Category: Football

Manchester City will be without Rodri for the start of their Premier League title defence after Pep Guardiola revealed the Spain midfielder has been ruled out of Sunday’s opener against Chelsea.

The influential 28-year-old has only just returned to training after being forced off at half-time during Spain’s 2-1 win against England in last month’s Euro 2024 final.

While England trio Phil Foden, John Stones and Kyle Walker hope to feature at Stamford Bridge after their post-Euros break, Rodri has not been cleared to return to action.

Asked on Friday if Rodri could be involved against Chelsea, Guardiola told reporters: “No chance.

“He is in training. I don’t know, I haven’t seen him yet. He feels good. We’ll have to see how he feels after training.”

Rodri’s absence is an early blow to City’s bid to win a fifth successive Premier League title.

Manchester City would love to make a strong start to their title defence in west London, but Guardiola admitted fitness issues could hamper them on the opening weekend.

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Foden, Stones and Walker are not fully fit after only returning to training in midweek following their holidays.

“I’m pretty sure they won’t be ready for 90 minutes, maybe yes, maybe 15 minutes,” Guardiola said.

“The important thing is everybody is back and except for Oscar (Bobb) the rest are OK.”

Bobb will have surgery on Friday to repair a fractured bone in his leg following a non-contact training ground incident on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola expects the young Norway winger to be sidelined for up to four months.

“Unfortunately, he had a big impact and got injured,” Guardiola said. “He is having surgery this afternoon.

“Hopefully, it will go well and he will be back in three or four months. We are so sad for him.”

Bobb’s setback follows the recent departure of Argentina forward Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid and Guardiola said he could be forced into the transfer market for replacements.

“Maybe or maybe not, we will see,” the Spaniard said. “I’m really pleased with the squad I have, we will see. I’m set.

“We will see what happens in the market. We can continue to January in that way or maybe we will add some players.”

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Four people have been arrested after a knife attack on the father of young Spanish football star Lamine Yamal in Catalonia, local police told AFP Thursday.

The attack took place at 1910 GMT on Wednesday in a car park in the Catalan town of Mataro, around 30 kilometres from Barcelona, in the Rocafonda neighbourhood where Lamine Yamal is from, said a spokesman for the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan regional police force.

Yamal’s father Mounir Nasraoui was stabbed several times the police said, and is being treated at the Can Ruti hospital, who could not be reached by AFP for comment.

“Thanks to everyone for your support, I’m already doing better, a big hug for everyone,” wrote Nasraoui in a post on Instagram on Thursday afternoon.

A source close to the family told AFP that Nasraoui is now “out of danger” and “remains under observation” but in a “stable” condition.

Asked about the events and the victim’s possible release date from hospital, the source did not wish to say more.

Lamine Yamal was pictured leaving the hospital in a car after visiting his father.

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Three people were arrested Wednesday night and were being questioned at Mataro police station, while a fourth was taken into custody at 0900 GMT Thursday morning.

Investigators must also interview the victim “as soon as possible”, as well as witnesses, to uncover the circumstances of the attack, said the police.

Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia said the incident occurred after an argument in the street with some men who had approached him while he was walking his dog and later returned to assault him.

Yamal made his Barcelona debut aged 15 in April 2023 and burst into the limelight last season, becoming a key player for the Catalan giants.

The winger, now 17, played a key role for his country as Spain triumphed at Euro 2024 for a record fourth time, becoming the youngest ever footballer to play and score in the competition’s history.

Lamine Yamal’s father and grandmother still live in Rocafonda and he tends to celebrate goals by making a ‘304’ gesture with his hands, referring to the postcode of his neighbourhood.

Nasraoui became famous during the European Championship for his social media presence and media appearances, frequently posting content showing his support for his son.

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Teenage star Lamine Yamal is carrying the weight of expectations as Hansi Flick’s Barcelona face the unenviable challenge of dethroning a fearsome Real Madrid side as Spanish champions this season.

The German coach replaced club legend Xavi Hernandez at the helm and welcomed new arrival Dani Olmo last week, but last season’s La Liga winners Madrid signed superstar French striker Kylian Mbappe earlier this summer.

The forward joins Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and other star names to ensure Barcelona begin the season as firm underdogs to Los Blancos.

The Catalan giants won nothing last season and surrendered their Spanish crown in a deeply disappointing campaign, but 17-year-old Yamal’s emergence shows there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Along with Olympic gold medal-winning centre-back Pau Cubarsi, financially-hampered Barcelona will rely on their young stars to try and compete with the might of Carlo Ancelotti’s Champions League winners.

Many believe Barcelona need a left winger and a deep-lying midfielder to put themselves in a position to fight for silverware but the club’s economic struggles make those dreams unlikely after Olmo’s arrival.

Flick’s side beat Madrid in pre-season during a tour of the United States but were brought crashing down to earth on Monday by Monaco, who enjoyed a 3-0 win in the traditional Joan Gamper Trophy curtain-raiser at Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium in their final friendly.

“We didn’t play with our normal speed or normal combinations, we lost a lot of balls,” said Flick after the chastening defeat.

“But in the end, it is pre-season. I know the team can play much better than today.

“We have five days more now and will prepare them well for the next match against Valencia (Barca’s La Liga opener).”

The German coach is hoping to transform the club’s pressing game but with pivotal striker Robert Lewandowski soon turning 36, there are doubts over whether he can achieve it.

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Flick is further set back by injuries to midfielders Pedri, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong, as well as centre-back Ronald Araujo, which means he starts the season with depleted ranks.

Barcelona are planning to return to their renovated Camp Nou stadium midway through the season if building works stay on track which will be a welcome boost for demoralised fans.

Although a club of Barcelona’s size is always aiming to compete for silverware, expectations seem lower than usual in Catalonia.

Gone are the days when stellar names like Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar gave Barcelona the most fearsome attacking line in world football.

Instead, it was youngster Lamine Yamal who fans cheered for against Monaco, with Barcelona supporters’ biggest roar of the night reserved for the moment the winger jogged down the touchline to warm up.

Yamal, who made his Barca debut at 15, was a vital figure in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph this season and has taken to elite football like a duck to water.

No challenge has appeared too daunting thus far for Barcelona academy starlet Yamal, leading to inevitable comparisons with Messi.

With Sergi Roberto departing after 14 years in the first-team squad, Marc-Andre ter Stegen takes the armband as Barcelona captain.

“I hope the fans are with us all year because many good things are ahead of us,” said the goalkeeper after the Monaco defeat.

“Let’s hope (that) was an accident… it’s a good warning, and let’s hope that in a few days, we’ll be better.”

If Barcelona are to be able to compete with Madrid this season, that needs to be the case.

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Kylian Mbappe will make his long-awaited Real Madrid debut in the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta on Wednesday, with coach Carlo Ancelotti naming him in the starting line-up.

The 25-year-old French superstar finally joined Los Blancos this summer at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain contract after the Spanish champions spent years trying to sign him.

Champions League holders Madrid face Italian side Atalanta, the Europa League winners, in Warsaw, aiming to win the Super Cup for a record sixth time.

Kylian Mbappe starts Madrid’s first competitive match of the season alongside Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes in attack, with England international Jude Bellingham in support.

Madrid announced Mbappe’s arrival in June but he played no part in the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.

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The forward helped France reach the Euro 2024 semi-finals, although he struggled after suffering a broken nose in the opening game and then netting just once, from the penalty spot, in Germany.

Kylian Mbappe was presented before over 80,000 fans at the Santiago Bernabeu in the Spanish capital on July 16 before being allowed time off, from which he returned to begin training a week ago.

“Kylian can play from the start just like everyone who is here,” Ancelotti said Tuesday ahead of the match.

“He is adapting really well, he is focused and he is showing extraordinary quality.”

READ: Real Madrid’s Camavinga out for weeks with knee sprain

Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga will miss the start of the season after the Spanish club confirmed Wednesday he suffered a knee ligament sprain.

Spanish reports suggest the France international will be sidelined for up to seven weeks, potentially missing Madrid’s first matches in the Champions League in September and October.

“After tests conducted today our player Eduardo Camavinga has been diagnosed with a ligament sprain in his left knee,” said Madrid in a statement.

Camavinga suffered the injury on Tuesday during a training session when he slipped and collided with team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni.

Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos retired from football this summer and Camavinga’s injury leaves the reigning Spanish and European champions thin in midfield ahead of the new season.

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Champions League holders Madrid face Europa League winners Atalanta on Wednesday in the European Super Cup before their La Liga campaign kicks off on Sunday at Real Mallorca.

Camavinga’s French compatriot Kylian Mbappe is poised to make his long-awaited Madrid debut against Atalanta in Warsaw.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s high-profile signing French captain Kylian Mbappe is set to finally make his debut for the European champions against Europa League winners Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup in Warsaw later on Wednesday.

After years of trying to secure the services of Mbappe, the Spanish giants got their man when he signed a five-year deal at the Santiago Bernabeu in June as a free agent after ending his association with Paris Saint-Germain.

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Manchester United have signed Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich, the Premier League club announced Tuesday.

Fees for the pair were not disclosed by the English giants, but British media reports estimated the duo had arrived at Old Trafford for a combined £60 million ($77 million, 70 million euros).

Netherlands defender Matthijs de Ligt, 25, will now join up again with United manager Erik ten Hag, having played under him at Dutch side Ajax, after agreeing a five-year contract with the option of another year.

“As soon as I heard that Manchester United wanted me, I felt an excitement about the opportunity of a new challenge at such an historic club,” said De Ligt.

“In the conversations that followed, I was impressed by the vision that the football leadership set out and the role they saw for me in it.

“Erik ten Hag shaped the early stages of my career so he knows how to get the best out of me and I cannot wait to work with him again.”

De Ligt has already won league titles in three different countries with Ajax (Netherlands), Juventus (Italy) and Bayern (Germany).

He added: “I know what it takes to succeed at the highest level, and I’m determined to continue that record at this special club.”

Matthijs de Ligt bolsters United’s central defence following the departure of Raphael Varane, with fellow summer transfer window arrival Leny Yoro in danger of being sidelined for up to three months with a foot injury sustained against Arsenal in pre-season.

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Noussair Mazraoui, 26, also played under Ten Hag at Ajax, winning three league titles with the Dutch club and another with Bayern.

The full-back has also made 28 appearances for Morocco and reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

He has signed a four-year deal with the option of a further year and his arrival comes on the day that full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s departure to Premier League rivals West Ham was confirmed.

“It’s an incredible feeling to be a Manchester United player, and I cannot wait to walk out at Old Trafford wearing the red shirt,” said Mazraoui.

“I know that I’m joining the club at an exciting time; everyone I’ve spoken to has the same ambition for us to win trophies together and I can feel the determination to achieve that.”

The new arrivals are set to be available for United’s season opener against Fulham at Old Trafford on Friday, with the Red Devils desperate to improve on last season’s eighth-place finish.

That left United a huge 31 points adrift of champions Manchester City.

They did beat their local rivals in the FA Cup final before returning to Wembley last weekend to lose to Pep Guardiola’s side on penalties in the Community Shield.

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Premier League chief executive Richard Masters admits the legal cases facing Manchester City and other top-flight teams have created “uncertainty and frustration” ahead of the new season.

An independent commission is set to rule on the 115 charges against Premier League champions City for alleged financial breaches during the season.

There are also cases to be resolved involving Leicester and Everton, related to alleged breaches of the league’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).

Asked if the unresolved financial issues would cast a shadow over the 2024/25 season, Masters told Sky Sports: “It does matter, and I understand it creates uncertainty and some frustration but there is no happy alternative to enforcing the rules, which everyone has agreed at the beginning of each season.

“They have looked each other in the eye and shaken each other’s hand and said ‘we will abide by these rules’. So the Premier League has to enforce rules.

“Whatever difficulty or frustration that creates is part of maintaining and protecting the Premier League’s competition, its core values, competitive competition. And that’s really my role, and that’s what I want to continue doing.”

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Manchester City, who are bidding for an unprecedented fifth successive Premier League title, have won the top-flight crown twice since the charges, which they vehemently deny, were laid in February last year.

Reports have suggested the hearing into City’s case could start in September, but Masters refused to be drawn on a timescale.

“I think it does need to be resolved,” he said. “It’s not in our hands. It’s in the hands of an independent panel.

“They are in charge of the timing and the running of the process, and we must let them get on with it.”

City’s alleged breaches relate to rules requiring the reporting of accurate financial information and the submission of details of manager and player pay information within the relevant contracts.

They also refer to a club’s responsibility as a Premier League member to adhere to UEFA’s financial regulations and to the league’s own profitability and sustainability regulations.

City are alleged to have breached rules requiring them to co-operate and assist with the Premier League’s investigation into those breaches, which the league said began in December 2018.

Everton and Nottingham Forest were docked points for PSR breaches last season, and those rules remain in force for the campaign ahead, requiring clubs to limit losses to a maximum of £105 million ($134 million) over three seasons.

“I can’t speculate on (whether there will be charges related to the 2023-24 PSR assessment period),” Masters said.

“You can only really adjudicate on it when you have audited accounts and that process doesn’t start until towards the end of the year.”

READ: Erling Haaland nominated for PFA Player of the Year award

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is in the hunt to win a second successive PFA Player of the Year award after being nominated alongside team-mates Phil Foden and Rodri.

Haaland enjoyed another prolific campaign with 38 goals in all competitions as Manchester City lifted an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title.

The Norway star won the PFA award after Manchester City’s treble-winning campaign in 2022-23.

Rodri was a key figure in the midfield for Manchester City during their latest Premier League triumph and also helped Spain win Euro 2024.

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England playmaker Foden scored 27 goals last season for Pep Guardiola’s men.

Chelsea forward Cole Palmer, Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard and Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins have also been shortlisted for the prize.

The women’s award will go to either a Chelsea player or a City player.

Chelsea’s Niamh Charles, Erin Cuthbert and Lauren James are shortlisted along with Yui Hasegawa, Lauren Hemp and Khadija Shaw.

The winners will be announced at the PFA Awards ceremony in Manchester on August 20.

For the unversed, Erling Haaland recently scored a powering hat trick, including two goals in the first five minutes, and led Manchester City over Chelsea 4-2 in an English club football friendly at Columbus, Ohio.

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Argentine star Lionel Messi was ruled out on Monday by Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino for the defending champions’ Leagues Cup knockout match on Tuesday at reigning MLS champion Columbus.

Messi remains sidelined after suffering a right ankle injury a month ago in Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa America final.

Lionel Messi has not yet trained with his Inter Miami teammates since escaping a walking boot.

The Leagues Cup is a tournament with MLS and Liga MX Mexican clubs, with Messi helping lift Miami to last year’s inaugural title.

The showdown match between the Columbus Crew, last year’s MLS kings, and Miami, this year’s top overall team in the league table, is among eight matches that will decide quarter-final pairings on Friday and Saturday.

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In Monday’s round-of-16 opener, the host Seattle Sounders blanked Mexican side Pumas 4-0.

Paul Rothrock’s header off a centring pass from Albert Rusnak in the 32nd minute gave Seattle a 1-0 lead and Jordan Morris doubled the Sounders’ edge in the 58th with Rusnak again on the assist.

Slovakian Rusnak scored on a penalty shot in the 71st minute and Morris added a final goal from the spot in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Seattle, which also defeated Pumas in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League final, will next host the winner of a Tuesday match between San Jose and Los Angeles FC.

Other knockout matches on Tuesday include Philadelphia at Cincinnati, Cruz Azul against Mazatlan, Tigres against New York City, Toluca at Colorado and Club America at St. Louis.

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Portugal veteran Pepe announced on Thursday in a video on social media he was retiring from football aged 41.

“I would like to thank you all,” said the centre-back as he cited the clubs he represented, as well as the Portuguese national team and his family.

“Everyone gave me the support I needed to leave with my mind at ease.”

Pepe joined Portuguese side Maritimo at the age of 18 and went on to play for Porto, Spanish giants Real Madrid and Turkish club Besiktas.

He spent a trophy-laden 10 years with Madrid, where he won three Champions Leagues, two Club World Cups and three Spanish league titles.

He also enjoyed two stints at Porto, between 2004-2007 and 2019-2024, winning a total of four Portuguese championships and five Portuguese Cups.

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Former Madrid and Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo paid homage to Pepe in a post on Instagram: “There are no words to express what you mean to me, my friend.

“We won everything there was to win on the pitch, but the biggest triumph is the friendship and the respect I have for you. You’re unique, my brother.

“Thank you for so much.”

Although born in Brazil, the centre-back made his international debut for his adopted country of Portugal in 2007 and went on to earn 141 caps, winning their first piece of major silverware at Euro 2016, as well as the Nations League three years later.

Pepe set a new record as the oldest player to ever play at a European Championship when he started Portugal’s opening game at Euro 2024, aged 41.

Portugal’s elimination on penalties at the quarter-final stage of the tournament against France turned out to be the final game of Pepe’s 22-year career at the top level of the game.

Portuguese football federation president Fernando Gomes labelled the defender “one of the greatest players of all time” and thanked him for his “extraordinary professionalism, dedication… and passion for football”.

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