Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided an update on Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Rodri, stating that he could make a return before the end of the season. Guardiola had initially ruled out a return for the season after the Spaniard suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury in September – however, Rodri has now begun individual training. “The fans must know they are not the only ones who are excited,” Guardiola said reporters after the 3-1 win over Plymouth Argyle to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. “He was touching the ball today. He was in the locker room…
Author: Somto Isaac
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone expressed extreme delight with his side’s display as they came from two goals down to grab a late equaliser in the 4-4 draw at Barcelona in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final on Tuesday. Simeone showed passion on the touchline after forward Alexander Sorloth netted the leveller in a counter attack in the third minute of added time. “What stands out most for me is this team’s spirit. There is an incredible gladiatorial spirit by the players that is inspiring,” the Argentine said in a press conference. “Barcelona have extraordinary tools, but…
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has stated his side need to snap their run of poor results to ensure they finish in the top four as they restart their journey to winning titles. After slipping to sixth on the log, the Blues who have just won two of their last nine games face Aston Villa this weekend. “We have to be upset because we are not happy with the results. We are all aware we are in a club where we are not here to survive but to fight to win titles,” he said to reporters. “They are the same players…
Manchester United gaffer Ruben Amorim revealed the likes of Christian Eriksen, Manuel Ugarte and Leny Yoro would be back in contention for Saturday’s clash at Everton. Quizzed about the injury situation and if this week had been better than the previous week dominated by negative injury updates, Amorim smiled admitting so. “Yes, because we don’t lose players. We recover players – Chris, Manu and Leny return”. Amorim also clarified comments he made regarding Eriksen’s absence from the 1-0 loss at Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday. Speaking of Eriksen, who suffered a cardiac arrest during a game at Euro 2020, Amorim said:…
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted his side would need a rebuild after what he has labelled as currently their worst season following their exit from the UEFA Champions League. Kylian Mbappe netted a hat-trick as Real Madrid defeated City 3-1 on Wednesday to secure a 6-3 aggregate win. It is the third time in four seasons that City have been eliminated by the record winners — however, it is the first time under Guardiola that the Cityzens have failed to qualify for the last 16. “The better team won,” Guardiola told Spanish TV station Movistar. “We have had a…
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has stated Kylian Mbappe can reach the level as club legend Cristiano Ronaldo – praising the Frenchman’s exploits after he netted a hat-trick in the 3-1 win against Manchester City. Ronaldo is Los Blancos’ all-time leading goalscorer with 451 goals in 438 games – and Ancelotti believes Mbappe can also be a force in the Spanish capital. “He has the quality to reach his numbers, but he has to work, because Cristiano set the bar very high, but he is so excited to play here, he can reach Cristiano’s level,” Ancelotti said in a press…
Arne Slot expressed his dissatisfaction after his Liverpool side failed to move 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League following the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa. Failure to get a victory at Villa Park saw the Reds drop points for a second time in three games. “Not so happy to be honest. I think if you look back at the game, we created far more chances then them,” Slot said to TNT Sports. “I think we did everything we had to do to get a result over here, maybe even a win.” Liverpool took the lead in…
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has stated his players must pull back from “disrespectful” behaviors towards referees after Real Madrid’s Jude Belligham was sent off for arguing with the match official in the 1-1 draw at Osasuna. Bellingham insisted after Saturday’s contest that he did not insult the referee and admitted the situation was a misunderstanding – and the following day, he apologized on social media for ‘leaving his teammates in a tough position’. Speaking to the media, Flick hammered he had spoken to his squad about the importance of avoiding altercations with match officials. “It’s disrespect. For me, it’s like…
Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola have had a nightmare season, which continued in Europe in midweek and as they prepare to welcome Newcastle United to the Etihad this weekend, their injury woes have not ceased with Manuel Akanji joining the sidelines. The Cityzens lost 3-2 to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, in yet another collapse in a miserable season so far.Both City and Newcastle are level on 41 points and are fighting for a top four place, meaning this weekend’s game is a huge clash for both sides. Speaking to the media ahead of the contest, Guardiola…
Bayern Munich have secured the lengthy stay of star Jamal Musiala — who has signed a new five-year contract, extending his stay at the club until 2030. The 21-year-old, who had been with Southampton and Chelsea before moving to Bayern as a 16-year-old in 2019, has been a star performers for the Bavarians this season, netting 10 goals in 18 league games. The German international expressed his happiness with the new contract, admitting his aim is to achieve great things over the next few years. “I am very happy. Bayern is one of the most important clubs in the world,…