Month: November 2024

Gerard Pique believes Pep Guardiola is the perfect mentor to develop John Stones into a world-class defender at Manchester City.

Stones moved to City from Everton earlier this month for a fee believed to be in the region of £50million, as Guardiola attempts to mould a team able to fit his philosophy of playing out from the back.

Those plans have already seen goalkeeper Joe Hart dropped to the bench, with Willy Caballero preferred and speculation mounting that the England international could seek a move away from Etihad Stadium.

But one man who appears set for the long haul is Stones.

The 22-year-old has drawn comparisons with Pique, winner of three straight LaLiga crowns and two Champions League titles under Guardiola at Camp Nou.

Stones is a gr…

FIFA has struck a new deal with Budweiser despite banning the product from sale at World Cup venues in Qatar last year.

The new agreement with ABInBev, the company which owns the brand, makes the product the official beer of this summer’s Women’s World Cup and the men’s World Cup in 2026.

FIFA pulled plans to sell Budweiser, except for the alcohol-free Bud Zero, within stadium perimeters in Qatar on the eve of the finals last November. It was reported at the time that FIFA had come under pressure from Qatar’s royal family, in a country where the consumption and purchase of alcohol is severely restricted.

Statement on beer sales at stadiums on behalf of FIFA and Host Country :

— FIFA Media (@fifamedia)

A tweet from Budweiser at the tim…

Jim Ratcliffe says he has been told Manchester United are not for sale by the Glazer family and he can t sit around waiting for the club to become available.

Britain s richest man, chairman of INEOS, stated in August he would be keen to strike a deal should the Glazers be willing to sell up.

There have been multiple protests against the club s owners from supporters, including one in May 2021 that saw United s match against Liverpool postponed.

But any hopes fans had of a changing of the guard at Old Trafford have been dampened by Ratcliffe, who met with Joel and Avram Glazer.

Manchester United is owned by the Glazer family, whom I have met, Ratcliffe, told the Financial Times. I ve met Joel [Glazer] and Avram [Glazer] and they are the nicest people, I h…

Julian Nagelsmann says Thomas Muller s new contract sends a positive signal and hopes other Bayern Munich players follow suit.

Long-serving forward Muller this week extended his deal with the Bundesliga champions until 2024.

Robert Lewandowski, Manuel Neuer and Serge Gnabry are only under contract with the Bavarian giants until the end of next season, while Corentin Tolisso and Niklas Sule are nearing the end of their deals, with the latter set to join Borussia Dortmund as a free agent ahead of 2022-23.

Bayern boss Nagelsmann says it was vital to keep Muller and believes the 32-year-old s decision to commit his future to the club may prompt some of his team-mates to stay.

He said in a press conference on Friday: It was very important that he extended,…

Chloe Kelly has stressed the importance of being “ready for your moment” at this summer’s World Cup whether starting in the England team or as a substitute.

The winger came off the bench and scored the extra-time winner against Germany in the Euros final at Wembley a year ago as the Lionesses secured the first major trophy in their history.

Going into that tournament having only recently returned to action after an ACL injury, she was utilised as a substitute throughout as boss Sarina Wiegman retained the same starting line-up.

Since then, Kelly has scored five goals and provided nine assists across the 2022-23 Women’s Super League season for Manchester City, and been on the scoresheet four times in 10 England appearances – the first five of which were …

Lionel Messi insists he would not change anything about his decorated career in order to win a World Cup.

The lack of a major international honour remains the glaring absence in the Barcelona superstar s trophy haul.

He was named player of the tournament at the 2014 World Cup, where Argentina lost the final 1-0 against Germany in extra-time.

Last time around in Russia, a chaotic campaign ended in a 4-3 loss to eventual winners France in the last 16.

Messi will be 35 by the time Qatar 2022 comes around and, in an interview with TyC Sports, he appeared to accept the time for him to claim that elusive piece of history might have passed,

I would have loved to be world champion, he said.  But I think I would not change anything I had in my career to …

Harry Maguire is delighted to see his boyhood club Sheffield United flying high in the Premier League and wants them to win every game unless they are playing Manchester United.

England centre-back Maguire became the world s most expensive defender when he moved to Old Trafford in a reported £80million deal from Leicester City in the previous transfer window.

The 26-year-old came through the Blades academy and made over 100 senior appearances for the club before leaving to join Hull City in 2014.

Maguire gets the chance to play at Bramall Lane again on Sunday, as the Red Devils who sit a point behind the Blades face Chris Wilder s side.

It means so much, the club that gave me the chance of fulfilling my dream of becoming a professional footballer, Magui…

Inter great Dejan Stankovic has backed his former team to recover from their crisis and become a major player in Italian and European football once again.

Inter conquered all before them under Jose Mourinho in the 2009-10 season, winning an unprecedented Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble.

However, Inter s last appearance at Europe s top table was in 2012 and they have not finished in the top three in Serie A since finishing runners-up six years ago, while the club have gone through nine coaches since Mourinho s departure. 

But Stankovic says Inter, backed by wealthy owners Suning Holdings Group, are on the road to recovery. 

Speaking exclusively to Omnisport, Stankovic said: I have always been an optimist. 

My opinion is that I…

Neymar is determined to give everything for Paris Saint-Germain, according to goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

Brazil international Neymar was heavily linked with a return to Barcelona in the close season, just two years after leaving them for a world-record fee of €222million.

But the 27-year-old has scored 64 goals in 74 appearances for PSG and this season formed a key part of the Fantastic Four with Kylian Mbappe, Mauro Icardi and Angel Di Maria.

Neymar has reportedly cancelled a party for his upcoming birthday in order to focus solely on PSG, a mentality Navas has taken note of.

Asked about the club s formidable attacking line-up, Navas told Telefoot: These are players with an incredible level and, for me, it is a privilege to be able to play with them.