Javier Tebas would be making a very stupid move if the LaLiga president prevents Barcelona re-signing Lionel Messi, according to a director of the Camp Nou giants.
Juli Guiu, vice-president of marketing at Barcelona, reacted a day on from Tebas saying LaLiga would not alter its regulations to help smooth such a deal.
Spanish league chief Tebas is waiting for Barcelona s viability plan for next season, saying he hoped the club could make the necessary moves to make space for Messi to come in, but of course we are not going to change any rules for Messi to sign .
Messi scored 672 goals in 780 games for Barcelona, setting records in both regards, but he tearfully left on a free transfer two years ago after financial restrictions prevented the club giving him a new c…
James Maddison has earned his place in England s World Cup squad by becoming one of the best in the Premier League, his Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers believes.
Maddison was a surprise name in Gareth Southgate s 26-man squad announcement on Thursday, having made his first and only appearance for his country in November 2019.
His recent form for Leicester has won Southgate over though.
Since the start of last season, Maddison has been directly involved in 30 goals in the Premier League (18 goals, 12 assists), with only Harry Kane (38) recording more among English players.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Leicester boss Rodgers described the moment Maddison found out he was heading to the World Cup.
He was delighted. He had a mi…
England have confirmed that Chelsea attacker Cole Palmer has withdrawn from their squad for the Three Lions upcoming Nations League fixtures.
Palmer, along with Aston Villa s Ollie Watkins, were named in interim head coach Lee Carsley s first Three Lions squad but have since returned to their clubs to continue rehabilitation for ongoing issues.
Manchester City s Phil Foden will also play no part in their matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland after not reporting with illness.
It serves as a significant blow for Carsley in his audition for the England role on a full-time basis, with Palmer a player the 50-year-old knows well from his time in charge of the Under-21 s.
Palmer was part of Carsley s European Under-21 Championship winning side l…
More and more big-name players from the world of football are heading for the Saudi Pro League.
There has been a powerful recruitment drive by the PIF-owned clubs in Saudi Arabia as the league looks to establish itself among the best in the world, with Sadio Mane’s departure from Bayern Munich to Al-Nassr the latest move to go through.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the key players already in the Middle East preparing for the new season.
Cristiano Ronaldo – Al-Nassr
After his acrimonious departure from Manchester United, five-time Ballon D’Or winner Ronaldo headed to Saudi Arabia as a statement signing that told the footballing world the league meant business.
Karim Benzema – Al-Ittihad
Reigning Ballon D’Or winner Benz…
Lawrence Shankland scored his 50th goal for Hearts as the rampant Edinburgh side tightened their grip on third spot in the cinch Premiership with a 1-0 win away to St Johnstone.
The Jambos captain struck for the 22nd time this season early in the second half to settle a tightly-contested affair at McDiarmid Park and secure a sixth consecutive victory in all competitions.
Hearts have now won 12 of their last 15 league matches since the start of November and remain 12 points clear of nearest challengers Kilmarnock.
Saints boss Craig Levein – a two-time former Jambos manager – made one alteration to the side that won 1-0 at Ross County on Saturday as Oludare Olufunwa replaced David Keltjens.
There were three changes to the Hearts team that started the 3-…
Kevin De Bruyne served up a reminder of his match-winning brilliance as Manchester City usurped Arsenal at the top of the Premier League, so Nottingham Forest will be on high alert.
City go to Forest on Saturday, looking to stay at the summit, and their Belgian playmaker is set to be a key figure once more, and potentially a big points winner when it comes to fantasy leagues.
In an unlikely top-seven battle, Brighton and Hove Albion will look to in-form left-back Pervis Estupinan to contribute at both ends of the pitch against Fulham, while Wolves and Brentford will be hoping for big contributions from Ruben Neves and Ivan Toney as they tackle Bournemouth and Crystal Palace respectively.
Stats Perform, using Opta data, has chosen these four players for your selec…
As the likes of PSG look to get their Champions League knockout stage adventure underway on Wednesday night, we have a host of eye-catching affairs from across the continent.
With fixtures from the likes of Serie A and the Scottish Premiership, we have found a couple of Wednesday betting markets that are worth taking note of.
19:45 Rangers vs Ross County
While Rangers might still find themselves tipped as an outside contender in this season’s Premiership title chase, the Scottish giants are certainly enjoying life under Philippe Clement. Riding what has been an extended wave of momentum and continuing to receive a string of plaudits, Wednesday’s hosts could potentially climb to the top of the table in midweek.
Extending on their Scottish Cup advent…
Ilkay Gundogan s future remains open despite reports suggesting the Manchester City midfielder is keen to join Barcelona upon the expiration of his contract, according to his agent.
City captain Gundogan is entering the final three months of a four-year deal he signed back in 2019, and the Germany international is yet to agree to fresh terms.
Gundogan has appeared in 24 of City s 27 Premier League games this campaign, yet reports have claimed he has his heart set on a move to Camp Nou at the end of the season.
Despite suggestions Barcelona are willing to offer Gundogan a two-year deal, the player s agent and uncle Ilhan Gundogan says nothing has been decided.
There s definitely no agreement yet with any club, he told The Guardian. The focus of Ilkay in r…
Best Odds: 4/6
Bookmaker:
Looking to make it back-to-back Premier League victories on Saturday evening, Manchester United will travel to Selhurst Park when they meet Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace
Starting with the hosts, while Crystal Palace might have extended on their EFL Cup adventure earlier in the week thanks to a 2-1 victory away at Championship outfit QPR, the Eagles have struggled to find any kind of stability since opening up the new campaign. Despite mounting a last-gasp comeback at home against Premier League returners Crystal Palace last weekend as they snatched a 2-2 stalemate in south London, Oliver Glasner’s men have failed to win any of their first four top-flight appearances. Opening the 2024/25 campaign with a 2-1 loss away at Brentford on …
Verdict: PSG win
Best odds:
Bookmaker:
Le Classique, episode 107, will take place at the Stade Velodrome on Saturday night in front of 67, 000 passionate fans. A highly anticipated showdown between Kylian Mbappe and OM s defence will be the icing on the cake, under a predicted volcanic atmosphere in the stands.
Marseille
Stability is not the right word to describe the hosts current season. The team from the South of France has had a rollercoaster ride where instability at every level prevailed. From changing two coaches during the season to a unilateral contract ending of players, OM is the victim of disastrous leadership this season.
Despite these setbacks, Marseille managed to find stability under coach Jean-Louis Gasset. The experienced Fre…