Tag: ATLETICO MADRID

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TRIPPIER HANDED 10-MATCH BAN OVER BREACH OF BETTING RULES.

Atletico Madrid and England defender Kieran Trippier has been suspended for 10 weeks and fined £70,000 following a breach of betting rules, the English Football Association (FA) said on Wednesday.

Trippier, 30, denied seven alleged breaches of FA Rule E8, which were said to occur in July 2019, and requested a personal hearing.

An FA statement read: “An independent regulatory commission was appointed to hear the case, with four of the alleged breaches found proven and three dismissed during a subsequent personal hearing.

“The independent regulatory commission’s written reasons for its decisions and the associated sanction will be published in due course.”

The FA did not clarify what the breach entailed but said it had occurred in July 2019, around the time Trippier joined Atletico from Tottenham.

The ban means that Trippier will miss Atletico’s Champions League round of 16 first-leg tie against Chelsea in Madrid on Feb. 23.

The defender will now miss at least 13 games in all competitions but is set to return in time for the city derby against Real Madrid in March.

Diego Simeone’s side sit three points clear at the top of La Liga with a game in hand on Real who are second.

Trippier has been one of the standout performers for Atletico, playing every minute of their La Liga and Champions League games this season.

Trippier’s ban comes around nine months after former England striker Daniel Sturridge was punished for a breach of the FA’s gambling rules.

Sturridge was initially handed a six-week ban, four of them suspended, and fined £75,000 after being found guilty of providing his brother with information on a potential move from Liverpool to Sevilla in 2018.

After the FA appealed against the decision on the grounds that it was too lenient, an independent appeal board increased the ban to four months and doubled the fine.

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ATL 2-0 VALLADOLID: ATLETICO MADRID GO TOP OF LA LIGA TABLE AFTER SEVEN STRAIGHT WINS.

Atletico Madrid overcame a rusty first-half display to beat Real Valladolid 2-0 at home on Saturday with goals from Thomas Lemar and Marcos Llorente, sending them clear at the top of La Liga.

France international Lemar struck his first goal since April 2019 to break the deadlock in the 56th minute, appearing at the back post to guide in a cross from Kieran Trippier and complete a sweeping counter-attack.

Llorente sealed the victory in the 72nd minute, latching on to a header from Trippier and showing remarkable pace and power to race past a defender and confidently dispatch his shot into the bottom corner.

Winger Lemar, who has been somewhat lacklustre since joining in from Monaco June 2018, put in an impressive showing against Valladolid after netting his first goal of the season.

“Lemar’s performance makes me really happy, he’s been working for a long time wanting to show the player he is,” said Atletico boss Diego Simeone.

“He hasn’t had the consistency he would have wanted, to have the place he should have in the team. Now let’s hope these performances give him confidence and security and composure. We need all the players to get to the objectives the club has.”

A seventh straight league victory took Atletico top of the table on 26 points after 10 games, two ahead of second-placed Real Sociedad who have played 11. Their next league match is away to city rivals and reigning La Liga champions Real Madrid.

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ATLETICO 1-1 BAYERN: THOMAS MULLER LATE STRIKE EARNS THE GERMAN GIANTS A POINT.

Thomas Müller came off the bench to win and convert a late penalty for Bayern Munich as they held Atletico Madrid to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday, preventing the Spanish side from booking their place in the knockout stages.

Bayern were already guaranteed their spot in the Last 16 as Group A winners, meaning coach Hansi Flick had the luxury of rotating his squad at the Wanda Metropolitano: Robert Lewandowski, Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka were rested, with Müller, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman and Benjamin Pavard on the bench.

A much-changed line-up – including teenagers Jamal Musiala and Bright Arrey-Mbi – rather struggled to find their rhythm in the early stages, although Leroy Sane should have done better than blast over the bar after neat work from Douglas Costa.

Atletico soon took control of proceedings and went ahead midway through the half, when Joao Felix stabbed home Marcos Llorente’s cross at the near post. Musiala almost drilled in a world-class effort from outside the area after ghosting past Mario Hermoso, but the home side continued to enjoy the lion’s share of the chances, and could have increased their lead by the break.

Diego Simeone’s men picked up where they left off in the second half, with Felix and Yannick Carrasco going close, although Lucas Hernandez almost brought Bayern level against his former club, heading over from a corner.

Flick made a triple substitution just after the hour mark, bringing on Müller, Gnabry and Chris Richards, and the tide soon began to turn in the visitors’ favour. Müller went close on 74 minutes when Gnabry scooped a ball into the Atletico area, but home keeper Jan Oblak was able to clear the danger.

With five minutes of normal time remaining, however, the Bayern No.25 was brought down inside by the area by substitute Felipe and the referee awarded a penalty. Müller dusted himself off and slammed it home, meaning that the reigning European champions remain unbeaten in this competition since a 3-1 loss to Liverpool in March 2019.

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LUIS SUAREZ TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19; URUGUAYAN TO MISS CLASH AGAINST BARCELONA.

Luis Suarez has tested positive for coronavirus, the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) confirmed on Monday (local time).

The association has also confirmed that the Atletico Madrid striker is currently following self-isolation guidelines. As a result of this positive result, Suarez will miss Uruguay’s World World Cup qualifying match against Brazil later today.

The striker will also miss Atletico Madrid’s match against Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday.

The AUF has also notified that goalkeeper Rodrigo Munoz and backroom staff member Matias Faral have also tested positive for coronavirus.

“The Uruguayan Football Association reports that swabs have been carried out on all the members of the senior team, resulting in the players Luis Suarez, Rodrigo Munoz and the official Matias Faral having tested positive for Covid-19, while all other tests are negative,” the AUF said in an official release.

“The three members mentioned are in good health and the corresponding measures have already been implemented,” it added.

Suarez had registered a goal in Uruguay’s last World Cup qualifying match against Colombia on Friday. The side ended up winning the match 3-0.

The striker has also been in good form for Atletico Madrid as he has registered five goals in six games for the club.

Atletico Madrid is currently in the third spot in the La Liga 2020-21 standings.

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ATL MADRID 1-1 L.MOSCOW: DIEGO SIMEONE SIDE FORCED TO A DRAW.

Atletico Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw at Lokomotiv Moscow in their Group A match after the home team’s goalkeeper Guilherme pulled off a string of superb saves to keep the Russian side in the hunt for a last-16 berth.

The result left Atletico second in the group on four points from three games, two behind Bayern Munich who were playing Salzburg away later on Tuesday. Lokomotiv have two points and Salzburg one.

Centre back Jose Gimenez fired Atletico ahead in the 18th minute with a fine header from 13 metres after an inch-perfect cross by Hector Herrera, a minute after Guilherme kept out a Saul Niguez shot.

The home side levelled in the 25th after a lengthy VAR check deemed Herrera to have handled the ball in the penalty area and Anton Miranchuk sent Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak the wrong way with a perfect spot-kick.

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SUAREZ ‘COULD HAVE STAYED’ – RONALD KOEMAN.

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman had been clear in his intention not to include Luis Suarez in his plans for the Catalans, but the Dutch manager now says the Uruguayan star could have stayed to prove him wrong.

Contrary to previous reports, Koeman said he did not have any problem with Suarez. He insisted that the 33-year-old would have been treated the same as the rest at Camp Nou if the latter had opted to stay instead of moving to Atletico Madrid.

“In the case of Suarez, it had become very difficult for him to start playing and I made that known to him. He found it difficult, but I never had any trouble with him at all,” Koeman said.

“He trained normally, trained well. He finally made the choice to leave and I said: ‘If you don’t leave, for whatever reason, then you are just one of the group, then you can prove that I was wrong’. He could have stayed, yes,” he continued.

Koeman said his choice not to include Suarez in his blueprint for Barca’s future was in part due to the star striker’s age, with the club slowly setting the table for the youngsters to take over.

“I’m good with Luis, but the club felt that we had to rejuvenate,” the 57-year-old coach said. “You can see that now in the team. Ansu Fati plays, he is 17 years old. We have Pedri, 17 years old, who gets his chances. Ronald Araujo is there at the age of 21. Trincao falls in a lot and is 20 years old, and we have taken Sergino Dest, who is 19. Those are all players for the future.”

Koeman’s statement was a counter to Suarez’s recent claim that Barcelona wanted him away from Lionel Messi.

Suarez signed a two-year deal with Atletico Madrid in September in a transfer that was denounced by the Argentine captain. In his farewell post for his friend on Instagram, Messi took a dig at his club, accusing Barcelona of “kicking” Suarez out.

“I think they wanted to remove me from Messi’s side,” Suarez said in an interview, claiming that there are “a lot of contradictions” in the accounts being stated by Barcelona.

“Maybe it annoyed them that I had a good relationship with Leo,” he added. “Perhaps they didn’t want him to be with me so much. I can’t find any reason to think that would damage the team, though.”

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I WAS BROUGHT TO TEARS BY BARCA EXIT- SUAREZ.

Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez has said he was brought to tears over the way his six-year stay at Barcelona ended.

Suarez, 33, joined Atletico last month after Barca told him he was no longer part of their plans despite having a year remaining on his contract.

The Uruguay international was one of several big-earners who moved on this summer as Barca attempted to reduce their wage bill to limit the financial repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic.

“There were other ways to tell me that they wanted to change things,” Suarez, who was informed he was surplus to requirements in a brief telephone conversation with new coach Ronald Koeman in August, said.

“The way it was done and the feeling that they’re kicking you out is what hurt the most. Those few days [before my Atletico debut on Sept. 27] were really hard.

“I cried because of everything I was going through. I didn’t take the message from the club about moving on well. More than anything because of the way they handled it, because you have to accept when a cycle has come to the end.”

Barca captain Lionel Messi was also angry at the way Suarez’s departure was handled. He posted a message on social media when his former teammate joined Atletico which was critical of the Catalan club’s board.

“The way [Barca] went about it wasn’t good and that annoyed Leo, too,” Suarez, who left Barca as the club’s third top scorer of all time with 198 goals, added.

“He knows what we’ve been through and how tough it was for us at that moment. I am not surprised he supported me in public because I know him so well. I knew the pain he felt.

“There are things that people don’t know, but going to Barcelona training and being sent to train on your own because you’re not involved in the 11 vs. 11 game they’re playing.

“My wife saw how sad and dejected I was. What I wanted was to laugh and be happy on the pitch again and I had no doubts when the possibility of signing Atletico came up.”

Suarez scored twice on his Atletico debut in a 6-1 win against Granada but has failed to net in back-to-back goalless draws against Huesca and Villarreal since.

However, he scored a penalty on Thursday as Uruguay kicked off their qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup with a 2-1 win against Chile.

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THOMAS PARTEY COMPLETES MOVE TO ARSENAL.

Midfielder Thomas Partey has joined Arsenal on a long-term contract from Atletico Madrid.

The 27-year-old scored four goals in 46 appearances as Atletico finished third in LaLiga and reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals last season.

Gunners manager Mikel Arteta said he is delighted to finally acquire his long-time target, who joins for an undisclosed fee.

“We have been watching Thomas for a while, so we’re now delighted to add such a high quality player to our squad,” Arteta told the club’s official website.

“He is a dynamic midfielder with great energy. He brings a lot of experience from a top club that have competed at the highest level in LaLiga and the Champions League for several years.”

Partey joins fellow new signings Willian, Gabriel and Runar Alex Runarsson at Emirates Stadium. Arsenal also wrapped up permanent deals for loanees Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares this summer.

The Ghana international will wear the No 18 shirt.

Arsenal’s next match is at Manchester City on Saturday 17 October.

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Atletico Madrid have two cases of corona Virus

Atletico Madrid say two individuals have tested positive for coronavirus before Thursday’s Champions League quarter-final against RB Leipzig in Lisbon.

The Spanish club said the unnamed individuals are isolating at home.

The positive cases were discovered after first-team players and club staff travelling to Lisbon were tested in Madrid on Saturday.

They will now be retested along with close contacts of the positive cases.

“This motivates changes in the training schedules, in the structure and development of the trip and the accommodation in the Portuguese capital,” Atletico said in a statement.

“The club will coordinate the new schedules with Uefa and as soon as there is a new plan it will be made public. It also calls for maximum respect for the identity of the two positive cases.”

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Champions League is concluding with a ‘final eight’ tournament in Lisbon, with single-leg games held behind closed doors.

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Arsenal ready to triple Thomas Partey wages

Arsenal are reportedly willing to offer Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey a substantial wage increase as they attempt to secure the 27-year-old’s signature ahead of next season.

The Gunners have long been credited with an interest in the Ghana international, although a recent report suggested that Arsenal were not willing to meet the player’s £45m release clause.

Nevertheless, speculation has continued to grow regarding Partey’s future, and according to Spanish outlet AS, Arsenal would be open to tripling the midfielder’s wages at the Emirates.

The report claims that the Gunners are desperate to add Partey to their ranks despite the financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic, although Arsenal could face stiff competition from Napoli for the 27-year-old’s signature.

Partey’s current deal at the Wanda Metropolitano will run until 2023, and the player has reportedly hit an impasse with Atletico over an extension.

The midfielder has appeared 41 times for Diego Simeone’s men across all competitions this season and has chalked up three goals and one assist for the La Liga outfit.