Antonio Conte can be accused of many things; being obsessed with climbing the managerial ladder is not among them.
On July 15 he resigned his post as Juventus manager despite three straight Serie A titles and the prospect of more. On Tuesday, 35 days later, he put pen to paper to become the Italy boss. It's not that coaching Italy is necessarily a step down. It's just that a cold-hearted, cost-benefit analysis that some of his colleagues might make would reveal that it's an unnecessary gamble. The "safer" option? Announce a sabbatical, a la Pep Guardiola. Travel Europe, do some networking, learn English (and Spanish, while you're at it), and be ready when the next big job opens up. That's how you get top gigs in the globalized football landscape. Instead, he risks blotting his CV in a bad way. For a start, he was the hand-picked choice of new Italian FA boss Carlo Tavecchio and, at least in part, such filth does rub off on people. (Tavecchio, you'll recall, is the guy who made the "banana-eaters" comment and then delivered the standard "I'm not racist, if I've offended anyone, I'm sorry ..." line. A more appropriate response would have been: "I'm not racist, my record proves it. But what I said was offensive and unacceptable and I apologize without reservation. I need to be educated on this subject because racial prejudice is a very real problem and this must never happen again.") Beyond that, you have to ask what Conte needs to do with Italy to improve his career prospects. Win Euro 2016? Reach the final while playing sparkling football? That would probably do it. Anything else would range from the disastrous to the "meh." Achieving success in knockout competitions is far more of a gamble than doing well with a top team, simply because you don't get second chances. For Italy fans though, that's the good news. If Conte took the job, it means one of two things (or a combination of both): He genuinely believes he can do well and/or he doesn't view it as a stepping stone but rather something he truly wants to do and is excited about. This -- plus the obvious fact that over the past three seasons he has proved himself to be one of the best managers around -- are the positives in Conte's appointment. The negatives? Well, his record in knockout tournaments isn't great. In 2012-13, Juventus were nonchalantly swatted away by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals, an 0-4 aggregate score that didn't fully illustrate the Germans' superiority. Last season, they were eliminated in the group stage in decidedly un-Conte fashion. They held their own against Real Madrid but then dropped points against the likes of Copenhagen and Galatasaray despite generally outplaying both. They dropped into the Europa League and looked to be marching to the finals, but found themselves bounced by Benfica in the semis in an ill-tempered clash. Conte also doesn't have a great record of pushing youngsters -- unless you're talking about world-beaters like Paul Pogba -- and his teams have felt, at times, somewhat one-dimensional. Then again, when you have a side that's steamrolling the opposition, it's rather tough to drop your starters for one of the kids. And the "one-dimensional" charge has been levelled at the likes of Guardiola, Vicente del Bosque and Arsene Wenger, too; if it's working, it may be one-dimensional but it's the right dimension. The main challenge for Conte is building on all the good work Cesare Prandelli did for four years right up until the final two group games in Brazil, when he lost the plot entirely. And that's a tough act to follow. It's often said that a coach doesn't need to be likeable -- he just has to deliver. It's true that you can frequently act like an ogre and play awful football but as long as you get the results, you'll be fine. But when you manage the national team, the job description is rather different. There really is nothing for Conte to deliver until June 2016 and the European championship. Qualifying, given the expanded field of 24 (Italy are in a group with Croatia, Norway, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan and Malta and the top two advance, with the third-place nation going into the playoffs), won't get him any gold stars. Results in friendlies impress nobody. What Conte needs to do is galvanize and energize a fan base that only seems to care about the Azzurri once they reach the quarterfinals of a major tournament -- and one that is profoundly disillusioned after the disaster in Brazil this summer. Prandelli managed to do that. He played attractive football, he took frequent stands against racism and homophobia and he demanded his players adopt certain standards (the much-discussed "ethical code"). His Italy team were fun to watch, they made you feel as if they had a broader message and Prandelli himself was likeable. Conte has already said he won't keep the ethical code but that he'll make decisions on a case-by-case basis. It's not that his football is unattractive, but he certainly doesn't seem like someone who places aesthetics above results, as Prandelli sometimes did. (Again, that's not a bad thing if you want to win things but it's not ideal if you're also part salesman and part P.T. Barnum, as the Italy coach needs to be.) It's not that Conte is unlikeable, either. In fact, over the past few seasons he has been self-deprecating and more laid-back than in the past. But in a country where club allegiance defines you, he is 100 percent a Juventus guy. And not just any Juve guy but one who, when asked how many league titles the bianconeri have won, counts to 32, while his employers at the Italian FA and most Juve haters stop at 30, leaving out the two that were revoked following the Calciopoli scandal. Prandelli, of course, was also a Juventus alumnus. Indeed, every Italy boss since Cesare Maldini who left in 1998 has coached or played for Juve. But none of them have been as closely identified with the club as Conte, who spent a total of 16 years there as player and then manager. And all his predecessors achieved success elsewhere, whereas Conte's résumé is almost entirely Juve-based. Juventus have historically been the most successful Italian club and have dominated Serie A for the past three years. When you do that -- rightly or wrongly -- it's hard to be liked by your rivals. There's a natural polarizing effect. And being Italy boss, especially right now, has got to be about fostering unity. These are hurdles he needs to overcome, but they're not insurmountable obstacles. And the fact that Conte is willing to challenge himself and put his reputation at risk, rather than simply looking for the next stepping stone, says a lot about the man's character. Still, there's a tough road ahead. And no shortage of folks who want to see him fail.
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Chelsea have solved a problem with the capture of Diego Costa, but it may be Cesc Fabregas that takes them to the next level, writes Adam Bate.
After so much had been written about Chelsea's striker problems last season, the way Diego Costa rammed home his first goal at Turf Moor served as a stunning punctuation mark. A full stop has been punched on that phase in the development of this Chelsea team. The page can be turned. However, there was a more subtle difference in the Chelsea team that saw off Burnley that was nevertheless no more difficult to spot. The sight of Cesc Fabregas prompting and probing in midfield threatens to transform this Chelsea side into an altogether more impressive outfit. Of course, the striker issue was the most overt of concerns and had to be addressed. How could it not be when Demba Ba and Fernando Torres managed five Premier League goals apiece last season and the bench of the bunch,Samuel Eto'o, didn't register once away from Stamford Bridge. But there was always a suspicion that the limitations of Chelsea's attacking play were apparent even before the ball reached the 18-yard box. It wasn't merely that quality chances were being missed. After all, Eto'o's movement inside the area remains high quality. It was that ideas seemed to be lacking. When denied space in which to counter-attack, the approach involved lots of stroking the ball from side to side before sending crosses into the centre of merely hoping for a moment of magic from Eden Hazard. Those line-breaking passes, the ability to see and execute a forward pass that takes opponents out of the game, were missing. These are the types of passes that make a difference, and against deep and congested defences that sort of delivery has to come quickly in order to be effective. In that respect, Burnley always looked likely to provide an intriguing case study for this new-look Chelsea team. Before the game, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher in the Sky Sports studio had compared the trip to Turf Moor to the challenge of facing Crystal Palace. It made sense as Chelsea would be up against a well-organised team determined to remain compact. But there was a key difference here and it was in the personnel of Jose Mourinho's line-up. For the defeat at Palace in March, Mourinho had started with David Luiz and Frank Lampard alongside Nemanja Matic. Both Luiz and Lampard are comfortable on the ball but they are not necessarily players likely to find that penetrative pass at speed. On Monday, Chelsea had that capability in abundance. This was the Cesc Fabregas effect. It was there for the first goal. Burnley were defending the danger zone but found themselves sucked in so narrow that the awareness of Fabregas left them vulnerable. A pass in the opposite direction to the way he was facing, flicked with the back of his heel into the path of Andre Schurrle, was too good. Schurrle's pass eventually found its way to Costa for the striker to blast home. It was there for the sublime second too. With everyone in the stadium expecting Fabregas to take a swing at goal from Branislav Ivanovic's centre, instead the Spaniard's training kicked in - a professional lifetime spent schooled at Arsenal and Barcelona. He went for the extra pass and within two touches the ball was in the back of the net courtesy of Schurrle. Chelsea were ahead. Frank Lampard, the enduring Chelsea hero whose name was still chanted by the visiting fans at Burnley, would surely have shot. He'd probably have scored too. But there could hardly have been a better example of a player showing what a club has been missing than Fabregas' act of taking a very different decision. Gus Poyet spoke of Sunderland's willingness to put bodies in the way of shots after his team's win at Stamford Bridge last season - Mourinho's first and only Premier League defeat at Stamford Bridge. Against Lampard it might have worked. Against Fabregas they'd have looked as foolish as firemen rushing to the wrong fire. By the time the midfielder whipped in the cross for the third goal the point had been more than made. Fabregas had his second direct assist of the game and thus became the first man to get two assists so far this season as well as being one of only two - Stevan Jovetic was the other - to have played two successful through-balls in the opening round of fixtures. It earned him the champagne. "You gave Cesc the man of the match and I completely agree," Mourinho told Sky Sports afterwards. "He was the maestro and controlled the tempo of the game with Matic. "He dictated the speed and intensity of the game. We need that kind of midfielder that dictates the intensity in the centre." It should be no surprise that Mourinho knew what was needed. It was missing last season and now it's here. The partnership between Fabregas and Matic might even have the potential for greatness, given this is a pairing that between them can cover just about the complete range of skills that any midfield could possibly want. And that just about sums up this Chelsea side right now - pace and skill in the wide areas, power in defence and attack, and now greater creativity in the centre of midfield. "They can hurt you in many different ways," said Burnley boss Sean Dyche. In Cesc Fabregas, Mourinho's Chelsea have just found another way. Never write off Ronaldo
With his slick-backed hair and hulking muscles, Gareth Bale had not only stolen the signature look of Cristiano Ronaldo in the lead-up to the UEFA Super Cup, he had robbed the Portuguese of the limelight. Returning to Cardiff, playing in a stadium just four miles south of where he first honed his 85-million-pound talent at Whitchurch High School, it was all about Bale's return to South Wales. The talk was of how Real Madrid's newly Herculean No. 11 could carry the burden of expectation. Real would no longer be all about Ronaldo, last seen unfit and unimpressive for Portugal at the World Cup. Only, they are still all about Ronaldo. Bale is certainly capable of taking on that mantle -- he showed as much last season with decisive interventions in both the Copa del Rey and Champions League final -- but for now, Ronaldo remains the main man. The Portuguese boasts frightening statistics aplenty and it is Sevilla who can justifiably be the most fearful. A match-winning brace in Cardiff extended Ronaldo's record to 18 goals in 12 games against the Andalusians -- he has scored more goals against them than any other side since moving to Spain. Ronaldo's role in clinching La Decima in Lisbon three months ago may have only been that of cake-icer, but La Segunda -- the admittedly less-illustrious-sounding second Super Cup triumph for Real Madrid -- was secured thanks to him. Bale was the provider for the opener, swinging his luminous left foot at the ball and finding Ronaldo, who in turn found a sliding fish. The Portuguese had looked a little rusty at the off, understandable after a long fitness battle that stretches back to April, but by the time the deadlock had broken, he had settled into the game -- performing an uproarious mid-air back-heel to nudge the ball to James Rodriguez and delight the Cardiff crowd. In the second half, Ronaldo cemented his place front and centre of the European stage he loves so much. Karim Benzema's neat pass left was controlled, before a left-foot shot thundered beyond the grasp of Beto -- Sevilla's Europa League final penalty shootout hero in Turin last May. It has been 12 long years since Real last graced the Super Cup. That 3-1 victory over Feyenoord preceded a La Liga title-winning campaign, and if Ronaldo continues in this vein, it is difficult to see Carlo Ancelotti & Co. being denied domestic honours this season. Exploring new Galacticos When the team sheets were dished out at the Cardiff City Stadium, they were greeted with head-scratching from the assembled media. The neutrals may have been salivating at the prospect of Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema, James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric all starting in the same XI, but surely the accommodation of more than 100 million euros of new talent would result in a potentially disastrous absence of balance? The midfield two of Modric and Kroos posed the biggest conundrum. The prospect of overlooking Sami Khedira and Xabi Alonso this season seems reminiscent of the sale of Claude Makelele almost a decade ago, a decision that -- driven by Florentino Perez's obsession with Galacticos -- resulted in a sharp decline in Los Blancos' fortunes. Yes, Modric had some experience playing in such an attackingly adventurous formation when he partnered Ivan Rakitic in Croatia's midfield at the World Cup, but a tough-tackling general he is not, while Kroos had the security of Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger filling that brief alongside him at Bayern Munich last season. In Cardiff, both patiently patrolled but it was new boy Kroos who really caught the eye. Exerting poise and control on each occasion the ball was at his feet, the World Cup winner oozed confidence and threw himself into challenge after challenge -- although one second-half lunge resulted in a booking. There were crossfield balls and interceptions, but it was Kroos' meticulous passing that really made him a metronomic presence in the Real midfield. His positional discipline will face sterner tests against more-expansive opponents than Sevilla this season, but the early signs appear good for Real. Real's other big-money arrival was a little less prevalent and one feels it may take a little time to slot the precocious James into a position that best benefits the Colombian and his teammates. Consigned to the left for most of the game, it was difficult for James to wield any influence but there were glimpses of the sort of guile that saw him dazzle at the World Cup, notably a rasping shot that Beto superbly tipped away to deny him a debut goal. Sevilla stripped May's Europa League triumph must already seem an age ago for Sevilla. The departure of captain Ivan Rakitic has, as expected, left a hole in the team that seems impossible to fill. Sevilla's status as a selling club is a pragmatic position that has seen sporting director Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo commendably maintain success over a decade that has seen the Andalusians lose the likes of Sergio Ramos, Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo. It is the long-term strategy but in the short term, it has a detrimental effect on the first team. Denis Suarez is an exuberant replacement for Rakitic but is too raw to step into the Croatian's boots. Even against Real's forward-thinking midfield, he was unable to find the spaces that Rakitic so often proved adept at floating between. In midfield, too, Sevilla lacked authority. Stephane Mbia was a buccaneering addition on loan last season and his energy levels were almost otherworldly in 120 minutes against Benfica in Turin three months ago. Grzegorz Krychowiak has been brought in from Reims in his stead to partner Daniel Carrico -- he was completely overrun by Real's glut of Galacticos but it was admittedly a baptism of fire -- two outstanding years in French football still bode well. Another player appears to be on his way, too. Left-back Alberto Moreno -- about whom Unai Emery stated in his pregame news conference "I expect him to play for us tomorrow" -- was nowhere to be seen in the XI or the substitutes bench. The claim that Emery had dropped him to avoid the prospect of a difficult night against Ronaldo and Bale forcing his price down provoked sniggers among many in Cardiff. In reality, it seems an 18-million-euro move to Liverpool already awaits, with the Spanish full-back tearful as he reappeared to embrace his teammates after the game. It has been a summer of upheaval at Anfield with one overriding departure looming above all else and a host of new signings all now hoping to find a place in a team that came so close to the most unexpected of title triumphs last season.
Liverpool have recouped £75 million through the sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona and invested heavily elsewhere but will be wary of 'Gareth Bale syndrome' - with Spurs losing their star man a year ago and bringing in a number of underwhelming replacements. Adam Lallana (Southampton, £25m), Dejan Lovren (Southampton, £20m), Lazar Markovic(Benfica, £20m), Divock Origi (Lille, £10m, loaned straight back), Emre Can (Bayer Leverkusen, £9.75m), Javier Manquillo (Atletico Madrid, loan) and Rickie Lambert (Southampton, £4m) are the players signed by Rodgers and they supply vital squad depth for the club's return to the Champions League. With all of their new signings having the necessary quality to play from the start, and with Rodgers also known to switch tactics multiple times in one game, let alone a season, Liverpool's starting XI is rather more difficult to predict than those of their rivals. [HOW WILL MANCHESTER CITY LINE UP THIS SEASON?] Here are the three biggest issues surrounding Liverpool's tactical formation this season... REPLACING THE IRREPLACEABLE Last season, Luis Suarez scored 31 goals and claimed 12 assists in 33 games in what was one of the most potent campaigns ever seen in the English top flight. Liverpool cannot replace him like-for-like - so how will they reconfigure their attack now the Uruguayan has departed? With a deal for Loic Remy falling down on a failed medical, boyhood Liverpool fan Rickie Lambert is so far the only new striker to arrive at Anfield this summer. He remains rather underrated and has impressive technique, but in truth lacks the qualities to play as a wide forward as Suarez could. If Rodgers uses him, it should be through the centre, which could have a knock-on effect for Daniel Sturridge. [BARCELONA ADMIT TAPPING UP SUAREZ BEFORE WORLD CUP] Sturridge, who is currently struggling with a hamstring injury and scored an impressive 21 league goals last season, can play as a wide forward and indeed it is a role he performed with distinction when first emerging into the Chelsea team under Andre Villas-Boas. If Lambert does force his way into the starting XI, then Rodgers could accommodate both players in the formation laid out below. Note: For now we are working with the midfield and defence which Liverpool finished last season with. Other new signings will be slotted in as we progress. However, Sturridge has said repeatedly throughout his career that he sees himself as a central striker, and it seems desperately unlikely that Rodgers will move him from his favoured position now he is the leading figure in the Liverpool attack. He is more likely to play in conjunction with his England team-mate in Liverpool's diamond formation which served them so well when they started using it regularly in the second half of last season. [LAMBERT'S STUNNING RUN OF PENALTIES COMES TO AN END] In the team below, Lambert slots straight into the Suarez position, with Gerrard dropping deep behind Coutinho and Jordan Henderson and the brilliant Raheem Sterling, who has shone again in pre-season, playing at the tip of the diamond as he did with elan last season. In truth, a straight swap of Lambert for Suarez does represent something of a nasty comedown for Liverpool and Rodgers may instead opt to use the former Saints striker from the bench as a impact sub. If so, that brings some of Liverpool's other summer signings into play, notably Lazar Markovic. The 20-year-old arrives from Benfica with a huge reputation and with the ability to terrify full-backs with his pace and trickery. He would naturally slot into the Liverpool team as a devilish left-sided forward in the 4-3-3 formation which Liverpool used in December when Sturridge was absent, with two players flanking Suarez in attack. This season, though, it seems perfectly designed for the England man. As well as Markovic, Liverpool have also signed Adam Lallana who can play in the wide positions in this formation. The £25m signing from Southampton misses the start of the season due to injury but with nine goals and six assists last season it's clear he can do damage in an advanced role, which is where he is used by England too. And let's not forget that Liverpool also have Coutinho, who was excellent in 2013-14 as he picked out pass after glorious pass for his team-mates, and scored five goals. [RUMOUR: LIVERPOOL MAKE £18M BID FOR LAVEZZI] Rodgers is blessed with plenty of options in the two wide positions - with England star Sterling prime amongst them and an almost certain starter. And, while they cannot compensate for the loss of Suarez, Liverpool do have a variety of talents who can help to bring the best out of Sturridge . CAN WE FORESEE A CHANGE IN MIDFIELD? Long-serving midfielder Lucas Leiva looks poised to rejoin Rafa Benitez on loan at Napoli and Liverpool do have a new option to help anchor their midfield: Emre Can. Still only 20, the formerBayern Munich midfielder is accomplished in possession but has also embellished his reputation for physical strength by flattening Micah Richards in pre-season and bullying Mario Balotelli off the ball in another friendly. His skill set lends itself to a deep role and he has been mooted as the long-term replacement forSteven Gerrard. However, with the captain very much in favour, Can could slot in alongside his new team-mate and Jordan Henderson to form a formidable midfield trio against the stronger teams in the Premier League and in tricky away ties. What was made clear at the World Cup is that Gerrard needs to play in a midfield three or he will be exposed. Henderson is also certain to start alongside him after performing to a consistently high level last season - so really there is only one spot up for grabs. Can should feature relatively frequently but against weaker teams or when Liverpool are playing at home, he could be replaced by Coutinho or Lallana, removed from the front three to add some more invention and attacking impetus in midfield. Joe Allen is also an option but his first-team chances look to be continually receding. While Liverpool will always play with a midfield three to protect and get the best out of Gerrard, ruling out a 4-2-3-1 formation, they are blessed with the playing staff to either use a diamond with two strikers ahead of that three or line up with an attacking trident. [RODGERS WARNS VAN GAAL: YOU ARE IN FOR A SHOCK] Even within the 4-3-3 formation there are different emphases Liverpool can place on the team. This is promising for a manager as flexible and imaginative as Rodgers, who will also have a European campaign to occupy him this season. ALL CHANGE AT THE BACK? So far we have assumed Liverpool's back four will remain intact, but of course that is not the case. Most notably, Dejan Lovren has joined from Southampton in a £20m deal after an excellent first season in English football and will slot straight into the back four. Alongside him will likely be Martin Skrtel, a player whom Rodgers was initially not sold on but became a vital presence last season, scoring seven goals and only missing two games. Of Liverpool's other centre-backs, Daniel Agger has declined and has been linked with a move away from the club, Kolo Toure has proven rather error-prone and Mamadou Sakho has failed to command a regular first-team role. Skrtel and Lovren are expected to form Rodgers' central partnership, but Liverpool have impressive depth in the position if they require cover. But there could also be a change in the full-back positions. Persistent reports suggest Liverpool are close to signing Spain inernational Alberto Moreno for around £16m and it can be assumed he will go straight into the side as the left-back position has been a persistent position for Rodgers, with players such as Jose Enrique and Aly Cissokho proving inadequate. By far the best solution has been Jon Flanagan, who earned a place on England's standby list for the World Cup thanks to his eye-catching performances last season, earning him the nicknames 'Red Cafu' and 'Flanny Alves' for his Brazilian-esque bursts down the flank. However, his favoured position is actually on the right and Glen Johnson's place appears under real threat, not least as a loan deal for Atletico Madrid's Manquillo has also been completed. Rodgers described Johnson as "one of the best full-backs in the world" last season but Liverpool fans have been rather less enamoured with his defending, and recently pilloried the England international for his performance in a pre-season friendly against Manchester United. After five years of service, following an £18m move from Chelsea, maybe Johnson is finally on borrowed time at Anfield. [OVERREACTION THEATRE: CANCEL HIS VISA AND LEAVE HIM IN AMERICA] All of which means this is the starting XI we expect Liverpool to adopt once their new signings have settled in and all their players are fit, with Can swapping in and out depending on the quality of the opposition: CONCLUSION After losing their best player and trying to bed in a number of new signings it is unrealistic to expect that Liverpool will be able to replicate their success of challenging for the title last season. With the Champions League also a pressing demand, a place in the top four is a more achievable target but competition will be fierce with Chelsea and Manchester City looking formidable, Manchester United enjoying fresh hope under Louis van Gaal and Arsenalpurchasing well this summer. The lack of a quality replacement striker for Suarez means Liverpool would be best served reverting to a 4-3-3 formation and if Markovic lives up to the billing then their front line will be a dangerous prospect. Lallana also offers Premier League class, while Can allows flexibilty in midfield, but even if Liverpool's new signings all bed in quickly it is hard to avoid the conclusion they will not be the same without Suarez. Xavi Hernandez has announced his retirement from an international career that saw him win Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 for Spain.
The Barcelona midfielder confirmed at a news conference on Tuesday that he will focus on club football after deciding to prolong his stay at the Camp Nou. "I think my time there [for Spain] has finished," he said. "I am happy to enter a new stage at Barca. I think that at the end of the season we will achieve things." The 34-year-old quits La Furia Roja after earning 133 senior caps, the most for Spain as an outfield player and second only to goalkeeper and national team captain Iker Casillas, who has 156 caps. Xavi played a key role in eras of unprecedented success for both club and country. He has won three Champions Leagues and seven La Liga titles with Barcelona and, alongside clubmate Andres Iniesta, formed the midfield base around which Spain's recent dominance was built. His consistently accurate and incisive passing defined the "tiki-taka" style pioneered by former Spain coach Luis Aragones, which saw the national side claim their first major trophy for 44 years by winning the 2008 European Championship in Austria and Switzerland. Under Aragones' successor, Vicente del Bosque, Xavi continued to pull the strings as Spain won their first World Cup in 2010 and then retained their European crown in Poland and Ukraine two years later. He was named in the team of the tournament at all three competitions, and was named on the shortlist for the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2009 and the newly unified FIFA Ballon d'Or in each of the the following two years. Xavi only made one appearance in Spain's calamitous defence of their World Cup crown in Brazil in June. He started their opening 5-1 defeat to Netherlands, but was dropped for the 2-0 defeat to Chile which sealed their exit from the competition at the group stage. That disastrous campaign came after Barcelona had failed to retain their Spanish league title, losing out to Atletico Madrid in their final match of the season. After that series of setbacks, Xavi admitted that he had considered leaving the club he had been with since he was a child, but was convinced to reject offers from clubs in MLS and the Middle East to stay in his native Catalonia. "I finished the season with two disappointments and I abruptly decided to tell the club that I would be leaving at this stage," he told a news conference. "But they have convinced me that I can still be important for the club. I want to thank the patience of the club. "[Coach] Luis Enrique is the key man to take this club forward. I have spoken with him three or four times this summer and I have good vibes. Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov believes the club's nine-year trophy drought could have been avoided had the Gunners not gone into debt to build the Emirates Stadium.
Arsene Wenger's men beat Hull in last season's FA Cup final to claim their first piece of silverware since winning the same competition in 2005 with a penalty shoot-out victory over Manchester United. Arsenal played just one more season at their old Highbury home after that victory before moving to the Emirates in 2006 and are now starting to see the commercial benefits of the 60,000-seater stadium, with new revenue streams coming into force which have allowed them to be more aggressive in the transfer market. But Usmanov, whose Red & White Holdings group own just over 30 per cent of the club but are yet to be represented on the board, believes alternative financing of the new ground could have brought a fresh trophy to the internal roll of honour which runs around the stadium faster. "I think that Arsenal's planning was based on acquiring the new stadium, a decision taken by the previous owners," he told the Daily Telegraph. "The acquisition was financed with debt, which would be repaid through match-day revenues among other sources. "There is another way of doing it: when shareholders buy all of the assets and contribute them to the club. As a result, these debt-free assets may generate income for the club. "It is always up to the shareholders to choose which model to adopt. "The board and main shareholders chose the debt option at the time, which led to Arsenal going almost 10 years without winning a domestic title or the Champions League. "The first trophy only arrived in the 10th year. "As a result of this choice, they were selling players and were unable to buy top players. "These difficulties have now been overcome and the team is in a good state; the club's finances are in order and I believe that Arsene Wenger and the club's CEO (Ivan Gazidis) will manage them correctly." Usmanov has never been afraid to voice concerns over the direction of the club, and wrote an open letter in 2012 criticising what he saw as too prudent an approach within the self-sustaining business model. But with the Gunners spending big to acquire Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez in the past two summers, the Uzbek billionaire believes Wenger's team can now challenge for more silverware "The club is very well placed to succeed," he said. "I think we begin a new era for Arsenal where we win trophies. That is most important for football. "In my opinion, in line with the existing rules, the club has the correct decision-making process in place, including their selection policy, especially now, when they have the means to buy the best players." Bundesliga - Henry: Forget Ronaldo and Messi, Mueller's the real hero Thierry Henry has paid tribute to Germany's World Cup winner Thomas Mueller insisting he is a better role model than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
As the Major League All-Star side prepare to face Bayern Munich and Mueller in a glamour friendly on Wednesday, Henry was also quick to heap praise on the France winger Franck Ribery for his contribution in recent years. Ribery was known to be unhappy last year when he was overlook for the Ballon d'or as Ronaldo collected it ahead of Messi. Perhaps he will take some solace in the words of World Cup winner Henry. Former Arsenal forward Henry said: "Stepovers, tricks, that's not the game "The game is what Thomas Mueller is doing. If I had a son right now, playing, I would say to him 'look at them, look at (Franck) Ribery, look at Muller.' What Ronaldo does, and Messi, they're just freaks. Don't try to copy those guys. You can copy from Ribery, you can copy from Thomas Mueller." "What he (Mueller) did at the World Cup, people don't talk about it," continued the former France international. "They don't talk about it, but they should talk about it. He plays the game the right way: he defends, he attacks, he controls the ball when he has to control it, he reverses when he has to reverse it. When he has to finish, he'll finish. "He doesn't do stepovers, but when he has to perform, he performs. He does what the game asks him to do." Are Arsenal going to continue their spending? Will Barcelona get another defender? Who wants Tom Cleverley? It's all here in Transfer Talk...
Short but sweet... O Jogo have an interesting line in their paper that suggests Arsenal are going back in for midfield enforcer William Carvalho from Sporting Lisbon. He's a fearsome prospect, capable of tackling two people on his own, and he's become a gossip column regular. It's curious, though, that O Jogo's website report on Arsenal's interest just about makes a full 140-character tweet. But what it lacks in detail, it makes up for in juiciness -- they say a 30 million-euro bid will be made before the end of the week. Arsenal could look to bring in defensive midfielder William Carvalho from Sporting by the end of the week. Praise be! It's finally happening! Eliaquim Mangala has been linked to Manchester City for well over a year and earlier this summer, pictures of the Porto defender in England emerged. Then came more leaks, this time of Mangala being interviewed by City's in-house web team. And yet still no transfer was announced. Time has ticked and tocked but finally, it appears official confirmation is on it's way (for seemingly the 233,343rd time). The Daily Mail say his 32 million-pound move to City will be completed this week. Hooray! Cuadrado's whopping price tag Barcelona have had a curious transfer window so far; Luis Suarez's headline-grabbing arrival aside, their tactics in the market have been questioned andJeremy Mathieu says he will silence the doubters over his arrival. Luis Enrique is eager to improve his side further but my oh my, it'll cost him.Marca reckon top target Juan Cuadrado's mooted move to the Nou Camp is in serious jeopardy because of Fiorentina's quite astronomical price tag of 50 million euros. Will Barca walk away from that deal now? No Boateng move Seems Barca didn't take too kindly being linked to Bayern Munich's Jerome Boateng -- SPORT have the scoop on the Nou Camp giants denying any interest. Alves exit? To use transfer window parlance, Dani Alves is heading for "crunch talks" with Barcelona over his future. After gallivanting in Ibiza with Neymar and Paris Hilton, the Brazilian is back for preseason training on Tuesday and heading for a showdown with Enrique over his future. SPORT in Spain reckon the two Milan clubs are interested but they believe Alves fancies a switch to the Premier League. Now, which club could do with a marauding full-back that suits a high pressing system? Spurs to play the waiting game Southampton may be adamant Morgan Schneiderlin and Jay Rodriguezwon't leave the club this summer but it's hard to take their word for it when so many have left already. Tottenham are the latest vulture eager to pick at the carcass, with the star duo in former manager Mauricio Pochettino's sights. The Evening Standard say Spurs are biding their time in the double pursuit. The report claims Spurs will carry on in the hunt for Schneiderlin but will shelve their bid for Rodriguez until January, which is nice of them. Everton's Clever move... Poor old Tom Cleverley. Once the player of the year for Watford and seemingly heading to the top during his bright formative days, he enjoyed a fine start to his Manchester United career in the 2011-12 season (incredibly, alongside Anderson who also impressed) before he started to regress. A desperately poor 2013-14 season -- not to forget a fan petition asking for his removal from the England squad -- made it a time to forget for Cleverley but all is not lost yet. He does have at least one admirer, Roberto Martinez, and the Everton manager could be about to give him a new lease of life. Martinez coached Cleverley during his days at Wigan and is said to be keen on an 8 million-pound move for him, according to The Daily Mail. Jack the lad's a Black Cat Jack Rodwell looked set for the top when he starred for Everton but a string of injuries and an ill-advised move to Manchester City later, his career is at a crossroads. There's still time, though. It seems his move to Sunderland is pretty much nailed on, with The Times saying he'll cost Gus Poyet around 8 million pounds. A move to suit everyone, we say. City get a fair amount of cash and Rodwell gets the chance to get back on track. The person conducting the medical is going to be working overtime, you'd expect. |
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