Antoine Griezmann has announced his departure from Atletico Madrid with his anticipated move to Barcelona expected to be completed in the next week.
Reports this week suggested Barcelona had triggered the Frenchman’s €125 million release clause after he informed the club about his desire to join the La Liga champions.
Griezmann, who snubbed the option to move to the Nou Camp last summer and instead committed his future to Atletico, confirmed on Tuesday evening that his time at the club is now over.
Marca led on the reports of the star forward’s exit, having reportedly told his teammates and then Atleti boss Diego Simeone alongside senior club officials Read more... (320 words, estimated 1:17 mins reading time)
Manchester City are furious about the UEFA investigation into their financial dealings after reports emerged that they are facing a ban from the Champions League.
The Premier League champions could face heavy sanctions for alleged breaches of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules, with the New York Times revealing on Monday that members of the investigatory chamber of UEFA’s financial control board will push for a one-season ban from European football elite competition, probably in 2020-21.
Investigators have spent months reviewing evidence first detailed in a series of leaks and reported by the German publication Der Spiegel. Read more... (268 words, estimated 1:04 mins reading time)
Manchester City’s title celebrations have been tempered by news that UEFA investigators will push for a Champions League ban for alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play regulations.
Insiders at UEFA believe any potential ban would not apply until the 2020-21 season because the process is ongoing but it could coincide with a FIFA transfer ban over the signing of under-18 players.
A ban from the Champions League would certainly increase the pressure on Pep Guardiola to deliver the prize his employers covet most in the next campaign. Read more... (298 words, estimated 1:12 mins reading time)
Pep Guardiola challenged his Manchester City champions to dominate English football and feed his winning addiction after retaining the Premier League title.
City recovered from a goal down to beat Brighton 4-1 and pip Liverpool to the crown on what proved a dramatic final day.
Guardiola became the first manager since Sir Alex Ferguson in 2009 to retain the Premier League crown. He is demanding even more from his players, who put together a run of 14 wins to overcome Liverpool.
‘Winning the title gives you a lot of energy… it’s so addictive,’ Guardiola said. ‘The line between success and failure is so, so tight. Read more... (447 words, estimated 1:47 mins reading time)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits he is glad Manchester United’s season is over after they “hit a brick wall”.
United rallied following Solskjaer’s interim appointment in December and launched an assault on the Premier League’s top four, as well as reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.
But a miserable run-in saw the Old Trafford outfit end the campaign winless in six in all competitions, finishing in sixth place.
Solskjaer, who succeeded Jose Mourinho on an interim basis and was appointed permanently in March following his strong start, was honest enough to acknowledge that he was welcoming the off-season. Read more... (311 words, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)
Maurizio Sarri has dismissed a return to Italy this summer after leading Chelsea to the Europa League final with a penalty shootout win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Eden Hazard stroked home the deciding spot kick after 90 minutes and extra time could not separate the two sides at 2-2 on aggregate.
Despite persistent criticism from his own fans the Italian has now taken Chelsea to two major finals in his first season and already secured qualification for the Champions League next year.
And he indicated after the dramatic events at Stamford Bridge that he has no intention of leaving the club. Read more... (225 words, estimated 54 secs reading time)
Paul Pogba’s big-money move away from Old Trafford has been thrown into doubt after agent Mino Raiola was handed a worldwide transfer ban on Friday night.
The Italian-born Dutchman was slapped with a three-month ban which stops him from dealing with any transfer across the globe and is set to run until August 9 – the day after the Premier League transfer window closes.
Raiola was previously handed a three-month ban from working anywhere in Italy earlier this week by the Italian FA but the chairman of FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has extended the ban to cover the rest of world football. Read more... (391 words, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)
Unai Emery has insisted that Arsenal have not won anything yet after they reached the Europa League final on Thursday evening.
The Gunners swept aside Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted a superb hat-trick in the 7-3 aggregate win over the Spanish side.
Arsenal will now go on to face Chelsea in the final in Baku and May 27 with a win in Azerbaijan guaranteeing them a place in next season’s Champions League.
Arsenal look likely to miss out on a place in the top four this season but Emery is adamant to bring his players back down to earth after their impressive 4-2 win over Valencia on Thursday. Read more... (300 words, estimated 1:12 mins reading time)
For the first time in over a decade there will be two English teams playing in the Champions League final, as both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur used brilliant second-leg performances to eliminate Barcelona and Ajax respectively.
With Arsenal and Chelsea also meeting in the Europa League final, the self-proclaimed “Best League in the World” is finally backing up to the hype.
It’s a remarkable turnaround for the Premier League where just four years ago, every Premier League entry had been eliminated before the quarterfinals. And just one club, Leicester City, believe it or not, made it past the Round of 16 two-years ago. Read more... (303 words, estimated 1:13 mins reading time)
Arsenal and Chelsea fans have been warned Azerbaijan is at risk of terror attacks ahead of this month’s Europa League final in Baku.
The Foreign Office have released information to say attacks are ‘likely’ to occur in the country – raising yet more concerns over this year’s Europa League final venue.
‘Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Azerbaijan,’ reads guidance by the Foreign Office.
‘Attacks could be indiscriminate and against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners, such as international hotels, restaurants and pubs, as well as energy sector facilities. Read more... (799 words, estimated 3:12 mins reading time)
