted with racist chants from fans at the Mestalla Stadium.
Real Madrid considers the racism directed at Vinicius Junior to be a ‘hate crime’ and has lodged a complaint with the Spanish State Attorney General’s Office.
Brazil forward Vinicius was the subject of an alleged racist attack during Real’s 1-0 LaLiga defeat at Valencia on Sunday.
The game was paused after the break as Vinicius pointed out to the referee those who were allegedly abusing him in the stands at the Mestalla – and the 22-year-old later took to social media to say racism is ‘normal’ in LaLiga.
Real Madrid superstar vows to stand by Vinicius Jr. Image Mateo Villalba.
According to Sportskeeda, Vinicius responded harshly to Tebas’ tweet about his incident and demanded that the La Liga president take action against those guilty of racism.
War of words between Vini Jnr and Tebas
“Once again, instead of criticising racists, the president of LaLiga appears on social media to attack me. As much as you talk and pretend not to read, the image of your championship is shaken.
See the responses to your posts and have a surprise. Omitting yourself only makes you equal to racists. I’m not your friend to talk about racism. I want actions and punishments. Hashtag doesn’t move me.”
La Liga president Javier Tebas has told Vinicius Junior to “inform himself properly” after the Real Madrid forward lashed out at La Liga for not taking actions to curb racism, Goal reports.
Tebas swiped at Vinicius after he accused the Real Madrid forward of not attending meetings scheduled to battle racism in the league.
The Brazilian forward took to social media to criticise La Liga after being subjected to more racist attacks during Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Valencia on Sunday, May 21.
Brazil President jumps to Vinicius’ defence
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Brazil president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has joined hands with an increasing array of football stars in lending support to Vinicius Junior, who faced racial abuse during a La Liga game.
DuringMan City’s title celebrations, Pep Guardiola’s daughter Maria created quite a stir, potentially overshadowing her father.
Manchester City had already secured the championship ahead of their match against Chelsea, thanks to Arsenal’s 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest the day before.
Pep and daughter Maria steals the show during City’s championships celebrations
City were greeted to a guard of honour by Chelsea as they walked on to the pitch already knowing their third title in a row was in the bag.
This season’s is also Pep’s fifth for the Cityzens since joining back in 2016.
And the Sky Blues wasted no time in celebrating their latest achievement, as they aim to win a historic Treble this season.
The players were treated byGuardiola to pizza and beer in the dressing room ahead of their coronation on the pitch.
With players’ families joining them on the pitch to celebrate, it was Guardiola’s daughter, Maria, who turned the heads of fans online.
Maria, 22, is no stranger to the social media spotlight, having previously dated former Spurs star Dele Alli.
The Barcelona-born influencer boasts more than half a million followers on Instagram.
She is also signed to modelling agency Premier Model Management.
And many fans were pre-occupied by her good looks while Sky pundit Jamie Redknapp lauded her father’s footballing achievements during Sunday’s broadcast.
One fan tweeted a series of flustered emojis in reaction to a photo of Maria, while another reacted with a gif of Wout Weghorst celebrating in response to the Spanish beauty.
City’s boozy title celebrations continued into the night, as the likes of Erling Haaland and his girlfriend hit an exclusive Manchester nightclub to celebrate the club’s latest title.
Having confirmed the Premier League on Saturday, City will play their last two Premier League games against Brighton and Brentford before their FA Cup final clash with Manchester United on June 3rd.
Fans will be hoping that the celebrations will continue as City look to become the second team to win the Treble after rivals Manchester United completed the feat in 1999.
Athletic has reported that, Ajax is set to request a transfer fee of approximately £40 million for Ghanaian international Mohammed Kudus if he is to leave the club in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The midfielder has garnered interest from various clubs, including prominent Premier League teams, due to his impressive performances throughout the season at the Dutch side.
Kudus has made a significant impact, contributing 22 goals and six assists in a total of 48 games for both his club and country this campaign.
The 22-year-old is contracted to Ajax until the end of the 2024/25 season and is said to have rejected a one-year contract extension from the Johan Cruyff Arena outfit.
Mohammed Kudus
The Ghanaian was heavily linked with a move away from Amsterdam during the January transfer window with the player confirming in an interview with Joy Sports’ Gary Al-Smith he spoke with then Everton manager, Frank Lampard, over a possible move to the Toffees.
The Athletic reports thatAjax would rather part ways with the player this summer “than allow them to enter the final 24 months of their deals” with a fee of £40million said to be enough to convince the Eredivisie side.
Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United have been mentioned as clubs keeping tabs on the former Right to Dream academy graduate.
Kudus joined Ajax in 2020 from Danish side Nordsjaelland and has since been on the rise at club and international levels.
Hertha Berlin’s descent to the Bundesliga 2 was confirmed after a 1-1 draw against Bochum at their home stadium on Saturday.
Boateng, who was in the starting lineup for the match, played for 64 minutes, aiming to assist his team in their battle against relegation until the end of the season.
However, that was far from being achieved as they settled for a stalemate, confirming their relegation.
The 36-year-old was left emotional by the relegation of Hertha Berlin to Germany’s second tier.
“I can’t realize it yet,” Boateng told reported after the game. “It is just bitter, I love this club. I came here and I knew that not everything would be rosy. The fans are angry, disappointed and sad, that is completely normal.
“I can understand them, I am a Hertha fan myself.”
Popular Afrobeats star, Davido was recently seen at Etihad Stadium, sporting a Manchester City jersey while attending the match between the Premier League champions and Chelsea.
The appearance followed an invitation from global sports company PUMA, who had engaged in a Twitter exchange with Davido the day prior.
PUMA had unveiled the new PUMA jerseys for Manchester City’s upcoming 2023/24 season, prompting the interaction between the music icon and the sports company.
Davido reacted to the post, revealing how impressed he was by the design.
He wrote, “Hmmm. Looking like the jersey of champions !
Love to see it ! #PumaFam,”.
Davido files Puma jet to Etihad for City’s Premier League championships
Davido soon received a response from PUMA who appreciated him for his comment and proceeded to invite him to the title-celebration match at the Etihad.
In a prompt reply, Davido requested that a jet be sent to him, and the company promised him that they would.
Meanwhile, in response to a curious fan wanting to know if Davido showed up for the match, PUMA shared a picture of the superstar in Etihad donning a Man City jersey.
Arsenal midfielder, Granit Xhaka, remains resolute in his belief that Mikel Arteta is the ideal candidate, the right manager to lead the club into the future.
Although the Gunners’ aspirations of winning the Premier League title were dashed with a 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest, resulting in Manchester City securing their fifth championship in six seasons, Arteta’s team has garnered praise for the progress they have made this year.
Arsenal enjoyed a commanding position at the top of the league for 248 days and held an eight-point advantage over City in March.
Xhaka and Arteta
Despite their late setback, Arteta’s side has been recognized for the positive strides they have taken.
The Gunners have faltered badly in their last eight games, winning just twice, but Xhaka says this season has to be the blueprint for progression.
“We don’t need to forget how we work for the last 11 months,” he said.
“Even when we lost now in the last two games, of course the people see what happens now, but don’t forget the 11 months we worked.
“If someone told us before the season that we will be here, I think everyone would sign it. Our goal for sure was to be back in the top four. Now we are second. Of course when you are so close to the title you want to win the title.
“But we are there where we are, deserve to be where we are, and let’s see what happens next season. We have to go and do the next step.”
Forest’s victory meant that they stayed up against the odds in their first season back inthe Premier League.
They did it the hard way, having signed 30 new players across the two transfer windows and were on an 11-game winless run up until the end of April.
But 10 points from the last five games has seen them move out of the relegation zone and midfielder Ryan Yates was happy to prove people wrong.
“That’s what it’s all about,” he said. “I have had a lot of that individually, this season is no different. That was always going to come with the amount of players brought in and the amount of money spent.
“During those periods we have had, we have had to show real togetherness and resilience.
“All credit to the manager, because he has really instilled that belief in us that we can still achieve. This is really special, let’s kick on again next season.”
During a match against Valencia, Vinicius allegedly faced racist chants from the stands, prompting the game to be temporarily halted as he alerted the referee to the abusive behavior.
In the closing moments of Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat, the 22-year-old player was subsequently shown a red card for an altercation with striker Hugo Duro, leading to his dismissal from the game.
In a statement on Instagram, he said: “It wasn’t the first time, not the second and not the third. Racism is normal in LaLiga.
“The competition thinks it’s normal, so does the Federation and the opponents encourage it. I am so sorry.
“The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Lionel] Messi, today belongs to the racists.
“A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and I love, but which accepted to export the image to the world from a racist country.
“Sorry for the Spaniards who do not agree, but today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists.
“And unfortunately with everything that happens on a weekly basis, I have no way to defend. I agree. But I’m strong and will go to the end against the racists. Even though it’s far from here.”
Barcelona fans were heard chanting ‘Vinicius Die’ during the recent El Clasico fixture at Camp Nou. Image: Alex Caparros Source: Getty Images Read more: https://sportsbrief.com/football/barcelona/36867-barcelona-supporters-verbally-abuse-real-madrid-superstar-chants-vinicius-die/
LaLiga president Javier Tebas responded to Vinicius’ post on Twitter, criticising the forward for “criticising and insulting” the league.
He tweeted: “Since those who should not explain to you what it is and what it can do [to] LaLiga in cases of racism, we have tried to explain it to you, but you have not shown up for either of the two agreed dates that you requested yourself.
“Before criticising and insulting LaLiga, it is necessary that you inform yourself properly.
“Do not let yourself be manipulated and make sure you fully understand each other’s competencies and the work we have been doing together.”
Valencia released a statement on their club website condemning what happened and confirming they will investigate what happened.
The club said: “Valencia CF wishes to publicly condemn any type of insult, attack or disqualification in football.
“The club, in its commitment to the values of respect and sport, publicly reaffirms its position against physical and verbal violence in stadiums and regrets the events that occurred during the LaLiga Matchday 35 match against Real Madrid.
“Although this is an isolated episode, insults to any player from the rival team have no place in football and do not fit in with the values and identity of Valencia CF.
“The club is investigating what happened and will take the most severe measures. In the same way, Valencia CF condemns any offense and also requests the utmost respect for our fans.
“Apart from these isolated incidents, Valencia CF would like to thank the more than 46,000 fans for their assistance and support for the team in the game this Sunday, May 21.”
Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand took to Instagram in support of Vinicius and questioned player protection.
Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand
“He receives a red card after being choked and receiving racial abuse during the game… wtf.
“How many times do we need to see this young man subjected to this s**t? I see pain, I see disgust, I see him needing help… and the authorities don’t do s**t to help him.
“People need to stand together and demand more from the authorities that run our game.
“No one deserves this, yet you are allowing it. There needs to be a unified approach to this otherwise it will be swept under the carpet AGAIN.”
Diego Lopez got the only goal of the game in the 33rd minute for the home side.
The Premier League crown was officially awarded to City after their match against Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium.
According to The Mirror, Pep Guardiola’s team sealed the championship with three games remaining as their title contenders, Arsenal, stumbled yet again in their game against Nottingham Forest.
The Gunners were stunned 1-0 by the lowly Forest, with the result all but ending their title dream after what seemed like a promising season.
Despite being declared champions on Saturday, City had to wait until Sunday before they could finally lay their hands on the English top flight trophy.
Haaland joins fans in dance
Haaland was once again the centre of attraction during Man City’s Premier League trophy presentation.
The Norwegian hotshot was involved in a heartwarming moment with fans as he was caught on camera leaving an on-pitch interview to join supporters in their dance.
Haaland dances with fans
Talksport reports that Sky Sports had managed to get hold of the striker for an interview before the incident happened.
Haaland has been a revelation at Man City since his arrival in the summer of 2022 from Borussia Dortmund.
The 22-year-old has played a vital role in helping the Citizens retain the crown, with the forward boasting an eyewatering 36 Premier League goals so far.
City stars herded off pitch
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Man City players had to be ushered off after jubilant fans invaded the pitch at the Etihad Stadium moments before the Premier League title presentation.
Overjoyed supporters of the Citizens ran onto the pitch in celebration shortly after the final whistle, sparking a briefly tense moment when officials and security had to get involved.
Man City’s triumphant stars, including Kevin De Bruyne and Norwegian star, Haaland, had to be guided to the tunnel as fans spilled over onto the turf to celebrate their club’s title victory.
After winning their fifth Premier League championship in as many years, Manchester City’s stars praised the club as “unstoppable” and one of the best squads in league history.
City sealed the deal in spectacular fashion by defeating Chelsea 1-0 for their 12th straight league victory after Arsenal’s defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday made it clear that they could not be overcome.
Kyle Walker, a defender, said to Sky Sports: “Of course, every single one is a very important occasion.
“I think to not be sitting at the top of the league for as long as we were, I think it was 11 points at one stage, so to then come back just needing a victory out of one of the three games, it’s brilliant.
“This group of lads are second to none. They’re professionals, they’re winners and I think that’s how we get across the line more times than not.
“But we’re not finished. We’ve got the FA Cup against our bitter rivals Manchester United and then we’ve got the Champions League final.”
City face United in the FA Cup final on June 3 before meeting Inter Milan a week later as they chase a firstChampions League crown.
Walker. added: “It would be fantastic but there’s a lot of football to be played before we can start saying about the Treble.
“We’ve got two massive finals. I think, just for this club and this group of lads that I’ve been involved with for six years, to say we’re up there with one of the greatest Premier League teams of all time, I think we have to go and conquer some of that.
“To go and get this, I think we can really stamp our mark on being one of the greatest teams of all-time in the Premier League.”
Jack Grealish has been a key player in their recent winning run, and he said of his second Premier League title: “Obviously it’s different. For me personally, I feel this year especially I’ve played much more of a part.
“I feel good in myself, I feel confident, back to my normal self and what I knew I could do.”
Asked if City feel invincible, the England forward added: “It’s mad because I spoke to some of the lads not long ago and I said, ‘Imagine if someone would have said to you to win the league you’ve got to go and win 12 games in a row?’
“I’m not saying I didn’t think we could do it but it was going to be difficult. We’ve got so much talent in this squad and I think at the moment we feel unstoppable.”
It was a first title for goal machine Erling Haaland, who said: “(It’s) a dream. I don’t know what to say. It’s just unreal and I’m so happy. These are memories I will remember for the rest of my life. We’ve been fighting so hard.
“Debut season, 36 goals so far, Premier League trophy and two finals left — not a bad start.”
Kevin De Bruyne is now an old hand at winning titles with City, and he added: “I know people expect us to win a lot but we work every day for this and a lot of people sacrifice for us so we’re very grateful.
“I think sometimes it’s more tough mentally than it is physically because you have to go again, again, again, but the team is hungry. I want to win more and keep going while I still can.”
The emotions were a little different for midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who finally made his first Premier League start for the club.
“Obviously it was a great feeling,” he said. “When I came in this morning the manager told me I was playing and I was just happy, to be honest.
“But I was happy because we won the league the night before and I knew there might be a chance I could play. I just went home, relaxed, and I enjoyed every moment out here.
“It’s been unbelievably tough, it’s probably been one of the lowest points in myself, confidence-wise, in my career. But, with the guys around me, the leaders that have kept me going, they told me I’d get my chance and luckily today I did.
“I’m very lucky that I’ve got the guys around me to keep pushing me and working me as hard as possible.”
After Arsenal’s defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Pep Guardiola’s treble-chasing team was already crowned champions for the fifth time in six years.
As a result, the Blues’ visit to the Etihad Stadium coincided with a festive atmosphere, and an early goal from Julian Alvarez gave the crowd additional reason to shout.
Julian Alvarez
Chelsea had a few bright moments but City, without getting anywhere near the intensity with which they crushed Real Madrid in midweek, always seemed in control.
Fans had arrived to party in the sunshine and the ‘Poznan’ was seen on more than one occasion.
City were given a guard of honour by their opponents as they entered the field and they went on to knock the ball around with a such a swagger that – perhaps embarrassingly for a Chelsea side that aspires to the heights City have reached – it appeared the Londoners faced a long afternoon.
It seemed only a matter of time before the opening goal came and it arrived after 12 minutes as City seized possession in midfield and Cole Palmer picked out Alvarez in front of goal.
Chelsea looked well off the pace, much as they have done throughout what has been a dispiriting end to the season under temporary boss Frank Lampard.
Former City forward Raheem Sterling attempted to rouse them. The England international twice got behind the City defence but was unable to pick out a team-mate the first time and then had a shot saved by Stefan Ortega.
Conor Gallagher then went closer when he headed against the post from a Lewis Hall cross.
Yet City always seemed in command and Phil Foden was only narrowly off-target with an attempted chip and Kalvin Phillips, finally making his first league start for the champions, blasted wide.
Phillips was inches away from getting on the scoresheet after the break when he met a Riyad Mahrez free-kick with a firm header but it rebounded off the foot of the post.
At the other end, Hall and Sterling both shot at Ortega. Sterling had another effort cleared off the line by City substitute John Stones, although an offside flag was raised anyway.
Alvarez thought he had claimed a second with just under 20 minutes remaining but Mahrez controlled the ball with his arm before teeing up the Argentinian.
With it being City’s last home match of the season, star pair Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne were given a run-out in the latter stages. Rodri also came off the bench as City closed out their 12th successive Premier League win.
And the man himself! City’s goal scoring machine, Erling Haaland
Thousands of fans invaded the pitch after the final whistle, delaying the trophy presentation.
Thousands of fans invaded the pitch after the final whistle, delaying the trophy presentation.
After the celebrations subside, City have further league games at Brighton and Brentford before they play the FA Cup and Champions League finals next month.
Frank Lampard has seemingly confirmed what has been widely speculated – the imminent appointment of a new permanent coach at Chelsea, believed to be former Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino.
As an interim manager, Lampard, a club legend, has only three Premier League matches remaining before concluding his tenure, overseeing Chelsea’s disappointing season that is destined for a bottom-half finish – their worst in years.
Lampard becomes the fourth manager to take charge of the Stamford Bridge dugout this season, following the tenures of Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Bruno Saltor, who managed the game against Liverpool.
According to The Athletic, Lampard will collaborate with Pochettino and the sporting directors to ease the transition and set the team on track for next season.
Lampard’s message to Chelsea players
Chelsea have a bloated squad with over thirty first team members, and there will be a mass exodus at the end of the season regardless of who comes in as the manager.
Some of those departing are already confirmed, while others have their futures depending on the final words of the incoming manager, which is why Lampard has warned them.
“If you want to stay at Chelsea and you want to impress the new manager, show it in these next three games because, for sure, he will be watching,” he told Football Daily.
A mass exodus is planned, and a few incomings must be added for a balanced squad. He has to resolve the goalkeeping conundrum in his first days.
The defensive midfielder role needs a signing; the attacking midfield needs a decision, while the striker needs a decision or a signing, depending on Romelu Lukaku.
Renowned manager, Sir Alex Ferguson who led Manchester United to numerous victories and 13 Premier League titles during his tenure from 1986 to 2013, has made comments that seem to indirectly criticize some of his former players when discussing the use of the term “world-class” in football.
Throughout his illustrious career at Old Trafford, Ferguson experienced many remarkable moments, including achieving three consecutive titles twice and securing the treble in the 1998/99 season.
26th MAY 1999, UEFA Champions League Final, Barcelona, Spain, Manchester United 2 v Bayern Munich 1, Manchester United team with manager Alex Ferguson celebrate with the trophy following their win (Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)
He notably fostered a successful team dynamic with the famed “class of 1992,” where academy talents played a dominant role in his squad.
According to Daily Express, since retirement, he has remained a regular figure around the club, attending games and getting involved in key decisions, including managerial appointments.
Ferguson shades former players
The use of labels and classification for players has become a thing in football. Legend and world-class are the two most controversial terms used currently in football.
The 81-year-old has waded into the discussion using his Manchester United players as examples in what appears to be a subtle dig at some great stars.
“If you read the papers or listen to the television commentators, we seem to be awash with ‘world-class’ footballers,” he wrote in his book, Learning from Life and My Years at Manchester United, via SportBible.
“I don’t mean to demean or criticise any of the great or very good footballers who played for me during my 26-year career at United, but there were only four who were world-class: [Eric] Cantona, [Ryan] Giggs, [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Paul] Scholes.”
Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Scholes.
He had special praise for the greatest of them all, Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, including one under Ferguson’s watch.
“And of the four Cristiano was like an ornament on the top of a Christmas tree,” he said.
Ferguson apologises to Solskjaer
Sports Brief reported that Ferguson apologised to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for publicly criticising the manager over his treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Scot was influential in bringing Ronaldo to Old Trafford for a second spell that did not pan out well and joined a brigade of critics of Ole.
After a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest, Arsenal’s slim hopes of winning the Premier League title faded away, allowing Manchester City to secure their fifth crown in six years.
Although Arsenal demonstrated remarkable form for a significant portion of the season, spending 248 days at the top of the table and holding an eight-point lead over City in March, a concerning decline has led to just two victories in their last eight matches.
That allowed them to be overtaken by Pep Guardiola’s relentless juggernaut, who have won 11 games in a row.
The Spaniard says Arsenal have to find a way to compete with City but it will not be a quick fix.
“This is my job, this is our job, and this is what this club deserves,” Arteta said.
“It wasn’t enough. I know we’re not at that level, but we have to find a way. This is not enough. It’s not going to change in three months time. We need to be at that level but we need to find other ways to do it.
“For example at Forest we needed to play much better. This is my responsibility.
“That’s why we have to push for that to happen. That’s not going to happen if we don’t make a lot of right decisions and think smart and have the mentality every day to get to that level.”
For large parts of the season, which began with more than 20 new signings, they looked destined to return straight back to the Championship, not least when they were on an 11-game winless run going into the end of April.
Boss Steve Cooper steered them away from danger, thanks to 10 points from the last five games, and he is thankful to the fans, who have been vociferous in their support throughout the campaign.
Arteta and Pep
It looked possible that the Welshman could be sacked on two occasions during the campaign, but Forest fans voted with their feet and came out in unanimous support of their manager.
And Cooper will never forget that.
“My family and myself will be in debt to these supporters forever,” he said.
“What they have given me this year in an era of people always wanting change and having no patience, our supporters have been the complete opposite. They have been the best with me in some difficult times. That takes some doing.
“The whole sense of being part of something, being wanted and that sense of belonging is such a powerful feeling. Our supporters have set the standard for how to support a team.”
Mateo, the youngest son ofCristiano Ronaldo, has caused a significant stir on social media due to his choice of shirt, as seen in widely circulated footage.
Ronaldo, known for his illustrious career with Real Madrid, Barcelona’s fierce rivals, spent nine successful seasons with the Madrid club.
Therefore, it came as a major surprise, especially to fans of Los Blancos, when they observed the five-year-old happily dancing and singing while wearing the Barcelona kit.
The unexpected sight of Mateo in the Catalan colors has sparked widespread discussion and captured the attention of online platforms.
In a video posted by Georgina Rodriguez, Ronaldo’s partner, seen by Sports Brief, Mateo, who wore Barcelona’s home kit, was filmed together with his siblings Alana Martina and Eva singing and vibing to a choreographed dance.
The video has since sparked mixed reactions on social media, considering Mateo’s dad’s long-standing rivalry with Barca, who recently won their 27th La Liga crown, per Besoccer.
During Ronaldo’s stint with Real Madrid, the 38-year-old reached hallowed heights with the Spanish giants, scoring a staggering 451 goals in 438 games, including an impressive 20 goals in 34 matches against the Blaugrana, Transfermarkt reports.
Cristiano currently plies his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, where he has notched 13 goals in 14 matches as the Knights of Nahd chase their first league crown in four years.
Ronaldo was linked with a potential transfer to Bayern last summer, following his departure from Manchester United in November last year, but ultimately chose to join Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, where he now commands a staggering annual salary of £173 million.
But businessman Marcus Schon is bent on bringing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner back to Europe. The German millionaire reportedly reached out to Bayern Munich’s CEO Oliver Kahn via email, expressing his interest in financially supporting a potential transfer.
Manchester City’s remarkable display against Real Madrid on May 17 was slightly overshadowed by a momentary clash between Kevin De Bruyne and Pep Guardiola.
Following a loss of possession, De Bruyne seemed to express his frustration towards his manager, but the incident was swiftly resolved as Guardiola embraced him warmly when he was substituted.
In a subsequent explanation, Guardiola emphasized that the entire team, including De Bruyne, was under immense pressure to maintain control of the game after halftime.
He dismissed the altercation as a natural occurrence within the context of a competitive match, as reported by Goal.
Player-manager confrontations are not new in football. Some, like De Bruyne and Guardiola, have been lucky to patch things up, but others still have the same animosity to date.
Sports Brief takes a look at the most heated player-manager confrontations.
1. Alex Ferguson and David Beckham (Manchester United)
The legendaryManchester United manager built his reputation on a zero-tolerance policy to indiscipline no matter how big of a star you are.
He had a couple of clashes with his players, but perhaps the one with Beckham in 2003 stands out from the bunch. The two reportedly almost came to blows in the dressing room, with the midfielder sustaining a cut above his eyebrow, as reported by MEN.
He was thereafter sold to Real Madrid, but the two have since reconciled, with Beckham even insinuating he was possibly at fault.
2. Kepa Arrizabalaga and Maurizio Sarri (Chelsea)
This was partly down to a communication breakdown when Arrizabalaga famously decided to ignore Sarri’s instructions to come off during the Carabao Cup final in 2019.
Sarri wanted to introduce Willy Caballero in the dying minutes of extra time against Manchester City with an eye on the subsequent penalty shootouts. Arrizabalaga stood his ground and failed to win the game for Chelsea.
The World’s most expensive goalkeeper apologised to his coach afterwards, as reported by Sky Sports.
3. Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy (Ireland)
If you know Keane, you know how combative he was during his playing days. Not that he has changed much with his punditry.
He infamously called out Ireland national team boss Mick McCarthy, blasting out his training sessions ahead of the 2002 World Cup. The former Manchester United skipper was sent home.
4. Nicolas Anelka and Ray Domenech (France)
Another international incident and another player to be sent home from an international tournament. France’s World Cup campaign in South Africa in 2010 was shambolic at best and Anelka’s role will be remembered for years to come.
The experienced striker publicly called out Head Coach Domenech by calling him unprintable names after their defeat to Mexico. The former Chelsea and Real Madrid striker had been asked to play in a position he was not comfortable in, as captured by the Mirror.
He refused to apologise and was sent home as Les Bleus crashed out in the group stage. Anelka has never apologised to date.
5. Jose Mourinho and Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
A list of clashes won’t be complete without Mourinho being mentioned anywhere, will it? The Special One has never been afraid of speaking his mind but in 2018, he was the one doing the listening.
Pogba was infuriated that Manchester United had sat back against Watford instead of attacking against Watford at Old Trafford.
Mourinho did not take the words of the Frenchman lightly and stripped him of the vice-captaincy of the club. As Sky Sports reported, the Portuguese manager, however, maintained that he had no issue with the midfielder.
What next for De Bruyne and Guardiola?
City faithful will be happy there are no lingering issues between Guardiola and De Bruyne as they enter into the final five fixtures of their season. They play Chelsea this weekend with a win enough to guarantee them a fifth title in six years.
They would then wrap up their Premier League campaign against Brighton and Brentford before facing Manchester United in the FA Cup final on June 3. The team will then attempt to win their first Champions League title when they play Inter Milan on June 10.
3 controversial calls in Champions League
De Bruyne’s blueprint was all over the semifinal as he scored a thunderbolt to equalise proceedings in the first leg on May 9.
There was nothing wrong with the Belgian’s shot, only that a few seconds earlier, Bernardo Silva had retrieved the ball after it had crossed the line for a throw-in, but the officials failed to spot it. VAR failed to review the incident and Ancelotti was so furious that he got himself booked.
As Sports Brief reported, there have been more scandalous decisions in the Champions League in the past; goals and decisions that stood that weren’t supposed to.
City successfully defended their Premier League crown on Saturday, May 20, as Arsenal suffered a 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest.
According to The Sun, Guardiola has now won a total of five top-flight titles since assuming the managerial role at Manchester City seven years ago.
Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City
The Spaniard still has more trophies to change before the end of the season, with the FA Cup and the Champions League trophies on the horizon.
However, Guardiola would need to help see off rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final and Serie A giants Inter Milan for a chance to win a historic treble with City.
Should this happen, City will become the first Premier League team to win the treble since 1999, when Man United did it under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Pep hints at quitting Man City
Despite Guardiola’s significant success with Man City, it has emerged that the Spaniard could still dump the club.
The former Barcelona boss gave a rather cryptic answer when asked about his future at the Etihad Stadium before Arsenal’s defeat handed his side the Premier League title.
Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports, Guardiola was asked if he would quit City if there is nothing left to fight for in terms of trophies.
“First, we have to win it. [Then] you can ask me after and I will tell you how I feel and how I think,” he said.
“Of course, if we achieve then I will tell you,” he added.
This marked her first on-court appearance since October 2021, as she had faced legal issues and conviction in Russia on drug-related charges in 2022.
Despite her team, the Phoenix Mercury, suffering a 94-71 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks in their season opener, Griner delivered an outstanding performance during the game.
Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) drives as Los Angeles Sparks forward Chiney Ogwumike (13) defends during the first half of a WNBA preseason basketball game, Friday, May 12, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
She finished with a team-high 18 points to go with six rebounds, two assists, and four blocks, all in 25 minutes. Griner was 7 for 9 from the field, per Sporting News.
Griner was released from Russian custody in December 2022 after the U.S. reached a prisoner swap deal that sent international arms dealer Viktor Bout in return.
Vice President Kamala Harris attended the game in her home state of California and met with Griner in the locker room pregame, per SI.
Pau Gasol, former Lakers forward Robert Horry, and coach Darvin Ham were also in attendance. Tennis legend Billie Jean King and LA Lakers icon Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson attended the game too.
Griner reacts to WNBA return
The 32-year-old was delighted with her return.
“The love from the fans who came out was amazing,” said Griner. I definitely feel it, and I felt it while I was over there too…It felt good, it felt real good. It felt like the last time I played,” via BBC.
Thank you @VP Kamala Harris for everything you and the Administration did to bring our sister home.
The two-time Olympic champion is playing in her 10th WNBA season with the Mercury.
“I appreciate everything a little bit more now,” Griner said. All the little, small moments. I used to say, oh I’m so tired, I don’t want to go to practice today. I think that has changed. I’m just appreciating everything because tomorrow is not guaranteed. You don’t know what it’s going to look like.”
Griner opens up on Russian captivity
Sports Brief earlier reported on Griner speaking publically for the first time five months after being released from Russian imprisonment. She vowed never to play overseas again.
US WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner arrives to a hearing at the Khimki Court, outside Moscow on June 27, 2022. – Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champion, was detained at Moscow airport in February on charges of carrying in her luggage vape cartridges with cannabis oil, which could carry a 10-year prison sentence. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP) (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)
She held her first news conference since her release on April 27 at the Footprint Center.
She said her detention in Russia was a big adversity in her life.
“I’m never going overseas to play again unless it’s to represent my country,” she said. “The whole reason a lot of us go over is the pay gap… to support our families, to support ourselves.”
On Saturday, May 20, Arsenal experienced a significant defeat against Nottingham Forest, further dampening their title aspirations, however
Meanwhile, Manchester City clinched the championship without even playing a match over the weekend.
Arsenal entered the game against Forest fully aware that only a victory would have kept their hopes of securing the title alive.
Despite being overwhelming favourites, Mikel Arteta’s side went behind through Taiwo Awoniyi’s 19th minute strike as a wave of dejavu engulfed Gunners fans on social media.
Man City wins title in a row
Forest, who needed an unlikely win at the expense of Arsenal to ensure their safety from relegation, did brilliantly to keep out the Gunners, who exhibited some symptoms of burnout from what has been a high-stake campaign for them.
Ultimately, they failed to find an equalizer, and the full time whistle confirmed City as champions for the fifth time in the last six campaigns.
City come up against Chelsea on Sunday, and it will certainly be a game played in celebratory mood at the Etihad.
Arsenal’s collapse- How it happened
On April 7, Manchester City were a massive eight points behind Arsenal, with the season running down fast.
At that point, it was difficult to bet against the Gunners winning their first league title since 2004, but a combination of Manchester City’s experience, brilliant run of form and Arsenal’s fatigue led to the Gunners getting leapfrogged spectacularly by May.
Arsenal’s title hopes dipped after they dropped points to City
Since the last time Arsenal had an 8-point lead, City have gone on to drop just two points out of a possible 42, winning 11 league games in a row in the process.
In contrast, the Gunners completely lost steam in recent weeks, as a run of three successive draws against Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton allowed City back in the race.
Reports indicate that, Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for the Assin Central constituency, has allegedly provided a grader to Adolf Tetteh Adjei, a businessman who has been served a court order to demolish buildings on his land.
These structures were claimed to have been illegally erected by Anas Aremeyaw Anas, an investigative journalist.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas
The court ruling concluded that Anas’s constructions should be demolished to restore the landowner’s rightful access to his property, as the buildings were deemed to have been unlawfully erected.
Responding to the court’s decision in an interview with Okay FM on May 19, 2023, Kennedy Agyapong’s brother cum lawyerargued that Anas’s actions constituted a criminal offence, asserting that constructing on land that does not belong to an individual is against the law and that the MP has offered the businessman a grader to carry out the demolition.
“When you steal someone’s land and build on it, it is a criminal offence …can you just go and steal someone’s land and build on it? It is a criminal offence, so, the court was right, they said he should demolish it, Ken even says that he will give him a grader if he doesn’t have one.
Kennedy Agyapong
“He has volunteered a grader to demolish the whole building, you see, he (Anas) took the law into his hands like he is a tin god, so the time that the case was still pending in court he used his own powers to build, but you Anas who are you? To go and build on the land.
And the Adolf guy is also not that easy person, he is a very powerful guy… he can’t negotiate anything with him, if he is listening to me, he should demolish the building…there was even an injunction and he (Anas) thought he is a tin god, so he went ahead, who born dog?” he said
He went further to criticize Anas’s conduct, claiming that he had taken the law into his own hands and proceeded with construction while the case was still pending in court.
A glass factory located at Tse-Ado, a suburb of Accra; and a set of apartments built and owned by Anas is set to be demolished by court order.
A court recently ruled that the journalist had proceeded with construction on a disputed land despite a court order asking him to put the project on hold until the land dispute is resolved.
Following a final judgment on the land which didn’t go in favour of Anas, the land owner, Adolf Tetteh Adjei has been given the go-ahead to pull down the structures and projects of Anas on the site.
The judge who presided over the land case, Justice Kwame Gyamfi Osei, awarded GHC100,000 to Adolf Tetteh Adjei saying the land owner should use the amount for demolition instead of Anas Aremeyaw Anas doing the demolition himself.
Following the ruling, Anas is said to have made several attempts to now negotiate with the land owner and pay for the full cost of the land so that his factory and apartments are not pulled down.
However, Adolf Tetteh Adjei has said he is not interested in selling the land to Anas after the journalist used land guards and police to terrorize him for many years before he proceeded to court.
According to MyNewsGh.com sources, the factory is a project Anas reportedly collaborated with someChinese investors to construct at a time the land was in dispute.
In order to attract Cristiano Ronaldo toBayern Munich, a German business billionaire and tycoon has volunteered to finance the transaction.
Following his departure from Manchester United in November of last year, Ronaldo was rumoured to be moving to Bayern last summer. However, he ultimately decided to join Al-Nassr in the Saudi Premier League, where he currently earns a remarkable £173 million per year in pay.
But businessman Marcus Schon is bent on bringing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner back to Europe. The German millionaire reportedly reached out to Bayern Munich’s CEO Oliver Kahn via email, expressing his interest in financially supporting a potential transfer.
“It’s conceivable that we could commit ourselves to the transfer fee or paying the salary excess over a basic amount if our company is clearly identified as the facilitator of the deal,” a portion of the mail read according to the Bavarian newspaper Abendzeitung.
In the alleged communication, it was further mentioned that in the event of a permanent transfer, a request was made for a percentage of shirt sales to be allocated, as reported by GOAL.
Meanwhile,Ronaldo has bagged13 goals in 14 Saudi Pro League matches as Al-Nassr aim to make up for lost grounds in search of their first league title since 2019.
Cristiano Ronaldo
What’s next for Ronaldo and Bayern?
Ronaldo helped revived Al-Nassr’s faint league hopes with a strike from the spot as the Knights of Nahd reduced the gap between themselves and table-topping Al-Ittihad to just three points. He will hope to continue his scoring spree when his side plays host to Al Shabab on May 23, Tuesday.
Bayern, on the flip side, are looking to win a record 11th successive Bundesliga crown but will have to pass the acid test of RB Leipzig on Saturday, May 20, as Borussia Dortmund continues to breathe down on their necks.
Ronaldo’s near-Arsenal move
In a related publication, Sports Brief reported that fresh details have emerged on how Cristiano Ronaldo came close to joining Arsenal during the January transfer window before his switch to Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo became a free agent in the run-up to the 2022 World Cup after Manchester United terminated his contract prematurely.
It has now emerged the Portuguese international was reportedly close to sealing a stunning move to Arsenal before he moved to Saudi Arabia. This is according to Gunners fan Morgan, who recently took to social media claiming the Real Madrid icon was keen on a move to theEmirates Stadium.
When his side won another game on the road to grab a commanding 2-0 series lead, the Miami Heat player came up big in the fourth quarter.
As a result of Butler’s altercation with Grant Williams, which made headlines, the Heat were able to defeat the Pacers 111-105.
The confrontation began in the middle of the fourth quarter after Williams sank a three-pointer to give the Celtics a 96-87 lead with 6:37 remaining on the clock. As he was rushing back on defense, he began chirping at Butler, who responded in kind.
He smiled and then hit a shot on Williams, who fouled him. The pair went head to head before getting separated. Both were assessed a technical foul.
From that moment on, the three-time NBA champions went on a 24-9 run which effectively won them the game.
Butler scored nine of his 27 points since his back-and-forth with Williams, per CBS Sports.
Butler reacts to Williams’s confrontation
After the game, the 33-year-old said the spat fueled him.
“Yes, it did,” Butler said. “But that’s just competition at its finest. He hit a big shot, started talking to me. I like that.
I’m all for that. It makes me key in a lot more. It pushes that will that I have to win a lot more. It makes me smile…I just don’t know if I’m the best person to talk to,” via ESPN.
“I just don’t know if I’m the best person to talk to.”
“I think he said something and I just responded,” Williams said. “I’m a competitor and I’m gonna battle. He got the best of me tonight, and at the end of the day it’s out of respect, because I’m not gonna run away from it.”
Bam Adebayo contributed 22 points, 16 rebounds, and nine assists. The Heat bench also stepped up. Caleb Martin was great, notching a playoff career-high with 25 points, while Duncan Robinson added 15 points off the bench.
Similarly, one could argue that, the duoJose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola share a similar dynamic, having clashed during their El Clásico encounters in Spain and subsequently crossing paths again in Manchester.
They rank highly in the list of the most successful coaches alongside the likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Sir Alex Ferguson. There has always been loads of respect between the two, but once in a while, a subtle dig is always sent out.
Like what fans believe happened after Mourinho guided AS Roma to another European final on Thursday.
The Special One masterminded another defensive masterclass to see off Bayer Leverkusen to set up a final against record winners Sevilla. This came just a day after Guardiola had equally qualified for his second Champions League final as Manchester City boss.
Pep(R) and Mourinho
What Mourinho said about Guardiola
Mourinho, however, appeared to insinuate that his achievement was much greater than Guardiola’s, given the strength of the squads both have to work with.
The Giallorossi’ haven’t been the luckiest of teams as far as injuries are concerned this season.
“The only teams that do not suffer are those exceptional teams that they have on the bench €40million or €70million players.
Mourinho in a post match interview
If you look at City’s semi-final, they brought on Julian Alvarez, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez in the second half.
“If we lose four or five players then we suffer. That is natural. At Roma, we have players out injured and others who have not had transfer fees must come in. We invested €7million in the market and we are in the final. What we have done is extraordinary,” as quoted by the Mirror.
The comment opens up an interesting spectacle. Should both managers win their finals, the two veteran managers could meet in theUEFA Super League later this year.
Mourinho slammed for ugly tactics
Sports Brief also reported on criticism Mourinho received for his tactics against Bayer Leverkusen.
Roma frustrated Bayer Leverkusen in Germany to draw the second leg 0-0 and qualify on an aggregate score of 1-0.
At the Bay Arena on Thursday night, it was a vintage Mourinho performance. His side had zero shots on target as they defended resolutely for the entire 90 minutes.
There were also rampant cases of time-wasting, with the Roma players going down at intervals, much to the frustration of their opponents.
Karim Benzema, a Real Madrid colleague of Courtois, received the individual award for helping Real Madrid to its 14th Champions League triumph and the La Liga victory.
Thibaut Courtois in action against Erling Haaland on May 17. Photo by Matt McNulty – Manchester City.
Source: Getty Images
Guardiola opined that although Benzema was also a deserved winner, Courtois deserved one as well.
“If they had given the Ballon d’Or to Courtois last year, it would also have been deserved,” as quoted by Sportskeeda.
Courtois 2022 achievements
The Belgian shot-stopper was Los Blancos best player after Benzema, as he conceded only 46 goals in 52 appearances, as captured by Transfermarkt. He put on major performances, especially in the Champions League final against Liverpool, where he bagged the man of the match.
He was gifted the Yashin trophy for being the best goalkeeper of the season but bizarrely finished in seventh place in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
Guardiola made these comments after watching his team dump Real Madrid out of this season’s Champions League.
Despite conceding four goals, Courtois was the best player in Carlo Ancelotti’s side as he pulled off a string of decent stops to maintain a respectable scoreline.
He particularly thwartedErling Haaland’s efforts, who had at least three decent chances to get on the scoresheet.
Messi vs Haaland Ballon d’Or rankings
This Ballon d’Or debate comes at a time when Haaland closed the gap on Lionel Messi by qualifying for the Champions League final.
Messi again? Or Haaland takes it this time
As Sports Brief reported, apart from Messi’s early elimination from the Champions League, the Argentine delivered for his country in Qatar.
He played a role in almost every game, bar their opening match against Saudi Arabia.
He may still be the front-runner, with the World Cup lending him significant weight, but his 2023 form, coupled with disciplinary issues, could stand between him and another title.
If Haaland completes a treble with Manchester City this season, it would be hard for him to be overlooked in this year’s award.
Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, has admitted that one of the methods he used to inspire his team is occasionally bringing an olive tree to team meetings.
Arteta spoke about another odd motivational tool he uses at London Colney after it was revealed that the Arsenal manager had started bringing a chocolate Labrador named Win to the training facility to give a calming impact.
In his press conference ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Nottingham Forest, Arteta spoke about the club’s olive tree, a miniature version of which he has used to explain the importance of togetherness to his young squad.
The Spaniard said: “Another symbol at the club is our tree.
It needs a lot of care as well. It’s an olive tree, it’s older than 150 years, similar to the club, and we have to look after those roots every single to the day, make sure they don’t get poisoned, don’t get damaged and it’s in the right condition.”
ESPN reports that Arteta spotted the tree from the window of his office and asked a staff member to make a miniature version that he could use in front of his squad.
Win the dog and the olive tree are the latest in a line of inventive ways Arteta communicates ideas to his players.
The light bulb scene in Amazon’s All or Nothing series was another famous example.
Appropriately enough, after Friday’s tree revelation,Arsenal take on relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in Saturday’s late kick-off.
Pep Guardiola has downplayed his role inMan City’s exceptional season, despite their impressive form and the potential to secure a treble.
As they prepare to host Chelsea in their final Premier League home game, with the FA Cup and Champions League finals on the horizon, there is a sense of celebration surrounding the team.
Guardiola has once again been a huge factor in their success, with little doubt after Wednesday’s ruthless demolition of Real Madrid that he has brought his team to the boil at just the right time.
Yet the inspirational Catalan has no interest in taking all the credit.
Pep Guardiola (l) and Vincent Kompany pictured in 2019
The City boss said: “As a manager, I feel part of something but, no confusion, I never think it belongs to me.
“I’m part of it, I don’t deny it, but not without the incredible work and decisions of the sporting director, the board and the players, who are the most important thing.
“I am a part of that and I am really proud but I’m not the only person to achieve the Premier Leagues or Champions League finals and so on. I don’t feel only I am responsible for that.”
Defender Nathan Ake is City’s only fitness doubt for the visit of Chelsea. The Netherlands international has missed the last three games after suffering a recurrence of a hamstring injury.
Defender Nathan Ake
City are unbeaten in their last 23 games in all competitions since February and have won 19 of them.
With just one year remaining on his current deal, Rashford, who has been with the club since he was seven years old, is facing an uncertain future.
Although earlier reports claiming he demanded a weekly wage of £500,000 were dismissed by the 25-year-old himself, the negotiations have been protracted and ongoing.
Ten Hag is publicly calm, saying: “I know (it is taking time), but I don’t talk about the process.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag
“This is not important at the moment for me or Rashy. For him, it is to get more goals this season and he is playing a wonderful season and the team is playing a wonderful season.
“We have to get into the Champions League and focus on that. Marcus wants to stay and we want him to stay, so I think we will find each other.”
The uncertainty over United’s takeover process will inevitably lead to concern about their prospects for the summer transfer window.
Ten Hag said: “We do our job in the background and we are working hard but, for now, it is about games, getting into the Champions League and the FA Cup.
“For me, it is about finance and that there is the money available to do the right things.”
United have a big fortnight ahead, with their final three Premier League matches determining whether they will qualify for the Champions League before a first FA Cup final showdown with Manchester City.
Up first is a trip to Bournemouth on Saturday, where United, who could be without the unwell Rashford, will look to put their away struggles behind them.
Eight of the Red Devils’ nine league defeats this season have come on the road, with their last three trips away from Old Trafford yielding just one point between them.
Ten Hag said: “I think there are some reasons. For instance, one thing is clear and that is from the back we have to be better on the ball.
“But we have one opportunity tomorrow to show that we can improve and we definitely have to improve for next season.”
Marcus Rashford
Manchester City are moving ever close to matching United’s achievement of winning the treble, adding an extra edge to the FA Cup final on June 3.
Asked if he is relishing the opportunity to stop City, Ten Hag said: “When we have three games and (the Premier League) is gone, yes, I will enjoy it. Before that, it is not important at all.
“I think we have to keep doing what we have all season, improve every day and improve every game and not look too far ahead. Focusing on the next game is the most important.”
AZ Alkmaar has issued an apology for the violent incident that marred West Ham’sEuropa Conference League semi-final victory, describing it as a “pitch-black evening.”
Following Pablo Fornals’ stoppage-time goal, securing a 3-1 aggregate win for West Ham and securing their place in the final in Prague, a group of black-shirted, hooded AZ ultras attempted to breach the area reserved for friends and family behind the dugout.
In response to the disturbance, players such as Michail Antonio, Said Benrahma, Aaron Cresswell, and Flynn Downes climbed over the advertising hoardings to intervene and prevent further trouble.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, AZ Alkmaar has expressed regret for the violence that took place and acknowledges the need to address and rectify the incident.
West Ham players clash with AZ Alkmaar
An AZ statement read: “While everyone hoped for a historic European match, it turned into a pitch-black evening due to the events occurring at the referee’s final whistle. It turned into a night to reflect on with shame.
“Not because of the football game played, but because of the behaviour of some attending. Unfortunately, we cannot use the word ‘supporters’ for these people.
“What happened is beyond all bounds. The club again sincerely apologises to West Ham and the thousands of well-minded AZ supporters who have also been inconvenienced by the misconduct.
“In the coming period AZ will – together with the police, Public Prosecution Service, and Alkmaar’s municipality – evaluate exactly what happened, how it could have happened and what needs to be improved from now on.
It is clear that things need to be improved.
“Part of the evaluation is a thorough review of all available footage so that appropriate consequences may follow for those responsible for this outrageous behaviour.
“AZ is a civilised club where sportsmanship and norms and values are paramount. The club will do everything possible, together with the authorities involved, to identify these persons and to take appropriate measures.”
UEFA is expected to launch an investigation into the trouble.
The governing body’s disciplinary panel will wait for the relevant reports before deciding on any action, but the PA news agency understands that given the severity of the disorder, it could follow previous cases and an inspector may be appointed to investigate more thoroughly.
Hammers boss David Moyes, whose 87-year-old father David Snr was at the match, said: “I can’t explain what happened and why it happened.
“I can only say the players were involved because it was the family section and most of their family and friends were in there. That was probably the reason for the reaction.
“Was I worried? Yeah, my family were there and I had friends in that section. You’re hoping they would try and get themselves away from it.
“I didn’t recognise it because I’d gone onto the pitch. Security wanted to take me inside, but I had to make sure my players weren’t involved.”
Following Roma’s hard-fought victory against Bayer Leverkusen, Jose Mourinho praised his players, referring to them as “warriors.”
The Italian side entered the match with a one-goal lead, understanding that a draw would secure their spot in theUEFA Europa League final after Edoardo Bove’s debut European goal in the previous leg at Stadio Olimpico.
Mourinho adopted a cautious strategy for the game at Germany’s BayArena, effectively frustrating Leverkusen, who were managed by his former player Xabi Alonso, despite their dominance throughout the match.
Jose Mourinho
The manager’s admiration for his team’s resilient performance was evident as he described them as warriors.
According to Sports Illustrated, Giallorossi earned a place in the final against Sevilla, who are 100% in the Europa League finals, at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on May 31.
Mourinho filmed Roma’s dinner
The team hosted a dinner at the team hotel shortly after the game. The 60-year-old filmed it and uploaded it on Instagram with an interesting caption.
“The warriors are eating, I’m too tired for that. See you tomorrow Roma,” he captioned the video.
One thing which can be made out of the video is that the television was showing a replay of the game they had just finished, which earned the players the game warrior from the manager.
Mourinho reveals next ambition
It would take a miracle forRoma to make the top four in the Italian Serie A. They are six points behind fourth-placed Lazio with two games to go in the season.
The team could play Champions League football next season if they beat Sevilla, which is Jose’s next target.
“The final? I think of it as any other final. We want to bring the trophy home,” he told DAZN via Roma Press.
Mourinho slammed for ugly tactics
The Special One is a master of dark tactics, famously dubbed Parking the Bus. As Sports Brief reported, fans slammed Mourinho for his tactics against Leverkusen.
His team were totally dominated. The Germans enjoyed 72% of the possession and played 23 shots to Roma’s one, which was off-target, but could not find a way through.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has expressed his admiration for the departing group consisting of James Milner, Roberto Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Naby Keita.
As their contracts are set to expire next month, these four players will receive a heartfelt farewell at Anfield during the match against Aston Villa.
Having all experienced success as Champions League and Premier League winners, Firmino and Milner, who joined just before Klopp’s appointment in 2015, have particularly stood out with their impactful performances.
Jurgen Klopp
However, Klopp emphasized that each of the four players has made significant contributions to the team’s accomplishments throughout their time at Liverpool.
“We spoke already with the boys earlier this week about it,” said Klopp.
“It is super-important for us and kind of super-emotional as well for different reasons because we say goodbye to, from my point of view, four Liverpool legends.
“Two of them were here when I arrived – Millie (Milner) and Bobby (Firmino) – and nothing of all the good things which happened in the last few years would have happened without them.
“Bobby, my God, how much I love the guy. It is 100 per cent deserved.
“Millie played an incredible number of games, I think I am the manager he played the most games for in his career, and probably the same for Bobby.
“My English is not good enough to really express my respect for them but that’s the same for Ox (Oxlade-Chamberlain) and Naby, for different reasons.
“Ox was unlucky in moments with bad injuries in absolutely the wrong moment. I remember the (2018 Champions League game) against Roma when he got badly injured and I had no clue how to sort that situation as he was that good and pretty much irreplaceable in that moment.
“Everyone knows we spent a lot of money on Naby and there were a lot of expectations and because of injuries in the wrong moments he couldn’t fulfil all of them but go back and look at the football he could play in his good moments.”
The Quartet leaving Liverpool soon
Milner has been heavily linked with a move to Brighton, but the futures of the other three are less clear, although they will not be short of offers.
Klopp added: “I wish them all well and hope they find a place where they are as much respected and needed as here and they find their luck again because they had a lot in the last few years.
“All four won pretty much each available trophy and we love them but it is professional football and nothing is forever.
“There is always a moment and it’s a good moment because it means one chapter will be closed and we can start writing a new one, which is good as well for them and for us.
“I will be forever thankful to them because without them nothing would’ve happened. They were super-important in all they did and that’s the farewell they deserve.”
The decision to hold the 2022 World Cup in the ‘weird’ month of December has brought about a chain of unprecedented debate ahead of the 2023 Ballon d’Or race with talks about biggest robberies in history.
The World Cup is often a strong indicator of who will win the Ballon d’Or, with Lionel Messi leading the race for the individual gong.Erling Haaland has since immersed himself in that debate.
However, with Messi’s early elimination from the Champions League, the 2023 race will be determined by a couple of things apart from the World Cup. Let’s face it, by the time the 2023 vote reaches, the Qatar bonanza will be in distant memory.
1. Robert Lewandowski – 2020
The theft herein was the fact that it was cancelled at a time when Lewandowski was on his way to winning his first title. A Lewandowski victory could have been uncontested like the Benzema triumph last year, as he was in a class of his own.
According to a report on Goal, the organisers cited the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse, but every sane football fan knows it was Lewandowski’s award for the taking.
Robert Lewandoski
2. Franck Ribery – 2013
Ribery was part of the Bayern Munich squad that won the treble under Jupp Heynckes. He was the focal point of the attack that saw off Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final.
However, he was beaten by Cristiano Ronaldo to the award despite Ronaldo finishing the season without a single trophy. Ronaldo was adjudged to have had better individual numbers than Ribery.
Frank felt robbed after CR7 won the Ballon d’Or in 2013
Wesley Sneijder – 2010 How the Ballon d’Or winner is arrived at came under intense scrutiny in 2010. Whether it was one’s goals or how one had inspired his side to trophies was discussed widely.
Judging by the outcome, the former won the argument as Lionel Messi was declared the winner. While it is hard to argue against Messi’s 60 goal contributions that season, Sneijder had made Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan tick.
Wesley Sneijder
Inter won the treble that season and Sneijder followed it up with another marquee performance at the World Cup. He was only outperformed by Uruguay’s Diego Forlan as the Netherlands reached the final.
Messi, meanwhile, bowed out in the quarter-finals and was eliminated from the Champions League by Sneijder’s Inter.
His World Cup heroics with Argentina have given him a perfect head start. Erling Haaland has closed the gap, or even surpassed him, in recent months, with a spectacular goal-scoring record as he chases a treble with Manchester City.
In as much as the Ballon d’Or award is often given on individual merits, the Champions League usually plays a critical role in swaying the vote. In the case of a World Cup year, the once-in-four-years competition takes precedence over any other trophy. Luka Modric is a witness.
Africa’s shortcomings at Ballon d’Or
Sports Brief has also reported thatSadio Mane recorded a contrasting set of fortunes in the 2021/2022 season. The then Liverpool forward led Senegal to their maiden African Cup of Nations title.
He then played a huge part as Liverpool beat Chelsea in both the FA and Carabao Cup finals to complete a domestic double. They were not as lucky in the Premier League and the Champions League finals, however.
That notwithstanding, Mane was a strong contender for the 2022 Ballon d’Or award. One could argue that if Lionel Messi won the 2021 award after leading Argentina to the Copa America, then Mane surely deserved an equal chance.
Frank Lampard has revealed he tried to sign Erling Haaland for Chelsea during his first spell as the manager at Stamford Bridge.
The Manchester City striker came up against Lampard’s team in a pre-season friendly in 2019 while he was playing for RB Salzburg in Austria.
He scored 28 goals in 22 matches that season before signing for Borussia Dortmund the following summer, but Lampard said he attempted to bring him.
Lampard nearly signed Haaland for Chelsea during his first stay at Chelsea
Ultimately competition for the Norway international’s signature, together with the fact not everybody at Chelsea was convinced that a bid for Haaland would have been the right move, meant that Lampard was left frustrated.
His 36 Premier League goals for title-chasing City this season mean he has scored as many times in the league as the entire Chelsea squad have, with the two teams meeting at the Etihad on Sunday as City look for the victory they need to seal the title.
Chelsea by contrast remain in the bottom half of the table, with their struggles in front of goal this season having shown no sign of easing in recent weeks.
“I’ve got huge respect for him as a player, he’s a player I tried to bring to Chelsea the first time I was here,” said Lampard. “I was really keen to get him here but obviously that couldn’t happen. His level at that point was very clear, we played against him in a pre-season game for Salzburg.
“Credit to him, I love seeing players of that level, I love seeing players of that personality and hunger to play and be the best which he’s proved himself to be. In terms of having to deal with him you have to have obviously a plan and an idea, but players of that level can make anything happen at any moment.
“I think he’s special, I thought he’d adapt straight away just (because of) his level. I think with the level of players and his record of scoring, firstly in Austria then for his country and in the Bundesliga – which is not an easy league – to come into a really good unit already.
“The rest is just credit to himself and the team around him. I did expect that, it’s not just an easy hindsight answer, I’ve got real respect for the player.
Lampard during a post match conference
“I don’t know whether he would have decided to come here anyway but I was a big fan. There are some of those that happen that people don’t know about that could have been this way, people talk a lot about mistakes and the things that could have been in football.
“Whether he would have come I don’t know, but I was pushing big, and for a couple of other players as well. But he was the outstanding one.
“From our point I was pushing it, I’m not sure what the appetite everywhere else in the club was to do it. The competition was big to take him because he was an outstanding player. I think there was a buyout clause at the time which I think was relatively reasonable given the player (he joined Dortmund for around £17million). I don’t have enough detail to say how close it was.”
Lampard has two matches left of his interim spell in charge, with Manchester United at Old Trafford and Newcastle at Stamford Bridge to come after City.
He has won only once during his eight games in the job, a 3-1 victory at Bournemouth earlier in May, with six defeats having come in that time including a Champions League exit to Real Madrid.
Mauricio Pochettino is expected to be confirmed as the permanent successor to Graham Potter, who was sacked on April 2, in the coming days, and he will have a huge rebuild on his hands after a disastrous season for the club.
Mauricio Pochettino
Despite the poor form, Lampard said he has no regrets about agreeing to take over in the short-term from Potter.
“I have enjoyed it, I get asked it a lot,” he said. “You want to always get results but you have to be realistic in football. When I came into this, the Champions League dream that everyone talked to me about, (saying) it’s been done before, can we do it again?
“The realistic answer was we were where we were in the league for a reason. Our view was to try and beat Real Madrid then possible City to get to a final. In terms of the rest of the job, it’s been how many small wins can I try and impact behind the scenes. You can’t always impact results.
“Generally there’s a lot of work to do here. I can have a certain impact with certain individuals within the group because I have a big feeling for the club.”
Credibility concerns surround Argentina’s potential success in the 2022 World Cup, as former Uruguayan international Sebastián Washington Abreu has raised questions about the penalties awarded in favor of the South American team.
Argentina’s tally of five penalties awarded during the tournament reportedly exceeds the number given in any World Cup edition since 1966, according to The Athletic.
Sebastián Washington Abreu has raised questions about the penalties awarded in favor of the South American team.
As per PSG Talk, Abreu has highlighted the discrepancy in the refereeing decisions, pointing out that fouls inside the penalty box were called in Argentina’s matches while similar incidents in other games were not treated with the same standard.
“They had different criteria with some penalties. If you have a little bit of common sense, taking off your fanaticism and your shirt, now the fact is done, and no one is going to take the World Cup from you.
“If you analyze some penalties, here they were charged and in other games, they were not used the same criteria.”
Lionel Messi guided Argentina to lift the 2022 World Cup for the first time since Diego Armando Maradona guided the South American giant to the 1986 title.
Abreu slams criminal treatment of Messi
Meanwhile, Sebastian Abreu has lambasted how Paris Saint-Germain fans have treated Lionel Messi after the Argentine received boos from the club’s supporters, Sportskeeda reports.
Lionel Messi looks certain to leave PSG this summer
Abreu noted that he would love Messi to end his career at Barcelona and has called for the seven-timeBallon d’Or winner to return to Camp Nou at the end of the season.
Messi has failed to fulfil PSG fans’ expectations since his move to France as the club has failed to progress beyond the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
Al Hilal set to hijack deal for Messi
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Lionel Messi will have to decide which is more important, money or staying in Europe, after Saudi Pro League team, Al-Hilal raised their offer to sign the Argentina superstar.
Messi travelled to Saudi with his family and it was rumoured that he went due to Al-Hilal’s interest in him
The 35-year-old forward and Paris Saint-Germain are set to part ways at the end of the season after two mixed seasons with the Ligue 1 giants, whom he joined in 2021.
Al-Hilal have increased their offer by an extra €100 mil after initially tabling a €400 mil two-year deal for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) announced on Friday that their captain and Brazil defender, Marquinhos, has signed to extend his contract until 2028.
The Qatari-owned club expressed their delight in a statement, stating that the 29-year-old Brazilian defender will continue his journey with the Red and Blue until June 30, 2028.
Marquinhos joined PSG in 2013 at the age of 19, leaving Roma to become an integral part of the team.
Marquinhos ignores transfer talks, stays with PSG
He has since become indispensable to the club and was a key player in the PSG squad that reached the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2020.
“I am very happy to announce this contract extension but also very proud,” said Marquinhos.
“This is a very special moment for me,” he added, saying he was “convinced that we will continue to achieve great things together in the years to come”.
With Lionel Messi on the point of leaving and speculation surrounding the futures of Neymar andKylian Mbappe, the decision of Marquinhos to throw his weight behind PSG has been welcomed by the club.
“This is already very good news for the club, for me as coach and for the fans,” said Christophe Galtier in a press conference.
“It is an example. He is finishing his 10th season. He is one of the best central defenders in the world, he has been omnipresent for 10 years. It’s a strong signal sent to everyone.”
Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi hug each other
PSG were beaten by Bayern Munich in the last 16 of this year’s competition but are on the verge of wrapping up their ninth Ligue 1 title in 11 years.
The two city rivals faced off in the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League, where Inter emerged victorious with a convincing 3-0 aggregate scoreline, securing their place in the final against Manchester City.
In the first leg, Inter won 2-0 as the away team, taking advantage of AC Milan’s absence of the injured Rafael Leao.
Although Leao returned for the second leg, he couldn’t prevent Inter’s progression as Lautaro Martinez scored the only goal of the day.
However, Dimarco’s celebrations after the match were deemed to have gone too far, leading to his subsequent apology to AC Milan fans.
Federico
There were wild celebrations in the San Siro after the game, and Italian defender Dimarco taunted and mocked the rival fans after the final whistle, as reported by Sempre Milan.
Milan fans threaten Dimarco
According to Goal, he made offensive words on the microphone after the game and no longer acceptable chants due to an agreement between the two fanbases.
The Rossoneri fans took exception to the defender’s celebration and issued a message to him via an unsigned banner in the city.
“Dimarco focus on playing, or we’ll make you swallow your tongue,” the banner reads.
Dimarco apologies to Milan fans
The player quickly recognised the gravity of his actions and took to his Instagram story to apologise for the offensive behaviour.
“Tuesday evening after the game, I let myself go for a moment of elation. I wanted to apologise to all theMilan supporters who felt offended,” he wrote.
The investigation was carried out to ensure no threats were issued. Stefano Pioli confirmed the details of the meeting, and it was to encourage the players for the remaining games of the season.
Milan face an uphill task to qualify for the Champions League next season. They are fifth on the table with 61 points, four behind fourth-placed Lazio.
Sadio Mane is expected to seek a transfer away from Bayern Munich this summer, with the former Liverpool forward not believed to have a future under new manager Thomas Tuchel.
Mane, who swapped Liverpool for Bayern last summer, has failed to hit the right strings despite beginning his spell with the Bavarians on a bright note – scoring five goals in his first six outings.
His goals have since dried up while his overall form has significantly dipped, largely due to niggling injuries, with rumours linking him with a move away from the Allianz Arena, per GOAL.
With seven goals in the Bundesliga this season, Mane’s goal returns have dipped significantly and any interested party will now be aware of signing a player whose talents look to have diminished.
Senegal star, Sadio Mane
However, with his valuable experience at the elite level, he could remain a useful option for clubs around the world.
A move away from the Allianz Arena is on the cards for Mane, and Sports Brief takes a look at the potential new clubs for the Senegal star ahead of the summer transfer window.
Chelsea
Even if Chelsea have options in Mane‘s position, it would not be strange for a bid to sign the Senegalese forward to happen, considering Todd Boehly’s transfer approach thus far at Stamford Bridge.
The addition of Mane would increase competition for Raheem Sterling and Mykhaylo Mudryk, although departures are probably necessary before any transfer is made.
The Blues are leading the race for Mane, and they also need to continue the evolution of their squad. However, Boehly needs to learn from the mistakes he made by signing a waning Pierre Emerick Aubameyang in the previous summer.
Saudi Arabia
Mane has been linked to a number of elite European clubs, but the attacker may also be interested in Saudi Arabia, which is now paying high wages to attract top European players.
Lionel Messi is said to be attracting interest to Al-Hilal, where he could earn a staggering £320 million per year. Such astronomical figures might not be on the table for Mane, but he might look for a sizable payment so that he can keep supporting village initiatives in his hometown.
Man United
According to reports in Germany, Mane’s most likely Premier League destination is Manchester United.
The ex-Liverpool superstar has found himself linked to the Old Trafford outfit following reports of discontent in Bavaria.
United boss Erik ten Hag is likely to bolster his frontline, and the club may pursue a player they came close to signing in 2016.
Mane has previously spoken about how close he came to a United move.
“I have to say, I was really close to going to Manchester United,” he told the Daily Telegraph. “I had the contract there. I had it all agreed. It was all ready, but instead, I thought, ‘No, I want to go to Liverpool.”
PSG
Given that bothLionel Messi and Neymar are anticipated to leave the team this summer, PSG may be forced to look to Mane as an alternative to fill the vacuum.
Mane would be a good fit for this role because of his versatility in the middle of the field and his ability to connect up with Kylian Mbappe.
He might fall outside of their new transfer model, though, since the Parisian club is anticipated to have a new recruitment plan based around bringing in young French players.
Mane told to join PSG
Sports Brief reported earlier that Sadio Mane has been urged to leave Bayern Munich after one season following the Senegalese forward recent struggles with the reigning Bundesliga champions.
The 31-year-old forward has endured a mixed start to life at Bayern, having been plagued with injuries and off-field controversies following his spat with teammate Leroy Sane.
According to PSG Talk, journalist Nabil Djelitt has advised Mane to move to Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain this summer to escape his nightmares in Germany.
Inter Milan have received a lucrative shirt sponsorship proposal from an adult site as they prepare for the UEFA Champions League match againstManchester City next month in Istanbul.
After triumphing over their city rivals and stadium neighbors, AC Milan, with an impressive 3-0 aggregate scoreline, Inter Milan has reached the final for the first time since their victorious campaign in 2010.
Their formidable opponents, Manchester City, have displayed remarkable dominance, having defeated the 14-time champions Real Madrid with a convincing 5-1 aggregate scoreline in the other semi-final.
According to Goal, Nerazzurri have removed their main shirt sponsor DigitalBits after the cryptocurrency company failed to make any payment for this season.
Inter receive sponsorship offer
The black-and-blue side of Milan have played with blank shirts since the game against Lazio, which they won 3-1. They won both legs of the Champions League semi-final against Milan in the same way.
Inter Milan players and club vice president Javier Zanetti celebrating after reaching the Champions League final. Photo by Piero Cruciatti.
Source: Getty Images
Simone Inzaghi’s men battled through an inconsistent season to reach the final of Europe’s most prestigious competition.
They are set to play at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul with a blank shirt again, but an offer has arrived from an adult subscription company, as reported by Daily Star.
Their previous sponsorship was worth £75m, while the new offer is worth £80m, with an offer to be their sponsor until 2029. It remains to be seen whether the deal will be sanctioned.
AS Roma, who were also sponsored by the digital assets company, removed the brand and replaced it with SPQR, an old Roman abbreviation that means ‘Senatus Populusque Romanus’ or ”the Senate and People of Rome”.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the Inter shirt without any sponsorship inscriptions
Since Mario Mandzukic with Bayern Munich in 2013, a Croatian player has been on the winning side of the Champions League. Luka Modric won in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022. Mateo Kovacic won 3 with Real Madrid and with Chelsea in 2021.
Ivan Rakitic won with Barcelona in 2015, while Dejan Lovren won with Liverpool in 2019. Inter have midfielder Marcelo Brozovic in their team.
Following Real Madrid’s concession of the opening goal against Manchester City, there appeared to be a confrontation betweenCarlo Ancelotti and Vinicius Jr.
The match proved to be one to forget for Madrid, as they were thoroughly outplayed and humiliated by City in front of a lively crowd at the Etihad Stadium.
Bernardo Silva found the back of the net in the 23rd minute, and shortly after, he capitalized on a defensive miscommunication to score his second goal, compounding Madrid’s woes.
An own goal from Brazilian defender Eder Militao, and a beautiful finish from Julian Alvarez after a Phil Foden defence-splitting pass, wrapped up an embarrassing night for Madrid.
Ancelotti and Vinicius disagree
As spotted by ESPN FC, Vinicius Jr. and Ancelotti appeared to disagree after City opened the scoring through Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva.
The forward gestured with his arm and pointed to the goal scene as if he were telling his manager what went wrong in the defence.
Fans faulted Ancelotti for dropping German defender Antonio Rudiger, which may have caused the initial struggles. However, not much changed when he came on, as Madrid conceded two more goals even with him on the field.
Vinicius reveals why Madrid lost
The 22-year-old looked distraught during his post-match interview with El Chiringuito TV, via Daily Post, and revealed why his team were embarrassed.
Legendary figure atManchester United, Rio Ferdinand, has disclosed the content of a text message he received from Pep Guardiola just hours before Manchester City’s crucial Champions League match against Real Madrid.
The two teams clashed in a thrilling semi-final encounter at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
Following a 1-1 draw in the first leg played in Spain, both teams had everything to fight for in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium.
Man City’s manager Pep Guardiola
The Citizens, who are looking to win the competition for the first time in their history, were the eventual winners of the fixture.
Sky Sports reports that Bernardo Silva was the man of the moment for City, as he netted a first-half brace before Akanji and Julian Alvarez also got their names on the scoresheet to help the hosts beat Real 4-0.
Pep’s message to Rio
It has now emerged that Guardiola was very much aware that his charges would demolish the La Liga giants during their meeting.
According to Rio, the Man City boss texted him moments before the clash and told him his side would emerge victors.
“Pep Guardiola texted me before the game and said, ‘We beat them two years ago, and we will beat them again, believe me’,” Sportbible quoted Ferdinand saying.
Rio Ferdinand and Pep Guardiola
Rio’s revelation came moments after a video emerged of Guardiola approaching the legendary defender after the match and pointing, seemingly, in an attempt to show that he was proven right.
Pep clashes with De Bruyne
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Kevin De Bruyne and Pep Guardiola clashed midway through the second half of Man City’s clash against Real Madrid.
The incident happened after the Belgian playmaker lost possession to Eder Millitao before turning to his manager, shouting in anger.
While it remains unclear what sparked the spat, it is believed De Bruyne was dissatisfied with the instructions shouted at him by Pep.
Andy Cole, a former Manchester United player, has recommended that his former club prioritizeNigerian striker Victor Osimhen over English international Harry Kane for a potential summer signing.
Andy Cole,former United player
Manchester United has faced difficulties in scoring goals across various competitions this season, leading them to consider adding a new striker to their roster at the end of the current season.
Both Osimhen and Kane have displayed remarkable performances for their respective clubs, and the decision-makers at Manchester United are eager to secure the services of one of these exceptional players.
The Super Eagles striker has registered 23 goals this term for Napoli and has also won the Serie A title. Kane, on the other hand, has netted 27 Premier League goals for Tottenham.
According to the reports on Pulse and Utd District, Cole made it clear that Osimhen is the man who can really help Man United, considering his age and pace.
Cole wants Osimhen at United
“Kane is 30 years old next season and Osimhen is 24 years old, and he’s already done a lot at his age too. Italian football is complicated, but there is no doubt that he can adapt to the Premier League.
Victor Osimhen celebrates
If Manchester United wants to pay £100m for a 24-year-old or a 30-year-old, you have to look at it in the long term.”
Balotelli links up with Osimhen
Earlier, Sports Brief reported how Italian forward, Mario Balotelli met up with Victor Osimhen, following the Nigerian striker’s league triumph with Napoli.
The Super Eagles star led Gli Azzurri to their first league title in 33 years, after scoring 23 goals in Serie A this season.
Osimhen had already spoken to the former Inter Milan striker via Instagram the day the title was won.
The duo finally met in Italy, after Balotelli returned home to watch the UEFA Champions League semi-final clash between his former clubs, AC Milan and Inter Milan.
