Andrew Nabbout has gone from fan to opponent of Spanish star Fernando Torres and the Aussie attacker made the most of his change in fortunes.
After their Japanese side’s Sagan Tosu and Urawa Red Diamonds faced off on Saturday, the Socceroo was quick to secure the shirt of the former Atletico Madrid man.
Club spokesman Josep Vives played down questions about the Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain, who is linked with a return to Camp Nou
Barcelona spokesman Josep Vives wanted to avoid falling into a “trap” by discussing a possible return to the club for Neymar amid reports he could be in line for a return to the club.
Neymar, 27, has been linked with a return to La Liga for much of the last two years since making a world-record €222 million switch to Paris Saint-Germain.
Howevery eyebrows were raised when PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi claimed on Monday nobody made Neymar join the club and seemed to indicate the Brazil star would not be kept if he was not fully committed to the Ligue 1 champions.
While a move to Real Madrid and Manchester United have been suggested, reports have since surfaced in Brazil suggesting Neymar is nearing a return to Barca, with a possible cash plus player swap with PSG mooted.
But Vives, spokesman for the board of directors, tried to bat away questions about the superstar on Monday.
“It’s something we’re not going to get into. Now, he is a PSG player and we do not have to talk,” he said, via Marca.
“We will not say anything because we will fall into a trap.”
Neymar’s two seasons at PSG have been hampered by injuries, although he has won two Ligue 1 titles, a Coupe de France and a Coupe de la Ligue.
A broken foot has sidelined him for extended periods over the two campaigns, and forced him to miss parts of both of PSG’s last two round of 16 ties, with Real Madrid and Manchester United, which saw the French giants eliminated.
Vives refused to say whether the Brazil international, who spent four seasons at Barca, would be welcomed back, though he did not dismiss a return either.
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“We don’t leave the door open or closed,” he said. “The facts are known. We explained them.
“He’s a PSG player and from there we don’t talk about Neymar or anyone. It’s PSG. We will not do it here.”
Neymar is currently recovering from a serious ankle injury picked up a pre-Copa America friendly for Brazil against Qatar, which has caused him to miss the tournament.
The world’s fastest man certainly knows how to finish…
While Usain Bolt’s foray into football fell short of a professional contract, the sprinter clearly learnt a thing or two during his trial with Australian side Central Coast Mariners.
The 32-year-old got his name on the score sheet during Soccer Aid on Sunday night as he inspired his of the Rest of the World XI to a comeback win over an England XI.
After freestyle footballer Jeremy Lynch had given England a 2-0 lead in the first-half, Bolt capitalised on an error from former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher just before the break to give his side some hope of a comeback.
Love Island star Kem Cetinay would then ultimately score a late equaliser for Bolt’s side, who held their nerve in a penalty shootout to claim the win.
Over £6 million was raised for charity as a result of the game as a Jamaican sprinter once again got a taste of being a footballer.
Aside from Bolt, other notable names involved in the match included Manchester United legend Eric Cantona, Brazilian icon Roberto Carlos and actor James McAvoy.
Piers Morgan managed the Rest of the World side, while Harry Redknapp was in the dugout for England.
Soccer Aid has been running since 2006 and has raised over £20 million in aid for UNICEF.
While Bolt is no longer chasing his football dream, he recently weighed in on his beloved Manchester United, claiming the Red Devils should build a side around Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann.
“Pogba is a friend of mine and I am a massive fan of his and I think they need to build a team around him,” Bolt said.
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“When you watch him at Juventus and when he plays for France, he is outstanding because he has good strikers and people to play and run off the ball which he needs as a great passer.
“It doesn’t matter how somebody cuts his hair, as long as he comes on the field, he shows up.
“If you build the team around him and give him strikers who understand how he plays then he is going to do great.”
The Barcelona man believes his country could do something special in Brazil as they look to put the disappointment of not making Russia behind them
Arturo Vidal believes Chile are a team to be feared at the Copa America as his country look to rebound from not qualifying for last summer’s World Cup.
Chile have won the last two Copa Americas, in 2015 and 2016 beating Argentina on penalties each time, but the country’s ‘golden generation’ fell from grace when they failed to reach the sports marquee international tournament in 2018.
The squad has seen some serious overhaul since then with the 32-year-old Vidal now one of the oldest players in the 23 selected for the tournament, taking place in Brazil.
Despite that setback Vidal thinks Chile have what it takes to make an impression in this summer’s competition ahead of their first game with invitees Japan on June 17.
“This squad should be feared, from the beginning to the final,” the Barcelona midfielder told press from the team hotel in Sao Paolo.
“We hope it’s going to be something amazing, but we’re going to take it game by game.
“Everything is starting from new: a new process, new players, new coaches.
“It took us many days to talk about and clear up things.”
Japan have brought an inexperienced squad to South America, with 17 members yet to make their international debuts.
One player who has appeared for Japan is new Real Madrid signing Takefusa Kubo, dubbed ‘The Japanese Messi.’
Vidal asserted that his team were prepared for the challenges Kubo and his team would offer.
“[Kubo] is a player with real quality, there’s a reason he’s at Real Madrid,” the ex-Juventus and Bayern Munich man continued.
“We’ve seen him, analyzed him really well and we know how to stop this player.”
“Japan are an organized team, they’re quick and we have to be careful, concentrate and when they come out to play we have to attack them really quickly because afterward they go into a 4-5-1 and it’s really hard to score a goal.”
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After the game with Japan, Chile go on to play Ecuador on June 21.
Vidal’s nation conclude their Group C schedule with a game against Uruguay on June 24.
Chile have only won one of their three games in 2019, a 2-1 win over Haiti on June 6. They lost 3-1 to Mexico and drew 1-1 with the USA in March.
Philippe Coutinho’s second-half brace saw Brazil past Bolivia in Friday’s Group A curtain-raiser.
Philippe Coutinho scored a brace as Brazil opened the Copa America with a 3-0 win over Bolivia in Sao Paulo.
After an underwhelming first half at Estadio do Morumbi, Coutinho scored twice within eight minutes of the restart to put Brazil in control on Friday.
A VAR check and handball led Coutinho to the penalty spot and the Barcelona star made no mistake in the 50th minute before making it 2-0 three minutes later after capping a sweeping move.
Everton came off the bench and scored the goal of the night with a blistering effort from outside the area in the 84th minute as the Selecao – who have won the Copa on each of the previous four occasions they have hosted in 1919, 1922, 1949 and 1989 – made a winning start in Group A.
Playing without superstar Neymar after he was ruled out of the tournament with an ankle injury, 2018 World Cup quarter-finalists Brazil dominated but struggled to create any real clear-cut chances.
Thiago Silva saw a header flash wide of the post and Casemiro came close with an audacious effort for Brazil, who had 77 per cent of the possession in the opening 45 minutes.
The half-time whistle was met by a chorus of boos around the stadium amid a subdued atmosphere as Brazil failed to impress against Bolivia – a nation in which they had won nine and drawn two of the past 11 games on home soil, scoring 46 goals and conceding just four times.
But a VAR check helped ease some of the tension and pressure with the ground after Adrian Jusino was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the penalty area.
Coutinho successfully converted the spot-kick before he completed a quick-fire double after latching on to Roberto Firmino’s cross at the back post.
The result was never in doubt from that point as Brazil turned the boos into cheers in the south-west of Sao Paulo, where substitute Everton scored a stunning long-range goal with six minutes remaining.
What does it mean? Brazil up and running with 100th win
Seeking a ninth Copa title and first since 2007, Tite’s Brazil got the job done in Friday’s curtain-raiser. It was not perfect but the Selecao managed to claim their 100th Copa victory.
Coutinho takes centre stage
The Barcelona attacker struggled at Camp Nou in 2018-19, leading to speculation of a possible return to the Premier League via Chelsea or Manchester United. Coutinho, however, stepped up when Brazil needed him most with his first international brace since scoring a hat-trick against Haiti at the Copa America Centenario.
Improvement needed by Brazil
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If the half-time boos were any indication, Brazil did not meet expectations prior to the break. Richarlison and Roberto Firmino were virtually non-existent in the first half, while Coutinho and David Neres struggled to make an impact. The Selecao did beat Bolivia but they will be punished against better opposition if they do not improve.
What’s next?
Brazil will look to make it two wins from two against Venezuela on Tuesday, while Bolivia face Peru on the same day.
Chelsea have agreed a compensation deal worth in excess of £5million for manager Maurizio Sarri to join Juventus, Press Association Sport understands.
The 60-year-old will reportedly sign a three-year contract to replace Massimiliano Allegri at the Italian giants, with an announcement expected as early as Friday.
Sarri only joined Chelsea last summer after three years at Napoli, replacing fellow Italian Antonio Conte.
He guided the Blues to third in the Premier League and won the Europa League, but still endured a tough campaign at Stamford Bridge with fans not convinced by his style of play.
Chelsea also reached the Carabao Cup final, but lost to Manchester City in a match overshadowed by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga refusing to be substituted before the penalty shoot-out.
It appears Sarri has now opted to return to Italy and take over at Juve, the Serie A champions for the last eight seasons, who parted company with Allegri this summer.
Allegri, 51, had been linked with the Chelsea job but announced on Thursday that he would be taking a year off to “recharge his batteries”.
Former Blues midfielder Frank Lampard, who led Derby to the Sky Bet Championship play-off final in his first season as a manager, is favourite to land the role.
Should he get the job, the 40-year-old would become Chelsea’s first permanent English manager in 23 years.
England assistant coach Bev Priestman has described boss Phil Neville as having “world-class” man-management skills and feels that together they make for a winning combination.
Neville took on his first managerial post when he was appointed to lead England’s women’s team in January 2018.
The Lionesses, who face Argentina in Le Havre on Friday in their second World Cup Group D fixture, have subsequently had 12 victories and four draws in 20 matches under the former Manchester United, Everton and England player, and they won the SheBelieves Cup earlier this year.
Priestman was brought in as Neville’s assistant last summer having previously been with Canada’s set-up.
She worked as head coach of Canada’s under-17s and assistant coach for the senior team, most notably helping them win bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics. In the latter role, she worked alongside Englishman John Herdman, who is now the boss of Canada’s men’s side.
When asked how different Neville was to Herdman, Priestman said: “I think they are very different. They’ve had very different paths.
“My background’s been more down the John Herdman sort of path. So coming across to work with Phil, I think it’s a great combination.
“Phil is a world-class man-manager, he has worked under the best manager in history (Sir Alex Ferguson), he’s played the game at the highest level, and I think that sort of confidence, when you’re alongside someone who’s won and nothing fazes him in that sense, as a staff member it really gives you a lot of confidence to just do your job and deliver.
“Under John (who was manager of the New Zealand women’s team from 2006 to 2011 and then Canada’s until 2018) – he’s had a lot of experience, a lot of tournaments and he’s detailed.
“You put me and Phil together and I hope it’s a pairing to bring England some success.”
Priestman says she and Neville “complement each other” and that he is the “most open guy that I’ve met”.
“He recognises my experiences and draws on them and uses them,” she said.
“I think I’ve brought the learnings across tournaments. So when you get to a game that really matters, seven games in, 50 days on the road – you have to be prepared for that in your first training session, and getting that balance right.
“Things like that, how FIFA works, those are probably the areas I’ve brought, as well as the women’s game, and knowledge of other countries, how they play.
“I definitely think Phil’s area he has brought me is his man-management, he is world-class at that and you have to allow him the time, to not have him bogged (down) in the details, so he can get the best he can out of every player.”
Ahead of Sunday’s 2-1 win against Scotland, Neville spoke of this World Cup being “the biggest thing I’ve ever done”.
And Priestman said: “He’s taking it in his stride, but I can see the excitement in his eyes. You know he’s had Champions Leagues and everything but I genuinely believe, and I’ve heard him say it, that this is the biggest thing he’s ever done.
“He eats, sleeps and breathes the Lionesses, and I think that’s refreshing. The girls feel that and they will run through a brick wall for him.”
Aaron Hughes bid an emotional farewell to football after Northern Ireland’s Euro 2020 qualifying win over Belarus.
The 39-year-old, who did not make the matchday squad for the game, told his team-mates in the dressing room of his decision to end a career in which he won 112 caps for his country, 48 of them as captain, and played at Euro 2016.
Though Hughes did not speak publicly, Northern Ireland captain Steven Davis – now only one cap behind Hughes after playing in the 1-0 win in Borisov – said: “Aaron spoke to us in the dressing room after the game and he was a little bit emotional, which is understandable.
“He has been a huge player for us over many years, such a consistent performer, and he will be remembered as a proper legend.”
The Cookstown-born player came through the ranks at Newcastle and played more than 200 games for the club before spells with Aston Villa and Fulham.
Later in his career, he spent time with QPR, Brighton, Melbourne City and the Kerela Blasters in India before heading to Hearts.
At Euro 2016 he became the first outfield Northern Irish player to earn 100 caps.
His last Northern Ireland appearance came in last summer’s trip to Central America, where he played in friendlies against Panama and Costa Rica.
But Hughes, who turns 40 in November, draws a line under his career after a season in which he played only seven times for Hearts, where he is out of contract this summer
“To keep playing for as long as he has and show the desire he has in recent years sets such a positive example to the other players, particularly the younger lads,” Davis added.
“Aaron still looks as if he could play on for a couple more years, but if he has made a decision to retire, we’ve got to respect that and wish him well.”
France coach Didier Deschamps insisted any changes he makes for his side’s Euro 2020 qualifier in Andorra were planned before their shock defeat to Turkey.
Les Bleus were knocked off top spot in Group H on Saturday by Turkey, whose 2-0 win at the Torku Arena in Konya was their third straight qualifying win.
Deschamps is expected to make up to five changes against minnows Andorra in a bid to freshen up his side.
“I had planned (for them), because it seems to me logical to bring freshness, physiologically and physically too,” Deschamps told a press conference reported by L’Equipe.
“I will make several changes, regardless of the performance of Saturday’s players.”
Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe came in for criticism after France’s defeat in Turkey, but Deschamps said all his players had under-performed.
“Apart from Hugo Lloris who was at his level, all the others were behind,” he said.
“You take more Kylian as a target, I see it from a collective point of view.
“He has been below (par). He did not receive the ball in the best conditions and his risk-taking was not rewarded as usual, but I will not have any special treatment for Kylian. I talk to him like all the other players.”
The atmosphere at Andorra’s national stadium, which has a capacity of just over 3,000, will be a far cry from the hostile reception Les Bleus received in Turkey.
Deschamps said his players had been made aware of the expected contrast.
“We go from one extreme to the other and our key word is to adapt,” he added.
“It will depend on us. We will not make that as an excuse. It’s up to us to do the job and take the three points.
“They are as important as those at stake in Turkey. We have the opportunity to take them. Do not miss it.”
Cristiano Ronaldo hailed a job well done after Portugal’s Nations League final victory over Holland in Porto.
Goncalo Guedes scored the only goal to make sure the hosts were crowned the first champions of UEFA’s latest international competition.
Ronaldo’s stunning hat-trick saw off Switzerland 3-1 on Wednesday and earned Portugal their place in the final.
And although the captain and talisman did not score against the Dutch, he said afterwards: “I’m very happy.
“It is a very important trophy for all of Portugal and for the national team.”
The triumph means Portugal can add the Nations League to the European Championship success of three years ago.
Ronaldo is proud of the strides his country has made in recent years, adding: “Since 2016 Portugal has changed their history and won a trophy again.
“The goal for this match was to win and to play well.”
The 34-year-old Juventus forward added: “For sure this national team will be even better and the younger players will play more.”