Famous Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is reportedly planning to leave AC Milan at the end of the season
After playing for LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer, Zlatan returned to the Italian giants in 2019.
Sportbible reports that the 41-year-old had a productive two-year stay at San Siro, where he helped the team win the Serie A championship the previous season.
However, the former Manchester United and Barcelona striker has endured a frustrating campaign with Milan this season, with injuries taking a toll on him.
As a result, the 41-year-old has managed just four appearances for Rossoneri this term, scoring just once thus far.
Ibrahimovic linked with AC Milan exit
Reports in Italy now claim AC Milan are looking to part company with the veteran striker at the end of this season.
Foot Mercato claims the club are not looking to offer him a new contract once the current one expires this summer.
Despite his advanced age, Ibrahimovic looks set to continue playing at the top level, with Italian top-flight side Monza said to be keen on his services.
Monza are currently placed 13th in the Serie A standings and are keen to reinforce their squad at the end of the campaign.
Zlatan reignites row with Lukaku
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Zlatan Ibrahimovic has seemingly revisited his differences with Romelu Lukaku months after the duo faced off during the Milan derby in Italy.
Frank Lampard’s return to Chelsea’s coaching staff, even if just as caretaker manager through the remainder of the season, surprised many.
It is hardly shocking to those in the know.
He provided a clue by watching the Liverpool game from the director’s box at Stamford Bridge.
When the team needs a manager, a club legend and former manager who is currently unemployed appears out of nowhere at the stadium.
He is back, maybe not for long, maybe not. He would pick up where he left off in his first spell.
Chelsea were due to face Wolves on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, and Frank was sacked a day before.
The club’s all-time top scorer has been receiving messages welcoming him back to management, but he received a special one from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, as reported by Metro UK.
Guardiola sends message to Lampard
Pep is an admirer of the Chelsea legend, probably from his playing days, and he does not hide it.
He revealed he has been in touch with the 44-year-old even during his time at Everton. ‘‘We were in touch when he was at Everton.
Pep Guardiola claimed Kyle Walker “cannot” play the way he wants his full-backs to play, raising doubts about Walker’s future at Manchester City.
John Stones is preferred at right-back, and the 32-year-old has only started two of City’s last seven games.
The full-backs in Guardiola’s preferred style frequently move inside to join the midfield, as Stones did effectively in last week’s victory over Liverpool.
Speaking ahead of City’s Premier League trip to Southampton, the Catalan coach did not sugarcoat the reason why he has left Walker out in recent games.
“[Walker] cannot do it. To play inside, you have to make some educated movements,” Guardiola said.
“He has other characteristics. He will always have pace. He will be the fastest in this room at 60 years old.”
The City manager added: “The reason why is tactical. It’s not because we lost faith in Kyle.
“He can play coming inside, and he has done it many times, but like in the position [against] Liverpool with Rodri and John, he will maybe need time to do it, and we don’t have time.”
While City have never shied away from moving on players who Guardiola feels no longer suit his team, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss did offer Walker the chance to adapt to try to force his way back into contention.
“What they have to do is two things,” he said. “Don’t complain or there will be a problem. And try to do it better and better, so when I need them, they will be ready.
“Look at Nathan [Ake] this season. Last season, he didn’t play one minute, and now he is undroppable. It happens.
“Nobody has a guarantee with me. They have to earn it, and sometimes we need a different shape for the way we build up or defend. Some players adapt better than the other ones.
“They take it personally, but we are not against them. We just need something and try to use it.”
Following in the footsteps of his illustrious father, Joao Mendes recently finalised a transfer to the Barca U19 team.
The 18-year-old has previously made appearances for Cruzeiro and Flamengo of Brazil as well as a brief stint with Paris Saint-Germain.
At the MIC tournament across Catalonia, he made his debut wearing the No.7 shirt.
The left-footed forward was expected to live up to his father’s legendary status, however, a video circulating on social media shows the youngster struggling to make the impact that many had hoped he would.
The 29-second video clip features various snippets of Mendes’ performance where he tried to recreate some of his dad’s trickery, unsuccessfully attempted to get past opposition players and struggled to pick out teammates in the box.
And football fans on social media did not back after the footage of Mendes quickly gathered over 15 million views.
Social media reactions
@GHambolu tweeted: Not even an ounce of talent!? I’d be livid
@swayamsinhahaha posted: Didn’t even dribble past 1 man
@Tolu_Banks tweeted: Maybe Ronaldinho’s wife was cheating on him with Àntony
@iamsvdney tweeted: Neymar is ronaldinho’s son pls, idk who this is bruh.
@GI_Irvin tweeted: This one did not grow up in Brazil
@XUFFLER tweeted: Like father and definitely not like son.
How Ronaldinho fared at Barcelona
Ronaldinho had his best years as a footballer while playing for Barcelona. The 2002 World Cup champion won multiple La Liga championships and the UEFA Champions League in 2006, also scooping several coveted individual prizes, including the Ballon d’Or and FIFA Player of the Year awards.
Ronaldinho’s son joins Barcelona
In related news, it was reported on Mendes joining Barcelona, the team his father played for in Spain.
The 17-year-old signed a contract to play football outside of his native Brazil with the Catalan giants’ U19 squad.
Mendes had played for the Cruzeiro team in Brazil before relocating to Spain to sign up for La Blaugrana.
Stefano Pioli was disappointed with Milan’s 0-0 draw with Empoli because he thought it demonstrated a return to normalcy following their previous 4-0 victory over Serie A leaders Napoli.
The Rossoneri missed the opportunity to secure their top-four position as Inter also drew at Salernitana due to the visitors’ goalless draw at San Siro on Friday.
Last Sunday, Milan shocked the clear-cut title favourites Napoli 4-0 at home, but despite having 23 shots, only four of them were on goal, they were unable to score this time.
Pioli felt his side did all they could, but also suggested their performance reflected an anticipated comedown of sorts.
“It’s not the result we wanted,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “We had to do better in the first half. We played with great intensity.
“We conceded little to them, and in the second half, we did everything [we had to]. The ball just didn’t want to go in.
Burnley chairman Alan Pace told Sky Sports after promotion was confirmed: “Vincent has done something that’s very, very special.
“This was a complete surprise, this was not our plan. Vincent and I talked about it in the summer, we gave ourselves two, three years was our plan. I think what you’ve seen is a lot of magic coming together.
With numerous and recurrent occurrences of injuries plaguing the French striker, Anthony Martial of Manchester United, has turned to a glass in recent years.
He moved to Manchester United from Monaco in 2015 for £58 million, but the club did not regularly see the performance that warranted spending that much money on a youngster.
He could be one of many players who leave the team in the summer as part of head coach Erik Ten Hag’s huge exodus, which he faces an unclear future.
His recent problems are not only on the pitch.
He has a tough time off the pitch after his wife Melanie divorced him for cheating while she was eight months pregnant during the striker’s loan at Sevilla last year, according to Daily Star.
Martial’s exes involved in car chase Martial and Melanie started dating in 2016 after his move to Manchester United.
They married in a secret wedding in 2018, as reported by Soccersouls. He was previously dating Samantha Jacquelinet before his move to England.
The French model accused United of ruining her relationship, which disintegrated after his move to Manchester, as reported by Mirror UK.
The two women were involved in a car chase yesterday in France.
Melanie uploaded the video on her Snapchat, and it was obtained by Get French Football News.
The two women were involved in a car chase yesterday in France.
”She called her brother for help, we are supposed to be women,” the video’s caption reads.
The two have been involved in dirty fights since 2016.
Samantha accused Melanie of hounding her on social media and labelled the 30-year-old disgusting, as reported by Sun UK.
Ten Hag: Martial is fragile Sports Brief reported that United boss Erik Ten Hag revealed why Martial started off the bench in the 1-0 win over Brentford at Old Trafford.
The Dutch bossclaimed the striker is fragile, having dealt with multiple injuries recently and was not match-fit; hence he could have started.
Paris Saint-Germain’s performance has been deemed “unacceptable” by Christophe Galtier as the champions attempt to keep their lead atop Ligue 1 from being reduced once more.
PSG, who has already been eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich, is only six points ahead of Lens in second place after losing their previous two home games against Rennes and Lyon.
Galtier has made his feelings known to PSG’s star-studded team ahead of a trip to his former team Nice, who haven’t lost since early January.
“We have prepared well for Nice,” he said at a press conference. “I spoke to my players the day after the [Lyon] game and I asked them to be more committed and show more personality.
“We also need to be more respectful of instructions during games. That relates to our setup and commitment, which were not enough.”
He added: “We know we need to do more, and I mean everyone, including me. We need to do much more. We need to play better football and show more personality.
“We also need to be proud because at PSG, we need to perform well in every game, and the current situation is unacceptable… When the players are on the same page and are fully committed throughout the game, we know we can perform very well.”
8 – Paris have lost eight of their 18 games in 2023 in all competitions, their highest tally of defeats after 18 games in a calendar year since 2001 (9). Drifting. #PSGOLpic.twitter.com/3Li3apWw95
Having only lost four games in the whole of 2022, PSG have already been beaten eight times in 2023, leaving Galtier’s future shrouded in doubt.
But the 56-year-old insists he is not feeling the pressure.
“Of course, when we lose, and that was the eighth one and it was a significant one, it is not about pressure,” he said. “It is about analysing that moment and getting the analysis right so that there are no excuses.
“As to whether I feel comfortable, I do. But we need to get out of this spiral and put some wins together. We are after our 11th league title and this is what I said to the players as well. We have a six-point lead which may seem like a lot, but it can change quickly in football.”
Galtier also drew a line under Kylian Mbappe’s unhappy reaction to being used by the club in a promotional video for season ticket renewals without his knowledge.
“It is very difficult for me to talk about that,” he said. “Kylian Mbappe has a relationship with the club and this morning he was very smiley and committed as always.
“He also has had a small hip problem, but that will not affect him playing on Saturday against Nice.
“Everyone has their own way of reacting. Kylian has been talking to the board and if we call that an incident, maybe there has been a misunderstanding, which has now been put to bed.”
InCarlo Ancelotti’s opinion, managing Barcelona is “not a possibility” because of his allegiance to Real Madrid, the “greatest club in the world,” which he has called.
While there are rumours that Ancelotti’s time at Real Madrid may be coming to an end and that Chelsea and Brazil are interested in the 63-year-old, he has won two Champions League titles and a LaLiga championship during his two stints with the club.
Ancelotti ruled out ever joining Madrid’s Clasico rivals, despite all the speculation about his incredibly successful management career’s future stop.
“For me, coaching Barcelona is impossible,” Ancelotti told reporters at his pre-match press conference ahead of Madrid’s LaLiga meeting with Villarreal on Saturday.
“After 1,272 games [as a coach], I don’t have to prove anything.
“I wouldn’t change myself. You have to respect my personal history and that of the clubs.
“I won’t change myself for anyone because I feel very comfortable here, where the people love me a lot. It’s the best club in the world.
“I am loved and I feel secure, so there is no reason for me to change Real Madrid for Barcelona.”
Ancelotti’s side thumped Barca 4-0 in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final at Camp Nou on Wednesday to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit and confirm their place in the final against Osasuna.
Yet, Madrid lag 12 points behind the Catalan giants in LaLiga and their hopes of retaining the title look all but over.
Ancelotti does not feel his side have been significantly worse than last season, and instead credited Barca for their improvement, saying: “We want to end the season well.
“We only have four less points in the league than this stage last year… Barcelona has many more. We want to continue fighting for the league until the end.”
Ancelotti’s potential Madrid exit at the end of the season may be one of several major departures at the club, with the contracts of veterans such as Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema set to expire at the conclusion of this campaign.
The Italian believes the trio will extend their stays, though he remains confident Madrid will continue to enjoy future success even if they do opt to leave.
“I believe they will stay, but the day they stop, something is going to change,” Ancelotti added. “[But] we have to look for the club’s future along a different line, not the way [they play] with Kroos and Modric.
“We have fantastic youngsters like [Aurelien] Tchouameni, [Federico] Valverde, [Eduardo] Camavinga, [Dani] Ceballos, who are going to start an era, different from the others, of course.”
Prior to a vital stretch of matches in theBundesliga and Champions League, Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel has urged his players to maintain a positive outlook.
After suffering a shocking 2-1 loss to Freiburg at home in the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday, Bayern will travel to play them in the league on Saturday before taking on Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on the following Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Tuchel repeatedly mentioned a need to be “positive” despite the cup setback.
“We need to continue with a positive approach, we can be angry but still be positive,” he said, later adding: “We need a reaction, but we would have needed one even if we won.
“People don’t want to hear it but there were positive things in [the Freiburg] game… Things can happen where the result is probably not right after a game like this but we have to accept it.
“We are lacking a bit of precision in the last pass, a bit of trust, cohesion, creativity. We need form and that will only come back if we remain positive, even though we were unhappy with the result.”
On the reaction of his players following the loss to a 95th-minute Lucas Holer penalty at the Allianz Arena, Tuchel added: “They are very critical of themselves.
I was telling them the same thing I have told you, that we just have to accept it, that the coach is talking about positive things about the game even though no-one wants to talk about it.
“We can have a bad mood for a couple of days but that doesn’t help anyone, you need a positive mindset to move forward.”
24 – With their 2-1 in the cup quarterfinal, SC Freiburg has won for the first time an away game at Bayern München in the 24th attempt in all comps. In 23 Bundesliga games in Munich Freiburg could manage only three draws and lost 20 games. History. #FCBSCFpic.twitter.com/4OFgs0h9SE
Tuchel confirmed the Freiburg game will come too early for injured pair Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Mathys Tel, while Dayot Upamecano misses out through suspension.
When asked who can play as the striker in Choupo-Moting’s absence, he said: “Mathys Tel can play as a nine, that was his answer when I asked him his position, but he is injured.
“Sadio Mane and Serge Gnabry can play there as well, they will be my players of choice.”
The former Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea boss was not keen to look beyond Saturday to Tuesday’s trip to Manchester, but he acknowledged he cannot use Freiburg as preparation given the difference in approach.
“I don’t believe that we can practice the things we need against Man City, Freiburg play a completely different way,” he said.
New York Times says, war plans that have been shared on social media allegedly include graphs, information on weapon deliveries, and other sensitive information.
Secret documents that outline US and NATO preparations to assist Ukraine in getting ready for a spring onslaught against Russia have leaked onto social media sites, according to the New York Times.
The alleged leak appeared to be a Russian disinformation campaign to cast doubt on Ukraine’s intended counteroffensive, a Ukrainian presidential official claimed on Friday.
Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters news agency the data contained a “very large amount of fictitious information” and Russia was trying to seize back the initiative in its invasion.
The Pentagon said on Thursday it is assessing the apparent security breach.
“We are aware of the reports of social media posts, and the department is reviewing the matter,” Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said.
The documents were spread on Twitter and Telegram, and reportedly contain charts and details about weapons deliveries, battalion strengths and other sensitive information, the Times said.
There was no explanation as to how the plans were obtained.
Information in the documents is at least five weeks old with the most recent dated March 1, the report said.The plans did not provide specific action such as when Ukraine would launch the offensive.
One of the documents summarised the training schedules of 12 Ukraine combat brigades, and said nine were being trained by US and NATO forces. About 250 tanks and more than 350 mechanised vehicles are required for the operation, the newspaper said.
The classified documents, at least one of which carried a “top secret” label, were circulated on pro-Russian government channels, it said.
Information in the documents also details expenditure rates for munitions under Ukraine military control, including for the HIMARS rockets, the US-made artillery systems that have proven highly effective against Russian forces, it added.
“To the trained eye of a Russian war planner, field general or intelligence analyst … the documents no doubt offer many tantalizing clues and insights,” the Times said.
The report quoted military analysts who warned some documents appear to have been altered in a disinformation campaign by Russia, with one inflating Ukrainian troop deaths and minimising Russian battlefield losses.
The leak comes as fighting continues in the town of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, which has been one of the deadliest battles of the war so far.
While Western analysts have played down its strategic significance, Kyiv has framed its dogged defence of the city as a way of wearing down Russian forces ahead of the expected counteroffensive bolstered by advanced Western-supplied weapons.
RussianPresident Vladimir Putin has called the invasion a “special military operation” necessary to eliminate Ukrainian Nazis and defend Russia from a hostile West. Ukraine and its allies call it an unprovoked war of conquest.
The conflict has killed thousands of people, wrecked cities and destabilised the global economy. Millions of Ukrainians have fled to neighbouring nations while others have been internally displaced.
Marco Verratti’s hamstring injury will prevent him from travelling with Paris Saint-Germain to Nice on Saturday.
The president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and football advisor Luis Campos were there for Friday’s training session, but the Italy international was conspicuously absent.
Verratti had a hamstring strain, which necessitated him to stay indoors for treatment, as later verified by PSG.
While the club did not give much of an outline about the injury’s severity, they did state more information will be provided early next week.
As such, Verratti will seemingly be unable to feature for Christophe Galtier on Saturday as PSG look to end a slump against the coach’s former employers.
Defending champions PSG have lost each of their past two Ligue 1 games, suffering successive top-flight defeats for the first time since September 2020.
Nice have not been in the finest of form themselves, drawing their previous four league outings, meaning PSG will likely be confident of avoiding losing three in a row in Ligue 1 for the first time in 13 years.
You have to go back another three years to the last time PSG failed to score in three consecutive Ligue 1 games (four), with Rennes and Lyon shutting the Parisians out either side of the March international break.
PSG remain at the top of Ligue 1, but the recent blip has seen their lead cut to just six points ahead of Lens, their nextopponents after the trip to Nice.
As the Ligue 1 leaders try to stem their slide, Christophe Galtier, the coach ofParis Saint-Germain, is facing mounting pressure ahead of Saturday’s game against Nice, where he previously played.
PSG leads the French standings by six points, although their lead was double digits before back-to-back losses at home just after the most recent international break.
PSG has lost eight of their 18 games in 2023 after losing by scores of 2-0 to Rennes, 1-0 to mid-table Lyon, and 2-0 to Rennes.
The Parisians are now just six points clear of both Lens and Marseille at the summit as they chase what would be a French record 11th league title, and a ninth in 12 years under Qatari ownership.
The prospect of PSG failing to win the title still appears slim, but they have a home meeting with Lens coming up after Saturday’s visit to the Cote d’Azur, difficult fixtures in which Galtier can ill afford to slip up.
Widely-read sports daily L’Equipe this week reported that Galtier would be playing for his job in these games, with the club’s football advisor Luis Campos and president Nasser al-Khelaifi prepared to change the coach if the club’s grip on the top of the table were seriously threatened.
“We are wasting our trump cards with each game that goes by, but I am not giving up. I will fight until the end,” said Galtier, who has a two-year contract, last weekend. “There needs to be a reaction of champions.”
Already out of theChampions League and French Cup, PSG will be wary of a Nice team unbeaten in 14 matches since ex-Paris midfielder Didier Digard took over as coach in January.
Nice are also France’s sole surviving European representative and have a Europa Conference League quarter-final against Swiss club Basel coming up.
The Black Stars captaincy transition from Andre Ayew to the next player should be managed carefully to prevent a dispute, according to sports broadcaster Dan Kwaku Yeboah.
Kwaku Yeboah gave advise based on earlier Black Stars skipper changes that went poorly and caused player breakdown and the emergence of factions.
He cautioned that if the changeover of the present Black Stars captaincy is not handled properly, it could cause a significant breach on Peace FM.
“Let’s be careful so that Dede’s captaincy transition doesn’t bring us problems,” he said.
While giving historical background to Black Stars captaincy issues he narrated: “Since 1992, every Black Stars transition brings problems. From Kwesi Appiah to Abedi Pele to CK Akonnor because Sammy Kuffour said he doesn’t like it.
“From him, we came to Stephen Appiah from there it came to John Mensah to Asamoah Gyan and it became a whole issue. From Asamoah Gyan to Dede was another controversy.”
His obvious successor is current deputy skipper, Thomas Partey who led the team to their 1-0 win over Angola in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Kumasi.
Dede Ayew who was exempted from the matchday squad for the Angola game surprisingly joined the team for warm-up and was an unused substitute.
He later pulled out from the squad ahead of the second leg due to an injury. The Ghana Football Association confirmed that Ayew hurt his knee after the Angola game following a slip down the tunnel.
Ayew, however, took part in the team’s recovery session a day after the win before pulling out of the squad ahead of the trip to Angola for the second leg.
As Ajax overcame Feyenoord in the Dutch Cup semifinals to win a spot in the finals, the 22-year-old sustained a hamstring injury in the middle of the previous week.
In the eagerly anticipated match on Wednesday, the former FC Nordjaelland star had to be replaced.
He will miss the games against Fortuna Sittard, FC Emmen and PSV Eindhoven in the league but could return before the Cup final against PSV Eindhoven on April 30, 2023.
The Black Stars midfielder absence will be huge blow for Ajax who are keen to defend the league title. Feyenoord lead the champions with eight points.
Kudus has been in a rich vein of form for the Dutch giants this season, scoring 18 goals and providing 5 assists in all competitions.
He has become a subject of interest for several clubs including,Manchester United, Real Madrid and others.
In the first Women’s Finalissima at Wembley, Sarina Wiegman commended England for their tenacity as they overcame a late equaliser todefeat Brazil on penalties.
Up until the third minute of stoppage time, the Lionesses were up thanks to a goal from Ella Toone in the 23rd minute. However, after Mary Earps mishandled a cross, substitute Andressa Alves scored to tie the score at 1-1 and force a penalty shootout.
Toone was the first player to miss in the shootout, seeing her effort saved by Leticia, but Earps produced a great save to deny Tamires moments later.
And after Rafaelle hit the bar, Euro 2022 hero Chloe Kelly converted the decisive penalty as England claimed a 4-2 victory and the trophy in front of a crowd of 83,132.
Boss Wiegman said: “It was a very exciting night. I think the first half we played really well.
“We had a lot of possession, created lots of chances, we scored an incredible goal, we hoped to score more than one.
“The second half they went back to 4-4-2 with a very high press and we were struggling to keep the ball in possession. They became dangerous and at the end we conceded, which can happen.
“I think the team did really well by just showing resilience. We had to do a job and take the penalties as good as possible, or stop it as good as possible, and that’s what we did.”
It was the first time Wiegman’s European champions had been involved in a shootout during her now 30-game unbeaten tenure.
And the Dutchwoman, whose side open their campaign at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand on July 22, said: “I’m really happy with the penalties.
“We have had some hard moments [before[ but we didn’t have a shootout yet in an environment like this.
“Of course, you practice and try to get as close as possible to a real game but it can’t get more real than this, so I think that really helps.”
Thiago Alcantara and Luis Diaz will soon be able to play again forLiverpool, but manager Jurgen Klopp will choose his team with “calm” despite their impending return from injury.
Following three games with just one point earned, the Reds welcome Premier League leaders Arsenal to Anfield on Sunday in a last-ditch effort to save their season.
Even though Liverpool’s two-game losing streak on Tuesday at Chelsea stopped in a 0-0 draw, it still puts them 10 points behind Manchester United and Newcastle United, who are currently in third and fourth, respectively.
Klopp surprisingly made six changes for the trip to Stamford Bridge, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk dropping out.
Van Dijk’s absence was put down to illness, which Klopp confirmed at Friday’s press conference he has now recovered from, while two other key men are now back in training.
Diaz has not played for Liverpool since the reverse fixture with Arsenal in October, while Thiago is further ahead in his recovery after spending two months out with a hip injury.
“Virgil is back in training. Luis and Thiago are training,” Klopp told reporters. “The plan with Luis is he will be available 100 per cent for Leeds [a week on Monday].
“It was a long injury,so we will have to be careful. We will probably not involve him on Sunday. Thiago is slightly different. He’s trained three times and might be available.”
Asked if those left out against Chelsea are in contention to start against Arsenal, Klopp said: “We’ve had one proper [training] session since then.
“The boys haven’t shown me they don’t want to play. This is not the situation we are in. I have to make decisions about the team based on what I have seen in training.
“That opens the door for everybody. I cannot constantly ask for something I didn’t get. I am always really calm in this moment. In the end, we will see what the outcome is.”
While Liverpool have struggled for consistency, they have won five of their past six matches at Anfield, drawing the other, including the last three by an 11-0 aggregate scoreline.
Indeed, the Reds have not conceded a goal on home soil in seven hours and 26 minutes of league football stretching back to December.
“Anfield is not the only thing we should rely on, but it is no secret that the combination of our people, the ground and the boys is pretty good,” Klopp said.
“That is what we have to throw in, but not rely on it. I have a very good feeling we can [beat Arsenal].”
Arsenal are 29 points better off than Liverpool, having played a game more, and are seeking their first league double in this fixture since the 2009-10 campaign.
However, Liverpool have won their past six home Premier League games against Arsenal, scoring at least three times in each game (22 goals in total).
Klopp has been impressed by the work of opposite number Mikel Arteta, but he remains hopeful his side can put on a show for their supporters at Anfield on Sunday.
“I know people ask for more time for managers, and I think Mikel deserved every minute when it wasn’t going well, because they are there now,” Klopp said.
“Arsenal made good transfers and are now pretty stable. They brought in super important players but not too many.
“Mikel has been building for a few years now and the outcome is pretty impressive. I don’t know exactly what you can say about us at the moment, so that shows the situation.
“It’s still Anfield, we’re at home, and we must show a reaction, an improvement. We have to help the boys with different things. In a home game, the crowd can be a massive boost.”
Klopp is looking to win seven home leaguegames in a row against an opponent for the first time since doing so against Werder Bremen with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
Romelu Lukaku of Inter was racially harassed by Juventus fans, who were punished with a one-match partial stadium suspension.
Before and after his fifth-minute penalty that gave Inter a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal on Tuesday, Lukaku was attacked by supporters of the opposing team.
For putting his fingers to his lips to quiet the Allianz Stadium fans, the Belgian international was given a second yellow card.
Serie A announced on Thursday that Juve must close the lower tier of the South Stand for their next home league game, which is against Napoli on April 23.
The judge overseeing the case stated that “the majority of the 5,034” spectators in that stand were guilty of racially abusing Lukaku.
Lukaku will still serve a one-match ban in the return fixture with Juve on April 26 for his sending off, which sparked a mass melee near full-time.
Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and Juve midfielder Juan Cuadrado were both dismissed for their parts in the scuffle, and will serve one andthree-game bans respectively.
Lukaku, who is on loan at San Siro from Chelsea, has been subjected to racism on numerous occasions in Italy and this week called for more serious action to be taken.
“History repeats. [I’ve] been through it in 2019 and [now in] 2023 again,” he posted on his official social media channels.
“I hope the league really take actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone.
“Thank you for the supportive messages. F*** racism.”
Juve intend to work closely with authorities to identify the fans responsible and issue bans.
The last time United won a league game was on February 19, when they defeated Leicester City 3-0, one week before defeating Newcastle United 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final.
The Red Devils also easily advanced to the FA Cup semifinal with victories over Fulham (3-1) and Real Betis (5-1) on aggregate in the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals, respectively.
Erik Ten Hag’s success at the club has been built on the midfield and resurgence of Marcus Rashford, but with seven games of suspension this year for Casemiro due to multiple red cards and a severe injury to Christian Eriksen, it has been quite a challenging ride, according to talkSPORT.
Eriksen returns to full training
The Dane has been out injured since suffering an ankle injury against Reading in the FA Cup and has been a big blow to the team, coupled with Casemiro’s suspensions.
The club signed Austrian midfielder Marcel Sabitzer on loan from Bayern Munich until the end of the season to cover for the formerTottenham midfielder.
According to Sun UK, he took part in full training yesterday and is in contention to make the matchday squad for the crucial game against Everton.
Rangnick praises Ten Hag over Sabitzer
Sports Brief reported that former Manchester United boss and Austrian national team coach Ralf Rangnick praised the club for improving Marcel Sabitzer since his move to Old Trafford.
Rangnick highlighted a difference in Sabitzer’s confidence since he moved to England compared to when he was at Bayern.
The Red Devils have expressed the desire to make the move permanent, but former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel’s appointment at the German club could be a stumbling block.
‘Failing to ensure players handled themselves in an orderly manner,’ United has acknowledged.
Following a handball by Willian in the penalty area in the second half, United players complained to referee Chris Kavanagh about it.
When the penalty was eventually awarded, Willian and Fulham manager Marco Silva received red cards in response to their indignation at the decision, which was made following a VAR check.
Aleksandar Mitrovic was also later sent off and handed an eight-match ban after shoving Kavanagh.
Both Mitrovic and Silva later apologised to Kavanagh for the incident, with the striker admitting he ‘should not have put his hands on him’.
There were no punishments for United players at the time, but the FA has now given details of the club’s fine after charging them two weeks ago.
A statement issued by the FA on Thursday read: ‘Manchester United FC has been fined £65,000 after its players surrounded a match official during the 71st minute of their tie against Fulham FC in the FA Cup on Sunday, March 19, 2023.
‘The club admitted that it failed to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and do not behave in a way which is improper.
‘Manchester United FC’s fine was imposed by an independent Regulatory Commission following a subsequent hearing.’
United trailed 1-0 at the time of the incident, but the Cottagers fell apart after having two players sent off and eventually lost 3-1 after two goals from Bruno Fernandes and one from Marcel Sabitzer.
Erik ten Hag’s side will next play in the competition against Brighton in the semi-final on April 23, with Man City set to face Sheffield United in the other final four clash a day earlier.
Despite patchy league form in recent weeks, the Red Devils could still secure an unlikely treble if they add FA Cup and Europa League medals to their League Cup success in February.
In the first round of The Masters, Tiger Woods reported being in “constant” agony, which put him in danger of missing the cut.
At Augusta National, Woods has won three of his 15 major championships, but after a poor start, the American icon might not stay for the weekend.
The 47-year-old shot a two-over 74 in Georgia following his fifth bogey of the day at the 18th hole, where Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm, and Brooks Koepka took the lead at seven under after taking advantage of favourable conditions.
Woods defied the odds to resume his career after suffering serious leg injuries in a car accident two years ago.
One of the all-time great revealed he felt “sore” and was troubled throughout his opening round of the first major of 2023 on Thursday.
“Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be a little bit better, a little bit sharper and kind of inch my way through it.
“This is going to be an interesting finish to the tournament with the weather coming in. If I can just kind of hang in there, maybe kind of inch my way back, hopefully it will be positive towards the end.”
Cameron Young and Jason Day were two shots behind the leading trio, while defending champion Scottie Scheffler was three under through 14 holes.
Shane Lowry, Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott and amateur Sam Bennett are among a host of players well poised on four under, while Rory McIlroy has work to do at one over through 14.
Frank Lampard’s return to the club has some Chelsea supporters believing he can lead their team to the Champions League this year.
Thursday, April 6, saw Lampard take over as Chelsea’s interim manager, replacing the recently fired Graham Potter.
Less than two years had passed since the Englishman left the west London club and Thomas Tuchel took over as manager.
As quoted by Chelsea’s official website, Lampard expressed his delight upon reuniting with the Blues, with the legendary midfielder disclosing he did not think twice when Chelsea came calling.
“It was an easy decision for me because this is my club,” Lampard declared.
Chelsea fans react to Lampard’s return
According to Sportbible, a number of Chelsea fans were quick to take to social media to react to the news of Lampard’s return, with some claiming the club had made a logical appointment.
Others went on to suggest that Lampard could actually steer the club to Champions League glory.
Frank Lampard returns as Caretaker Manager until the end of the season. 🤝
A second tweeted: “Imagine Lampard wins the Champions League with Chelsea.” Another admitted: “If Frank Lampard wins Chelsea the Champions League I swear that’ll be an unrivalled life moment. The mere thought alone is flabbergasting!”
Another posted: “Only upside I can see is that it would be truly poetic if Lampard can with the Champions League as player and manager for Chelsea, dreaming is free.”
Lampard joins an exclusive list Sports Brief reported that Lampard joined an exclusive list of managers to have managed the club more than once with his re-appointment as the caretaker.
Jose Mourinho was the first to manage the club twice.
He laid the foundation for success under Roman Abramovich during his first spell between 2004-2007 and returned between 2013-2015.
Famous interim Guus Hiddink managed twice and won the FA Cup in his first spell, while Roberto Di Matteo technically managed twice, winning the UEFA Champions League as interim.
The Football Association (FA) has penalised Liverpool for an incident in which their players surrounded the referee during last Saturday’s 4-1Premier League loss at Manchester City.
At Etihad Stadium, the incident happened in the 34th minute of play with the score tied at one when City midfielder Rodri intentionally fouled Cody Gakpo.
The Spaniard had already been booked for a similar infringement just minutes earlier, but referee Simon Hooper refrained from showing a second yellow, which would have meant a red card.
Diogo Jota, Fabinho, Virgil van Dijk and captain Jordan Henderson ran to the official to query the decision, which has led to The FA charging the club with failing “to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or do not behave in a way which is improper”.
Liverpoolhave until Wednesday, April 12 to respond to the charge.
Kylian Mbappe is unhappywith Paris Saint-Germain’s excessive usage of his image rights after the club launched a new campaign to encourage ticket sales for the 2023–24 season,
The 24-year-old has said he wasn’t contacted before the Ligue 1 champions’ internet film promoting the sale of season tickets for the next season
According to Sportskeeda, Mbappe who is the club’s top scorer this season with 31 goals and eight assists in 34 appearances across competitions has now released a statement condemning the act by PSG.
“I was never informed of that. I don’t agree with that video published. PSG is a top club and family but it’s NOT Kylian Saint-Germain”.
PSG are reportedly paying Mbappe €250million over the course of three years after the French forward penned a new deal with the Ligue 1 champions last summer.
Mbappe receives 10 times monthly salary
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe has reportedly received 10 times his monthly salary at Paris Saint-Germain as an annual loyalty bonus from the club, Daily Post reports.
The 24-year-old who is currently one of the highest-paid footballers in the world earns a whopping €60million per year as a loyalty bonus, while his monthly salary stands at €6million.
Mbappe proved his loyalty to PSG last summer when he rejected a move to Real Madrid at the expiration of his contract and committed to the club till 2025.
After making a spectacular comeback to the Chelsea bench,Frank Lampard insisted that he is only thinking about the current results and not beyond the conclusion of his interim tenure with the club.
After Graham Potter was fired earlier this month, the Blues rehired their great midfielder and former manager on an interim basis.
Lampard’s comeback may also serve as a fantastical tryout for the position he previously held on a long-term basis as Todd Boehly intensifies his search for a long-term replacement.
However, the 44-year-old insists he is not getting ahead of himself following his return.
“I’m a very practical person,” he said. “To come back in a time where the club has asked me, I’m delighted to get the opportunity, and I’m thankful for that.
“I think the role speaks for itself, in the period that I’m here. I’m not getting anywhere ahead of myself. I want to do the best that I can in the best possible way.”
Frank Lampard returns as Caretaker Manager until the end of the season. 🤝
Lampard was dismissed in 2021 and had to watch on as his successor Thomas Tuchel guided his squad to Champions League success.
He refused to mull the poetry of him succeeding Potter with a European quarter-final against Real Madrid on the horizon, but acknowledged he is relishing the test.
“It’s certainly a chance,” he added. “I’m not naive, Real Madrid is a huge football club. My job is to go step-by-step.
“But of course having played a part in coaching in the Champions League, I’m excited to be fighting in that competition again.
“I want to say credit to Graham Potter. Sometimes, for whatever reason, things don’t align. I’ve been in that situation.
“[But] in terms of unfinished business, I don’t quite see it like that. Unfinished business sounds a little bit Hollywood. I want to work, and I want to help this club as much as I can.”
Lampard would not be drawn on the future of Mason Mount either amid questions over the England international’s place at Stamford Bridge.
However, he was glowing in his assessment of the midfielder, who he helped nurture at both Derby and Chelsea in separate spells.
“I don’t know enough about it for me to talk about it,” he added. “Mason has always been a fantastic player for me, from my days at Derby.
“It has been a pleasure watching him. I know he’s had a few slight injury problems, but I know what I get from Mason. I think he’s a huge player for Chelsea.”
Following Davy Klaassen’s head injury from a spectator-thrown object, the Dutch Cup semifinal between Feyenoord andAjax was postponed for 30 minutes on Wednesday.
Early in the second half, Ajax midfielder Klaassen was celebrating near the corner flag at De Kuip when what appeared to be a lighter struck him in the back of the head.
As a result of the bleeding sustained by the Dutch international, referee Allard Lindhout decided to remove both teams from the pitch.
Play eventually resumed after a 30-minute break, during which Feyenoord assistant John de Wolf implored home supporters to “exercise their common sense.”
Klaassen attempted to continue, but he quickly collapsed while holding his head, and Brian Brobbey took his place.
But the 30-year-old ultimately had the last laugh as his goal proved to be the winner as Ajax held on to win 2-1 and advance to the final, where PSV await on April 30.
“These are always crazy matches when you play here,” Klaassen later told ESPN. “But we didn’t expect this. It goes beyond all limits.
“I felt something pretty hard. At first I felt anger inside, and I got even angrier when their goalkeeper [Timon Wellenreuther] ran over and shouted that I had to get up.
“Then another player looked at my head and it turned out I was covered in blood. I wanted to get away from the sidelines.
Klaassen added that he is not sure yet whether he intends to press charges, with local police reporting that a 32-year-man had been arrested in connection with the incident.
Away fans have not attended ‘De Klassieker’ games since 2009 in an attempt to quell violence in the stands.
Karim Benzema has scored back-to-back hat-tricks for Real Madrid, and Carlo Ancelotti thinks that he can win another Ballon d’Or.
After scoring three goals in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal against Barcelona last Wednesday, Benzema added three more goals in this week’s 6-0 LaLiga victory over Real Valladolid.
In a Madrid career spanning 14 trophy-laden seasons, it is the first time the former France international has scored consecutive hat-tricks.
Having won the Ballon d’Or for the first time in 2022 on the back of a superb year for Los Blancos, Ancelotti has backed Benzema to challenge for the individual accolade again.
“Why not?” Ancelotti said following his side’s 4-1 aggregate victory against Barcelona. “He remains one of the best players in the world – and not just attacking players.”
Benzema now has 25 goals in 31 appearances this season – a tally bettered by Robert Lewandowski (27), Marcus Rashford (28), Kylian Mbappe (31) and Erling Haaland (42).
That includes 19 goals in 19 games since the World Cup, while the 35-year-old’s back-to-back hat-tricks have come straight on the back of the international break.
“The work he did during the international break helped him a lot,”Ancelotti said of Benzema, who announced his latest retirement from France duty in December.
“He is in prime physical condition. With the qualities he has, he inevitably makes a difference for us.”
Real Madrid will face Osasuna, who beat Athletic Bilbao, in the Copa del Rey final on May 6.
TheBlack Stars of Ghana have fallen to 60th on the most recent FIFA Ranking despite defeating Angola 1-0 on March 23, 2023.
In the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the team started the year off on a victorious note with a late 1-0 triumph over Angola.
The Black Stars pulled off a spirited 1-1 draw with Angola in Luanda four days after their dramatic victory at the Baba Yara Stadium.
The team moved backwards in the FIFA rankings, therefore the win and draw had minimal effect on their position.
The Black Stars used to lie 59th in the World but have now slumped to 60 in the global rankings.
In Africa, Ghana maintained its 11th position while Morocco continue as the number one footballing nation on the continent.
In the world, Morocco are 11th, with Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Nigeria placing 28th, 34th, 35th, and 40th respectively as the top five African countries.
A decade-long period of peace in the country has been shattered by the war in Ukraine, according to Emmanuel Macron’s message to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In an effort to exploit Xi’s influence over Russia to advance a peace agreement, the French president is in Beijing along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Mr Macron said “Russian aggression in Ukraine has dealt a blow to [international] stability. I know I can count on you … to bring Russia to its senses and bring everyone back to the negotiating table,” Macron told Xi.
“We need to find a lasting peace,” Macron said. “I believe that this is also an important issue for China, as much as it is for France and for Europe.”
The French president would “try to build, and somehow engage China toward a shared responsibility for peace and stability on international issues”, including Ukraine, Iran and North Korea.
Image:Xi Jinping welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron at the Great Hall of the People
The Chinese leader didn’t mention Ukraine or Russia, but welcomed relations with France. He said Beijing and Paris are “staunch promoters of multipolarisation of the world,” a reference to reducing U.S. dominance in economic and political affairs.
Xi and Russian president Vladimir Putin declared a “no-limits friendship” before the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and China has refused to directly criticise the Kremlin. Beijing has called for a cease-fire and peace talks.
China has become the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas, helping to prop up the country’s revenue in the face of Western sanctions. This has made China increasingly influential over Putin, though Xi appears reluctant to jeopardise that partnership.
“China has always adhered to an objective and fair position on the issue of the Ukraine crisis,” said a foreign ministry spokesperson. “We have been an advocate of a political solution to the crisis and a promoter of peace talks.”
Mr Macron said during a meeting with Xi’s number two, Premier Li Qiang, that he wanted to talk about “Ukraine, but also about all the major conflicts and the difficult situations around the world.”
“The ability to share a common analysis and build a common path is essential,” he added.
Li said there was likely to be “broad consensus” between Mr Macron and Xi but did not say whether China would lobby Moscow to make peace.
Image:Relations between the two countries have maintained a positive and steady momentum, Xi said
Xi said that China and France had the ability and responsibility to transcend “differences” and “restraints” as the world undergoes profound historical changes, Chinese state media reported.
Relations between the two countries have maintained a positive and steady momentum, Xi told Macron.
Friday’s all-Italian Champions League quarterfinal betweenNapoli and Lecce is approaching, and Napoli will be looking to quickly recover from their shattering home loss to AC Milan.
After a Good Friday vacation to the Adriatic coast, coach Luciano Spalletti claimed he would know whether his team’s four-goal thrashing on Sunday was “a crack or a crater.”
Spalletti and a strangely divided fan base will want to rapidly plug the hole Milan punched through because Napoli will be flying up to the San Siro on Wednesday for the opening leg of an exciting European match.
A 16-point advantage over second-placed Lazio with 10 games to go, means Napoli are still all-but guaranteed their first Scudetto since 1990 but a strong display is needed after Milan made them look ordinary in the first of a trio of clashes.
Star striker Victor Osimhen will again be out of action with a thigh injury after also missing the Milan defeat, but the Nigerian and Napoli are both cautiously optimistic he could return midweek.
He will also have a new face mask to wear on the pitch after losing the now iconic headgear while on international duty with his country, with whom he picked up his knock.
In his place will be eitherGiovanni Simeone or Giacomo Raspadori, the former more likely to start by virtue of his performance when Osimhen was last injured in the autumn.
For Milan, who take to the field at the San Siro in the third game on Friday, mid-table Empoli are the perfect opposition to test whether last weekend was a freak result or a blazing return to the form which won them the league last season.
Stefano Pioli has finally returned to a back four, the formation which served him so well in his team’s thrilling run to the title.
Brahim Diaz, who starred in Naples alongside side two-goal Rafale Leao, is set to be rested ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash.
In Serie A, Milan are trying to cut a four-point gap between them and second-placed Lazio.
Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio host Juventus on Sunday night with both teams involved in racism controversies, the capital club for anti-Semitic chanting during last month’s Rome derby and Juve for monkey chants aimed at Romelu Lukaku on Tuesday night.
Juve are only six points off the Champions League places despite being deducted 15 points for transfer offences similar to the ones for which Lazio and their local rivals Roma are being investigated by criminal prosecutors.
Juve have won seven of their last eight and are closing in on a top-four battle which looked impossible when they were sanctioned by the Italian Football Federation in January.
The Argentine has performed admirably as a deputy to Osimhen on the rare occasionsthat Serie A’s top scorer has been out injured this season, but was practically invisible last weekend.
Restricted to just four starts in all competitions this season but the scorer of some important goals he will be key to Napoli trying to bounce back from that heavy defeat ahead of the Champions League double header.
In his pursuit of becoming Africa’s leading scorer in the Italian top division, Nigerian international Victor Osimhen is edging closer to George Weah’s Serie A scoring record.
Just one goal short of Weah’s record, the 24-year-old attacker has 45 league goals for the Partenopei since joining Napoli in the summer of 2020.
George Weah of Liberia was the top-scoring African player in Italian football between 1995 and 2000 with 46 Serie A goals in 114 games for AC Milan.
But in just three seasons, Nigeria’s Osimhen is set to overtake the record, but he admits that the former Ballon d’Or winner and current president of Liberia remains one of the greatest African players.
In a chat with Wole Opatola via Moor Sportz YouTube Channel, Osimhen said: “He (Weah) has to be considered as one of the greatest African strikers that graced the Serie A.
I want to continue to do my best and continue to do well for myself and for my team.
“At the end of the season, I think I stand a chance to surpass him or meet the record. I didn’t have the opportunity of watching him play, and I have never met him.
When Inter Milan played Juventus in the Coppa Italia semifinal at the San Siro Stadium, Lukaku was exposed to racial taunts.
A succession of nasty situations were caused by the Belgian’s excitement after scoring a last-second penalty.
He was involved in a scuffle with Juan Cuadrado, with the Juve utility player punching Inter captain, Samir Handanovic.
The three – Lukaku, Cuadrado, and Handanovic – were all sent off. Lukaku’s sports agency, Roc Nation issued a stinging response, calling for an end to racism against their client.
“Tonight’s racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted.”
A couple of leading stars, both former and current, have joined in condemning the incident.
Chelsea legend,Didier Drogba took to his Twitter and wrote: “When your talent and strength start hurting them and you’re becoming bigger and better, their stupidity arises.”
Lukaku’s parent club, Chelsea also left a message of support alongside a couple of Blues players including Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah.
Kevin De Bruyne also reshared Roc Nation’s message on his Instagram stories.
Sky Sports has reported that Juventus are working with authorities to identify the perpetrators of the racist acts.
Lukaku breaks silence on racism
At the same time, Sports Brief reported the Chelsea striker, on loan at Inter, expressed his outrage on Instagram after the incident.
He used the phrase ‘history repeats itself’, referring to a similar incident in 2019 when Cagliari fans aimed racist slurs at him.
FA has charged Wolves winger Daniel Podence for allegedly spitting at Brennan Johnson of Nottingham Forest during Saturday’s 1-1 Premier League match.
Podence and Johnson got into a verbal altercation near the end of the second half during a dispute between the two teams of players.
Although replays appeared to show Podence in the act of spitting, footage was unable to conclusively prove if the Portugal international actually spat. Therefore, the VAR review did not lead to a red card.
Johnson was asked about the incident at full-time and, while he told Sky Sports he was not going to “allegate [Podence]”, the Forest player also claimed he “felt like some sort of spit came towards my face”.
The FA seemingly saw enough to deem Podence worthy of retrospective punishment on Wednesday.
A statement said: ” Podence has been charged after the forward allegedly spat at an opposing player during the 90th minute.”
The FA also charged Forest for their players surrounding the referee in the first half, while both teams’ assistant managers will answer charges of improper and/or violent conduct.
Real Madrid beat Barcelona 4-0 at Camp Nou to advance to the Copa del Rey final with a 4-1 overall victory, and Carlo Ancelotti thought they played the “ideal match.”
Eder Militao’s own goal earned Barcelona a 1-0 victory in the first leg at the Bernabeu, leaving Madrid with a difficult challenge as they travelled to the home of their Clasico adversaries, who currently lead Ancelotti’s team in LaLiga by 12 points.
But Vinicius Junior levelled the tie just before the break, before Karim Benzema fired in a second-half hat-trick to lead Madrid to a superb triumph and clinch their place in the final against Osasuna on May 6.
Ancelotti was delighted with his side’s second-leg heroics, telling reporters at his post-match news conference: “It was a complete game. When you win 4-0 here, it is in every way.
“We played a great game. The first goal changed the dynamics, we found more space in the transitions.
“[It was] a bit hard at first, but in the second half we did very well. We did not panic when they pressed and we knew how to take advantage of the spaces in transitions.
“We played the perfect match.”
This season,Benzema has failed to match the same vein of form that saw him win the Ballon d’Or in October, struggling with injuries and not enjoying the same scoring output.
But the striker has netted hat-tricks in back-to-back games since the international break, taking his goals tally for the season to 25 from 31 matches in all competitions.
Ancelotti believes the striker is somewhat back to his brilliant best, saying: “He has done a very good job in the [international] break, he has found optimum condition and his quality makes the difference, without a doubt.
“He has flicked the switch. He is still one of the best players in the world, without a doubt. If he’s fit, he’s one of the best.
“He can win another Ballon d’Or because he is one of the best forwards in the world.”
As Real Madrid thrashed Clasico rivals Barcelona 4-0 at Camp Nou to suffer a 4-1 Copa del Rey semi-final aggregate loss, Xavi expressed disappointment in Barcelona’s inability to create “moments.”
Barca entered Wednesday’s return game at home with a one-goal edge thanks to an own goal by Eder Militao in the first leg at the Bernabeu.
Thibaut Courtois made a spectacular save to deny Robert Lewandowski before a wide-ranging counterattack resulted in Vinicius Junior tying the game. But, Barca’s dominating first half came to an end with a brief spell of play that would prove pivotal.
Madrid then sealed their progression with a brilliant second half, as Karim Benzema’s hat-trick put the 31-time winners out and set Carlo Ancelotti’s men up to meet Osasuna in the final on May 6.
Xavi was left frustrated by his team’s failure to match their first-half display, telling Movistar+: “It is a difficult night to digest. This is football.
“You have to compete better. We have competed well until 1-0. They are moments that we have to stop. We could have also stopped the 2-0 moment. In short, they are details that we have to control.
“In the first half we were very good, but that’s what I said: football is about moments and we didn’t take advantage of them.
“When football is so even, you have to take advantage of the moments. We didn’t do it in the first half and they did in the second. They have been superior, no excuses.”
4 – Real Madrid have scored at least four goals against Barcelona in any competition for the first time since May 2008 (4-1 in LaLiga), and had not done so at Camp Nou since January 1963 (1-5 in LaLiga).
Xavi credited Madrid for their excellent second-leg display, saying: “I already said yesterday that Madrid were favourites.
“We cannot argue that they are a great team. They are the LaLiga and Champions League champions and they do not forgive.
“When you don’t kill Madrid, they kill you.”
Despite the elimination, Xavi’s men hold a 12-point lead over Madrid at the top of LaLiga, and he is hoping his team can put this setback behind them to kick on and claim the title.
“We had a very bad second half, but we have to get up,” he said. “Tomorrow we will get up with all the hope to beat Girona.
“It is a tough result, but we have to focus on the league.”
As the owner approaches a year after its takeover, the whirlwind atChelsea under the control of Todd Boehly and the Clearlake Capital consortium continues.
The majority of the judgements made since the takeover have been perfect, but one bad choice has resulted in a chain reaction of poor choices that have cost money and time.
The decision to fire Champions League champion Thomas Tuchel and replace him with Graham Potter has disastrously backfired.
Potter is gone in seven months, and the search for another manager begins.
Athletic UK reports that the club have reached an agreement with club legend and former manager Frank Lampard as caretaker manager until the end of the season.
This was done to allow more time to carry out the exhaustive search for a new manager, with Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann leading contenders for the job, according to Evening Standard.
Fans’ reaction to Lampard’s return
Lampard was manager between July 2019 and January 2021.
He achieved the top four in his first season despite the transfer ban, but after spending over £200m in his second season, he failed and was sacked mid-season.
Since then, he has gone to Everton and has been sacked again, which has left fans unimpressed by his return, even as a caretaker until the end of the season.
@CFCDUBois wrote: ”First mistake was sacking Tuchel. Second mistake was delaying sacking Potter when he was out of his depth for ages. Now hiring Lampard after he showed he was out of his depth. ‘Vibes’ isn’t the best way to approach a UCL QF. 1% chance 99% faith.”
@CFCMod_ wrote: ”Frank Lampard in 2023, just one normal day at this club is all I ask for man, he will be our manager till the end of the season, this is laughable.”
@gyaigyimii wrote: ”Who did I offend to be getting this. From Tuchel leaving to Potter and now back to Lampard. I’m sorry” While the majority of the fans are against the appointment, a few others welcomed the idea of having him until the end of the season, as it is a better option than Bruno Saltor, who has hinted he did not want to stay.
Tuchel wanted Chelsea return
Sports Brief reported that Tuchel hinted he could return to Chelsea if his successor Potter had been sacked before he took over at Bayern Munich. The German’s comment on Potter’s sacking communicates this assertion, and it is a move Chelsea fans would have wanted.
After Bayern Munich’s unexpected 2-1 DFB-Pokal loss to Freiburg on Tuesday, sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic explained the club’s ambitions to sign a new striker during the summer season.
Dayot Upamecano gaveThomas Tuchel’s team an early advantage in their quarterfinal match, but Nicolas Hoefler’s goal pulled them back, and Lucas Hoeler’s 95th-minute penalty sent the Bundesliga’s top team home.
Bayern will now miss out on the final of the competition for the third successive season, and Salihamidzic was adamant signing a new striker will be necessary for the club to move forward next season.
“Of course we will sit down and see what we need to do in the transfer market,” he said after the game.
“But the games show: To go into the new season with just Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Mathys Tel, Thomas Muller and Sadio Mane would be negligent.
“In all likelihood, there will be a new striker. Whether it’s Harry Kane, Victor Osimhen or Randal Kolo Muani, the coming weeks will show.”
Bayern remain top of the Bundesliga and are through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but they have struggled to replace the output of the talismanic Robert Lewandowski since his departure to Barcelona at the end of last season.
The Poland international scored 110 goals in just 94 league games in his last three seasons at Bayern as the club won three consecutive Bundesliga titles and the Champions League.
Despite the disappointing result against Freiburg, Salihamidzic remained positive about Tuchel’s appointment and refused to lay the blame for the defeat at the door of the new boss.
“It is bitter for all of us, but it has nothing to do with the coach,” Salihamidzic said.
“It’s a process. He makes a very good impression and is doing a very good job. Today was bitter for all of us, but we will continue on Saturday.”
Endrick, a Brazilian forward, criticised the negative publicity that had been written about him and denied comparisons to Pele.
When he turns 18 in July 2024, the 16-year-old will go to LaLiga after Real Madrid announced a contract to sign him from Palmeiras in December.
After it was revealed that he would be moving to the Santiago Bernabeu, Endrick has battled with his form, scoring just once in 13 games across all competitions, and the heightened media attention he has been subjected to.
“Sometimes I ask myself: Why are there so many stories about me? I didn’t ask for this. There are situations that cross a line,” he told GQ.
“‘Ah, he’s the new Pele.’ Man, nobody is going to be Pele, he’s the king of football.
“But there’s nothing I can do, I can’t ask people not to talk about my life.
I always said I’d like all Brazilians to be able to be close to me, but I understand more and more that that’s not possible, there will always be people who attack me.”
Endrick also criticised the false stories that have been published about him, adding: “I used to be aware of what people were saying about me. But not anymore.
“I like TikTok, but when I see something about me, I move on quickly.
“Recently a story came out saying that I was in therapy, but that’s a lie.The press don’t know what’s happening, and they publish it. But I can’t do anything.
If I come out and contradict everything they say, I’d spend all my time doing it.”
Inter striker Romelu Lukaku has called for action from Serie A officials after allegedly being targeted by racist chants from Juventus fans following his equaliser at the Allianz Stadium.
The Belgium international netted a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time to earn Inter a 1-1 draw in Tuesday’s Coppa Italia semi-final first leg, before using his finger to shush the home fans.
Referee Davide Massa booked Lukaku for the celebration and showed the goalscorer a second yellow card following a heated aftermath that spilled over past full-time, leading to Juventus winger Juan Cuadrado and Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic also seeing red.
Lukaku pointed to his previous experiences of racism in Italy as he responded to the events with an Instagram post.
He said: “History repeats. [I’ve] been through it in 2019 and [now in] 2023 again.
“I hope the league really take actions for real this time because this beautiful game should be enjoyed by everyone.
After Friday night’s 2-1 loss to relegation rivals Leeds, it has been speculated that the Welshman is likely to become the unlucky 13th Premier League manager fired this season.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis, though, has issued a statement endorsing Cooper, 43.
He said: “No one denies that our club is in a difficult position in the Premier League, but we wish to end the speculation and the false and disruptive reporting in the media to confirm that Steve Cooper remains our manager at Nottingham Forest.
“We have all been disappointed with recent performances and it is very clear that a lot of hard work needs to be done to address this urgently.
Results and performances must improve immediately.
“Now is the time for everyone connected with our club, from us as owners, to the board, our supporters, backroom staff, coaches and players — to come together and fight to secure our status in the Premier League.
“There can be no time for distractions, rumours and speculation.
There is only time for hard work, determination, a commitment from Steve and the players to getting the results we need and, of course, the continued magnificent support of the fans of Nottingham Forest.”
Forest, who have signed 30 players this season, are on an eight-game winless run that has dragged them into the middle of a relegation battle.
They sit 17th in the table but are only above Bournemouth on goal difference in a nine-team scrap to avoid the drop.
This summer’s bidding war forNapoli defender Minjae Kim will include Manchester United, Tottenham, and Liverpool.
The 26-year-old international from South Korea, Kim, has been a revelation for Luciano Spalletti’s dominant Serie A team this season, appearing in 36 of their 37 games in all competitions.
Kim’s current contract apparently features a £39 million release clause, despite only being signed from Turkish team Fenerbahce last summer.
According to The Mail, that has caught the interest of United, Spurs and the Reds, as well as German giants Bayern Munich and French champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Napoli intend to offer their No3 fresh terms in the coming weeks to try and avoid losing him for a relatively modest fee.
Those efforts may prove in vain however, with the report suggesting Kim is keen to test himself in the Premier League.
Spurs will hope they hold an edge over their rivals due to the presence of Kim’s international captain Heung-Min Son in their ranks.
But Napoli, who have a commanding 16-point lead in the league and are among the favourites for Champions League glory, will not give up their star defender without a fight.
Describing Kim earlier this season, Spalletti said: “For me, he truly is the best centre-back in the world.
“When he starts the run with the ball at his feet, he can get it into the opposition penalty area in five seconds flat.”
The ongoing debate about Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo over who is the greatest player of all time in football has recently gained a new celebrity voice in Jude Bellingham.
As Messi and Ronaldo have dominated football for almost 20 years, winning numerous titles and individual awards, there are now fans in both camps of their rivalry.
According to Sportskeeda, Bellingham has now revealed his GOAT to be ‘Messi’ as he describes then five-time Ballon d’Or winner as not human due to his abilities.
“Messi for me. He has a good mix of numbers and the watch factor. You just watch him and think ‘How does he do that?’
Every time I watch him, he does something and I think ‘he can’t be human.” Messi won a club-record 34 trophies with Barcelona, including 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues and has added a Ligue 1 title in his first season with Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi set to reject PSG
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi is increasingly likely to leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract runs out this summer, Sky Sports reports.
PSG considers the signing of Messi as a free agent in the summer of 2021 to be a success on and off the field, but some of the club’s fans have turned against him since they were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich last month.
Messi’s representatives have been in talks about a contract renewal with PSG, but the Argentine appears to have made up his mind now to leave the Ligue 1 champions in the summer.
Louis Van Gaal ends GOAT debate
Earlier, Sports Brief reported former Netherlands coach Louis Van Gaal has heaped praises on Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the best players of their era.
Van Gaal, 71, then disclosed his preference for the Portuguese legend in the GOAT debate.
Louis van Gaal is among a number of high-ranking members of the football fraternity who have now delved into the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate.
Erling Haaland, who missed Saturday’s 4-1 Premier League victory against Liverpool, is back in training with Manchester City.
After suffering a groyne injury just before the international break, the forward was forced to leave his assignment with Norway last month.
Ahead of City’s return to action against Jurgen Klopp’s Reds last week, Pep Guardiola was non-committal on whether Haaland would feature.
Now, in a boost as they look to keep pace withArsenal at the summit, the striker is back on the training pitch ahead of this weekend’s trip to Southampton.
Jeffrey Schlupp and Jordan Ayew, two players from Ghana, have renewed their contracts with Crystal Palace of the Premier League, according to The Athletic.
Both players’ contracts were slated to expire in June 2023, at the conclusion of the 2022–23 campaign.
Schlupp joined Crystal Palace in 2017, coming from Leicester City, and Ayew joined the Eagles during the 2018–19 season on loan from Swansea City before making a permanent move the following year.
Schlupp’s current deal has a one-year extension option set to expire at the end of the season, which has been triggered. The duo has been key for the Selhurst Park outfit with their versatility.
Jordan Ayew has played 28 Premier League games for Crystal Palace, scoring one goal and creating one more.
Meanwhile, Schlupp has played one game less and scored two goals.
Jordan was in action for the Black Stars in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying doubleheader against Angola but Schlupp has not played for Ghana in almost two years.
The sixth consecutive draw between Chelsea and Liverpool was much more entertaining than the first leg, which was a very dull game.
After Graham Potter was fired as manager, Bruno Saltor took over as team leader for the first time. The team struggled with many of the same issues, including failing to convert chances.
As the hunt for a new manager heats up, it’s unclear if Saltor will be in charge for the weekend match against Wolves at the Molineux Stadium.
Club legend and former manager, Frank Lampard was in attendance at Stamford Bridge last night, the first time since his departure from the club in 2021, as reported by Football London.
This comes amid news, as reported by Telegraph UK, that the club have officially made contact with axed Bayern Munich boss, Julian Nagelsmann and former Spain manager, Luis Enrique.
Fans react to Lampard’s attendance
Lampard was beloved at Stamford Bridge during his playing days. He finished his career at the club being the all-time top scorer with 211 goals, but his managerial stint did not end well.
However, fans were happy to see their legend, with many insinuating he could return to the post he left in 2021.
@FPLPhilly wrote: ”He’s surely not going to luck himself into another Premier League team is he???”
@timzim9 wrote: ”Haha trying to get back into the bosses good books” @mayor_n tweeted: ”Aah incoming manager assessing the team”.
The Sun UK exclusively reports that the club are considering hiring Lampard as a caretaker manager until the end of the season, to allow for more time in their managerial search.
Why Havertz’s goal was disallowed
Kai Havertz was one of Lampard’s signings. He had a goal disallowed against Liverpool due to a contentious rule, Sports Brief has also reported.
The Blues forward received a pass from the returning N’Golo Kante, before chipping the ball over the head of the Reds goalkeeper, Alisson Becker.
However, despite the ball finding the back of the net, Havertz’s goal was ultimately disallowed after the referee consulted with the VAR official.
Following a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal, loanee forward Lukaku’s 95th-minute penalty at the Allianz Stadium brought Inter back into the match.
Immediately after the Belgian international’s celebration in front of Juve’s Curva Nord, Lukaku got into a fight with Juan Cuadrado and was sent off for receiving a second yellow card.
Cuadrado, who scored the 83rd-minute opener, was then dismissed for a clash with Inter captain Samir Handanovic after the full-time whistle as tempers continued to boil over in Turin.
Inzaghi insisted Lukaku’s reaction was understandable, though, as the Inter coach bemoaned losing his key forward and goalkeeper Handanovic to suspension.
Asked whether Lukaku’s celebration was towards the crowd, Inzaghi told Mediaset: “Yes. This was clear, but it goes beyond this.
“I see a player who scores, celebrates, and everything happens there. Lukaku’s celebration was misunderstood.
“It certainly wasn’t a nice sight to see in a well-conducted and fair match until the 94th minute.
“[But] now I have to be clear-headed and think that for the return semi-final.Lukaku’s celebration will deprive me of him and Handanovic.”
Inaki Williams, a Ghanaian international, has expressed his joy at scoring after a goalless streak of more than five months.
When his Athletic Bilbao team played Osasuna on Tuesday night in the Spanish Copa del Rey, the Black Stars forward striker finally scored.
Prior to the match against Osasuna, Williams had not scored in 23 games for club or country, with his most recent goal coming against Villarreal in October 2022.
However, the Ghanaian striker seized an opportunity during the game against Osasuna. Taking advantage of a loose ball after a corner kick, Williams managed to score and give Bilbao a crucial lead in the first leg of the semi-final clash, which was played at home.
The first leg had ended in a 1-0 defeat for Bilbao, making Williams’ goal all the more crucial.
Despite Williams’ efforts, fate was not on Bilbao’s side as Osasuna managed to score in extra-time, emerging victorious and securing their spot in this season’s Copa del Rey final.
After the game, the former Spain international has taken to social media to express his excitement after ending his goal drought.
“Never forget that we are living what one day we dream of. THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU MADE US LIVE 🙏🏿♥️” he tweeted.
In response to his intriguing assertion that a list of Cristiano Ronaldo’s greatest goals exists, Sergio Aguero has sparked a wave of responses online.
Fans are convinced that Aguero has a problem with the Portuguese phenomenon after hearing him critique Ronaldo’s incredible goals.
Given a showcase of some of the Portuguese star’s best goals, Aguero, who is close friends with Ronaldo’s rival Lionel Messi, appeared less than enthused, according to Givemesport.
The retired Argentina international, who turned out for Manchester City and Barcelona, went a notch higher to claim the outstanding goals scored by the Al-Nassr skipper were a stroke of luck.
Was lucky,” Aguero said, as translated by Sportskeeda. He even added that Ronaldo’s 40-yard strike against FC Porto in the Champions League in 2008 was the goalkeeper’s fault.
Aguero’s comment has since convinced social media users that he was ‘hating’ on the Portuguese veteran.
Es increíble lo cuñado que es Agüero. Dice que estos goles de falta que salen en el vídeo son suerte y que el gol al Oporto es culpa del portero jajajaja
Ni el mas fan de Messi te diría eso aunque me lo esperaría tampoco voy a mentir. pic.twitter.com/gD0BIj3cNg
@ProudFede took a swipe at Aguero for his take on Ronaldo’s goal compilation: “Sergio Aguero’s biggest achievement was reaching the Quarterfinals with Man City 4 times.
He couldn’t even lace his boots.” @MrFilipeOrlando quizzed how Aguero did not seem to appreciate Ronaldo’s goals: “Even 99% of Ronaldo/Messi FC can appreciate each player’s greatest goals.
Aguero hating on CR7 nonstop is so weird, man.” Aguero’s reaction dumbfounded @perrryyyy: “Aguero said Cristiano Ronaldo’s free kicks are lucky goals and goalkeeper mistakes. 60 free-kick goals? Why is everyone obsessed with Ronaldo?”
@totalzizou slammed Aguero: “No professionalism at all. Some like Messi and others like CR7, but not recognising their greatness is foolish.
You could still be a fan of one and still appreciate the other.”
Aguero highlights Ronaldo, Messi difference
It was also reported that, Aguero explaining the major difference between his ex-teammate in the Argentina national team,Messi and Portuguese star, Ronaldo.
For more than 10 years now, the respective veterans and their fanbases have been in serious rivalries, with these two players having 11 Ballon d’Or awards between them.
Aguero, a Manchester City and Barcelona legend, has now offered his two pence on the differences between his compatriot and his storied greatest rival.
Following “despicable” racist abuse directed at their client, Romelu Lukaku’s representatives have demanded an apology from Juventus and asked the Italian government to intervene.
The 95th minute of Tuesday’s Coppa Italia semifinal first leg between the two Serie A powerhouses saw Inter forward Romelu Lukaku score a penalty to earn his team a 1-1 draw.
However, Lukaku subsequently received a second yellow card after his celebration, which included holding a finger up to his lips in a “shushing” gesture to Juve’s fans, resulted in a melee between the teams.
Juve winger Juan Cuadrado and Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic also saw red.
Lukaku’s agency, Roc Nation Sports International, said the 29-year-old had been subject to racist abuse from sections of the home fanbase in Turin.
In a statement shared on Twitter, Roc Nation Sports International president Michael Yormark wrote:
“The racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted.
“Romelu scored a penalty in the game. Before, during and after the penalty, he was subjected to hostile and disgusting racist abuse.
“Romelu celebrated in the same manner he has previously celebrated goals. The referee’s response was to award a yellow card to Romelu.
A statement from the President of Roc Nation Sports International, Michael Yormark on tonight’s incident involving Romelu Lukaku pic.twitter.com/VSrNOupwdh
— Roc Nation Sports International (@RocNationSI) April 4, 2023
“Romelu deserves anapology from Juventus, and I expect the league to condemn the behaviour of this group of Juventus supporters immediately.
“The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism, rather than punish the victim of the abuse. I am certain that the footballing world shares the same sentiment.”
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi also came to the forward’s defence.
“I see a player who scores, celebrates, and everything happens there.
Lukaku’s celebration was misunderstood,” he said.
“It certainly wasn’t a nice sight to see in a well-conducted and fair match until the 94th minute.”
On Wednesday, Inter tweeted: “We are brothers and sisters of the world. Since 9 March 1908, this has been our story.
“We want to firmly reiterate that we stand united against racism and all forms of discrimination.”
