The NewFanzone World Soccer Report is a compilation of Top European and Global Football News Spanning League Fixtures, Results, News and Titbits.
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News from Germany;
– Bayern Munich sporting director Matthias Sammer has lamented that the finer points of Pep Guardiola’s coaching ability are lost on much of Germany’s football fans.
“The fact that not everyone thinks everything we do is great doesn’t affect our thinking,it is not yet understood in Germany how Pep thinks. The system does not change to shoot the team in the foot. This idea is apparently new to German football. Bayern are happy and grateful that we have a coach like Guardiola who proves himself again and again. He is hugely influencing German football with his thinking. As former professionals, [Hamann and Matthaus] should ask themselves why and how does someone like Guardiola makes a footballing choice. In the end I guess they can be happy they have something to discuss…
I’m not trying to be disrespectful, I only wish they were able to understand.” Sammer Said
– Borussia Monchengladbach have revealed they are in regular talks with Chelsea as they seek to make Thorgan Hazard’s loan deal permanent.
“Thorgan’s development has been exemplary,he needed some time at first, and we allowed him that. Now he is getting better all the time. I hope that we sign the player on a permanent deal. We are constantly talking to Chelsea.” Monchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl said
– Bayern Munich confirmed on Wednesday that 18-year-old midfielder, Gianluca Gaudino has signed his first professional contract.
News from France;
– PSG striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has showered praises on recently retired Thierry Henry. “He is a fantastic athlete. He has made real differences on the pitch. He was a genius as a player and even more so as a human being. He will leave a huge mark behind him. For football, I am sorry that he is stopping, there will be a hole now. But, at the same time, he has already become a legend in this sport.”Ibrahimovic said
– French Ligue 1 side,RC Lens say the financial watchdog of French football has partially lifted the transfer ban imposed on the club after they received 2.5 million euros from Azerbaijan investors.
News from Italy;
– Napoli Coach Rafa Benitez doesn’t want to talk about his contract situation – but says he’s declined two offer. “My contract? I don’t want to talk about it. The important thing is to improve. Does it affect the players? The situation is the same as it was before [wins over] Roma and Fiorentina. I want to win in the here and now. I’ve said no to two offers, because I’m the Coach of Napoli, for now I want to work here, then we’ll see. In the past 15 days I’ve turned down two offers, but I won’t tell you who.” He said
– Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal admits he has struggled to recapture his best form this season after a knee injury.
“It’s impossible for me to regret playing in the World Cup, despite my knee,It was a dream for me to play in that tournament, it was a great experience, from the squad, to the atmosphere to the confidence the Coach had in me. It was definitely the highlight of 2014. I had a bad injury at the end of last season, I’ve definitely not been at my best in the past few months, because I’m still trying to get back to 100 per cent. Clearly I’ve struggled, but 2015 will be better, I have great enthusiasm for it.” Vidal said
– Roma Coach Rudi Garcia has hit out on social media after being banned for two games for an altercation with a steward. “Following the unfounded accusations which have been levelled at me and the resulting sanctions, I denounce this intolerable attack on my honour and my reputation. Throughout my career as a footballer, an educator and a Coach I’ve shown exemplary behaviour which I have always maintained. I will not accept this attempt to sully my name by ascribing to me aggressive gestures which I did not commit, which I deplore and which are contrary to the way I was raised. I will fight with every means available to me to defend myself against these lies and injustices.” Garcia posted
– Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri will not face a touchline ban for tomorrow’s Cagliari game, after having his sentence reduced.
The FIGC Appeals Court has partially upheld Allegri’s appeal, reducing his punishment to a €10,000 fine with an official warning for his conduct.
News from Spain;
– Barcelona coach Luis Enrique says there is still time for full-back Martin Montoya to turn the situation around and secure a long-term future at the Camp Nou. “When [Montoya] trains I can see the level and potential that he has,i know him. Any player can turn around any situation. This opportunity has come up for him, and he played very well. For me, it is fantastic to be able to choose.” Luis Enrique said
– Xavi has revealed he one day hopes to follow in the footsteps of Pep Guardiola and make the transition from Barcelona midfielder to club coach. “Hopefully. I want to remain in this house in whatever capacity that is. I have little football left, it is clear. I can feel it in my body, I find it harder to recover, I meter out my effort, I don’t have the spark to play every three days. I can feel it.” Xavi said
– According to reports in Brazil,Real Madrid have had a second offer for midfielder Lucas Silva turned down by Cruzeiro.
– Atlético de Madrid president Enrique Cerezo refused to answer reporters’ questions about the arrests made over the brawl that resulted in the death of Deportivo fan ‘Jimmy’ Romero Taboada, stating that the club has nothing to add on the subject. “We’ve done and said all we’re going to. Ask the people who are dealing with the matter, the police, not us”, Cerezo stated.
News from England;
– Radamel Falcao says he still want to sign a long-term deal with Manchester United, despite being left on the bench for their last four matches. “Obviously I have to analyse the situation, see if I play more and see what decision the board takes. But from my point of view, I really want to stay. I am very happy in this city, in this club and I am enjoying it here.”
He added: “I am very well. I’m almost at 100 percent now. Let’s see wait and see what the decision of the coach is, when he wants to use me more. We talk a lot, the coach and I. He has a philosophy that I respect. I have had an injury, and I have had to wait for the opportunity to play.” Falcao said
– Liverpool defender Glen Johnson is facing a month out after tearing a groin muscle during Sunday’s 3-0 Premier League defeat at Manchester United.
– Former Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas says none of his transfer targets, such as Oscar and Willian, were purchased. “I ended up leaving by mutual agreement – it wasn’t a sacking – because I gave full support to the football director Franco Baldini who meanwhile had other ambitions, meaning that I ended up with players that did not fit the profile I wanted. The chairman proposed a challenge to increase Tottenham’s competitive level, but immediately Modric left and we didn’t get any of the targets I had identified, such as Joao Moutinho, Willian, Oscar or Leandro Damiao. These were promises that were not kept. I had a group of players I had not chosen. In two years I lost Van der Vaart, Modric, Bale, and all the promises made were unfulfilled. In any event I don’t look at my time at Tottenham as a negative experience. It was an experience I needed to have.” Villas-Boas said
– QPR goalkeeper Rob Green has questioned the timing of Simon Mignolet’s dropping at Liverpool, but backed him to come back stronger. “How do you define indefinitely? It’s indeterminate – maybe he’ll be back sooner than you’d expect,at some point keepers need a time out – it’s strange keeping him for the Champions League and removing him straight afterwards when he didn’t do a lot wrong, but that’s the manager’s decision. Simon will work hard and come back stronger.” He told Sky Sports
– Jose Fonte has apologised to Southampton’s fans after their 1-0 League Cup quarter-final defeat to Sheffield United on Tuesday. “It was not acceptable. I would firstly like to apologise to the fans, they didn’t deserve this. That is not us. Given the last games we have lost, we played and we showed that we are better than the opposition and we had the opportunities to win and deserved more from them games. But after Tuesday night, I am disappointed obviously and I am angry because we had a great opportunity to go and do something special and we just blew it.” he told the club’s official YouTube channel.
News from other parts of the world;
– Michael Garcia, the American lawyer who led the investigation into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid process, has resigned from the FIFA ethics committee in protest over the handling of his findings. Garcia cited a “lack of leadership” at the top of FIFA in a resignation statement on Wednesday.
– Ally McCoist will remain Rangers manager following a meeting with board members despite handing in his notice.
– Midfielder Ricardo Goulart is confident staying at Cruzeiro will help him earn international recognition. “My plan is to stay with Cruzeiro. Playing for Cruzeiro helped me get called up. After a busy season it’s now time to take a break and prepare for next year. If I’m playing well then I hope Dunga will select me for the Copa América.” He said
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