Новости за 13.07.2018

Jurgen Klopp feels the decision to bring Xherdan Shaqiri to Liverpool was a "no-brainer" for the Premier League club. Switzerland international Shaqiri completed his switch to Liverpool on a "long-term" contract on Monday, ending a three-year stay at Stoke City following their relegation from the Premier League. And Liverpool manager Klopp feels Shaqiri has the correct attributes to be a success at Anfield, the midfielder having signed for a reported £13.75million after shining for his country at the World Cup. Читать дальше...

Huddersfield Town have announced the signing of Erik Durm from Borussia Dortmund on a one-year deal. The Premier League side also have an option to extend Durm's contract by a further 12 months after he joined for an undisclosed fee. Durm has had terrible luck with injuries and was unable to appear in the Bundesliga for Dortmund last season. But Huddersfield head coach David Wagner, who worked with Durm at Dortmund, is not worried about any fitness issues affecting the Germany international. ... Читать дальше...

Liverpool have announced the signing of Xherdan Shaqiri from Stoke City, the Switzerland international joining for a reported £13.75million.

Napoli defender Raul Albiol has expressed excitement at working with Carlo Ancelotti, praising the head coach's "winning mentality". The three-time Champions League winner has arrived in Naples ahead of the new season, with the popular Maurizio Sarri set to be confirmed as the new manager of one of Ancelotti's former clubs, Chelsea. After the first four days of pre-season training, Albiol has been impressed by the new man in charge. He told Radio Kiss Kiss: "Ancelotti is a winning coach and he is transferring his mentality and his ideas. Читать дальше...

Gareth Bale has revealed how he shelved "frustration" over not starting the Champions League final to score the bicycle kick that made global headlines. The Wales winger starred in European football's showpiece clash in May as his decisive brace gave Real Madrid a 3-1 victory over Liverpool in Kiev. His first came in staggering style, lashing home an athletic overhead kick from Marcelo's left-sided cross in a match-turning moment of brilliance. Bale, who after the game confirmed he would weigh up his club future... Читать дальше...

Real Madrid have released a statement insisting they have "no plans" to make an approach for Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar.

Reported Real Madrid target Eden Hazard has the mentality and maturity to play for any "demanding club", says Belgium coach Roberto Martinez. Hazard starred in Belgium's run to the semi-finals of the World Cup, but he could not find a way through France's fearsome rearguard in the last four. The Chelsea forward has been regularly linked with a switch to Madrid, those rumours growing in the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo's shock switch to Juventus. Hazard himself has appeared to welcome such speculation... Читать дальше...

Roberto Martinez wants Belgium to go out on a high and record their best World Cup finish by beating England in Saturday's third-place play-off. Belgium were defeated by France in their semi-final while England missed out to Croatia, both sides losing by a single goal in tight contests. Having met in the third round of Group G, the Three Lions will be familiar opponents for Belgium, who won that match 1-0 after both sides made wholesale changes. Martinez said a stronger Belgium line-up can be expected for Saturday's match in St Petersburg... Читать дальше...

Croatia star Luka Modric is like a little brother and undoubtedly the nation's greatest player, former team-mate Joey Didulica said. Modric, 32, has led his country into a first World Cup final, where France await in Moscow on Sunday. The Real Madrid midfielder has been touted as a potential World Cup Golden Ball and Ballon d'Or winner, having also helped the LaLiga giants to a third consecutive Champions League crown. Didulica, part of Croatia's 2006 World Cup squad alongside Modric, lauded the superstar. Читать дальше...

Cristiano Ronaldo signing for Juventus does not necessarily mean Inter cannot win Serie A, according to head coach Luciano Spalletti. Juve's chances of winning the Serie A title for the eighth year in a row appear to have been boosted by Ronaldo's €112million arrival from Real Madrid. But although the Serie A champions have smashed their transfer record to sign the Portugal superstar on a four-year deal, Spalletti is unconcerned. "He will give strength and visibility to our championship that was... Читать дальше...

England manager Gareth Southgate believes it would have been wrong to hold a homecoming parade for the beaten World Cup semi-finalists. The possibility of a public celebration in the team's honour had been raised in response to their unexpected run to the final four, the nation's best performance in 28 years. But the mood was dampened by the heartbreaking extra-time loss to Croatia in midweek, with England now likely to make a low-key return following Saturday's third-place play-off against Belgium. Читать дальше...

New Barcelona signing Clement Lenglet would love Adrien Rabiot to join the Catalan giants. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder has been linked with Barca as Ernesto Valverde's men prepare for the 2018-19 season. Rabiot rejected the chance to be on the reserve list for France, with Les Bleus going on to reach the World Cup final final without him. Nevertheless, Lenglet believes Rabiot would be a good fit for Barca, who were previously linked with his PSG team-mate Marco Verratti. "Of course," Lenglet... Читать дальше...

Nice manager Patrick Vieira has criticised wantaway forward Mario Balotelli after the Italian failed to show for pre-season. Balotelli has scored 43 goals in 66 appearances for the Ligue 1 side, rebuilding his reputation after a wayward few years in England and his home country. Indeed, the 27-year-old has been recalled into the Azzurri setup on the back of his good form and is expected to move to Marseille in the coming days. Vieira however, had harsh words for the striker, telling the Nice-Matin... Читать дальше...

Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival from Real Madrid has been hailed by Mattia Caldara as a stimulus for the Serie A champions. Ronaldo signed a four-year deal with Juve to complete a deal worth €112million, ending a trophy-laden nine years in LaLiga. The Portugal captain will now have a chance to add to the English and Spanish league titles he has already won, with Juventus hunting an eighth consecutive Scudetto. And Caldara, who joins Juve for the 2018-19 term after spending last season on loan at Atalanta... Читать дальше...

Gareth Southgate will resist making wholesale changes for the third-place play-off against Belgium as he aims to achieve England's most successful World Cup since 1966. The entire 23-man squad trained on the eve of their last outing in Russia, including Kieran Trippier, who limped out of Wednesday's agonising semi-final defeat to Croatia with a "nerve problem" related to cramp. Manager Southgate admitted the heartache of that result has made for a "really difficult" few days, despite guiding his... Читать дальше...

Italy international striker Eder has left Inter Milan for China, joining Jiangsu Suning. The 31-year-old had moved to San Siro in 2016 after a fruitful spell with Sampdoria, but managed only 14 goals in 86 appearances for the Nerazzurri. Jiangsu are owned by Suning, the same organisation that is now a majority shareholder in Inter. Eder will play alongside former Chelsea midfielder Ramires and ex-Shakhtar Donetsk forward Alex Teixeira. Jiangsu finished 12th in last year's Chinese Super League... Читать дальше...

On Friday, Antonio Conte became the 10th permanent or interim manager to leave Chelsea since Roman Abramovich took the reins in West London, bringing an end to one of the club's more bizarre managerial sagas. With Maurizio Sarri preparing to sit on one of the hottest seats in football, we had a look at the brave souls that came before him, how they performed and why they were eventually ousted.   Claudio Ranieri (2003 - 04) The manager inherited by Abramovich, the 'Tinkerman' lasted 59 games... Читать дальше...

Newly-promoted Eredivisie outfit Emmenare bracing themselves for what will surely be a difficult challenge in a higher division, but that hasn't stopped a bit of light-hearted fun in pre-season.A prank originally invented by Emmen's physiosJaap Lampe and Harm Pomp involvesblowinginto a spirometer as part of a supposed 'medical test' - only for it to be filled with noritpowder.Last season the mischievous practical joke was used on Glenn Bijl. This year it was the turn of Jason Bourdouxhe and Jafar... Читать дальше...

Antoine Griezmann brushed off comparisons to France great Zinedine Zidane as he aims to inspire Les Bleus to a World Cup final victory that he admitted would "change many things". The Atletico Madrid forward was just seven years old when Zidane scored twice to help France lift the World Cup on home soil in 1998, and 20 years later Griezmann has been hailed as one of the country's talismanic figures in Russia. As part of a formidable front four alongside Olivier Giroud, Blaise Matuidi and Kylian Mbappe... Читать дальше...

Using the bookies as a barometer, Kylian Mbappe and Luka Modric are in a two-way tussle for Russia 2018’s Adidas Golden Ball. Yet if the award’s farcical history is anything to go by, don’t rule out the FIFA Technical Study Group (which comprises Emmanuel Amunike, Bora Milutinovic, Carlos Alberto Parreira, Andy Roxburgh and Marco van Basten), handing it to a dumbfounded German.Since its introduction for the 1982 World Cup, these are the most head-scratching Golden Ball choices.5. Paolo Rossi over... Читать дальше...

Borussia Monchengladbach have won the race to sign sought-after French forward Alassane Plea from Nice. The 25-year-old has inked a five-year contract with Dieter Hecking's side to end a lengthy battle for his signature. His impressive return of 21 goals in all competitions last season is believed to have sparked keen interest from Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund, who are coached by Plea's former Nice boss Lucien Favre. But the former Lyon man ultimately settled on a switch to Gladbach to the delight of sporting director Max Eberl. Читать дальше...

Liverpool's vaunted attacking trio will be incomplete on their pre-season tour of the United States with Roberto Firmino given time off after the World Cup. Jurgen Klopp has granted the forward an additional rest period following Brazil's quarter-final loss to Belgium, meaning he will not yet reunite with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, who both form part of the touring party. Firmino is instead scheduled to link-up with his team-mates for a four-day training camp in France at the end of July. England... Читать дальше...

Colombia World Cup star Juan Fernando Quintero will cost Europe's top sides €25million if they want to prize him away from River Plate, according to the Argentinian club's president Rodolfo D'Onofrio. The Porto midfielder signed a one-year loan deal with River in January with a buyout clause that D'Onofrio indicated he would exercise following Quintero's outstanding performances in Russia. The 25-year-old lined up alongside James Rodriguez and Juan Cuadrado as Jose Pekerman's men reached the last 16 before being knocked out by England... Читать дальше...

Antonio Conte's long-anticipated departure from Chelsea was confirmed on Friday. The former Italy and Juventus boss led the Blues to a dominant title triumph in his first season at the helm, but the cracks soon started to show between himself, key players and the Chelsea hierarchy in the aftermath of 2016-17. Running battles continued throughout last term, most notably with Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho and, although Conte lifted the FA Cup by besting his rival at Wembley, the situation proved beyond repair. Читать дальше...

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has proclaimed Russia 2018 to be "the best World Cup ever". The finals have largely been considered a major success by visitors and viewers across the world, particularly in light of concerns about Russia's suitability as hosts. Organisers have been praised for an efficient running of the tournament across the 11 host cities, while there have been few recorded incidents of travelling fans being subjected to the sort of racial or homophobic harassment that was initially feared. Читать дальше...