Tag Futebol

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Celtic fans have had their say on Neil Lennon’s team selection ahead of their Champions League qualifier against CFR Cluj, and they’re not too happy.

The Celts travel to Romania tonight before Cluj come to Parkhead next week, knowing that should they progress they’ll face Slavia Prague in the final round before the group stages.

Lennon has named a strong side for the tie, with recent signing Hatem Abd Elhamed keeping his place in the side despite picking up a knock against St. Johnstone on Saturday.

Lennon’s men come to the third round tie in supreme form, having swept every side they’ve played this season. FK Sarajevo, Nomme Kalju and St. Johnstone have all been bested by the Bhoys as they begin the campaign in far better form than they ended the last one.

Despite fielding a strong side tonight though, the supporters aren’t sure on the selection, particularly Lewis Morgan’s inclusion and Christopher Jullien remaining on the bench.

Here’s the best of the Celtic supporters’ Twitter reactions ahead of the pivotal tie…

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Liverpool’s transfer business this summer is set to be quiet according to The Mirror. However, that hasn’t stopped them from completing one deal already in the window.

In through the door came 17-year-old Sepp van den Berg but beyond that activity has looked thin on the ground.

Dortmund’s Jacob Bruun Larsen, however, has been linked, with the club reportedly in a three-way battle to sign the player as Manchester United and Arsenal have also emerged as candidates for his signature.

Yet, it could prove to be a setback for one of Jurgen Klopp’s current players.

Liverpool don’t need to improve much going into the new season, especially on the left flank where Bruun Larsen has been so effective for at Dortmund.

In 2018/19 he contributed to six goals for the German club and at the age of 20 is one of the brightest talents rising through the Bundesliga.

Yet, if he were to arrive at Anfield, it could well spell the end for Harry Wilson.

The latter has reportedly had a £21m price tag slapped on his head this summer and if Bruun Larsen arrived then the potential of him leaving would surely become elevated.

Wilson was a big presence on the right-hand side for Derby last term but also shone on the left wing in the Championship.

The Welshman is two years older than Larsen, but despite having a more impressive season, scoring 16 goals, he continues to look out of favour. The interest in the Dane is arguably evidence of that.

You can relive Liverpool’s Champions League celebrations in glorious 2D thanks to the guys at 442oons in the video below…

The 5 ft 8 winger was nothing short of magnificent but Liverpool’s apparent desire to sign someone who can play in a similar role to Wilson doesn’t bode well.

Perhaps performances in this pre-season could change minds at Melwood. But The Mirror claims that a number of clubs are chasing him and at 22, if he’s not going to start playing regularly for Liverpool the club may as well look to cash in.

Wilson could have been a valuable option for Liverpool in the forthcoming season and beyond, particularly with Lallana’s contract due to expire in 2020.

However, it appears Klopp is looking to bring in someone from the continent to play second fiddle to Sadio Mane and company next season, thus providing a further setback for their Welsh winger.

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Aston Villa striker Scott Hogan has reportedly returned to training quicker than imagined.

Villa’s players were back for pre-season at the start of the week but despite him being entitled to more time off, is back trying to ready himself for the new season.

Birmingham Live claim he reported to Bodymoor Heath on Wednesday morning for fitness testing.

And it was news that had Villa supporters praising him for his good attitude, despite the outcast struggling at the club after his £12m switch from Bristol City.

Fans took to Twitter to applaud his efforts as one said he was a top guy, hoping he got his chance to shine at some point. Another supporter offered similar sentiments, saying he should be given an opportunity next term.

A further fan applauded him for trying, hailing the fact he wasn’t just draining Villa of their resources.

Hogan’s time at the club has been far from impressive, scoring just seven goals since moving in 2017. He was previously one of the most potent forwards in the Championship, netting 14 in 25 before arriving at Villa Park.

However, following a loan spell at Sheffield United after being frozen out of the Villa team, he’s been linked with another temporary switch to QPR.

Here’s the best of the reaction.

The inevitable has happened. Newcastle United have waved goodbye to Rafa Benitez. It has been confirmed that the Spaniard will officially leave the club at the end of his deal, as per the Newcastle Website, although it could be set to get even worse this summer.

Whilst one Spaniard is now definitely not going to be at St James Park for the 2019/20 season, it looks like the chances of Ayoze Perez staying is even slimmer. According to Estadio Deportivo, Sevilla’s Sporting Director Monchi is travelling to England in search of transfer targets for the La Liga club, and Ayoze Perez is on his list.

Apparently, with Newcastle demanding around 30 million euros for the player, or roughly £26.8m, it wouldn’t be ludicrous for the Spanish club to swoop in and take the 13-goal striker off of their hands. It’s not what the Magpies want, though, and would be just another huge blow to their survival chances next season.

Salomon Rondon hasn’t been resigned yet after his loan spell, Rafa is gone, a takeover now looks miles away too as per the latest update from OffThePitch.com, as per The Chronicle’s live news feed which claims any takeover is at least six weeks away from now.

What we’re focusing on, though, is Ayoze Perez. The 25-year-old Spaniard top-scored for Newcastle in the 2018/19 season and peaked when he bagged a superb treble against Southampton in the Premier League, yet now his time could be up at St James Park if Sevilla do swoop in for the Geordie ace.

Perez has really grown as a player under his compatriot in the last few seasons, so it would make full sense if he was to leave now that his mentor has also left. It will be up to whoever the new Newcastle manager is to either convince Ayoze to stay or to sign a replacement, although the chances are it will be finding a replacement and the fans will be left devastated yet again.

Newcastle fans, what do you make of the Perez exit rumours? Comment below and let us know!

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An update from The Evening Chronicle’s Mark Douglas has Newcastle fans worried that the potential takeover of the club is in jeopardy.

Since The Sun claimed Newcastle had been officially sold to Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nehayan, there have been hundreds of conflicting reports and rumours regarding a takeover bid.

The Sun seem to have massively jumped the gun by saying the sale was all but done, but a statement released by the Bin Zayed group this week suggests the wheels are in motion.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

And reports out of the Middle East had fans excited during the week, claiming that Friday would bring big news to Tyneside.

Douglas though, who is the publishing editor for The Chronicle, has quashed the reports of a big breakthrough on Friday with one simple tweet.

Fans are now fretting over the validity of the reports on the takeover in general, especially due to the fact that the entire ordeal is wasting the final days of Rafael Benitez’s contract with the club.

Have a look at the Twitter reactions down below…

Manchester United’s summer transfer business is set to be the main focus of many press releases in the coming weeks you would imagine.

The Red Devils, led by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, are looking to rebuild following a terrible end to the season which saw plenty of question marks asked about the club yet again.

United have already allowed the likes of Ander Herrera to move on from the club, so it’s now a case of seeing just who the club can add, following on from the signing of Welsh winger Daniel James this past week.

Defence is going to be the big issue United need to resolve though, with the 54 goals conceded last season only second to West Ham in the top ten in the Premier League.

This weekend has seen the club reportedly make a massive £84m bid for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who has been in superb form for the Naples club over the last 12 months.

Koulibaly has been a dominant force in Serie A, with his impressive stats backing up his potential to take the Premier League by storm. Averages of 1.7 tackles per game, 1.1 interceptions per game, as well as getting in a block per game, all point to Koulibaly being the sort of defender who is nothing but all action in his work.

Speed too is something the Senegalese star brings to the table, and we have seen at the likes of Man City with the likes of Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker that having pace in the backline is something which can be a massive asset.

United have to make a stand this summer and propel themselves back into the limelight. While signing the likes of James is all well and good for the future, a marquee signing who can shore up the defence like Koulibaly can is just what the club needs.

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Leeds United fans on Twitter are worried that Kemar Roofe is going to leave the club this summer after his message on social media.

The striker wrote a tweet which seemed like a goodbye to Leeds.

This sparked worry amongst the fanbase as many supporters believe that this message shows the striker’s intention to leave this summer.

The Englishman has been incredible for Leeds this season, netting 15 goals and finishing as the club’s top scorer. Due to his fantastic showings this year there isn’t a shortage of interest in his services with Burnley heavily linked.

The Whites’ failure to earn promotion to the Premier League may have been the final straw for the forward, and he may be looking to fulfil his top-flight ambitions elsewhere.

If the Yorkshire club do lose their top goalscorer then it would be a massive blow, and it could encourage other key men to leave Elland Road this summer.

Here’s what Leeds fans have been saying on Twitter…

Given their transfer embargo, you can expect Chelsea to promote a few players from their loan army to the senior squad for the next campaign.

As things stand, though, it does not look like Fikayo Tomori will be one of them, with the 21-year-old continuing to be linked with another loan move.

Tomori, who has impressed at Derby County this season, is said to be a summer target for Celtic (Daily Record).

And given the confidence Maurizio Sarri has in David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger, it would not be a surprise to see the England U21 international depart Stamford Bridge temporarily again.

Needing regular minutes, from Tomori’s perspective, it would be the correct call, with Sarri unlikely to give him that.

That being said, a move to Celtic is probably not what the Chelsea academy product needs.

After such a strong campaign in the Championship, the next step for Tomori has to be the Premier League.

And while it would be a huge step up for the central defender, he looks more than ready for it with his strength, pace to make recovery tackles and composure on the ball.

A Chelsea loanee who has gone under the radar compared to others, he really could be the Blues’ secret weapon next season if Sarri gives him a chance, and the transfer ban makes it even more logical for the Italian to do just that.

A defensive partnership that involves Rudiger and Tomori would be daunting for any onrushing attackers, as their pace, power and tackling ability would make them a frightening combo.

With his ability, to move to a division as weak as the Scottish League would be a side or even arguably a backwards step.

At 21 and considering his talent, Tomori really needs to be playing in one of Europe’s top leagues now.

Chelsea fans, where would you like to see Tomori playing his football next season? Join the discussion by commenting below.

علّق وليد العطار المدير التنفيذي للاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، على إمكانية تأجيل مباراة نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا المقررة بين الأهلي والزمالك في نهاية الشهر الجاري.

ويواجه الأهلي منافسه الزمالك في المباراة النهائية من البطولة القارية مساء يوم 27 من نوفمبر الجاري.

وقال وليد العطار في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس”: “نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا سيكون في برج العرب، ولو هناك أي تغيرات جوية شديدة تمنع لعب المباراة أو تأجيلها سيكون الأمر في يد لجنة المسابقات بالاتحاد الإفريقي”.

طالع | مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا مهددة بالتأجيل

وتابع: “نحاول أن نتيح حضور الجماهير للمباراة ولكن لا يوجد قرار حتى الآن”.

وبسؤاله هل الأهلي والزمالك طلبا تأجيل القيد إلى بعد مباراة النهائي؟، أجاب: “نحن نحاول بقدر الإمكان مساعدة الأندية المصرية كما فعلنا في تأجيل القيد الأول، لأن هذا أمر داخلي، أما القيد الخاص بالموسم الجديد أبلغنا به فيفا وصعب تغييره”.

وكان اتحاد الكرة قد أعلن عن تمديد فترة القيد الأولى الخاصة بالموسم الجديد للأندية إلى يوم 11 نوفمبر الجاري.

وأردف: “تم تحديد مواعيد مباريات الكأس المتبقية، ونأخذ الموافقات الأمنية وسنخطر الأندية، وستنتهي مبارايات الكأس بحد أقصى أول أسبوع في شهر ديسمبر”.

هل الأندية ستشارك بالصفقات الجديدة في الكأس؟، أجاب: ” نعم الأندية تستطيع أن تشارك بلاعبيها الجدد”.

With all this contract speculation circulating around Rafa Benitez, Newcastle fans are desperately hoping it ends with the Spaniard agreeing to extend his stay at St James’ Park in order to progress the team over the next few years.

That much is obvious, right? Well, considering the state of play on Tyneside right now, nothing else is.

Indeed, the least Mike Ashley can do is get him to sign a new contract, after all he’s done over the last few seasons. Not only is a great manager but he also acts as a lure for the better players for Newcastle to try and sign.

Everybody knows that. Why don’t you seem to grasp it, Mike?

After all, Newcastle’s side still most definitely needs improving and the summer promises to be the perfect opportunity to do just that. Clearly, a number of positions can be improved upon from a Newcastle perspective and with Antonio Barreca’s loan spell proving to be ineffective, interest they have previously held in a left-back – Stanley N’Soki – should be taken up again.

N’Soki, (who is valued at £7.6 million on Transfermarkt) was a target (as per the Chronicle) for Newcastle over the course of the January window but for whatever reason, a deal failed to materialise.

The 19-year-old has since been involved with the PSG first team a lot more than he and many others probably would have predicted. With 11 Ligue 1 appearances to his name and a further three in cup competitions, N’Soki has proven to be not just any youngster but one ready to play right now.

Able to play in centre-back as well as his usual position of left-back, N’Soki can provide helpful versatility to a side like Newcastle and undoubtedly would be a top addition. How nice would that be, Toon fans? Another left-back of note at long, long last.

Newcastle fans, how highly do you rate the PSG youngster? Join the discussion by commenting below…