Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola has been named the League Managers’ Association manager of the year. 

Guardiola led City to a third Premier League title in four seasons, 12 points clear of nearest rivals Manchester United, and a fourth consecutive League Cup.

The club also won this season’s Carabao Cup and will face Chelsea in the Champions League final on Saturday.

The five other managers in contention were Leeds’ Marcelo Bielsa, Norwich City’s Daniel Farke, Chelsea Women’s Emma Hayes, David Moyes of West Ham and Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers.

“I am delighted to win the LMA manager of the year award for the second time,” said Guardiola, who previously won it in 2017-18.

“It is, for me, such a special trophy to win because it is voted for by my fellow managers. An award like this is only possible though if a manager is surrounded by top professionals.

“My players have been fantastic – their dedication and professionalism never wavered, even in a season that has been the most challenging we have ever faced.

“And my staff are also deserving of the highest praise. I am so lucky to have a team of people who give everything they have every single day to make sure Manchester City are the best we can be.

“This award is dedicated to and shared with them.”

LMA Executive Committee member Sir Alex Ferguson added: “As well as being a truly gifted manager and leader, you always display admirable humility and composure and I am sure your family must be very proud of you.”

By Terry W?.

Real Madrid have confirmed they signed David Alaba from Bayern Munich on a five-year contract.

The announcement of the signing of the 28-year-old Austria International, who had also been linked with several English Premier League clubs, comes a day after Zinedine Zidane quit as Real coach. 

“Real Madrid has reached an agreement with David Alaba, who will be linked to the club for the next five seasons,” Madrid said in a statement.

Alaba will be presented as a Real player after Euro 2020, the statement added.

The Austria international has been hugely successful at Bayern, having won two Champions League trophies and 10 league titles among other silverware.

Alaba had said in February that he would leave Bayern when his contract expires at the end of the season after 13 years with the German club.

By Jide N.

Chelsea manager Thomas Thuchel has revealed why he can approach such a heavy test of nerve and character – the UEFA Champions League – with a measured sense of calm.

 According to Tuchel, facing Manchester City in the final in the biggest match in European football does not fear him because he has faced death.

In 2017, while coach of Borussia Dortmund, Tuchel walked away unhurt after three pipe bombs were hurled at the team bus on its way to a Champions League quarter-final in 2017.

The criminal who was responsible, Sergej Wenergold, was to make millions if the share price of the club fell as a result of the barbaric act.

Eventually he was caught and Tuchel insists an event that should have left him mentally scarred barely registers in his thoughts nowadays.

Recalling the near death experience,Tuchel, 47, said: “It did not catch me like it caught others, I have to say. Even today I do not feel the danger that we’ve been in.

“I can still see the nails sticking in the bus, I can see the nails sticking around where I sat.

“I heard that the nails went over 50 metres and then into other windows of houses and stuff.

“Hopefully, it will not catch me up some day but I don’t think about it when I go on a bus or through a crowd. And I’m not waiting for it. I don’t want it to come.

“But it was absolutely surreal. I was in court later to meet the guy who admitted to doing it. I even felt sorry for him a little bit.

“I could not even feel anger, like ‘Wow, what could you have done?’.

“My wife constantly tells the story that I went home late, of course. I drove home. I texted her that ‘everything is OK, don’t worry’.

“She was in the stadium, then went home and my manager was there.

“They were quite freaked out and I came home a little bit like a robot, not talking too much about it.

“I was in front of the TV watching Barcelona against Juventus because it was a Champions League night. She was thinking, ‘That’s a bit weird’.

“The biggest impact for me was the next morning when I saw my players and they were waiting for me in my office. That was when I really realised. ‘Wow, this is…’

“Maybe I am hiding it. It’s still there but it did not have the huge impact that you maybe can imagine.”

Tuchel was a centre-back for SSV Ulm in southern Germany when his knee-cartilage issue struck in 1998. That forced him to end his playing career at just 25. He has now revealed how the experience humbled him and prepared him for life and management.

He said: “I did not have a good insurance policy for my injury, so the money I saved I spent on my rehabilitation because I tried to come back for more than half a year.

“I had to accept it was impossible and started to study economics in Stuttgart as I had no other ideas.

‘Falling out of this bubble, with nobody taking care of me, taught me a tough lesson.

“While studying, I wanted to earn some extra money and so went to work in a bar like a normal student.

“First of all I was a glass collector. The next step was serving because I was safe enough with the tray. I was the guy to get them from the bar and take them to people’s tables, either for free or double the price, depending on my mood!

“Maybe after two or two-and-a-half years, I was behind the bar. Maybe not looking like Tom Cruise — but I felt like Tom Cruise.

“It taught me a lot. Until then I was this kid who was a bit better than the other kids, so you end up going to Augsburg, a bit of a bigger club, and you’re a little bit famous.

“Then you play maybe for the Under-18s of Germany and you have some days off school.

“Then become professional in the second division and I was living in this bubble. I got a lot of attention, a lot of positive feedback, a lot of my self-confidence from all that.

“Falling out of this bubble, with nobody taking care of me, taught me a tough lesson.

“Overcoming my pride to go into a bar — because now we can talk and laugh about it — but taking the first step to admitting I needed some extra money and to step out there and to go into ten or 12 cafes and bars to ask, ‘Do you need help?’.

“There was some pride to swallow but it was good.”

Talking about Chelsea’s chances in the final against City on Saturday, Tuchel said

“We will have fun, we will have a lot of fun, of course. But I love it when other people are happy. It means more to me at Christmas that I have good presents for others.

“I’m not the guy to dance on the table but I will be so super-happy if we win and I see my team, my staff, the families…

“And when I feel what it means to my family and to people around my family — to my grandma and others.

“This is huge for me and, if we go out, we will have fun — I’ll not drink still water all night.”

By Jide N.

England footballer, Jesse Lingard’s customized watch was stolen from West Ham’s dressing room during a game.

The thief struck as the on-loan Manchester United midfielder, 28, played in the Premier League defeat to Everton on May 9.

His cureent club West Ham say they have no idea how a thief sneaked into the heavily-guarded dressing room during a game and despite all efforts by players and staff to search the room on May 9, the watch wasn’t found.

Lingard has a collection of expensive watches and the one stolen is specially designed by Swiss maker Richard Mille.

Rooms at the West Ham’s Stadium are only accessible to players and senior officials and are constantly monitored by CCTV and also patrolled by security, so the case is a mystery to police.

A source said: “Jesse was devastated, but nobody can believe it.

“It’s completely unheard of for something to be stolen from inside the players’ dressing rooms during a game.

“Security at the stadium is top class. There are staff guarding the tunnel and all those areas — as well as CCTV all over the place.

“Of course everyone has searched high and low but it appears it has definitely been taken, and there was no option but to call in the police.

“Everyone is gutted for him, he loved that watch and thought it would be safe.

“It goes without saying Premier League footballers are well paid, and many of them have expensive items including clothing and ­jewellery.

“But it would just never occur to anyone that it could be taken from there. It’s a real shock.”

A West Ham United spokesperson said: “The incident happened a month ago and the Club took all appropriate steps at the time.

“While we will continue to assist with the matter, we are unable to comment further as this is now part of an ongoing police investigation.”

By Jide N.

Neymar has hit out at Nike for claiming he was dropped for ‘refusing to cooperate’ in an internal sexual assault investigation involving himself and an employee. 

The alleged incident reportedly occurred in 2016 when the Brazilian forward was in New York City for a marketing event with Nike.

Nike later announced they sacked the Brazilian winger last year over the incident. 

The PSG star had a lucrative £78.6m sponsorship deal with Nike, which was due to run until 2022, but ended his partnership with the American brand last September before signing a money-spinning deal to become the new face of Puma. 

Nike did not disclose a reason at the time for dropping Neymar, who they had first signed as a 13-year-old, but have now revealed the early end to their endorsement deal came about following an investigation into allegations that the 29-year-old had sexually assaulted a female employee.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the Nike employee alleged that in 2016 Neymar attempted to force her to perform oral sex in his hotel room while in New York City for a promotional event and after taking off his underwear had tried to block her from leaving the room before chasing her down the hallway.

Neymar, 29, has denied the allegations against him and posted an angry Instagram post, branding Nike’s claims over their contract dispute as a lie.

The post read: ‘I really don’t understand how a serious company can distort a business relationship that is supported by documents. Written words cannot be modified. They are very clear. They leave no doubt!

‘Ever since I was 13 years old, when I signed my first contract, I was always warned: don’t talk about your Agrements (sic). Agreements are confidential! Contradict this rule and state that my contract was terminated because I did not contribute in good faith to an investigation, is an absurd lie.

The statement from Neymar continued: ‘The WSL story is very clear. In 2016 it seems that they already knew about this event. I didn’t! In 2017 I traveled again to the USA for another advertising campaign, with the same people, and nothing was told to me, nothing changed!

‘In 2017, 2018, 2019 we made trips, advertising campaigns, countless shooting sections. And they told me nothing. Such a serious matter and they did nothing. Who is truly responsible?

‘I was not given the opportunity to defend myself. I was not given the opportunity to know who this person was that was allegedly offended. I don’t even know her. I’ve never had any kind of relationship or approach with this person. 

‘I didn’t even have a chance to talk to her, to know the real reasons for her pain. That person, an employee, was not protected. I, a sponsored athlete, was not protected.’  

A spokeswoman for Neymar also said: ‘Neymar Jr. will vigorously defend himself against these baseless attacks in case any claim is presented, which did not happen so far.’

She also added that Neymar and Nike had ended their 16-year association for commercial reasons.

By Terry W.

Gareth Southgate has named his provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2020. with maiden call-ups handed to Ben White, Ben Godfrey and Aaron Ramsdale.

The England manager also included injury doubts such as Harry Maguire, Jordan Henderson, and Kalvin Phillips ahead of his final team announcement on June 1, when he will cut seven players from his squad.

Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold has also been included, despite his absence from England’s last international camp.

Full squad

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Manchester United), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield United).

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Ben Godfrey (Everton), Reece James (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ben White (Brighton).

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jesse Lingard (West Ham), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Declan Rice (West Ham), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).

Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Mason Greenwood (Manchester United), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).

By Terry W.

UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus over their attempts to launch a breakaway Super League.

The clubs are the only three of the original 12 to have not distanced themselves from the project despite heavy criticism from fans and football pundits.

“Following an investigation conducted by UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors in connection with the so-called ‘Super League’ project, disciplinary proceedings have been opened against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus FC for a potential violation of UEFA’s legal framework,” UEFA said in a statement.

“Further information will be made available in due course.”

The European football body’s statutes include a section on “prohibited groupings” of clubs or leagues forming without UEFA’s permission or outside its control.

The Super League was launched with 12 clubs as founding members, but nine of them Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid — have since backed out and reached a deal with UEFA.

Last month, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin warned the clubs that “if they say we are a Super League, then they don’t play Champions League, of course.”

UEFA’s move raises the prospect of the three clubs being sanctioned, with some reports suggesting they face expulsion from UEFA competitions such as the Champions League for a period of two years.

By Jide N.

Real Madrid striker, Karim Benzema has arrived at France’s Clairefontaine base for his first call-up since 2015.

The 33-year-old joined the squad at France’s Clairefontaine training centre on Wednesday May 26, looking happy and relieved despite his alleged sex-tape blackmail of former team-mate Mathieu Valbuena.

The striker is accused of pressuring Valbuena in 2015 to pay blackmailers who threatened to reveal an intimate video in which Valbuena featured. The scandal led to his ban from the France national team since November 2015.  
 

His six-year exile from the national team over his alleged role in a blackmail plot came to an end last week when he was recalled by Deschamps for this summer’s delayed European Championship.

“It’s a non-event,” insisted Deschamps. “That it interests people on the outside, OK, but for me he is happy to be here, it’s been a long time, he’s refound his footing with the other 21 players.

“He is coming into a group that knows each other, but he has earned his place same as the other players.”

On Tuesday Benzema told sports daily L’Equipe that he wanted to win a trophy with France now that he is back in the fold for the first time since 2015.

The striker has 27 goals in 81 international appearances and was last week named as this season’s best French foreign-based player by the country’s players’ association.

He scored 29 goals this term for Real Madrid, passing 20 league goals in all three seasons since Cristiano Ronaldo left for Juventus in 2018.

By Terry

The DR Congo Football Federation (Fecofa) has said that it will be discussing a further appeal against Confederation of African Football’s (Caf) dismissal of its claim of Gabonese footballer, Guelor Kanga committing identity fraud. 

While official documents said the Red Star Belgrade footballer is 30 years old and was born in Oyem, Gabon, on September 1, 1990, Fecofa is disputing the claim by alleging that Kanga’s mother died in their country in 1986, and that he was born in Kinshasa in 1985.

The attacking midfielder who has been playing in Europe for about a decade now, is being accused of not only taking more than five years off his actual age but also falsifying his nationality. The football body also submitted paperwork to back up their claims.

This was however countered by the Gabon Football Federation (Fegafoot) which provided documents to prove that Kanga is eligible to play for Gabon, including a birth certificate. 

Ruling on the case after an investigation, CAF’s disciplinary committee said; 

“The proof offered by Fecofa was not convincing nor sufficient to establish identity fraud by Fegafoot.

“The disciplinary panel did not notice any irregularities in the eligibility of the player in question and his registration with Caf.

“Caf’s disciplinary panel rejects purely and simply the complaint by Fecofa.”

Fecofa which now has three days to appeal against this ruling, said it will be meeting to discuss a further appeal. 

If the appeal should proceed, it puts Gabon on the verge of disqualification from 2021 AFCON finals. Kanga who has 46 caps for Gabon since his debut nine years ago, featured for Gabon in all of their six 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier matches including both legs against DR Congo.

DR Congo who finished third, had hoped a ruling against Kanga would see the Panthers lose 10 points and see the Leopards qualify instead.

By Jide N.

A fan has sent a hate mail to Manchester United goalkeeper, David De Gea following his poor performance in goal for the club in last night’s Europa League final loss.

Villarreal played out a 1-1 draw with United on Wednesday May 26, and had to play extra time then penalties. 

The subsequent shoot-out was much more entertaining as 21 out of 21 spot-kicks were scored, meaning it was left to De Gea to take one himself with it all on the line.

Unfortunately, De Gea’s shot was weak and easily saved by his opposite number, Geronimo Rulli, meaning United’s four-year wait for a trophy goes on.

According to reports, legendary Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson waited for David De Gea after the medal ceremony and walked down the tunnel with him as he cheered him and gave him comfort .

Some Manchester United fans believe the club would have won the Europa League final had substitute goal keeper, Dean Henderson played in the penalty shoot-out rather than David de Gea.

De Gea is poor at saving penalties – failing to save any of the last 21 he has faced outside of shoot-outs dating back to 2016 – whereas Henderson has saved eight in that time.

It’s now 40 penalties in a row that De Gea has failed to catch for club and country.

Following the criticism the keeper got, De Gea has now revealed the hate filled mail sent to him by a ‘fan’.

In the mail, the United fan went too far by wishing De Gea’s newly born child dies, his wife gets raped, while also wishing the goalkeeper dies from a plane crash.

The United fan wrote;

“David De Gea I hope your newborn dies and has the worst death of his life. I hope your wife gets raped  by the people that killed your new born.” The message reads.

“I will make dua you rot in jahanam and you die a painful death ameen ya roab. When you are on your way back to England I hope the Munich disasters is reincarnated”

By Jide N.

European football governing body, UEFA have confirmed that AC Milan striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been fined €50,000 for his involvement in a betting company, with his club also fining him €25,000.

The Swedish star, owns a 10 per cent stake in Bethard, a Malta-based gambling website and it is against the rules of UEFA to have any financial interest in a betting company.

After opening an investigation last month, UEFA on Wednesday, May 26 issued a statement.

“The Chairman of the UEFA Appeals Body today took the following decisions:

“To fine Mr. Zlatan Ibrahimovic €50,000 for violating Article 12(2)(b) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR), i.e. for having a financial interest in a betting company.

“The Chairman of the UEFA Appeals Body also issued Mr. Ibrahimovic with a directive aimed at ceasing the player’s association with the relevant betting company.

“Finally, the Chairman of the UEFA Appeals Body decided to warn and fine AC Milan €25,000 for violating Article 12(2)(b) of the UEFA DR (in connection with Article 8 of the UEFA DR) for its player, Mr. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, having a financial interest in a betting company.”

By terry W.

Spanish club, Villarreal have been crowned Europa League champions.

On Wednesday night, May 26, Villarreal played out a 1-1 full time draw with Manchester United and then went to extra-time to beat United 11-10 in a tense penalty shootout that David De Gea was found wanting through out .

United started with a strong line up using the likes of Pogba, Cavani, Rashford, Fernandes and Greenwood while Villarreal started with key defender Pao Torres even though Samuel Chukwueze was missing through injury.

Villarreal had the first laugh as G.Moreno scored in the 29 minute after receiving a cross that Lindelof failed to clear out.

United continued to pressure Villarreal with incessant counterattacks but had to wait till the second half to have a breakthrough.

Cavani took advantage of some slack defending to power in United’s goal in the 55 minute, and United continued with the pressure after VAR confirmed the goal.

United tried to score but were denied over and over again with Rashford missing a one on one with the keeper.

The match entered extra-time and both teams failed to score.

The game then moved to penalties. An incredible penalty shootout involving all 22 players from both clubs on the pitch ended with Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea missing the crucial spot-kick, sending Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s plans to win his first title at the club crashing.

Villarreal are now the 2021 Europa League winners and will face the winner of the UEFA champions league between Chelsea and Manchester City in the European Super Cup.

Unai Emery is now the first coach to win the UEFA Cup/Europa League four times.

De Gea’s penalty miss with the Titanic music in the background 😂😂 #UELfinal

pic.twitter.com/8vgFYlMhMw

— Laolao (@itz_laolao) May 26, 2021

By Terry W.

Zinedine Zidane has resigned as manager of Real Madrid with immediate effect.

Los Blancos were knocked out of the Champions League in the semi-final and also missed out on the LaLiga title.

According to Sportsmail,  Zidane would have walked away from the club regardless of whether they secured the title after Zidane sensed for some time that he did not have the backing of the club’s president, Florentino Perez. 

Spanish publication AS, report Zidane has already informed both the club’s directors and the first team squad that he has left the club.

The Frenchman had been in charge of in two spells since 2016, and has won three Champions Leagues in the Spanish capital. 

He also guided Madrid to the LaLiga title last season but they were unable to repeat the feat this time around in a trophy-less campaign after struggling with injuries and an ageing squad.

They lost in the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea and were also dumped out of the Copa del Rey at the round of 32 stage.

Zidane is expected to be an immediate target for Juventus or the France national team following his departure from the Bernabeu.

By Terry W.