Month: November 2019

A former captain of Die Mannschaft believes a loss of form would have led to international exile prior to the decision being taken to retire

Mesut Ozil was already facing up to seeing his Germany career ended prior to announcing his international retirement, says Lothar Matthaus, with the Arsenal playmaker unlikely to be missed.

A 2014 World Cup winner has walked away from Die Mannsachaft on the back of a disappointing showing from all concerned at this summer’s event in Russia.

Ozil sparked unrest ahead of that tournament when pictured with Turkish president Recep Erdogan, with further uncomfortable questions asked during and after a shock group stage exit.

He has now decided to rule himself out of contention, accusing the DFB of racism, while his agent has been forced to hit out at outspoken critics such as Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness.

Former Germany captain Matthaus admits an unfortunate situation has been difficult for all concerned but feels Ozil has been a fading force for a few years, telling ESPN FC: “I think football is football, politics is politics.

“Mesut made a good job for Germany in [previous] years but in the last one-and-a-half years he didn’t hit the same performance like four years ago when we won the World Cup in 2014 in Brazil against Argentina.

“I think his time to play in the national team is over. Not because of some picture, political decision. It doesn’t matter, I don’t care. I see the football player Mesut Ozil and he didn’t perform like before.”

Pressed on whether Ozil will be missed by Germany heading forward, 1990 World Cup winner Matthaus added: “No, we have a lot of good players, and when some player cannot perform like before, we have options to give the new generation the chance to help us to make the results like, for example, 2014.”

Matthaus was reluctant to be drawn on Hoeness’ comments in which he suggested that Ozil has been “sh*t for years”, with the Bayern Munich ambassador preferring to look at the bigger picture when it comes to a team and player in transition.

He said: “I never speak against Uli Hoeness, but OK, Uli Hoeness was very angry this morning because this was too much the last two months about Mesut Ozil.

“The German team lost the games against Mexico and South Korea, not only Mesut Ozil. But Mesut Ozil was – is – a part of this national team. And he’s normally a leader but in the last one, two years, he didn’t show he’s a leader, he didn’t show the right performance.

“And then all the things were coming from outside – include it and everything else, and this makes a story.

“But for me, it’s only important [if] Mesut Ozil can help the national team or not, and I have this feeling in the last one-and-a-half years, he never played on this level how we played before, and now it’s time for changes. It’s time for changes!”

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The chance to work with Julian Nagelsmann, who has guided Hoffenheim to successive Champions League berths, excites Yussuf Poulsen.

RB Leipzig star Yussuf Poulsen relishes the opportunity to work with Julian Nagelsmann when the Hoffenheim sensation arrives in 2019.

Highly rated German head coach Nagelsmann – who turned down Real Madrid – will swap Hoffenheim for Bundesliga rivals Leipzig next season.

In the meantime, Ralf Rangnick will combine his role as Leipzig’s director of football with first-team coaching duties in 2018-19.

The Leipzig appointment came after a year of speculation linking Nagelsmann to the likes of Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Chelsea. 

The 31-year-old Nagelsmann took over Hoffenheim in February 2016, and led the club to a fourth-place finish in 2016-17 which saw them make the Champions League qualification stage.

Though elimination to Liverpool followed, Nagelsmann will guide Hoffenheim to the group stages this season in his swan song with the club after a third-place finish in 2017-18.

And the Denmark international Poulsen is excited to work with Nagelsmann when the opportunity arises in the 2019-20 season.

“Of course this is a top transfer. I’ve heard a lot of good from other players about him,” Poulsen said via Bild.

“Julian did a super job in Hoffenheim. I am looking forward to working under him.”

Interestingly, Poulsen was so busy with the World Cup with Denmark, who fell to eventual finalists Croatia on penalties in the round of 16, and his ensuing vacation that he was not aware of Rangnick taking over for this season. 

“The takeover of Ralf Rangnick as a coach with us, I have not noticed,” Poulsen admitted.

“I had my phone off on vacation, did not find out until the return flight a few days ago.”

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The full-back equalised for his nation with a wonderful volley, in the last-16 clash the eventual champions went on to win 4-3

Benjamin Pavard’s sensational volley against Argentina has been voted the World Cup’s goal of the tournament, FIFA has announced.

The full-back’s sweet strike with the outside of his right boot into the top-left corner had goalkeeper Franco Armani grasping at thin air as France levelled the thrilling last-16 encounter at 2-2 shortly before the hour.

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Kylian Mbappe’s quickfire brace set Les Bleus on their way to a 4-3 victory and eventual glory in the final over Croatia, but it was Pavard’s stunning effort that endured as the lasting memory of that run to lifting the trophy in Moscow.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Philippe Coutinho, Nacho Fernandez and Jesse Lingard all netted with spectacular efforts during the finals, with Argentina’s captain making the cut for his wonderful control and finish against Nigeria and Ronaldo gaining recognition for beating Spain’s David de Gea with a free-kick. 

But Pavard’s glorious volley – best viewed via slow-motion replay from an angle directly behind the defender – was voted as the best of the lot by fans from around the globe.

“The ball bounced up as it came to me. I didn’t even think about it. I just tried to get over it and keep it down,” Pavard told FIFA.com after the clash in Kazan.

“I was trying to hit it in the direction it came from, which is what the strikers always tell me. I didn’t think it over, and when it went in I just felt so happy.”

Pavard’s performances in Russia have seen him linked to a move away from Stuttgart, with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich said to be interested in taking the 22-year-old to the Allianz Arena.

A late bid from Paris Saint-Germain meant that Paul Pogba was close to leaving Manchester United in the summer transfer window, according to a report in Italy.

The Manchester United midfielder was keen on a move away from Old Trafford this summer and his situation is being monitored by a host of top European clubs including Juventus and Real Madrid.

Pogba currently has two years left on his contract, and United have an option to sign him for another year after that.

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However, Sky Italia (via SPORT) claims that Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola was ‘very close’ to ‘taking’ his client to PSG where his international team-mate Kylian Mbappe plays.

Despite efforts to push the deal through the ‘contacts between people and club did not reach any port that facilitated their arrival’ and Pogba remained at Old Trafford.

Pogba is likely to be missing until December and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said recently that Fred will step up to the plate for the Red Devils.

“Fred will probably take Paul’s position for a while now,” Solskjaer said.

“That’s been brilliant for us, but Andreas has grown in the last few games. His energy and chasing and running… he’s a different sort of (player) but he can play also in the central positions.

“There’s no use talking about who’s not going to be here for a long, long time because he’s not going to come on the pitch and help us until he’s fit.

“Paul’s been brilliant and he is a creative midfielder that we need, but then it is up to the others to step up.”

Marcus Rashford, Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire are doubts for Manchester United’s trip to Bournemouth after the trio picked up knocks in Wednesday’s 2-1 victory at Chelsea in the Carabao Cup.

United head to Bournemouth on Saturday looking for a fourth successive away win in all competitions, but boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits Rashford, Lindelof and Maguire need assessing.

“It’s still early,” the Norwegian said. “Hopefully we can get them back on the pitch tomorrow.

“They had some treatment yesterday, a little more treatment today, a light session and hopefully they’re ready. I can’t exactly tell you now.”

Paul Pogba remains sidelined with an ankle injury and Solskjaer does not expect him back until after the international break – the same timescale that Axel Tuanzebe, Nemanja Matic and Luke Shaw face.

“They’re not ready for tomorrow, that’s the update,” said Solskjaer, who has also been without Diogo Dalot. “Probably after the international break.

“That is always the risk if you push them back too early, but if we have the two extra weeks after the international break, they should all be ready for then.”

Those injuries make the trip to Bournemouth tougher, but United have dealt with such absentees admirably in recent games.

“It’s hard to evaluate after just 10 games and some cup games, but there have been some fine margins,” Solskjaer said.

“We’ve played really well at times. We’ve developed a team spirit, an identity, more intensity, aggression in the team and suffered a bit from injuries.”

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Jurgen Klopp has picked out Arsenal youngster Gabriel Martinelli as “a talent of the century” after Liverpool’s Carabao Cup victory over Arsenal on Wednesday.

Martinelli was seen as a signing for the future when he arrived from Ituano in the summer, however he has quickly made a case to be part of Unai Emery’s plans this season.

The 18-year-old hasn’t scored in his 45 minutes of Premier League action this season but he has bagged seven goals in four appearances in other competitions.

The Brazilian scored twice in Arsenal’s 5-4 loss on penalties against Liverpool after the Gunners had held the Reds 5-5 in normal time.

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“Sepp van den Berg as well, he played an incredible game,” Klopp told Liverpool‘s official website. “That’s really difficult to deal with these guys. Martinelli’s pretty much the same age but he’s a talent of the century, he’s an incredible striker, so it’s really difficult.

“Then you have Mesut Ozil around and Joe Willock right, who scored by the way a really nice one, so a team like Arsenal in a counter-attacking mood – we keep them deep, play around them, we lose the ball and then it’s really difficult.

“Caoimhin [Kelleher] did incredibly. He conceded five and I don’t know, I think the second one maybe could’ve been different but all the others were really difficult to save. He’s an outstanding talent and it’s wonderful that we could give him the opportunity.”

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Listen to the latest episode of our new 2000s football podcast, The Broken Metatarsal, featuring Dominic Matteo and comedian Micky P Kerr as we remember Leeds United’s run to the Champions League semi-finals.

You can find us on Audioboom and subscribe in all the usual places on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, CastBox, Deezer and RadioPublic.

Or you can just listen to the first episode right here.

Burnley boss Sean Dyche has revealed “prominent managers” have warned him he is hurting his career by his vociferous opposition to diving.

Dyche’s latest comments came last weekend after Callum Hudson-Odoi was booked for simulation in the box during Chelsea’s 4-2 victory at Turf Moor.

“We’ve got a meeting coming up with the Premier League and it is one of the talking points, so that could be interesting,” said Dyche. “I’m not backward in coming forward.

“I’ve been told by other prominent managers to stop going on about it because it will affect my career.

“I said, ‘Sorry, not my bag’. You have to be true to yourself and able to look at yourself in the mirror.”

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard and a number of media pundits defended Hudson-Odoi, citing a touch in his back by Matt Lowton.

Dyche feels he is a lone voice speaking out against diving and is perplexed by being made to feel like the villain.

The Clarets manager is particularly concerned by behaviour he witnesses at junior level.

He said: “Bear in mind I’ve been in football all my life, I’ve watched it all my life, at every age group, from seven, which my lad Max played in, through every age group, to the under-18s on Wednesday night, and people are going down with nothing wrong with them, and all that.

“And somehow I end up coming out of it the bad guy. I can’t fathom it at all.

“I keep meeting people – unless I only happen to meet the only people who don’t like diving – fans who’ve caned us, but then saying, ‘By the way, you were right though about diving’.

“I don’t know how it happens, people factually diving, feigning injury – which is even worse than diving – and I mention it, and people say I’m making excuses.

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“Eh? I’ve been making excuses for five years? How’s that then, we’re still in the Premier League, what excuses am I making?

“They all see it with their own eyes, yet it’s ‘No, I don’t think so, he touched his earlobe with his breath’. That makes it all right then.

“Even Gary (Lineker) makes a flippancy and has to retract it because he realised there is a serious side to it, and I have no problem with that either.

“But the flippancy is like ‘Ha ha ha, but I’d better quickly retract that’, because people will be, hang on a minute, you can’t have that, are you now promoting cheating in football?

“But it’s the same argument for me. If your kid cheats at a maths test, do you tell them, ‘Well done’?”

Last year, Spencer “Gorilla” Ealing won the 2017 FIFA eWorld Cup, a title he defends this week at London’s O2 Arena against 31 other FIFA pros

This week 32 of the best FIFA players from across the globe will be at London’s O2 arena for the FIFA eWorld Cup 2018 Grand Final.

As well as being named the best FIFA player in the world, the winner will take home $250,000 in prize money.

Ahead of three days of competitive FIFA, the current champion, Spencer “Gorilla” Ealing spoke to Goal about his chances, tactics and which footballers could one day make it big in FIFA.

Since you last spoke to Goal you’ve moved from Unilad eSports to Faze Clan. What sparked the move?

My contract had expired with UniLad and the chance to move over there at this time in my career was too good to miss. I don’t think it would have happened in FIFA 19 or FIFA 20. I never had anything bad with UniLad, I enjoyed the year I had with them, but I felt like I needed an established eSports organisation and they’ve been going forever. I think a lot of stuff will kick in with FIFA 19.

You’re in a tough group with MSDossary, Rafsou and Goal Machine. What’re your chances of topping the group?

My group is the hardest. I think it’s the hardest I’ve seen for a while. The likes of Rafsou, Sakul, MSDossary… a lot of top players, but the top four go through so I have some leeway. There’s a lot of top players and they’re going to take points off each other so I’m going to look to capitalise and win my games against them. I’m confident.

Who would you like to meet in the final?

The easiest game possible would be nice. For a fans perspective, I’d say Nicholas. He’s been one of the better players this year, especially on the Playstation side.

With all the new FUT cards coming out in the past couple of months, are you looking to play with any new players?

I’ve tried a lot of the players, I think I’ll try a couple of new ones. I think I’ll go with the 92 [Antonio] Valencia instead of Kyle Walker. I think maybe the 99 Luis Suarez instead of R9 Ronaldo, which is going to be a big decision to make. We will wait and see. We’ve not practiced at the event yet. I think a lot of players will end up using the new players a lot more, like Pogba.

Being at the O2, do you feel like you have home advantage?

For me, it does. The only tournaments I’ve won have been in London. I feel like I play much better at home. I don’t know why. I think it plays a massive part.

You’ve played against professional footballers, not just FIFA pros. Who’s been the best?

I’d probably say David Myler. He plays a hell of a lot at home. I played 2 vs 2 with Wilfred Zaha on my team against David Myler and my old Unilad teammate Shellz. He was surprisingly good. When you go into playing with footballers you never know if they’re going to be any good.

Could we see David Meyler competing in the future?

I’m not sure. He has his commitments with his team. I think he’s definitely up there and puts a lot of time into the game. I’ve played him a number of times and he’s pretty decent.

The summer has seen a flurry of transfer chat exchanged between the Serie A heavyweights, with several deals possible

Juventus forward Gonzalo Higuain is ready to swap Turin for Milan, while Leonardo Bonucci prepares to say farewell to the Rossoneri after a single season in order to return to his former club.

Goal can confirm that the Argentine is the subject of talks between his brother and agent, Nicolas, and new Milan director of football Leonardo, who both arrived at Casa Milan on Monday evening. 

If Pipita consents to a move, he will arrive at San Siro on an initial loan deal as Cristiano Ronaldo’s blockbuster arrival threatens to usher him out of the first team at the Old Lady. 

Milan will pay out €18 million (£16m/$21m) for a loan move, with an option to buy at the deal’s conclusion for another €36m (£32m/$42m).

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri declined to respond to the Higauin talk at a news conference on Monday, insisting that he is not involved in the discussions.

“I am not in charge of the transfer market, that is up to the club,” the Juve boss said ahead of their match against the MLS All-Stars on Wednesday.

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“I don’t even have a [senior] striker here, so let’s see [about transfers] because we still have to return to Italy.

“When the market closes on the 17th [of August] the Juventus squad will be as competitive as ever. The club has worked very well and after this week of work we will go back.

“After that, we’ll take stock of the window, which will be an excellent one regardless of what happens next.”

While Allegri may be potentially losing a striker, he could be reunited with former Juve defender Bonucci, as Higuain may not be the only player moving to and fro between Milan and Turin this summer. 

Unsettled at San Siro, Bonucci is keen to cut his losses and seal a move back to the team he abandoned last summer. 

If the defender does move, Juve youngster Mattia Caldara could see himself travelling in the opposite direction in a bid to reduce transfer costs. 

Both centre-backs have been mutually valued at €40m, making a swap viable, although Juve would also have to bear the brunt of Bonucci’s €5.5m a season salary demands. 

Chelsea, however, are also interested in 24-year-old Caldara, and could upset Milan’s plans after representatives of the Blues and Juventus met in Nice last week; Higuain, meanwhile, was not on the Londoners’ agenda.

The Chelsea manager has called on the striker to up his game amid serious links with the Juventus forward

Maurizio Sarri says he is still waiting for “the best” Alvaro Morata as he dodged a question about Chelsea targeting Gonzalo Higuain.

Morata impressed in a 1-1 International Champions Cup draw with Inter on Saturday, helping to create the opening goal for Pedro.

The Spain striker, omitted from his country’s World Cup squad, has been linked with a return to Serie A, where AC Milan are said to be keen on the 25-year-old.

Chelsea, in turn, are trying to lure Higuain to Stamford Bridge, with the Argentina attacker free to leave Juventus after their €112 million capture of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Sarri was offering no clues as to the possible transfer merry-go-round that could develop before next month’s deadlines across Europe, though, with Milan also reportedly a potential destination for Higuain.

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“I’m still waiting for the best Morata,” Sarri told reporters when asked about former Napoli striker Higuain after Chelsea triumphed on penalties in Nice on Saturday.

“In the first match Morata did not play very well, in Australia [in a 1-0 defeat of Perth Glory].

“But tonight, especially in the first 30 minutes, he improved a lot. I am satisfied and I am very confident in him for the future.”

Jorginho was particularly impressive against Inter as Sarri begins to impose his tactics and style of play on his new club.

“I like the sound. Sarri-ball, Sarri-ball, Sarri-ball. I like the sound. But I don’t know the meaning, really,” the Italian added. 

“Because we move the ball very quickly? This evening we moved the ball well, but I think not at the right speed.

“You have to move the ball at a great speed on the floor, otherwise we risk playing for 90 minutes with 75 per cent of possession but without scoring. So we have to improve on this.

“For Jorginho, this is a normal match. I think Jorginho has technical ability but he has a great spirit and mentality. So for this way of football, Jorginho is a wonderful player.”

Chelsea have been linked with a raft of players including Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Christian Pulisic and Higuain’s Juve colleague Daniele Rugani.

Sarri met Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich prior to Saturday’s match but he would not reveal any details about their conversation.

“It’s normal,” Sarri said. “I think it’s normal but also I think it was a private meeting so I don’t want to speak about this. I’m sorry!”