April 2020 – Page 2 – Football Flame    

Month: April 2020

LALIGA

Spanish players concerned about returning to work

Javier Tebas President of La Liga.Players from Spain’s leading clubs have expressed concern about returning to work while the coronavirus is still a threat and are against La Liga’s plans to hold closed training camps, the association of Spanish footballers’ (AFE) has said.Captains from all 42 teams in La Liga and Spanish soccer’s second division held a video meeting with the players’ association (AFE) on Tuesday to discuss conditions for returning to work.All soccer has been on hold since March 10 due to the spread of the virus in Spain, which has more than 200,000 confirmed infections, the most in Europe, with the second highest death toll on the continent behind Italy, at over 21,000.Although no date has been set for a return to training or matches, both La Liga and the Spanish soccer f...
NEWS

Cesc Fabregas names former Chelsea star among best players he has played with

Eden Hazard of Real Madrid.Cesc Fabregas has revealed that he rates former Chelsea star Eden Hazard as the best player he played with during his time at Chelsea FC.Fabregas spent a successful spell with the west London club after having signed for the Blues from FC Barcelona back in the summer of 2014.The former Arsenal captain won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and League Cup during his spell with the Blues before leaving to join AS Monaco in January 2019.Spanish midfielder Fabregas lined up alongside Hazard during his spell at Stamford Bridge, and the ex-Arsenal star has now revealed that he rates him as the best Chelsea player he played with.Fabregas also revealed that Thierry Henry, Lionel Messi and Radamel Falcao are the three top players he’s featured with at his other clubs.A...
PREMIER LEAGUE

Liverpool set tentative training date ahead of possible Premier League return

Jurgen Klopp manager of Liverpool.With the Bundesliga tentatively set to return on May 9th, we know that a resumption of European club football is possible as some countries begin to see the benefits of extensive testing when it comes to controlling the coronavirus pandemic.And for Liverpool and the Premier League, while an early-may restart may be off the table, the club are said to be looking at the middle of next month for reopening their Melwood training facility and having the players back training together.That’s the word today from The Liverpool Echo, who report a mid-May return to training is the club’s goal—something that would line up with league hopes of an early-June restart and a festival of football following three weeks of team training.The largest stumbling block to their h...
TRANSFERS

Chelsea and PSG Reportedly set to battle for AC Milan keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma

Gianluigi Donnarumma of AC Milan in action during the Coppa Italia Semi Final match between AC Milan and Juventus at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 13, 2020 in Milan, Italy.Chelsea are reportedly ready to do battle with Paris Saint-Germain for AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.With Kepa Arrizabalaga having made a number of mistakes during the current campaign, the Blues have been frequently linked with potential replacements for the Spaniard.While Burnley's Nick Pope is said to be an option, Tuttosport claims that the Premier League outfit hold an interest in Donnarumma.Despite being highly regarded at San Siro, the Italy international has just over a year remaining on his contract, leaving Milan with little option but to consider cashing in on one of their key men.The report su...
SERIE A

Ashley Young to sign one-year deal with Inter Milan

Ashley Young of Inter Milan.Inter Milan are ready to hand Ashley Young an extension to his contract that will keep him at the San Siro until next summer.Young only joined the Serie A side back in January on a six-month deal from Manchester United and has gone on to feature seven times since making the move.But in that short space of time he has done enough to convince manager Antonio Conte of his worth and Inter are now ready to trigger an extension in his contract to keep him until the end of next season according to the Guardian.Young, who is 35-year-old in July, has already accepted terms of a new deal following talks with the club.He will now look to focus on completing the season with Inter who still hold realistic hopes of grabbing silverware on three fronts.Although their Serie A ho...
LALIGA

La Liga teams allowed to return to training as league nears return

Frenkie de Jong #21 of Barcelona and Lionel Messi #10 of Barcelona during team warm up.La Liga teams have been told they will be able to return to training provided they comply with protocols laid out by the Spanish government.The decision was made following a meeting on Sunday between Spain's National Sports Council (CSD), the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and La Liga.The intention is to permit players to resume training subject to the progress of the coronavirus pandemic "and the decisions adopted by the Ministry of Health", the CSD said in a statement.Training sessions will be held under strict protocols and only for as long as circumstances allow, the CSD said.It has been suggested the 2019-20 season is on track to restart in June, although the CSD did not confirm any specif...
NEWS

UEFA president says leagues across Europe ready to play behind closed doors

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin.UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said on Monday that leagues across Europe were ready to return to action behind closed doors in a bid to limit the damage caused by coronavirus.Football leagues have been suspended since mid-March due to the pandemic which has claimed more than 100,000 lives throughout the continent. But the head of European football believes that playing would be an important step towards a return to normal life and avoid heavy financial losses for leagues.“I believe there are options that can allow us to restart cup championships and to complete them,” Ceferin said in an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera. “We may have to resume without spectators, but the most important thing, I think, is playing games.“It is early to say ...
BUNDESLIGA

Alphonso Davies extend deal with Bayern Munich until 2025

Alphonso Davies of FC Bayern Muenchen poses with a jersey after his contract was extended until 2025 on April 20, 2020 in Munich, Germany.Alphonso Davies has signed a new deal with Bayern Munich. The Canada international has excelled for the Bavarian powerhouse this season, impressing at left-back for the Bundesliga champions. And his efforts have been rewarded with a new contract, which now runs until 2025. "FC Bayern and Alphonso Davies have agreed terms extending the player’s stay at the club ahead of schedule," a statement read on Bayern's official website. "Both sides agreed to extend the player’s contract, which originally ran until 2023, for a further two years until 30 June 2025. 19-year-old Davies joined the German record champions from the Vancouver Whitecaps ...
PREMIER LEAGUE

Brighton convert Amex Stadium into Covid-19 testing centre

Brighton and Hove Albion have a team huddle before the match Brighton and Hove Albion v Watford - Premier League - AMEX Stadium 08-02-2020.Brighton & Hove Albion's Amex Stadium has been converted into a drive-through COVID-19 testing centre to assist the National Health Service (NHS) during the new coronavirus outbreak, the Premier League club said on Sunday.Soccer in England has been suspended since March 13 because of the virus that has infected over 2.31 million people globally causing more than 158,000 deaths.The club said the initiative is part of the government's drive to increase testing for thousands of NHS staff and other key workers fighting to curb the spread of the virus."The centre was scheduled to see more than 50 NHS frontline workers on Saturday afternoon, and they will...
SERIE A

AS Roma players agree to go without four months' salary

Paulo Fonseca manager of Roma with his players.Roma players and coaching staff have agreed to go without pay for the next four months to help the club’s finances during the coronavirus pandemic.Roma said in a statement on Sunday that the players would forgo the wages they were due to receive between March and the scheduled end of the season in June.Roma also said the players would top up the wages of other club employees who were placed on the Italian government's social safety net scheme to ensure they received their regular monthly income."We always talk about unity at Roma and in volunteering to cut their salaries for the rest of the season, the players, the coach, and his staff, have all proved that we really are in this together," said chief executive Guido Fienga."(Club captain) Edin...
TRANSFERS

Chelsea plotting Move for Freiburg star Luca Waldschmidt

Luca Waldschmidt of Sport-Club Freiburg.Freiburg forward Luca Waldschmidt has reportedly emerged as a summer transfer target for Chelsea.The 23-year-old joined Freiburg from Hamburger SV in 2018 and has scored 15 times in 48 appearances for his current side, including six in 16 outings during the 2019-20 campaign.The Germany international still has more than two years left to run on his contract with Christian Streich's team, but according to The Sun, Chelsea are weighing up a summer move.The report claims that the Blues are keen to open talks over a £20m deal with head coach Frank Lampard said to be an admirer of Waldschmidt's talents.The capital giants will allegedly face serious competition for the German, though, with a number of top-level clubs also believed to be weighing up approach...
NEWS

Ligue 1 : Angers ready to sell Tottenham target for £13m

Baptiste SANTAMARIA of Angers during the Ligue 1 match between Angers and Nantes at Stade Raymond Kopa on March 7, 2020 in Angers, France.Angers midfielder, Baptiste Santamaria, who is reportedly on Tottenham’s radar this summer, could be available for just £13 million according to reports from Italy.The 25-year-old has been a late bloomer but established a reputation as one of the best defensive midfielders in Ligue 1 over the past two seasons.His ability to cover vast amounts of ground and to win the ball back consistently has seen him dubbed ‘the next Kante’.The Express reported at the start of the month that Tottenham had sent their scouts to watch the Frenchman on multiple occasions this season.However, they installed Leicester City as the favourites to land the Angers star while reve...
BUNDESLIGA

Kevin Prince Boateng : I wanted to return to Hertha Berlin but Klinsmann ignored me

Kevin-Prince Boateng of Besiktas celebrates after their team scored a goal during the Turkish super Lig soccer match between Besiktas and Trabzonspor at the Vodafone Park in Istanbul, Turkey on February 22, 2020.Kevin Prince Boateng has disclosed he wanted to rejoin Hertha Berlin in January to help establish the club as a football giant again but his efforts were ignored by then-manager Jurgen Klinsmann.Boateng is currently at Besiktas on loan from Fiorentina, but was keen on a return to the German capital where he grew up and started his career in 2005.The forward says a text to the German legend went unanswered, scuppering his plans to also convince Mario Gotze and Julian Draxler to follow him in an effort to return Hertha as an 'attractive' club. “But there was never an answer (fro...
SERIE A

Former Real Madrid President Calderon says Ronaldo Rejected Chance to Join Barca

Juventus Star Cristiano Ronaldo.The Juventus football legend played for Real Madrid between 2009 and 2018, before his transfer to the Italian club. He joined Real Madrid after his €96 mln buyout from Manchester United. However, it turns out that the famous Portuguese maestro was offered another lucrative proposition before Italian move, which he turned down.Manchester United wanted to sell Cristiano Ronaldo to Barcelona between 2007 and 2008, former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon revealed to Al Mayadeen in an interview.According to Calderon, Alex Ferguson who coached the English club did not want to lose the star player, especially to rival Real Madrid.Nevertheless, Ronaldo was adamant about his decision to join the Spanish club and his proposed move to Barcelona never gained tractio...
LALIGA

Courtois: I became a goalkeeper because of Casillas and then I watched Van der Sar

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois talked with his fans via an Instagram Live and revealed his two idols growing up in Belgium.“When Iker started to play for Madrid I watched his games and I became a goalkeeper because of him, I loved to see him and Real Madrid play. When I was 14 years old and realized that I was skinny and tall I paid close attention to Van der Sar because he was more like my style as a goalkeeper,” said Courtois.The talented keeper also discussed his main skills for that spot.“I would highlight my ability to handle pressure after what happened during this past year and a half. If you’re not strong mentally you cannot get over what happened and then prove how good you are when it’s time to play. You have to be very strong beca...
PREMIER LEAGUE

Willian fearful of catching coronavirus even if football returns behind closed doors

Willian of Chelsea FC.Willian says he is worried about returning to the football pitch with Chelsea, even behind closed doors, due to the risk of catching the coronavirus.The Brazil international says he fears endangering his family by returning too soon, despite games set to be played without fans in stadiums.Following a meeting between clubs on Friday, the Premier League has said football will only return with the full support of the government.Medical protocols were discussed, as Premier League clubs united in wanting the season to be completed.All players, coaches and match officials would need to be tested before games could be played behind closed doors.Willian said: "I think it's not a bad idea (to return behind closed doors) but they have to know very carefully what's going to happ...
LALIGA

Barcelona rule out signing Neymar due to coronavirus crisis

Neymar Jr of Paris Saint-Germain.Reliable Catalunya Radio recently reported that Barcelona ruled out the signing of Neymar in the summer.The reason is reported to be ‘because of the economic consequences’ of the Coronavirus.The priority at the club is currently signing Lautaro Martinez and extending Messi’s contract.Earlier, it was reported that Barcelona is willing to sign both the Brazilian and Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez. However, any sensible person would have understood that during such an economic crisis, this is almost impossible.Earlier today, Neymar’s father told Sport that “Neymar is always the one who chooses which path to take”. Well this time, that does not seem to be the case.
SERIE A

Ex-Milan Star Marco Simone cricitizes Club for selling Piatek

Krzysztof Piatek of Hertha BSC.Former AC Milan player Marco Simone criticized AC Milan for transferring Polish striker Krzysztof Piatek to Hertha Berlin."I think they shouldn't have let Piatek go. The Pole is young and he is still learning on the pitch. The cooperation with [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic would be beneficial for him as he had someone to share the responsibility for scoring," Simone was quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport."They would create a dangerous attack. If Zlatan leaves, a center forward will be missing at San Siro," he added.Piatek left San Siro during the winter market after Hertha offered nearly 30 million euro for him, and AC Milan is believed in need to strenghen the attack as Ibrahimovic' contract expires in July 2020.Simone urged the club to buy a sniper in the summer."The...
UCL

UEFA plan Champions League final for August

In this photo illustration a UEFA Champions League logo seen displayed on a smartphone.UEFA are exploring the possibility of playing the Champions League final on the last Saturday in August.The final was due to be played at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul on May 30, but that date was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.However, according to a report in The Telegraph, the final could now be pushed back to August 29 - while the Europa League final in Gdansk has been provisionally earmarked to take place three days earlier.The report also claims that there have been discussions about provisionally playing the quarter-final matches from July 28/29, with the rest of the competition concluded in August.While Europa League ties would  be played in the same weeks - but there are still ...
BUNDESLIGA

Report : Man City star Leroy Sane edging closer to Bayern Munich transfer

Leroy Sane of Manchester City.Leroy Sane and Bayern Munich have been linked together for several months now with the German reportedly edging closer and closer to a move back to his home country. According to the David McDonnell of the Daily Mirror, Sane’s representatives have stepped up their efforts to secure a big-money move to Bayern Munich in the summer. The Bundesliga champions are reportedly prepared to offer as high as £70 million for the 24-year-old.The transfer was looking set to be taking place last summer before Sane’s injury ultimately prevented the move. Bayern, however, never gave up in their pursuit for the Manchester Citywinger. Now, they are preparing to make a move for the German in the next summer transfer window. It’s a move that would make sense for both par...
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