Month: May 2021

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AVRAM GLAZER REFUSES TO APOLOGISE TO MANCHESTER UNITED FANS AFTER OLD TRAFFORD PROTREST

Manchester United co-chairman Avram Glazer refused to apologise to supporters after the club’s failed plans to join the European Super League. The club’s American owners are under fire from supporters after United were one of six English teams to agree to join a breakaway competition from the Champions League.

The Glazers bought United in 2005 for around £780m and in the process United went from debt-free to one of the most in-debt clubs overnight, with the Americans putting around £550m of debt onto the club. United have been paying high interest repayments on the Glazers’ acquisition ever since and remain around £460m in debt.

Though the Glazers have ‘invested’ around £1bn in transfers in the last eight years, they have taken £1.1bn out of the club during their sixteen years as owners, while the club remains in heavy debt.

It was the club’s attempt to join the European Super League that reignited supporters’ dismay at the Americans’ ownership of the club, though supporters have largely been against their presence since 2005.

It led to protests at Old Trafford on Sunday, which led to the postponement of the Premier League clash against Liverpool. United supporters are desperate for the Glazers to sell up but the Florida-based company reportedly have no desire to do so.

Joel Glazer released a lengthy statement after the club’s withdrawal from the European Super League to apologise to supporters but there has been no sign of the family doing so in public.

Joel’s brother Avram, who is co-chairman of the club and resides in Florida, was given the chance to when Sky News repeatedly offered the American the opportunity to apologise to supporters when they caught up with him on Tuesday. But, as has been the case since the family took charge 16 years ago, Avram chose not to speak to supporters and in doing so refused to apologise for the club’s plans to join the European Super League.

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PSG players claim referee swore at them in Man City defeat

French champions PSG were left angered by the referee, who sent off PSG’s Angel Di Maria in the 69th minute for an off-the-ball stamp on Fernandinho.

Paris St Germain’s Leandro Paredes was verbally abused by Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers during Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg loss to Manchester City, his team mate Ander Herrera has claimed.

City reached the final of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time thanks to a 2-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium to secure a 4-1 aggregate win.

French champions PSG were left angered by the referee, who sent off PSG’s Angel Di Maria in the 69th minute for an off-the-ball stamp on Fernandinho.

“We talk about respect towards referees,” midfielder Herrera told French multimedia outlet RMC Sport, while revealing that the official had sworn at Paredes. “If we say that, we get a three or four-match ban.”

Herrera’s team mate Marco Verratti said in his post-match interview that he too was abused by the official.

PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino told reporters he believed his players and that European soccer’s governing body UEFA could investigate the incident.”I didn’t hear anything from the touchline, if something is there and is how they explained, maybe UEFA will investigate the situation,” Pochettino said.

“But now that’s not an excuse I can put in front of you… the most important thing is we’re not in the final and that’s why we feel really sad.”

Meanwhile, CBS colour commentator Jim Beglin apologised for attributing Argentine Di Maria’s dismissal during the game to his “Latino temperament.”

“I apologise for my culturally insensitive remarks… I wrongly used a racial stereotype. This was inappropriate and unacceptable,” Beglin tweeted.”Words have a strong impact and I fully understand the severity of what I said when Di Maria was sent off. I’ll learn from this and be better moving forward.”

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Riyad Mahrez showing up when Manchester City need him most

Algerian is flying under the radar, wrecking defences like he did against PSG in the second leg of the semis

A Manchester City break came in the 62nd minute. It wasn’t the quickest counterattack, as a good number of Paris Saint Germain players tracked back at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday. Phil Foden carried the ball down the left, squaring to Kevin De Bruyne under pressure. The Belgian returned it to Foden who was well on his way into the PSG box after a moment. On the other side of the pitch, Riyad Mahrez darted forward unmarked by anybody in a Parisian jersey. Once Foden drilled a low cross Mahrez was there, happily slotting home his and City’s second in the Champions League second leg semi-final. City would go on to win 4-1 on aggregate.

In many ways, that undetected run represents Mahrez’s career. A crafty left-footer, blessed with speed and the ability to dribble at break-neck pace, tends to fly under the radar – especially in a star-studded line-up. Thriving in his low-key role, it’s helped him become one of the most devastating players in front of goal.

The 30-year-old France-born Algerian scored three goals over the two semi-final legs for his club. And it helped take City to its first ever Champions League final.

Low-profile match winner

When Mahrez was at Leicester City, his star was overshadowed by Jamie Vardy. Even in that historic 2015-16 Premier League winning season, where Mahrez scored 17 times and made 11 assists, Vardy’s 24 goals – including a Premier League record of scoring in 11 consecutive matches – eclipsed the Algerian.

At Manchester City, who dished out GBP 60 million to secure his services – making him then the most expensive African footballer – Mahrez is still not the first name that comes to mind. There is De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero (for whom this is the final season), and even the new star Foden.
Under the radar, yet still a vital cog in his side. That’s also how he was first noticed by the bigger names in Europe.

Unspectacular Beginnings

Born in Sarcelles, a poor commune in Northern Paris, to an Algerian father and Moroccan mother, Mahrez was a self-taught street footballer.

The silky skills though weren’t enough for him, at 18, to find a place in fourth division team Quimper. What he had in skill, for the scouts, was not enough for what he lacked in physicality. The team’s manager eventually had his way and forced the directors to sign the player.

A few years later, while playing in the French Ligue 2 with Le Havre, he first came into contact with then Championship club (second division) Leicester City – who he first thought was a rugby team. Incidentally, the English scouts had not travelled to France to look at him, but were rather there to spy on his teammate Ryan Mendes. But Mahrez captured their imagination.

“Riyad was a bit raw but he had a great touch,” Steve Walsh, the club’s head of recruitment told the Daily Mail. “He could kill the ball dead and go past people. I liked his positivity. Some of his decision-making wasn’t that great and defensively he wasn’t the best, but you could see that he had real talent.”

He moved to Leicester in early 2014 following a GBP 450,000 transfer, helping them gain promotion to the Premier League before moving to Manchester City in 2018.

Unwavering self-belief

Slight frame notwithstanding, his flair, eye for goal and a killer pass could not be undervalued. Nor could his spirit be broken.

“How did I prove them wrong? Just with my ability, my quality,” he described his mentality to Four-Four Two. “They would say those things, then we’d play a game, I’d play well and they’d change their opinion. I used to play a lot in (Paris) and it helped me.”

He scored 17 goals, including a hat-trick against Swansea City to help the Foxes win the Premier League title. This season he’s scored 15 goals in all competitions, including four in the Champions League.

Improved defensive skills

Under Nigel Pearson, who managed Leicester while they were in the English Championship, he gained confidence and experience. Under Claudio Ranieri, he was allowed to use his fleet-footed skills at will to wreak havoc of defences.
Under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, he’s become aware of his defensive role. In the second leg against PSG, he made four tackles and interceptions in the first half alone.

Raking up the titles

So far Mahrez has won three Premier League titles (including in the on-going season). He helped Algeria win the 2019 African Cup of Nations title, its first since 1990 and second overall.

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Manchester City ousts PSG to reach first Champions League final

Riyad Mahrez has scored twice to complete Manchester City’s journey to a first Champions League final with a 2-0 victory eliminating Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 on aggregate.

By the time Riyad Mahrez completed the counterattack that sealed Manchester City’s spot in a first Champions League final, it looked so effortless overcoming a Paris Saint-Germain lineup that lost its cool and composure.

“Then they lost their nerve and started to kick us and it was good,” Mahrez said.

It was the Paris-born winger who netted twice before PSG had Angel Di Maria sent off. City won 2-0 to eliminate last season’s finalists 4-1 on aggregate on Tuesday.

“They had the red card,” Mahrez said, “and after, it was more comfortable for us.”

It’s been anything but comfortable for City getting a shot at lifting European football’s top prize for the first time despite 13 years of lavish investment. Even reaching this semifinal required a fight in court to overturn a ban from this season’s Champions League for breaching UEFA’s financial rules.

And it’s only two weeks since the Abu Dhabi-owned team exposed itself to fresh sanctions for joining a brief, ill-fated bid to split to help form a breakaway European Super League.

Now City could win the competition it tried to leave in what could be an all-English final on May 29 in Istanbul if Chelsea overcomes Real Madrid on Wednesday. Chelsea and Madrid played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

“Of course, we’ve invested money in the last decade since Sheikh Mansour took over the club, but it’s not just about this,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “If you want to think it’s just about money, it’s OK. But there is a lot of incredible things behind the scenes.”

It’s not just City that’s endured frustration in its quest to win the biggest prize in European football. Guardiola, a Champions League winner as Barcelona coach in 2009 and 2011, has been waiting a decade to return to the final. He fell short three times with Bayern Munich and has taken until his fifth season at City to even reach the semifinals.

“To reach the Champions league final is so difficult,” Guardiola said. “It’s the toughest one, but we did it.”

City is now accustomed to success _ sitting on the brink of its third Premier League title in four seasons after already collecting the League Cup last month. But its only continental title came with the now-defunct European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1970.

“This club needed the final, these players needed the final,” City defender Kyle Walker said. “For these players to not be in a Champions League final is a disappointment every year.”

PSG missed out on a second shot at lifting a first European Cup after losing last season’s final to Bayern Munich, and Mauricio Pochettino’s lineup is even struggling to defend the French title.

“Disappointed and very sad,” said Pochettino, who lost the 2019 Champions League final as Tottenham manager. “We played well but we didn’t have the luck that you need in football.”

And in the clash of European football’s Gulf-funded big-spenders, it was the Qatari visitors from Paris on the backfoot quickly in Manchester.

After scoring City’s winner in Paris last week, Mahrez took only 11 minutes to score in the second leg. The move began with a long ball by defender Oleksandr Zinchenko running onto a long ball from goalkeeper Ederson.

“It’s something we work on all the time,” Mahrez said, “and today it worked good.”

Zinchenko passed to Kevin De Bruyne, whose shot was blocked by Keylor Navas but Mahrez was alert to the rebound to put the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs on a field covered in the remnants of a spring hailstorm.

Mauro Icardi was proving ineffective in a PSG attack shorn of Kylian Mbappe, who wasn’t fit enough to start and never entrusted with being deployed from the bench.

There were headers over from Marquinhos and Neymar but PSG could find no way past a defense that had Ruben Dias proving such a robust barrier.

The PSG back-line was easier to breach, which happened again in the 63rd minute. There was a surging run down the left flank by Phil Foden before a combination with De Bruyne and a cross delivered for Mahrez to sweep into the net.

“We fought to the end,” PSG midfielder Marco Verratti said. “When you play against big teams, it’s impossible to attack for 90 minutes without suffering. We have to accept that.”

The frustrations of PSG were clear, even without any crowd to create any intimidating atmosphere. The visitors finished the game with 10 men just like in the first leg after Di Maria was sent off with 20 minutes to go for kicking at Fernandinho.

PSG turned on the referee, with midfielder Ander Herrera in a post-match interview accusing Bjorn Kuipers of directing an expletive at PSG teammate Leandro Paredes. It wasn’t heard by Pochettino.

“Maybe UEFA will investigate the situation,“ he said. “But now I think that is not an excuse.”

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VETERAN MARTINEZ PART OF BAYERN CLEAR-OUT

Bayern Munich confirmed Tuesday that veteran Spanish midfielder Javi Martinez will be the third member of their treble-winning squad to leave the club world champions at the end of the season, along with head coach Hansi Flick.

Martinez joined in 2012 from Athletic Bilbao for a then-club record of 40 million euros ($48 million), winning the Bundesliga in all eight seasons he has so far completed in Germany.

Bayern, and Martinez, are on the brink of winning a ninth straight league title this Saturday.

The Spain international was also part of the Bayern squads which won the treble of Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League titles in 2013 and 2020.

Headed goals by Martinez helped Bayern win the UEFA Super Cup in both 2013, against Chelsea in Prague, and again in 2020, against Sevilla in Budapest.

“I’m very proud and happy to have been part of the FC Bayern family for nine years… and am very happy about the many titles we won together,” said Martinez in a statement.

He joins defenders Jerome Boateng and David Alaba who are also out of contract at the end of the season, while Flick has asked to be released.

RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann has already been named as Flick’s replacement for 2021/22.

Alaba, 28, is reportedly set to join Real Madrid after failing to agree to a contract extension with Bayern, while Martinez and Boateng, both 32, have not been offered new deals.

Like Martinez, Alaba and Boateng were key members of the Bayern squads which twice won the treble.

“At the end of this season Martinez, Alaba, Boateng and Flick will be given a fitting farewell by FC Bayern in recognition of their great achievements for the club,” Bayern said in a statement.

Martinez has made 266 appearances for Bayern, but this season he has started only four Bundesliga games and one Champions League match with Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich preferred in midfield.

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IRELAND MIDFIELDER ALAN MCLOUGHLIN DIES AT 54

Former Republic of Ireland footballer Alan McLoughlin has died with cancer, aged 54.

As The Irish Times reports, McLoughlin earned 42 international caps during the 1990s, scoring a crucial goal at Windsor Park which helped Ireland qualify for the 1994 World Cup.

He started as a trainee at Manchester United, before spells with Swindon Town and Portsmouth among other clubs.

In a statement, The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) said: “We extend our deepest sympathies to Debbie, Abby and Megan McLoughlin following the death today of our former international midfielder Alan McLoughlin at the age of 54.

“Alan had bravely faced into a second battle with cancer in recent months with his courage in adversity an example to all those who knew him and loved him.”

FAI President Gerry McAnaney said: “Alan will always be remembered for that goal in Belfast 18 years ago, a goal that brought the entire country to its feet.

“He was a great player for Ireland, a fantastic footballing man who coached so many young players and a very proud family man.”

He said they were lucky to have him a part of the Irish football family and added “I know I speak on behalf of everyone involved with Irish football when I sympathise with Debbie and his family at this most difficult of times.”

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AS ROMA APPOINTS JOSE MOURINHO AS THEIR NEW MANAGER AHEAD FOR 2021/2022 SERIE A SEASON

AS Roma, the Serie A club owned by American businessman Dan Friedkin, announced the appointment of José Mourinho as their new head coach beginning in the 2021/22 Serie A season.

The Portuguese manager, dubbed the “Special One” by the soccer community, will sign a three-year deal with Roma.

“AS Roma are delighted to announce an agreement has been reached with José Mourinho to become the club’s new head coach,” reads the statement on Roma’s official website.

“Mourinho has agreed a three-year contract with the Giallorossi that will run until 30 June 2024.”

Mourinho, who less than three weeks ago was sacked by English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, returns to Serie A 11 years after his successful stint at Inter Milan, when he managed to do what nobody had ever done in Italian soccer – win the treble.

Mourinho has thanked the Friedkins and expressed great enthusiasm about the opportunity to take over as the new Roma boss.

“Thank you to the Friedkin family for choosing me to lead this great club and to be part of their vision,” Mourinho was quoted as saying on Roma’s website.

The appointment of Mourinho as the new Roma manager came just a few hours after the announcement that Paulo Fonseca, Mourinho’s compatriot and incumbent Roma manager, will depart at the end of the 2020/21 Serie A season.

“On behalf of everyone at AS Roma, we would like to thank Paulo Fonseca for his hard work and leadership over the past two years,” reads a statement by Friedkin on Roma’s official website.

“Paulo guided the team through many challenges, including the Covid pandemic and a change of ownership, and did so with selfless integrity and great character. We wish him all the best for his future endeavours and know that he will be a great asset wherever he goes.”

In the summer of 2019, Fonseca signed a two-year deal with the Giallorossi, and now the contract is set to expire on June 30, 2021. In both seasons, Roma have failed to clinch one of Serie A’s top-4 positions, which grant direct access to the UEFA Champions League.

Even though Roma are currently involved in the UEFA Europa League, their odds to access the tournament final are very low, as they would have to come back from a four-goal deficit against Manchester United in the second leg on Thursday at Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

With the appointment of Mourinho, Friedkin intends to bring “tremendous leadership and experience” to Roma’s project, key ingredients for the club’s goal to feature again in the most important competition in European soccer.

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EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL IN GDANSK TO HOST UP TO 9,500 SPECTATORS

The Europa League final in Gdansk on 26 May will be allowed to host up to 9,500 spectators after Europe’s soccer governing body UEFA said it had received approval from the Polish authorities.

The final will be held at Stadion Energa in Gdansk at a stadium capacity of 25 per cent, with both finalists receiving 2,000 tickets each and 2,000 tickets to be offered to the general public.

The remaining tickets will be allocated to the local organising committee, UEFA and national associations, commercial partners and broadcasters.

“The Polish authorities have confirmed a stadium capacity of 25% for the final, amounting to 9,500 spectators,” UEFA said in a statement.

Spectators may be required to show proof of a vaccine or a negative Covid-19 result, UEFA said.

“Supporters travelling from outside of Poland will have to comply with border entry restrictions and requirements that will be in force at the time of the final. No exemptions will be granted to ticket holders,” UEFA added.

Manchester United will play away to AS Roma on Thursday in the second leg of the semi-final, having won 6-2 in the first leg. Villarreal will travel to London to face Arsenal in the second leg after they defeated the English side 2-1 at home.

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MICHAIL ANTONIO HITS BRACE AS WESTHAM HIT BACK TO BEAT BURNLEY

Michail Antonio returned to revive West Ham’s European push as they came from behind to win 2-1 at Burnley on Monday night.

Playing his first game in a month after a hamstring problem, Antonio scored twice in the space of 10 first-half minutes as the Hammers hit back following Chris Wood’s penalty for the hosts.

West Ham’s 17th league win of the season – a club record in the Premier League era – moved them to within three points of the top four as they recovered from back-to-back defeats against Newcastle and Chelsea.

David Moyes’ side made the trip north having lost four of their last eight in the league – as many as they had lost in the previous 23 – and at risk of seeing a promising season unravel.

And they fell behind with 17 minutes gone when Burnley were awarded only their third penalty of the season.

Ashley Westwood’s floated pass forward to Wood flummoxed Issa Diop, who allowed the New Zealand striker to recover the ball on the byline and try to turn back towards goal, up-ended by Tomas Soucek as he did so.

And it was Wood, fresh from his hat-trick in the 4-0 win at Wolves last week, who stepped up to fire home his 11th goal of the season, though the advantage would prove short-lived.

After Dwight McNeil lost possession to Pablo Fornals close to his own area, Jesse Lingard laid the ball off for Vladimir Coufal to cross, and Antonio got between Matt Lowton and James Tarkowski to head home from close range.

The turnaround was complete before the half-hour mark. Lowton had just taken a painful ball to the nether regions but, as he stumbled around the box, Burnley were hit with another blow largely of their own making.

Antonio was the only West Ham player in a penalty area crowded by Burnley defenders, but was somehow allowed to ghost through and flick Said Benrahma’s teasing cross beyond Nick Pope.

West Ham looked in the mood and almost got a third on the break, with Benrahma cutting in from the left and looking to bend a shot across the face of goal, only to see it bounce the wrong side of a post.

But, as the Hammers poured forward, they were nearly undone as Diop failed to deal with another high ball, allowing Matej Vydra to get on the end of Lowton’s pass.

The ball would not sit down for the Czech striker and, as he tried to lift it over Lukasz Fabianski, Craig Dawson got back to head off the line.

Antonio could have been celebrating a hat-trick 10 minutes into the second half when Fornals’ mis-hit shot came his way, but he kicked the ball against his own standing leg as he tried to turn it in.

Sean Dyche sent on Jay Rodriguez just after the hour and it almost paid immediate dividends.

First Fabianski made a superb save to keep out Josh Brownhill’s shot after Diop half-cleared McNeil’s cross before Rodriguez, who has been on 99 career goals since mid-February, blasted narrowly wide on the follow-up.

It was a rare sight of goal for the hosts as West Ham spent the final 20 minutes pushing for a third, Antonio curling wide from Benrahma’s pass and Pope keeping out Lingard’s deflected shot, but they had done enough for the win.

Burnley sent Pope forward in a frantic finale but, although they could not avoid matching an unwanted club record as they made it eight top-flight home games without victory, Premier League safety looks all but assured.

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PREMIER LEAGUE SETS NEW RULES TO PREVENT REPEAT OF EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE

The Premier League has taken action to prevent its clubs threatening to break away again in response to the failed European Super League plans.

Six top-flight teams, including Manchester United and Liverpool, announced on April 18th they were joining the newly-formed ESL, only for it to collapse amid intense pressure within 48 hours.

A new set of measures put in place by the Premier League on Monday includes additional rules and regulations and an owners’ charter that all club owners will be required to sign up to – committing them to the core principles of the competition.

“The actions of a few clubs cannot be allowed to create such division and disruption,” a Premier League statement read.

“We are determined to establish the truth of what happened and hold those clubs accountable for their decisions and actions. We and The FA are pursuing these objectives quickly and appropriately, consulting with fans and [UK] government.”

The Premier League insisted events during the last two weeks had “challenged the foundations and resolve of English football”.

Fan protests in the days that followed the ESL announcement, on top of widespread criticism from the footballing world, resulted in most of the 12 European clubs – including all six Premier League sides – involved in the proposed breakaway pulling out.

A statement continued: “The Premier League, supported by The FA, is taking the following actions to protect our game, our clubs and their fans from further disruption and uncertainty.

“Additional rules and regulation to ensure the principles of the Premier League and open competition are protected, a new Owners’ Charter that all club owners will be required to sign up to, committing them to the core principles of the Premier League, (while) breaches of these rules and the Charter will be subject to significant sanctions.

“And we are enlisting the support of government to bring in appropriate legislation to protect football’s open pyramid, principles of sporting merit and the integrity of the football community.”

The Football Association revealed an official inquiry into the formation of the ESL and the involvement of the six English clubs – which also included Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham – got under way last week.

It also reiterated its desire to ensure any return threat of a breakaway division was thwarted.

A spokesperson for the governing body said: “Since we became aware of the European Super League our priority and focus has been on preventing it from happening, both now and in the future.

“Throughout this period, we have been in ongoing discussions with the Government, the Premier League and UEFA.

“In particular, we have been discussing legislation with government that would allow us to prevent any similar threat in the future so that we can protect the English football pyramid.

“Last week, we started an official inquiry into the formation of the European Super League and the involvement of the six English clubs.

“We wrote to all of the clubs to formally request all relevant information and evidence regarding their participation. Once we have the required information, we will consider what appropriate steps to take.”

The fallout of the European Super League boiled over on Sunday when Manchester United supporters broke into Old Trafford to protest against the Glazer family, with their plans to join the competition one source of frustration towards the Red Devils’ ownership.

It resulted in the postponement of United’s home match with Liverpool while two police officers were injured.

“Fans have played a vital and impactful role in helping to stop the European Super League from happening, and we understand their frustrations,” the FA statement continued.

“However, we cannot condone the violent and criminal behaviour that took place before the scheduled Manchester United vs Liverpool match, which The FA is now investigating.”

The Premier League added: “We are committed to maintaining close dialogue with supporters and their representatives, as we work with The FA and Government to identify solutions, but ask that all protests are peaceful.

“The actions of a minority of those present at Old Trafford on Sunday have no justification and will be investigated by the Premier League and The FA as well as by the Greater Manchester Police.”