Xavi says he and his Barcelona team-mates are growing tired of the saga surrounding Neymar s transfer to the club.
Barcelona have had enough of the storm created by Neymar s transfer to Camp Nou from Santos, says midfielder Xavi.
Neymar moved to the Catalan giants in 2013, in a deal estimated to be worth in the region of €57million, although some claims suggested it was closer to €95m.
The details of that transfer have been the subject of an investigation, with allegations of tax fraud being levelled at former president Sandro Rosell and his successor Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Bartomeu is due to appear in court on Friday regarding the case and Xavi says the sooner the whole saga is over, the better.
The Neymar theme has been going on for…
Brazilian defender Dodo has completed a move from Roma to Serie A rivals Inter.
The 22-year-old left-back s exit from the Stadio Olimpico follows Roma s capture of Ashley Cole on Monday.
Dodo initially joins Inter on a two-year loan at a cost of €1.2m, but the deal includes an obligatory buy-out clause of €7.8m, to come into effect when he plays his first official game.
In a statement welcoming Dodo to the club, Inter said: The player has signed a contract until June 2019.
Roma had earlier confirmed Dodo s departure in a statement of their own, which read: AS Roma SpA announces that it has signed with FC Internazionale Milano SpA for the temporary transfer and two-year rights to the player JR Pires Ribeiro [Dodo], against a payment of € 1.2 million…
This week’s predictions are easier than they have been for a long time. I reckon I’m going to get most of them right. On the other hand, I also think that Watford are the best team in the World and that will beat Moredon Cheney 4-0 this afternoon!
Last week I got just four results right. I have written one hundred lines saying, ‘I must do better’. This week, I will!
Saturday 25th October 2008
Blackburn v Middlesbrough
Not the most thrilling of the weekend’s fixtures in truth. In fact, if you’re not a Blackburn or Middlesbrough fan it is about as uninteresting as a Premier League game can be.
Blackburn may go with Robbie Fowler up front who Paul Ince, appa…
Lewis Ferguson believes Scotland came up against a benchmark England side in their 3-1 defeat at Hampden Park.
In a challenge match to commemorate the first official international match between the two countries in 1872, the visitors were a class apart.
Goals from Phil Foden, the brilliant Jude Bellingham and skipper Harry Kane sealed a well-deserved victory against the Scots, whose only strike came courtesy of a Harry Maguire own goal.
After five straight Euro 2024 qualifying wins, it was a chastening night for Steve Clarke’s side and Ferguson gave due credit to Gareth Southgate’s men.
The 24-year-old Bologna midfielder said: “It was tough defeat, a difficult match. They are a top team and so that is the level we want to get to.
“In the f…
Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman says he wants to stay at the club for many years to come.
The France international is set to start the second season of a two-year loan at the Allianz Arena from Juventus after an impressive 2015-16 campaign for his club ended with him helping his country to the final of Euro 2016.
Bayern paid €7million to loan Coman and hold the option to purchase him on a permanent basis at any time until April 2017 for an additional fixed fee of €21m.
Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said last week there was a huge probability Bayern would activate the clause and Coman himself is eager to remain with them for the long-term.
I would like to stay, the 20-year-old told Kicker. It was one of my goals when I arrived here that I will pl…
Eden Hazard will not play for Belgium as a false nine despite being used in such a role for Chelsea this season, Roberto Martinez has said.
The 27-year-old has often been used as the focal point of the Blues attack in 2017-18, with Alvaro Morata struggling for form, Olivier Giroud yet to settle fully and Michy Batshuayi having been loaned to Borussia Dortmund.
It is not a role Hazard appears to enjoy, though, with the former Lille man saying after Chelsea s 1-0 loss to Manchester City this month: We could have played on for three hours, and I [still] wouldn t touch a ball.
And Belgium boss Martinez appears unwilling to follow Antonio Conte s tactical plans, insisting he would not play Hazard in the position at the expense of Manchester United s Romelu Lukaku or…
Valencia defender Adil Rami has confirmed that he is in negotiations with Italian giants Inter and Roma over a potential transfer.
The French centre-back has been a first-team regular at the Mestalla since joining from Lille in 2011, and has made 21 appearances for the Spanish club this season.
The 27-year-old s performances for Valencia have seen him linked with Premier League sides Manchester United and Arsenal of late, but he has now revealed that a move to Serie A could be on the cards.
He told L Equipe: It s true, we are in talks (with Inter and Roma), but nothing has been decided yet.
There is a 60 percent chance I am going to leave Valencia. The club offered me a new contract and it is an interesting proposal, but I turned it down.
Rami has made 25 appearanc…
Milan line up Balotelli replacement
AC Milan are looking at three players as they look to sign a natural successor to Liverpool-bound Mario Balotelli, .
The Italy international is set to complete a £16 million switch to Anfield, leaving the Rossoneri to desperately search for his replacement.
La Gazzetta dello Sport has revealed that AC Milan have made FC Porto s Jackson Martinez the number one target.
The Rossoneri have opened talks for the Colombian striker and they are prepared to offer around €20 million for the player s services.
And while Martinez s release clause has been lowered from €40m to €30m, the Dragons are unlikely to accept any proposal below the said amount.
Should they fail in the attempts to sign the Colombia sta…
Defender Cosmin Contra has announced his international retirement in the wake of Austria shattering Romania s dreams of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, according to local reports Thursday.
Romania s 2-1 defeat in Austria dropped them to fifth place in group seven, with only four points from five matches effectively ending any hopes they had of qualifying for next year s showpiece.
It s really hard to leave after such a defeat, but life goes on, said Contra, who during his final match for Romania wore the captain s armband in the absence of Cristi Chivu and Adrian Mutu.
I wish my teammates all the best and hope they go on to finish the qualifiers with their heads held high.
Contra, 33, plays in the Spanish first division with Getafe.
He was …
Didier Drogba could be facing a lengthy ban from European football after angrily confronting Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo at the end of Chelsea s controversial Champions League semi-final second leg match with Barcelona here on Wednesday.
A stoppage time goal from Andres Iniesta earned Barca a 1-1 draw on the night and on aggregate and sent the Catalans into a final meeting with Manchester United at the end of this month on the away goals rule.
Chelsea had legitimate grounds for complaint after being denied at least two good penalty appeals by the referee who was still considered good enough by UEFA to officiate at last year s Euro 2008 championships but that will not be regarded as any excuse by UEFA when they come to judge Drogba s conduct.
Ovrebo had …