Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has upheld N'Golo Kante over Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Ballon d'Or award in 2021.&nbsp;

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have ruled the Ballon d'Or awards. In any case, N'Golo Kante's splendid exhibitions for Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League have made him one of the top picks to guarantee the renowned individual prize this year.&nbsp;

In a conversation with Eurosport, Paul Pogba said: "What I would like to say to the whole world is that the N'Golo Kante we have seen in recent months has always been the same.

"We talk a lot about his performances but he has always been as good as ever.

"There was no Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the semi-final [of the Champions League], so it's good to see the performances of the midfielders or even the defenders.

"I said a long time ago that it would be appropriate, if Chelsea won, for him to win the Ballon d'Or. It would be deserved too.

"He's always performed well. I'm not surprised what he's doing, I'm just surprised that he's still doing it. He has always played matches like that."

Despite the fact that Juventus and Barcelona couldn't win their particular leagues and didn't affect the UEFA Champions League, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have had dazzling individual seasons.&nbsp;

Cristiano Ronaldo won the top scorer award in Serie A, Lionel Messi asserted the Pichichi award in La Liga. Cristiano Ronaldo's and Lionel Messi's exhibitions at Euro 2020 and Copa America if the competition goes through individually could go far in choosing the Ballon d'Or race.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-manchester-city-win-trio-of-premier-league-awards-389761" hreflang="en">Football: Manchester City win trio Of Premier League Awards</a>

Apparently the most reliable player throughout the last two seasons, Robert Lewandowski took goalscoring higher than ever, scoring an extraordinary 41 objectives in the Bundesliga this season.&nbsp;

The Polish striker certainly had the right to win the Ballon d'Or grant a year ago, however the occasion was dropped because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Kylian Mbappe, then again, has been PSG's charm and will be the primary focal point of France's assault in Euro 2020.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-marinho-misses-penalty-but-scores-to-help-santos-to-3-1-win-389709" hreflang="en">Football: Marinho misses penalty but scores to help Santos to 3-1 win</a>

N'Golo Kante has had a staggering finish to the 2020/21 mission, yet he should keep up his great structure for the following not many months in the event that he is to guarantee the Ballon d'Or award in 2021. 
&nbsp;

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has upheld N'Golo Kante over Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Ballon d'Or award in 2021. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have ruled the Ballon d'Or awards.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has upheld N'Golo Kante over Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Ballon d'Or award in 2021. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have ruled the Ballon d'Or awards. In any case, N'Golo Kante's splendid exhibitions for Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League have made him one of the top picks to guarantee the renowned individual prize this year. In a conversation with Eurosport, Paul Pogba said: "What I would like to say to the whole world is that the N'Golo Kante we have seen in recent months has always been the same. "We talk a lot about his performances but he has always been as good as ever. "There was no Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the semi-final [of the Champions League], so it's good to see the performances of the midfielders or even the defenders. "I said a long time ago that it would be appropriate, if Chelsea won, for him to win the Ballon d'Or. It would be deserved too. "He's always performed well. I'm not surprised what he's doing, I'm just surprised that he's still doing it. He has always played matches like that." Despite the fact that Juventus and Barcelona couldn't win their particular leagues and didn't affect the UEFA Champions League, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have had dazzling individual seasons. Cristiano Ronaldo won the top scorer award in Serie A, Lionel Messi asserted the Pichichi award in La Liga. Cristiano Ronaldo's and Lionel Messi's exhibitions at Euro 2020 and Copa America if the competition goes through individually could go far in choosing the Ballon d'Or race. ALSO READ: Football: Manchester City win trio Of Premier League Awards Apparently the most reliable player throughout the last two seasons, Robert Lewandowski took goalscoring higher than ever, scoring an extraordinary 41 objectives in the Bundesliga this season. The Polish striker certainly had the right to win the Ballon d'Or grant a year ago, however the occasion was dropped because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Kylian Mbappe, then again, has been PSG's charm and will be the primary focal point of France's assault in Euro 2020. ALSO READ: Football: Marinho misses penalty but scores to help Santos to 3-1 win N'Golo Kante has had a staggering finish to the 2020/21 mission, yet he should keep up his great structure for the following not many months in the event that he is to guarantee the Ballon d'Or award in 2021.

Football: N'Golo Kante deserves to win Ballon d'Or, says Paul Pogba

Manchester City has won a trio of prizes at the end of season Premier League awards. Manager Pep Guardiola has won his third Premier League Manager of the Season award as he led his side to their third Premier League title in four seasons.

The Catalan, who was also named LMA Manager of the Year last month, beat Marcelo Bielsa, David Moyes, Brendan Rodgers and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to the award, in a season where his team finished 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

Just weeks after collecting the FWA Player of the Year Award, Ruben Dias has been named Premier League Player of the Season. Signed from Benfica last summer, the Portuguese international has had an outstanding impact in his first season in England.

City kept 15 clean sheets in Dias’ 32 league appearances as they secured the meanest defence in the division. This is the defender’s third accolade of the summer having also received FWA recognition and been named the Club’s Etihad Player of the Season. Phil Foden completed the sweep of honours, by being named Premier League Young Player of the Season.

The City Academy graduate has had a season to remember for his boyhood club, adding a third Premier League and fourth Carabao Cup medal to his collection, as well as starting in the Club’s first ever UEFA Champions League final. With 16 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, Foden fought off competition from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Illan Meslier, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka to secure the award.

Foden remains shortlisted for PFA Young Player of the Year and joins Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin de Bruyne and Diasin the running for the main PFA Player of the Year award, to be announced tomorrow.<o:p></o:p>

Manchester City has won a trio of prizes at the end of season Premier League awards. Manager Pep Guardiola has won his third Premier League Manager of the Season award as he led his side to their third Premier League title in four seasons.

Manchester City has won a trio of prizes at the end of season Premier League awards. Manager Pep Guardiola has won his third Premier League Manager of the Season award as he led his side to their third Premier League title in four seasons. The Catalan, who was also named LMA Manager of the Year last month, beat Marcelo Bielsa, David Moyes, Brendan Rodgers and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to the award, in a season where his team finished 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Just weeks after collecting the FWA Player of the Year Award, Ruben Dias has been named Premier League Player of the Season. Signed from Benfica last summer, the Portuguese international has had an outstanding impact in his first season in England. City kept 15 clean sheets in Dias’ 32 league appearances as they secured the meanest defence in the division. This is the defender’s third accolade of the summer having also received FWA recognition and been named the Club’s Etihad Player of the Season. Phil Foden completed the sweep of honours, by being named Premier League Young Player of the Season. The City Academy graduate has had a season to remember for his boyhood club, adding a third Premier League and fourth Carabao Cup medal to his collection, as well as starting in the Club’s first ever UEFA Champions League final. With 16 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, Foden fought off competition from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Illan Meslier, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka to secure the award. Foden remains shortlisted for PFA Young Player of the Year and joins Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin de Bruyne and Diasin the running for the main PFA Player of the Year award, to be announced tomorrow.

Football: Manchester City win trio Of Premier League Awards

Manchester City defender Ruben Dias was named the Premier League Player of the Season on Saturday, becoming the second Portuguese to receive the honor after former Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

City boss Pep Guardiola was named Manager of the Season for the third time.

Center-back Dias was named England's&nbsp;Footballer of the Year in the annual vote of the&nbsp;Football&nbsp;Writers' Association last month following a superb debut campaign after his move from Benfica last year.

Dias played a key role in delivering City's third Premier League title in four years as well as the League Cup and helped his side the Champions League final.

The 24-year-old was also named in the Professional&nbsp;Footballers' Association (PFA) Team of the Year.

Dias is the fourth defender to be voted Player of the Season by the public, the captains of the 20 Premier League clubs, and a panel of experts after Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic, former City captain Vincent Kompany and Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk.

His compatriot and former Manchester United forward Ronaldo won the award in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Other nominees for the award this season included Kevin De Bruyne, Bruno Fernandes, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Mason Mount, Mohamed Salah, and Tomas Soucek.

Guardiola won the manager's award in 2017-18 and again in 2018-19 when he led City to consecutive league titles.

Under the Spaniard, City conceded the fewest goals (32) this season and kept clean sheets in half of their games (19) to finish 12 points clear of second-placed United.

Guardiola won the award ahead of fellow nominees Marcelo Bielsa (Leeds United), David Moyes (West Ham United), Brendan Rodgers (Leicester City), and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Manchester United).

Manchester City defender Ruben Dias was named the Premier League Player of the Season on Saturday, becoming the second Portuguese to receive the honor after former Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

Manchester City defender Ruben Dias was named the Premier League Player of the Season on Saturday, becoming the second Portuguese to receive the honor after former Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo. City boss Pep Guardiola was named Manager of the Season for the third time. Center-back Dias was named England's Footballer of the Year in the annual vote of the Football Writers' Association last month following a superb debut campaign after his move from Benfica last year. Dias played a key role in delivering City's third Premier League title in four years as well as the League Cup and helped his side the Champions League final. The 24-year-old was also named in the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Team of the Year. Dias is the fourth defender to be voted Player of the Season by the public, the captains of the 20 Premier League clubs, and a panel of experts after Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic, former City captain Vincent Kompany and Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk. His compatriot and former Manchester United forward Ronaldo won the award in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Other nominees for the award this season included Kevin De Bruyne, Bruno Fernandes, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Mason Mount, Mohamed Salah, and Tomas Soucek. Guardiola won the manager's award in 2017-18 and again in 2018-19 when he led City to consecutive league titles. Under the Spaniard, City conceded the fewest goals (32) this season and kept clean sheets in half of their games (19) to finish 12 points clear of second-placed United. Guardiola won the award ahead of fellow nominees Marcelo Bielsa (Leeds United), David Moyes (West Ham United), Brendan Rodgers (Leicester City), and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Manchester United).

Football: Man City's Ruben Dias named PL Player of Season, Pep Guardiola wins manager's award

Lionel Scaloni has referred to injury and fitness worries as the explanations behind not picking Juventus star Paulo Dybala in the international squad for the forthcoming World Cup Qualifiers.&nbsp;

In an interview with a Juventus-based website, Lionel Scaloni said he feels frustrated about excluding Dybala from his crew. Nonetheless, Dybala's absence of structure and injury concerns were too gigantic to even consider disregarding. He said:

"There’s no one more sorry for Dybala than me. Paulo is a player that I adore. But we need people who are ready and in a good shape. He had a difficult season, injuries prevented him from playing continuously. He came back too late, among other things in a complicated moment for Juve."

With Dybala out of Argentina's crew for the World Cup Qualifiers, it is safe to expect that Lionel Scaloni won't pick the 27-year-old forward for the impending Copa America all things considered.&nbsp;

Regardless of not picking Dybala in his squad, Scaloni said that he had the freedom to pick a 26-man Argentina crew he would have chosen the assailant as he actually rates the Juventus forward rather exceptionally. Scaloni added:&nbsp;

“If we had 26 players I would have brought him, but faced with such a narrow and complicated list we had to make this decision. But his value remains out of the question. I hope he’ll soon recover his form and return to the national team."

Lionel Scaloni is dazzled by the number of Argentine players who are right now playing in Italy's first class. Scaloni accepts that Serie A will be an extraordinary way to quantify the footballing nature of Argentinians as there are such large numbers of them playing in Italy. Scaloni said:&nbsp;

"As an Argentine, I can tell you that the Italian championship is always a point of reference for me. In Italy, we have many Argentines who perform at a good level and that’s why we call them, in addition to the fact that all of us on the staff are attracted by the model and culture of Serie A."

Serie A has a gigantic measure of Argentinian ability available to it. Alongside Paulo Dybala, the association additionally has energizing players like Rodrigo de Paul and Cristian Romero who are at present a piece of the Argentina crew. 
&nbsp;

Lionel Scaloni has referred to injury and fitness worries as the explanations behind not picking Juventus star Paulo Dybala in the international squad for the forthcoming World Cup Qualifiers.

Lionel Scaloni has referred to injury and fitness worries as the explanations behind not picking Juventus star Paulo Dybala in the international squad for the forthcoming World Cup Qualifiers. In an interview with a Juventus-based website, Lionel Scaloni said he feels frustrated about excluding Dybala from his crew. Nonetheless, Dybala's absence of structure and injury concerns were too gigantic to even consider disregarding. He said: "There’s no one more sorry for Dybala than me. Paulo is a player that I adore. But we need people who are ready and in a good shape. He had a difficult season, injuries prevented him from playing continuously. He came back too late, among other things in a complicated moment for Juve." With Dybala out of Argentina's crew for the World Cup Qualifiers, it is safe to expect that Lionel Scaloni won't pick the 27-year-old forward for the impending Copa America all things considered. Regardless of not picking Dybala in his squad, Scaloni said that he had the freedom to pick a 26-man Argentina crew he would have chosen the assailant as he actually rates the Juventus forward rather exceptionally. Scaloni added: “If we had 26 players I would have brought him, but faced with such a narrow and complicated list we had to make this decision. But his value remains out of the question. I hope he’ll soon recover his form and return to the national team." Lionel Scaloni is dazzled by the number of Argentine players who are right now playing in Italy's first class. Scaloni accepts that Serie A will be an extraordinary way to quantify the footballing nature of Argentinians as there are such large numbers of them playing in Italy. Scaloni said: "As an Argentine, I can tell you that the Italian championship is always a point of reference for me. In Italy, we have many Argentines who perform at a good level and that’s why we call them, in addition to the fact that all of us on the staff are attracted by the model and culture of Serie A." Serie A has a gigantic measure of Argentinian ability available to it. Alongside Paulo Dybala, the association additionally has energizing players like Rodrigo de Paul and Cristian Romero who are at present a piece of the Argentina crew.

Football: 'No one is more sorry for Dybala than me': Lionel Scaloni on the striker's omission

Among LaLiga’s most impressive rising stars is Brazilian right-back Emerson, who has just confirmed his long-awaited move to FC Barcelona from Real Betis.

Emerson may have only turned 22 last January, but with four goals and ten assists across the last two seasons in green and white, he has an excellent claim to be perhaps the most productive attack-minded defender in LaLiga.

Born in Sao Paulo in January 1999, Emerson gained his first football education at local side Ponte Preta, before moving to giants Atletico Mineiro while still a teenager. Regular appearances in Brazil’s Serie A brought interest from many European clubs, and he made the leap to join Real Betis in January 2019.

Emerson was gradually introduced into the Real Betis first team set up by then-coach Quique Setien, with one of his first three LaLiga starts coming in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the city derby at Sevilla’s Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan. Having settled well in the Andalusian capital, and with a good pre-season behind him, Emerson was the automatic first-choice right-back in time for the 2019/20 season.

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👋 Hello, <a href="https://twitter.com/Emerson_Royal22?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@emerson_royal22</a>! 
💙❤️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EmersonCuler?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EmersonCuler</a>
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/1400015137323556869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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He heads to Barcelona on the back of a stellar season with Real Betis. He was a key part of Manuel Pellegrini’s team which put together a remarkable 2021 – in which they lost just twice, to title challengers Barcelona and Sevilla – to finish sixth in style and bag a Europa League spot.

<img alt="Emerson" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="24e813a9-bca7-453e-930a-d9c071bb4afc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Emerson%20Royal%201.jpg" />

Emerson’s potential has also been quickly spotted by Brazil’s national teams. He featured regularly throughout 2019’s South American Under-20 championships and could well have represented his country at the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan but for postponement due to COVID-19. Already a senior international, he looks set to form a long-term partnership on either side of the Brazil back four with Atletico Madrid left-back Renan Lodi, who has also broken into the set-up at the same time.

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The athletic and intelligent Emerson's attack-minded contributions from right-back have brought to mind another Brazilian who first made his LaLiga mark in the Andalusian capital, and he now follows in Dani Alves’ footsteps by joining Barcelona this coming season. Given how he has settled in Spain so far, it would be no surprise to see the rising star becoming the starting right-back at the Camp Nou over the next decade.

Emerson’s first two seasons in LaLiga have been impressive, but don’t doubt that there is plenty still to come from one of LaLiga’s most talented and determined rising stars.

Among LaLiga’s most impressive rising stars is Brazilian right-back Emerson, who has just confirmed his long-awaited move to FC Barcelona from Real Betis. Emerson may have only turned 22 last January, but with four goals and ten assists across the last two seasons in green and white, he has an excellent claim to be perhaps the most productive attack-minded defender in LaLiga.

Among LaLiga’s most impressive rising stars is Brazilian right-back Emerson, who has just confirmed his long-awaited move to FC Barcelona from Real Betis. Emerson may have only turned 22 last January, but with four goals and ten assists across the last two seasons in green and white, he has an excellent claim to be perhaps the most productive attack-minded defender in LaLiga. Born in Sao Paulo in January 1999, Emerson gained his first football education at local side Ponte Preta, before moving to giants Atletico Mineiro while still a teenager. Regular appearances in Brazil’s Serie A brought interest from many European clubs, and he made the leap to join Real Betis in January 2019. Emerson was gradually introduced into the Real Betis first team set up by then-coach Quique Setien, with one of his first three LaLiga starts coming in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the city derby at Sevilla’s Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan. Having settled well in the Andalusian capital, and with a good pre-season behind him, Emerson was the automatic first-choice right-back in time for the 2019/20 season. ALSO READ: Football: England coach Southgate slams fans who booed players taking a knee 👋 Hello, @emerson_royal22! 💙❤️ #EmersonCuler — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 2, 2021 × He heads to Barcelona on the back of a stellar season with Real Betis. He was a key part of Manuel Pellegrini’s team which put together a remarkable 2021 – in which they lost just twice, to title challengers Barcelona and Sevilla – to finish sixth in style and bag a Europa League spot. Emerson’s potential has also been quickly spotted by Brazil’s national teams. He featured regularly throughout 2019’s South American Under-20 championships and could well have represented his country at the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan but for postponement due to COVID-19. Already a senior international, he looks set to form a long-term partnership on either side of the Brazil back four with Atletico Madrid left-back Renan Lodi, who has also broken into the set-up at the same time. ALSO READ: Football: Lukaku to stay at Serie A champions Inter next season The athletic and intelligent Emerson's attack-minded contributions from right-back have brought to mind another Brazilian who first made his LaLiga mark in the Andalusian capital, and he now follows in Dani Alves’ footsteps by joining Barcelona this coming season. Given how he has settled in Spain so far, it would be no surprise to see the rising star becoming the starting right-back at the Camp Nou over the next decade. Emerson’s first two seasons in LaLiga have been impressive, but don’t doubt that there is plenty still to come from one of LaLiga’s most talented and determined rising stars.

Football: LaLiga - New Barcelona signing Emerson Royal set to take next step to stardom at the Camp Nou

Brazil confirmed Tuesday it has agreed to stand in as emergency host for the troubled Copa America, though the threats of a Covid-19 surge, political divisions and a court battle still loom over the tournament.

Organizers raised eyebrows Monday when they named Brazil as replacement hosts for Argentina because of a Covid-19 surge in the latter -- apparently overlooking the fact that Brazil has the second-highest death toll in the pandemic.

Further doubts about the fate of the 2021 edition of the world's oldest running international football tournament emerged when Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's chief of staff, Luiz Eduardo Ramos, said the decision was not yet final.

However, both Bolsonaro and Ramos said Tuesday the tournament was a go.

"Brazil will host the Copa America," the far-right president said, saying the governors of Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso do Sul and Goias had agreed for their states to play hosts, plus the capital, Brasilia, and a fifth yet to be named.

Ramos tweeted: "Confirmed: the Copa America will be held in Brazil."

Bolsonaro said matches would be held without fans.

Media reports had indicated the South American football confederation, CONMEBOL, was pushing to allow some fans, at least for the final.

There are still plenty of potential pitfalls ahead as organizers race to pull together the June 13-July 10 championships.

At least six of Brazil's 27 states have said they will not host matches because of the pandemic.

Opposition politicians meanwhile petitioned the Supreme Court to block the tournament, saying it would not be safe.

They included the Workers' Party (PT) of leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who currently leads Bolsonaro in the polls for Brazil's October 2022 presidential elections.

<h2>- 'Insanity' -</h2>

It has been an uphill battle to make the Copa America happen this year.

Already delayed by 12 months because of the pandemic, it was supposed to be co-hosted by Colombia and Argentina.

But CONMEBOL nixed the former on May 20 because of violent anti-government protests, and the latter on Sunday because of a surge of Covid-19.

Brazil, which hosted in 2019, has some advantages: a large economy, experience organizing big events and stadiums left over from the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

But has also recorded more than 460,000 deaths from Covid-19, second only to the United States.

The coronavirus curve in Brazil has declined recently, from a weekly average of more than 3,000 deaths a day in April to about 1,800.

But experts say state and local officials lifted restrictions too soon, with just 10.5 percent of Brazil's 212 million people fully vaccinated.

They warn rising infections and hospital occupancy rates indicate a new surge is coming, fueled by the spread of new variants.

"It's impossible to describe the insanity of trying to hold an event of this magnitude here now," said infectious disease specialist Jose David Urbaez.

"The worst phases (of the pandemic in Brazil) in 2020 were three to four times smaller than what we're seeing today. We have this false sense that things have gotten better. The reality is, we're still in a terrible phase of very rapid spread," he told AFP.

<h2>- Calling on Neymar&nbsp;-</h2>

The decision has been swept up in politics in a Brazil deeply polarized by Bolsonaro.

It came days after the president faced the first mass protests of the pandemic, as thousands of Brazilians outraged over his Covid-19 denialism&nbsp;took to the streets in cities across the country.

He also faces a Senate investigation into his government's controversial handling of the pandemic, including fighting lockdowns and refusing offers of vaccines.

The rapporteur of that commission, Senator Renan Calheiros, called on none other than football superstar Neymar to intervene.

"Neymar, I want to have a word with you: don't agree to this Copa America in Brazil," he told the Paris Saint-Germain striker.

"It's not the championship we need to be playing. We need to be in the championship of vaccines."

Brazil confirmed Tuesday it has agreed to stand in as emergency host for the troubled Copa America, though the threats of a Covid-19 surge, political divisions and a court battle still loom over the tournament.

Brazil confirmed Tuesday it has agreed to stand in as emergency host for the troubled Copa America, though the threats of a Covid-19 surge, political divisions and a court battle still loom over the tournament. Organizers raised eyebrows Monday when they named Brazil as replacement hosts for Argentina because of a Covid-19 surge in the latter -- apparently overlooking the fact that Brazil has the second-highest death toll in the pandemic. Further doubts about the fate of the 2021 edition of the world's oldest running international football tournament emerged when Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's chief of staff, Luiz Eduardo Ramos, said the decision was not yet final. However, both Bolsonaro and Ramos said Tuesday the tournament was a go. "Brazil will host the Copa America," the far-right president said, saying the governors of Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso do Sul and Goias had agreed for their states to play hosts, plus the capital, Brasilia, and a fifth yet to be named. Ramos tweeted: "Confirmed: the Copa America will be held in Brazil." Bolsonaro said matches would be held without fans. Media reports had indicated the South American football confederation, CONMEBOL, was pushing to allow some fans, at least for the final. There are still plenty of potential pitfalls ahead as organizers race to pull together the June 13-July 10 championships. At least six of Brazil's 27 states have said they will not host matches because of the pandemic. Opposition politicians meanwhile petitioned the Supreme Court to block the tournament, saying it would not be safe. They included the Workers' Party (PT) of leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who currently leads Bolsonaro in the polls for Brazil's October 2022 presidential elections. - 'Insanity' - It has been an uphill battle to make the Copa America happen this year. Already delayed by 12 months because of the pandemic, it was supposed to be co-hosted by Colombia and Argentina. But CONMEBOL nixed the former on May 20 because of violent anti-government protests, and the latter on Sunday because of a surge of Covid-19. Brazil, which hosted in 2019, has some advantages: a large economy, experience organizing big events and stadiums left over from the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. But has also recorded more than 460,000 deaths from Covid-19, second only to the United States. The coronavirus curve in Brazil has declined recently, from a weekly average of more than 3,000 deaths a day in April to about 1,800. But experts say state and local officials lifted restrictions too soon, with just 10.5 percent of Brazil's 212 million people fully vaccinated. They warn rising infections and hospital occupancy rates indicate a new surge is coming, fueled by the spread of new variants. "It's impossible to describe the insanity of trying to hold an event of this magnitude here now," said infectious disease specialist Jose David Urbaez. "The worst phases (of the pandemic in Brazil) in 2020 were three to four times smaller than what we're seeing today. We have this false sense that things have gotten better. The reality is, we're still in a terrible phase of very rapid spread," he told AFP. - Calling on Neymar - The decision has been swept up in politics in a Brazil deeply polarized by Bolsonaro. It came days after the president faced the first mass protests of the pandemic, as thousands of Brazilians outraged over his Covid-19 denialism took to the streets in cities across the country. He also faces a Senate investigation into his government's controversial handling of the pandemic, including fighting lockdowns and refusing offers of vaccines. The rapporteur of that commission, Senator Renan Calheiros, called on none other than football superstar Neymar to intervene. "Neymar, I want to have a word with you: don't agree to this Copa America in Brazil," he told the Paris Saint-Germain striker. "It's not the championship we need to be playing. We need to be in the championship of vaccines."

Football: Brazil races clock, chaos to pull off Copa America

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said on Monday that talks over a new deal with Lionel Messi are progressing well and that the club will be announcing more new signings shortly.

Messi's current contract expires at the end of June and he is free to discuss a move to another club, but media reports on Tuesday suggested an agreement was imminent.

"We're talking and it's going well. It doesn't depend on the audit," Laporta told a news conference.

"Talks are ongoing with Messi's people and, as I said, they're going well. We hope to keep making progress. It's not done but we know that Leo wants to stay.

"We'll have more economic information when the audit is finished, but we had this operation in mind before that. I'm sure, as (new signing Sergio) Aguero said, that he wants to play with him."

Laporta was talking at the presentation of Eric Garcia, a second new arrival at the Camp Nou this week from Manchester City following Aguero.

Both players will join when their contracts expire at the end of June.

He also said that more new arrivals were imminent and that the squad overhaul was designed to show Messi they can compete.

"It's not a question of money for Messi, and he's showing a lot of understanding. What he wants is a competitive team capable of winning the Champions League and La Liga," Laporta said.

"We need to have a big refresh and we're working on it. There will be more presentations of players, we're working to sign players that improve the first team.

"We need to balance the squad, you will see what's being worked on. Next week there will be more news."

Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum and Lyon striker Memphis Depay - both out of contract this summer - have been heavily linked to the Catalan capital.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said on Monday that talks over a new deal with Lionel Messi are progressing well and that the club will be announcing more new signings shortly.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said on Monday that talks over a new deal with Lionel Messi are progressing well and that the club will be announcing more new signings shortly. Messi's current contract expires at the end of June and he is free to discuss a move to another club, but media reports on Tuesday suggested an agreement was imminent. "We're talking and it's going well. It doesn't depend on the audit," Laporta told a news conference. "Talks are ongoing with Messi's people and, as I said, they're going well. We hope to keep making progress. It's not done but we know that Leo wants to stay. "We'll have more economic information when the audit is finished, but we had this operation in mind before that. I'm sure, as (new signing Sergio) Aguero said, that he wants to play with him." Laporta was talking at the presentation of Eric Garcia, a second new arrival at the Camp Nou this week from Manchester City following Aguero. Both players will join when their contracts expire at the end of June. He also said that more new arrivals were imminent and that the squad overhaul was designed to show Messi they can compete. "It's not a question of money for Messi, and he's showing a lot of understanding. What he wants is a competitive team capable of winning the Champions League and La Liga," Laporta said. "We need to have a big refresh and we're working on it. There will be more presentations of players, we're working to sign players that improve the first team. "We need to balance the squad, you will see what's being worked on. Next week there will be more news." Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum and Lyon striker Memphis Depay - both out of contract this summer - have been heavily linked to the Catalan capital.

Football: Lionel Messi contract talks going well, more new arrivals imminent - Joan Laporta

On the pitch, legendary Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn had a reputation for a fiery temper, but he has since mellowed enough to become the next chairman of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

The 51-year-old will replace outgoing chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who will step down at the end of June after 30 years in the club's administration.

As a player, Kahn earned nicknames 'King Kahn' and 'Vol-Kahn-o' for his fierce competitive nature.

He won eight Bundesliga titles and lifted the German Cup on six occasions with Bayern before retiring in 2008 after 14 years with the club.

Since hanging up his gloves, Kahn has been steadily integrated into Bayern's management, joining the club's board in January 2020 and groomed to replace Rummenigge, 65.

Kahn has toned down his temper since once famously demanding "balls, we need balls!" during a post-match interview as Bayern captain.

He is remembered in Germany not only for his stunning saves which helped Bayern win the 2001 Champions League final on penalties, but also for a biting incident in 1999.

During a Bundesliga match, he nuzzled his teeth into the neck of bemused Dortmund forward Heiko Herrlich.

In a 2010 interview, Kahn admitted the incident forced him to curb his temper.

"That was the zenith of my aggression and it erupted inside of me," he told Munich-based Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

"That was some kind of internal force inside me signalling: I can't go on like this."

Three-times voted the world's best goalkeeper during his career, Kahn has kept busy since retiring.

He earned his coaching licence in 2010, worked as a TV pundit and completed an MBA in 2012, writing his thesis on "Strategic management in Germany's professional football".&nbsp;

After an 18-month apprenticeship, he will take the reins of Bayern next month.

The 2021-22 season will herald a new era for the Bundesliga giants with Julian Nagelsmann, 33, also replacing Hansi Flick as head coach.

<h2>- 'Determined' -</h2>

Kahn certainly has the pedigree, having kept 247 clean sheets in 632 appearances for Bayern.

Bayern are expecting a seemless transition of power from Rummenigge to Kahn.

"After his extremely successful professional career and his time as an entrepreneur, he has now been intensively involved in the board of directors of FC Bayern Munich," said club president Herbert Hainer in a statement Tuesday.

"We are all convinced that Oliver Kahn is the right man to successfully shape the future of FC Bayern Munchen AG."

However, he will have to develop his diplomatic skills in the spotlight at Bayern Munich.

His no-nonsense approach has polarised opinions of Kahn in Germany and as chairman, he will demand success at Bayern just as much as he did as a player.

The sight of Kahn charging out of his goal terrified opposing strikers, but he was just as difficult with team-mates.

He famously fell out with Bayern colleagues Luca Toni and Franck Ribery just before retiring at the end of 2007-08.

It took the arrival of future Bayern and German captain Manuel Neuer in 2011 to finally fill Kahn's impressive shoes after a string of hopefuls failed to hold down the number one shirt in Munich.&nbsp;

In his autobiography, soberly titled "Number One", Kahn describes himself as "determined and possessed like no other".

With 'King Kahn' as their driving force at the helm, Bayern are now showing no sign of loosening their iron grip on the Bundesliga.

No sooner had Bayern secured a ninth straight title last month, than Kahn challenged the team to make it a decade of German league titles.

On the pitch, legendary Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn had a reputation for a fiery temper, but he has since mellowed enough to become the next chairman of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

On the pitch, legendary Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn had a reputation for a fiery temper, but he has since mellowed enough to become the next chairman of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. The 51-year-old will replace outgoing chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who will step down at the end of June after 30 years in the club's administration. As a player, Kahn earned nicknames 'King Kahn' and 'Vol-Kahn-o' for his fierce competitive nature. He won eight Bundesliga titles and lifted the German Cup on six occasions with Bayern before retiring in 2008 after 14 years with the club. Since hanging up his gloves, Kahn has been steadily integrated into Bayern's management, joining the club's board in January 2020 and groomed to replace Rummenigge, 65. Kahn has toned down his temper since once famously demanding "balls, we need balls!" during a post-match interview as Bayern captain. He is remembered in Germany not only for his stunning saves which helped Bayern win the 2001 Champions League final on penalties, but also for a biting incident in 1999. During a Bundesliga match, he nuzzled his teeth into the neck of bemused Dortmund forward Heiko Herrlich. In a 2010 interview, Kahn admitted the incident forced him to curb his temper. "That was the zenith of my aggression and it erupted inside of me," he told Munich-based Sueddeutsche Zeitung. "That was some kind of internal force inside me signalling: I can't go on like this." Three-times voted the world's best goalkeeper during his career, Kahn has kept busy since retiring. He earned his coaching licence in 2010, worked as a TV pundit and completed an MBA in 2012, writing his thesis on "Strategic management in Germany's professional football". After an 18-month apprenticeship, he will take the reins of Bayern next month. The 2021-22 season will herald a new era for the Bundesliga giants with Julian Nagelsmann, 33, also replacing Hansi Flick as head coach. - 'Determined' - Kahn certainly has the pedigree, having kept 247 clean sheets in 632 appearances for Bayern. Bayern are expecting a seemless transition of power from Rummenigge to Kahn. "After his extremely successful professional career and his time as an entrepreneur, he has now been intensively involved in the board of directors of FC Bayern Munich," said club president Herbert Hainer in a statement Tuesday. "We are all convinced that Oliver Kahn is the right man to successfully shape the future of FC Bayern Munchen AG." However, he will have to develop his diplomatic skills in the spotlight at Bayern Munich. His no-nonsense approach has polarised opinions of Kahn in Germany and as chairman, he will demand success at Bayern just as much as he did as a player. The sight of Kahn charging out of his goal terrified opposing strikers, but he was just as difficult with team-mates. He famously fell out with Bayern colleagues Luca Toni and Franck Ribery just before retiring at the end of 2007-08. It took the arrival of future Bayern and German captain Manuel Neuer in 2011 to finally fill Kahn's impressive shoes after a string of hopefuls failed to hold down the number one shirt in Munich. In his autobiography, soberly titled "Number One", Kahn describes himself as "determined and possessed like no other". With 'King Kahn' as their driving force at the helm, Bayern are now showing no sign of loosening their iron grip on the Bundesliga. No sooner had Bayern secured a ninth straight title last month, than Kahn challenged the team to make it a decade of German league titles.

Football: The rise of 'King Kahn' heralds new era at Bayern Munich

Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood has been withdrawn from England's provisional squad for the European Championship due to an underlying injury, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday.

Greenwood was part of England's 33-man provisional squad named last month as manager Gareth Southgate played for time before whittling the numbers down.

Southgate is set to trim his squad down to 26 players later on Tuesday.

United said Greenwood had pulled out to recover fully from the injury that also forced him out of the Under-21 European Championship in March.

"Mason's club appearances were managed carefully to maintain his availability through the intensive 2020-21 Premier League and Europa League schedules," the club said in a statement.

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Manchester United have confirmed that <a href="https://twitter.com/masongreenwood?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@masongreenwood</a> has withdrawn from the provisional <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThreeLions?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThreeLions</a> squad due to an underlying injury. 
 
Hope to see you back to full fitness soon, Mason! 💪 <a href="https://t.co/CAmNuaEY9A">pic.twitter.com/CAmNuaEY9A</a>
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"But a further spell of tournament&nbsp;football&nbsp;would not be beneficial and Mason will remain at United to recuperate and prepare for pre-season training."

The June 11-July 11 Euro 2020 is being held across Europe, with the semi-finals and the final at London's Wembley Stadium as well as some group stage games.

England plays Austria in a friendly on Wednesday and meet Romania on Sunday before their Euro 2020 Group D campaign starts with games against Croatia, Scotland, and the Czech Republic.

Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood has been withdrawn from England's provisional squad for the European Championship due to an underlying injury, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday.

Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood has been withdrawn from England's provisional squad for the European Championship due to an underlying injury, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday. Greenwood was part of England's 33-man provisional squad named last month as manager Gareth Southgate played for time before whittling the numbers down. Southgate is set to trim his squad down to 26 players later on Tuesday. United said Greenwood had pulled out to recover fully from the injury that also forced him out of the Under-21 European Championship in March. "Mason's club appearances were managed carefully to maintain his availability through the intensive 2020-21 Premier League and Europa League schedules," the club said in a statement. Manchester United have confirmed that @masongreenwood has withdrawn from the provisional #ThreeLions squad due to an underlying injury. Hope to see you back to full fitness soon, Mason! 💪 pic.twitter.com/CAmNuaEY9A — England (@England) June 1, 2021 × "But a further spell of tournament football would not be beneficial and Mason will remain at United to recuperate and prepare for pre-season training." The June 11-July 11 Euro 2020 is being held across Europe, with the semi-finals and the final at London's Wembley Stadium as well as some group stage games. England plays Austria in a friendly on Wednesday and meet Romania on Sunday before their Euro 2020 Group D campaign starts with games against Croatia, Scotland, and the Czech Republic.

Football: England's Mason Greenwood out of Euro 2020 due to injury

Wales will go into Euro 2020 without their beleaguered boss Ryan Giggs, putting the spotlight on Gareth Bale's bid to silence critics who say he has lost his appetite for success.

Giggs' absence following his arrest on charges of assaulting two women last year will cast a shadow over Wales during the Euro.

The former Manchester United star faces a trial in 2022 after being accused of butting his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville and controlling her throughout their relationship.

Giggs is also charged with the common assault of Greville's sister Emma in the same incident.

The 47-year-old had taken charge of Wales in 2018 and made a positive impression as he led them to the European Championship, just their second major tournament appearance since the 1958 World Cup.

But Giggs, who denies the charges, has been on leave since November last year, with caretaker boss Robert Page stepping into the breach.

Page has won four of his six games since replacing Giggs, with Wales' only loss in that time coming against the world's top-ranked side, Belgium.

If Wales are to thrive in Giggs' absence, the onus is on Bale to prove his erratic loan spell with Tottenham Hotspur this season was not further evidence that his love for the game is dwindling.

Although he scored 16 goals, Bale was unable to make a consistent impact on his return to Tottenham despite the hope that escaping his miserable time at Real Madrid would reinvigorate the Wales captain.

Hampered by fitness issues and a frosty relationship with Jose Mourinho before his sacking, Bale hardly disproved the theory he no longer has the drive required to dominate at the highest level.

Having celebrated Wales' Euro qualification by waving a flag that read 'Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order', Bale has an opportunity to show that swipe at Real was more than hollow patriotism.

<h2>- Bale burden -</h2>

Despite the exit of his Real nemesis, coach Zinedine Zidane, Bale is reportedly considering negotiating a pay-off to avoid returning to Madrid.

It was also suggested the four-time Champions League winner could quit football altogether and try his hand at professional golf, a claim rejected by his agent, Jonathan Barnett.

Bale fuelled speculation over a potential bombshell announcement when he was asked about his future following his brace in Tottenham's final Premier League game of the season at Leicester City.

"I know what I'm doing, but it'll just cause chaos if I say anything. It will have to happen after the Euro," Bale said.

"I'm not thinking about anything else other than Wales."

After their fairytale run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals, Wales will need Bale at his best to get anywhere near repeating that success.

"We'd love to replicate what we did at Euro 2016 but we are realistic. It's a different team, a different tournament," Bale said.

Page's side kick off against Switzerland in Baku on June 12, with games against Turkey and Italy rounding off their group schedule.

The bulk of Page's squad ply their trade in England's second tier, with 19-year-old midfielder Rubin Colwill a surprise inclusion after only making his Cardiff City debut in February.

"He blew us all away with how he was and how he conducted himself. He's a top professional already," Page said of Colwill.

Wales won just four of their eight qualifying fixtures, with two of those victories coming against Azerbaijan, as they finished second in qualifying Group E behind Croatia.

They scored only 10 goals in eight qualifying games, putting pressure on Bale to shine.

Finding a way for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey to overcome his fitness issues will also be crucial.

"Ryan's key principles when he first took over are no different and whether he is here or not, the lads know exactly how we expect them to play," Page said.

Wales will go into Euro 2020 without their beleaguered boss Ryan Giggs, putting the spotlight on Gareth Bale's bid to silence critics who say he has lost his appetite for success.

Wales will go into Euro 2020 without their beleaguered boss Ryan Giggs, putting the spotlight on Gareth Bale's bid to silence critics who say he has lost his appetite for success. Giggs' absence following his arrest on charges of assaulting two women last year will cast a shadow over Wales during the Euro. The former Manchester United star faces a trial in 2022 after being accused of butting his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville and controlling her throughout their relationship. Giggs is also charged with the common assault of Greville's sister Emma in the same incident. The 47-year-old had taken charge of Wales in 2018 and made a positive impression as he led them to the European Championship, just their second major tournament appearance since the 1958 World Cup. But Giggs, who denies the charges, has been on leave since November last year, with caretaker boss Robert Page stepping into the breach. Page has won four of his six games since replacing Giggs, with Wales' only loss in that time coming against the world's top-ranked side, Belgium. If Wales are to thrive in Giggs' absence, the onus is on Bale to prove his erratic loan spell with Tottenham Hotspur this season was not further evidence that his love for the game is dwindling. Although he scored 16 goals, Bale was unable to make a consistent impact on his return to Tottenham despite the hope that escaping his miserable time at Real Madrid would reinvigorate the Wales captain. Hampered by fitness issues and a frosty relationship with Jose Mourinho before his sacking, Bale hardly disproved the theory he no longer has the drive required to dominate at the highest level. Having celebrated Wales' Euro qualification by waving a flag that read 'Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order', Bale has an opportunity to show that swipe at Real was more than hollow patriotism. - Bale burden - Despite the exit of his Real nemesis, coach Zinedine Zidane, Bale is reportedly considering negotiating a pay-off to avoid returning to Madrid. It was also suggested the four-time Champions League winner could quit football altogether and try his hand at professional golf, a claim rejected by his agent, Jonathan Barnett. Bale fuelled speculation over a potential bombshell announcement when he was asked about his future following his brace in Tottenham's final Premier League game of the season at Leicester City. "I know what I'm doing, but it'll just cause chaos if I say anything. It will have to happen after the Euro," Bale said. "I'm not thinking about anything else other than Wales." After their fairytale run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals, Wales will need Bale at his best to get anywhere near repeating that success. "We'd love to replicate what we did at Euro 2016 but we are realistic. It's a different team, a different tournament," Bale said. Page's side kick off against Switzerland in Baku on June 12, with games against Turkey and Italy rounding off their group schedule. The bulk of Page's squad ply their trade in England's second tier, with 19-year-old midfielder Rubin Colwill a surprise inclusion after only making his Cardiff City debut in February. "He blew us all away with how he was and how he conducted himself. He's a top professional already," Page said of Colwill. Wales won just four of their eight qualifying fixtures, with two of those victories coming against Azerbaijan, as they finished second in qualifying Group E behind Croatia. They scored only 10 goals in eight qualifying games, putting pressure on Bale to shine. Finding a way for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey to overcome his fitness issues will also be crucial. "Ryan's key principles when he first took over are no different and whether he is here or not, the lads know exactly how we expect them to play," Page said.

Football: Giggs' absence puts pressure on Bale to deliver for Wales at Euro 2020

South America's largest football tournament, the Copa America, was moved Monday to Brazil after a Covid-19 surge in Argentina and social unrest in Colombia saw the co-hosts stripped of the right to host the event.

With two weeks to kickoff, South America's CONMEBOL football federation tweeted that "The CONMEBOL Copa America 2021 will be played in Brazil!" and the June 13-July 10 dates were maintained.

CONMEBOL is expected to announce the venues and dates of matches in the coming hours.

Brazil hosted the last Copa America, in 2019.

Originally scheduled for last year, the Copa was postponed by 12 months due to the coronavirus epidemic.

New host Brazil is one of the countries in the world worst affected by the outbreak, with the second-highest death toll of over 460,000 so far and more than 16.5 million cases.

It was to have been the first time in its history that the tournament would be co-hosted by two countries, Argentina and Colombia.

But ten days ago, CONMEBOL stripped Colombia of its duties amid street protests that were met with a heavy-handed police response that drew international condemnation. More than a month into the unrest, dozens of people have died.

On Sunday, CONMEBOL also stripped Argentina of hosting rights in the context of a record coronavirus surge, with more than 77,000 deaths in the pandemic to date and nearly 3.8 million infections.

South America's largest football tournament, the Copa America, was moved Monday to Brazil after a Covid-19 surge in Argentina and social unrest in Colombia saw the co-hosts stripped of the right to host the event.

South America's largest football tournament, the Copa America, was moved Monday to Brazil after a Covid-19 surge in Argentina and social unrest in Colombia saw the co-hosts stripped of the right to host the event. With two weeks to kickoff, South America's CONMEBOL football federation tweeted that "The CONMEBOL Copa America 2021 will be played in Brazil!" and the June 13-July 10 dates were maintained. CONMEBOL is expected to announce the venues and dates of matches in the coming hours. Brazil hosted the last Copa America, in 2019. Originally scheduled for last year, the Copa was postponed by 12 months due to the coronavirus epidemic. New host Brazil is one of the countries in the world worst affected by the outbreak, with the second-highest death toll of over 460,000 so far and more than 16.5 million cases. It was to have been the first time in its history that the tournament would be co-hosted by two countries, Argentina and Colombia. But ten days ago, CONMEBOL stripped Colombia of its duties amid street protests that were met with a heavy-handed police response that drew international condemnation. More than a month into the unrest, dozens of people have died. On Sunday, CONMEBOL also stripped Argentina of hosting rights in the context of a record coronavirus surge, with more than 77,000 deaths in the pandemic to date and nearly 3.8 million infections.

Football: Copa America 2021 moved to Brazil - CONMEBOL

Messi gets his eighth trophy as the top scorer in LaLiga. A look at the legends who have won LaLiga’s top scorer award in the 21st century. Many iconic players have won LaLiga’s top scorer award – often known as the ‘Pichichi’ – during their careers.

Messi gets his eighth trophy as the top scorer in LaLiga. A look at the legends who have won LaLiga’s top scorer award in the 21st century. Many iconic players have won LaLiga’s top scorer award – often known as the ‘Pichichi’ – during their careers. In recent years, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo consistently won it while battling it out for FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. But since the Portuguese left Madrid, the '10' Culé has skyrocketed in the ‘Pichichi’ historical ranking, being the only one to earn eight trophies as the top scorer in LaLiga Santander. The last one, this season. Behind the Argentine player we find many of the world game’s most iconic players, who have also taken home the award. Here are just a few of the best in recent years. ALSO READ: LaLiga: Icons between the sticks - Five standout Zamora winners from the modern age Lionel Messi What more can you say about Messi? The legendary Argentinian already has eight top scorer awards to his name, including the last five. His first came in 2009/10, starting a run of three in four seasons which included a historic fifty-goal haul in 2011/12 and a constant striking duel with Cristiano Ronaldo season after season. Messi has been such a dominant goalscoring force that only one player beyond Cristiano has beaten him to the top scorer gong in the past decade: his former FC Barcelona teammate and close friend Luis Suarez, who scored an incredible 40 goals in 2015/16. Cristiano Ronaldo When Cristiano left Real Madrid in 2018, his LaLiga goalscoring record stood at an unbelievable 311 goals in just 292 appearances. Limited to just three Pichichi awards but never dropping below 25 goals per season in Spain’s top flight, there have been few goalscorers quite as iconic as Cristiano. Raúl During his decade and a half as the spearhead of Real Madrid’s attack, Raúl scored goal after goal for Los Blancos. The Spaniard won LaLiga six times, and finished as the league’s top scorer on two occasions, in 1998/99 with 25 goals and then again in 2000/01 with 24 goals. Ronaldo Nazário Like Raúl, the current Real Valladolid president, Ronaldo Nazário, also won the Pichichi twice in his career, but he did so at two different clubs. In 1996/97 he won it with Barcelona by scoring 34 times that campaign, before he claimed the honour again in 2003/04 with 25 goals, this time in the white of Real Madrid after crossing the El Clasico divide. That was Ronaldo’s most prolific campaign in the Spanish capital. Samuel Eto’o When Samuel Eto'o joined Barcelona from RCD Mallorca in the summer of 2004, he hit the ground running by scoring 24 goals in that first season and just missing out on the Pichichi, which went to Diego Forlán. The following year, however, Eto'o upped his game even further and this time netted 26 times to ensure the award was finally his. His goals helped Barcelona win the LaLiga title in each of those campaigns. Ruud van Nistelrooy When Ruud van Nistelrooy arrived at Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2006, he touched down in the Spanish capital having previously won the Premier League’s top scorer award. Then, the Dutch striker set his sights on the Spanish equivalent and he did so with an impressive 25 goals in his debut season as Real Madrid won ‘The League of the Comebacks.’ Diego Forlán Diego Forlán is a two-time Pichichi winner, winning it once with Villarreal and then again with Atlético de Madrid. In his first season in LaLiga, the Uruguyan fired in 25 goals for Villarreal in 2004/05 to pip Eto'o to the honour, netting five goals across the final two matchdays to clinch a memorable goalscoring race. After switching yellow for red and white, Forlan won it again in 2008/09, this time with 32 goals. That made him the first player to win the award with over 30 goals since Ronaldo in 1996/97. Every Pichichi winner of the 21st century Season Winner Club Goals 2000/01 Raúl Real Madrid 24 2001/02 Diego Tristán Deportivo La Coruña 21 2002/03 Roy Makaay Deportivo La Coruña 29 2003/04 Ronaldo Real Madrid 25 2004/05 Diego Forlán Villarreal 25 2005/06 Samuel Eto'o Barcelona 26 2006/07 Ruud van Nistelrooy Real Madrid 25 2007/08 Daniel Güiza RCD Mallorca 27 2008/09 Diego Forlán Atlético Madrid 32 2009/10 Lionel Messi Barcelona 34 2010/11 Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid 41 2011/12 Lionel Messi Barcelona 50 2012/13 Lionel Messi Barcelona 46 2013/14 Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid 31 2014/15 Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid 48 2015/16 Luis Suárez Barcelona 40 2016/17 Lionel Messi Barcelona 37 2017/18 Lionel Messi Barcelona 34 2018/19 Lionel Messi Barcelona 36 2019/20 Lionel Messi Barcelona 25 2020/21 Lionel Messi Barcelona 30

LaLiga: The most iconic ‘Pichichi’ winners in recent history

After Thibaut Courtois, from Real Madrid, Jan Oblak won the trophy this season. The Atletico goalkeeper thus adds his fifth trophy and stands as the goalkeeper with the most Zamoras along with Ramallets and Víctor Valdés. We run through some of the most iconic and unique keepers from all over the world to have won this award in recent years.

<h2>Jan Oblak (Atletico de Madrid)</h2>

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We start with the most recent. Atleti’s Slovenian keeper has cemented his reputation as one of the world’s premier shot stoppers in recent years, taking home five Zamora awards from the last six (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21). An almost wall-like between the sticks for Los Colchoneros since joining from Portuguese side Benfica in 2014, Oblak is a bona fide star for coach Diego Simeone’s famously defensively tight team.

<h2>Victor Valdes (FC Barcelona)</h2>

<img alt="Valdes" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="65c0641a-321e-490e-b2c2-e28ad6221966" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Valdes.JPG" />

Never recognised at international level to the extent his El Clasico rival Iker Casillas was, Victor Valdes nevertheless wrote his name into both the LaLiga and Barcelona history books by picking up five Zamora awards, including four consecutive gongs between 2008 and 2012. Comfortable with the ball at his feet and with a knack for pulling off incredible saves at big moments, Valdes was in many senses the perfect goalkeeper for the iconic and possession-based Barcelona sides of the mid-00s and 2010s. A true legend of Spanish football.

<h2>Roberto Abbondanzieri (Getafe CF)</h2>

<img alt="Roberto" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7611ccad-73ff-40a4-a347-5450c0f833cf" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Roberto%20Abbondanzieri.jpg" />

The long-time Argentina number one picked up the Zamora trophy in 2006/07 against all the odds as part of an unfancied but remarkable Getafe side which ended the season with the best defensive record in the whole of LaLiga Santander. El Pato – ‘The Duck’ – became a fan favourite in his three seasons at the suburban Madrid side, sandwiched between over a decade at Argentinian side Boca Juniors. It’s easy to forget just how good Abbondanzieri actually was; he was named among the top 10 goalkeepers in the world of the 2000s by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHHS).

<h2>Santiago Cañizares (RC Celta, Valencia CF)</h2>

<img alt="Santiago" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2b416c6c-a049-4958-84ca-0c07ed6a5a39" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Santiago%20Ca%C3%B1izares%201.jpg" />

Remembered across Europe for his bleach blond hair and fast reflexes, Cañizares won four Zamora titles with two different sides throughout his career. His first came at RC Celta in 1992/93, sharing the award with Francisco Liaño over at local rivals RC Deportivo. By the late 1990s, he’d made his way to Valencia CF via hometown club Real Madrid. At Mestalla he won three more, becoming an icon of the club’s late-90s and early 00s success: 2000/01, 2001/02 and 2003/04, the final two coming in LaLiga title-winning seasons.

<h2>Jacques Songo’o (RC Deportivo)</h2>

<img alt="Songo" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="28d8e895-e72d-42a0-9c8c-1d30a0d31e35" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Jacques%20Songo%27o.jpg" />

The only African to ever win the Zamora and one of the most loved foreign imports to LaLiga over the last few decades, Cameroon international Songo’o won the award in 1996/97 – his first ever season in Spanish football – as RC Deportivo finished third behind champions Real Madrid and a Ronaldo Nazario led Barcelona side. Famously a fan of playing in long trousers, the Yaoundé-born shot stopper would go on to win a LaLiga title in 1999/00 and settle in the area after retirement.&nbsp;

After Thibaut Courtois, from Real Madrid, Jan Oblak won the trophy this season. The Atletico goalkeeper thus adds his fifth trophy and stands as the goalkeeper with the most Zamoras along with Ramallets and Víctor Valdés.

After Thibaut Courtois, from Real Madrid, Jan Oblak won the trophy this season. The Atletico goalkeeper thus adds his fifth trophy and stands as the goalkeeper with the most Zamoras along with Ramallets and Víctor Valdés. We run through some of the most iconic and unique keepers from all over the world to have won this award in recent years. Jan Oblak (Atletico de Madrid) We start with the most recent. Atleti’s Slovenian keeper has cemented his reputation as one of the world’s premier shot stoppers in recent years, taking home five Zamora awards from the last six (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21). An almost wall-like between the sticks for Los Colchoneros since joining from Portuguese side Benfica in 2014, Oblak is a bona fide star for coach Diego Simeone’s famously defensively tight team. Victor Valdes (FC Barcelona) Never recognised at international level to the extent his El Clasico rival Iker Casillas was, Victor Valdes nevertheless wrote his name into both the LaLiga and Barcelona history books by picking up five Zamora awards, including four consecutive gongs between 2008 and 2012. Comfortable with the ball at his feet and with a knack for pulling off incredible saves at big moments, Valdes was in many senses the perfect goalkeeper for the iconic and possession-based Barcelona sides of the mid-00s and 2010s. A true legend of Spanish football. Roberto Abbondanzieri (Getafe CF) The long-time Argentina number one picked up the Zamora trophy in 2006/07 against all the odds as part of an unfancied but remarkable Getafe side which ended the season with the best defensive record in the whole of LaLiga Santander. El Pato – ‘The Duck’ – became a fan favourite in his three seasons at the suburban Madrid side, sandwiched between over a decade at Argentinian side Boca Juniors. It’s easy to forget just how good Abbondanzieri actually was; he was named among the top 10 goalkeepers in the world of the 2000s by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHHS). Santiago Cañizares (RC Celta, Valencia CF) Remembered across Europe for his bleach blond hair and fast reflexes, Cañizares won four Zamora titles with two different sides throughout his career. His first came at RC Celta in 1992/93, sharing the award with Francisco Liaño over at local rivals RC Deportivo. By the late 1990s, he’d made his way to Valencia CF via hometown club Real Madrid. At Mestalla he won three more, becoming an icon of the club’s late-90s and early 00s success: 2000/01, 2001/02 and 2003/04, the final two coming in LaLiga title-winning seasons. Jacques Songo’o (RC Deportivo) The only African to ever win the Zamora and one of the most loved foreign imports to LaLiga over the last few decades, Cameroon international Songo’o won the award in 1996/97 – his first ever season in Spanish football – as RC Deportivo finished third behind champions Real Madrid and a Ronaldo Nazario led Barcelona side. Famously a fan of playing in long trousers, the Yaoundé-born shot stopper would go on to win a LaLiga title in 1999/00 and settle in the area after retirement.

LaLiga: Icons between the sticks - Five standout Zamora winners from the modern age

Barcelona on Monday completed the signing of Argentine forward Sergio Aguero on a free transfer after he left Manchester City upon expiry of his contract with the Premier League giants. Aguero is set to be unveiled as a Barcelona player on Monday evening. <o:p></o:p>

The Argentine forward was spotted in Barcelona over the weekend. The official Barcelona website has included a link to the presentation of the former Man City striker, due to take place at 6:15pm Central European Time on Monday.<o:p></o:p>

Aguero has been handed a two-year contract with the Spanish giants where he will play with his Argentina team-mate Lionel Messi. <o:p></o:p>

Barcelona took to Twitter to announce the deal.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-leaving-because-real-madrid-no-longer-has-faith-in-me-zinedine-zidane-pens-open-letter-to-fans-388553" hreflang="en">Football: 'Leaving because Real Madrid no longer has faith in me' - Zinedine Zidane pens open letter to fans</a>

<o:p></o:p>

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AGÜEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! <a href="https://t.co/iebAeYtjLp">pic.twitter.com/iebAeYtjLp</a>
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/1399365293642768388?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The 32-year-old forward completed his 10-year-long stay at the Etihad Stadium with Manchester City wherein he finished as the club’s highest goal-scorer in the history while breaking a plethora of records in the English top-flight including most goals for a single club and most hat-tricks. He scored 260 goals in 390 matches while assisting a further 73. <o:p></o:p>

In what was a trophy-laden stay in Manchester for Aguero, he lifted a staggering 15 trophies with the Cityzens and has been hailed as one of the finest foreigners to have graced the Premier League.<o:p></o:p>

Aguero had a fitting farewell to his Premier League career as he netted twice in his last-ever league game for Man City, against Everton, before lifting the coveted Premier League trophy. <o:p></o:p>

However, the dream of lifting the Champions League trophy with Man City remained unfulfilled as the Blues were defeated 1-0 by Chelsea in the final of UCL in Porto. <o:p></o:p>

Barcelona are also to set to sign Man City midfielder Eric Garcia, who also joins the Spanish club on a free transfer.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

Barcelona on Monday completed the signing of Argentine forward Sergio Aguero on a free transfer after he left Manchester City upon expiry of his contract with the Premier League giants.

Barcelona on Monday completed the signing of Argentine forward Sergio Aguero on a free transfer after he left Manchester City upon expiry of his contract with the Premier League giants. Aguero is set to be unveiled as a Barcelona player on Monday evening. The Argentine forward was spotted in Barcelona over the weekend. The official Barcelona website has included a link to the presentation of the former Man City striker, due to take place at 6:15pm Central European Time on Monday. Aguero has been handed a two-year contract with the Spanish giants where he will play with his Argentina team-mate Lionel Messi. Barcelona took to Twitter to announce the deal. ALSO READ: Football: 'Leaving because Real Madrid no longer has faith in me' - Zinedine Zidane pens open letter to fans AGÜEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! pic.twitter.com/iebAeYtjLp — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 31, 2021 × The 32-year-old forward completed his 10-year-long stay at the Etihad Stadium with Manchester City wherein he finished as the club’s highest goal-scorer in the history while breaking a plethora of records in the English top-flight including most goals for a single club and most hat-tricks. He scored 260 goals in 390 matches while assisting a further 73. In what was a trophy-laden stay in Manchester for Aguero, he lifted a staggering 15 trophies with the Cityzens and has been hailed as one of the finest foreigners to have graced the Premier League. Aguero had a fitting farewell to his Premier League career as he netted twice in his last-ever league game for Man City, against Everton, before lifting the coveted Premier League trophy. However, the dream of lifting the Champions League trophy with Man City remained unfulfilled as the Blues were defeated 1-0 by Chelsea in the final of UCL in Porto. Barcelona are also to set to sign Man City midfielder Eric Garcia, who also joins the Spanish club on a free transfer.

Football: Sergio Aguero signs for Barcelona on a free transfer

Football fans took to Twitter as they expressed their opinions following Zinedine Zidane's open letter to supporters after leaving his role as the manager of Real Madrid. Zidane, in his letter, accused Los Blancos president Florentino Perez of lacking respect.&nbsp;

On the first day of June 2009, Zinedine Zidane strolled into an advisory role&nbsp;in the workplace of Florentino Perez, manager of Real Madrid. In November of the next year, he was designated as an adviser to Madrid's first group on the proposal of then Real Madrid manager, Jose Mourinho.

From brandishing director in 2011 to assistant mentor to Carlo Ancelotti in 2013 to the coach of Madrid's B group in 2014 and to being selected head coach of Real Madrid in January 2016, Zinedine Zidane's managerial career was an exciting ride, yet one focused on his previous club as he deliberately scrambled up from the lower part of the evolved way of life to the top.&nbsp;

It was new surrounding factors for him, strange waters, even, yet Zinedine Zidane was able to show the world that he actually got that sorcery wand he generally waved around on the field as a player. He was all set to compose another fantasy, yet this time around he was able to do it from the hole and, likely this time as well, do it with a glad consummation on the cards.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-argentina-no-longer-hosting-copa-america-conmebol-388557" hreflang="en">Football: Argentina no longer hosting Copa America: CONMEBOL</a>

In an open letter to the Real Madrid fans he said:

"For more than 20 years, from the first day I arrived in Madrid and wore the white shirt, you’ve shown me your love. I’ve always felt that there was something special between us.&nbsp;"I have now decided to leave and I want to properly explain the reasons. I’m going, but I’m not jumping overboard, nor am I tired of coaching. In May 2018 I left because after two and a half years, with so many victories and so many trophies, I felt the team needed a new approach to stay at the very highest level. Right now, things are different. I’m leaving because I feel the club no longer has the faith in me I need, nor the support to build something in the medium or long term.”

Regarded as one of the most decorated Real Madrid managers in history, the 48-year-old Frenchman won three Champions League trophies, two Club World Cups, two UEFA Super Cups, two Spanish Super Cups, and two LaLiga titles during his tenure with Real Madrid.&nbsp;Real Madrid won a trophy once every 23.9 games on average during Zinedine Zidane's two spells as manager.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-leaving-because-real-madrid-no-longer-has-faith-in-me-zinedine-zidane-pens-open-letter-to-fans-388553" hreflang="en">Football: 'Leaving because Real Madrid no longer has faith in me' - Zinedine Zidane pens open letter to fans</a>

<h2>Twitter reacts to&nbsp;Zinedine Zidane's resignation followed by his open letter to the fans:</h2>

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Imagine being Zizou. You win everything there’s to win with Madrid, yet the media is upset with you. After that first tenure, you return and drag Madrid out of humiliation depths, win La Liga, yet the media is upset with you. Add this to not being backed. Why did he leave? Well..
— Xav Salazar (@XavsFutbol) <a href="https://twitter.com/XavsFutbol/status/1397869538696388608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Even after a trophyless season, the way majority of Real Madrid’s fans wanted Zidane to stay says it all about him as a person and as a manager. He symbolises what Real Madrid is supposed to be. There’s nobody better than him for this club. The energy he transmits is special.
— TC (@totalcristiano) <a href="https://twitter.com/totalcristiano/status/1397865844953292802?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The fact that Zinedine Zidane, a man famed for his calmness and secrecy in front of the media, is coming out and speaking about the lack of support should tell you all you need to know. 
 
Pérez failed him and is failing the club. 
 
Fix up or get out.
— Hasan Karim (@TheHasKarim) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHasKarim/status/1399153222770638855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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How do you fail to put your full trust in a manager that brought you three Champions League trophies in a row and two La Liga titles. Zidane deserved better. This is unforgivable. The manager didn’t need changing, the people who run the club do.
— RMZZ (@RMBlancoZz) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBlancoZz/status/1399258911379656705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Difficult to imagine Florentino calling Zidane next February to come back and save them, after they've cycled through two more coaches in meantime.
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) <a href="https://twitter.com/dermotmcorrigan/status/1399290925508141058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Be that as it may, as the fans all the while commending the remarkable accomplishment of this perfectly tuned symphony of a football crew, Zinedine Zidane announced his resignation.&nbsp;

An enormous part of the football world wars tossed into stun, into absolute mistrust, at the breaking of this news. In any case, for the individuals who have meticulously followed his groundbreaking vocation from a splendid player to an incredible coach, they could just grin and cheer in enthusiasm for a man who has at last taken in his exercise.

He came, he saw, he conquered and he left. His legacy shall remain untouchable in football.

Football fans took to Twitter as they expressed their opinions following Zinedine Zidane's open letter to supporters after leaving his role as the manager of Real Madrid.

Football fans took to Twitter as they expressed their opinions following Zinedine Zidane's open letter to supporters after leaving his role as the manager of Real Madrid. Zidane, in his letter, accused Los Blancos president Florentino Perez of lacking respect. On the first day of June 2009, Zinedine Zidane strolled into an advisory role in the workplace of Florentino Perez, manager of Real Madrid. In November of the next year, he was designated as an adviser to Madrid's first group on the proposal of then Real Madrid manager, Jose Mourinho. From brandishing director in 2011 to assistant mentor to Carlo Ancelotti in 2013 to the coach of Madrid's B group in 2014 and to being selected head coach of Real Madrid in January 2016, Zinedine Zidane's managerial career was an exciting ride, yet one focused on his previous club as he deliberately scrambled up from the lower part of the evolved way of life to the top. It was new surrounding factors for him, strange waters, even, yet Zinedine Zidane was able to show the world that he actually got that sorcery wand he generally waved around on the field as a player. He was all set to compose another fantasy, yet this time around he was able to do it from the hole and, likely this time as well, do it with a glad consummation on the cards. ALSO READ: Football: Argentina no longer hosting Copa America: CONMEBOL In an open letter to the Real Madrid fans he said: "For more than 20 years, from the first day I arrived in Madrid and wore the white shirt, you’ve shown me your love. I’ve always felt that there was something special between us. "I have now decided to leave and I want to properly explain the reasons. I’m going, but I’m not jumping overboard, nor am I tired of coaching. In May 2018 I left because after two and a half years, with so many victories and so many trophies, I felt the team needed a new approach to stay at the very highest level. Right now, things are different. I’m leaving because I feel the club no longer has the faith in me I need, nor the support to build something in the medium or long term.” Regarded as one of the most decorated Real Madrid managers in history, the 48-year-old Frenchman won three Champions League trophies, two Club World Cups, two UEFA Super Cups, two Spanish Super Cups, and two LaLiga titles during his tenure with Real Madrid. Real Madrid won a trophy once every 23.9 games on average during Zinedine Zidane's two spells as manager. ALSO READ: Football: 'Leaving because Real Madrid no longer has faith in me' - Zinedine Zidane pens open letter to fans Twitter reacts to Zinedine Zidane's resignation followed by his open letter to the fans: Imagine being Zizou. You win everything there’s to win with Madrid, yet the media is upset with you. After that first tenure, you return and drag Madrid out of humiliation depths, win La Liga, yet the media is upset with you. Add this to not being backed. Why did he leave? Well.. — Xav Salazar (@XavsFutbol) May 27, 2021 × Even after a trophyless season, the way majority of Real Madrid’s fans wanted Zidane to stay says it all about him as a person and as a manager. He symbolises what Real Madrid is supposed to be. There’s nobody better than him for this club. The energy he transmits is special. — TC (@totalcristiano) May 27, 2021 × The fact that Zinedine Zidane, a man famed for his calmness and secrecy in front of the media, is coming out and speaking about the lack of support should tell you all you need to know. Pérez failed him and is failing the club. Fix up or get out. — Hasan Karim (@TheHasKarim) May 30, 2021 × How do you fail to put your full trust in a manager that brought you three Champions League trophies in a row and two La Liga titles. Zidane deserved better. This is unforgivable. The manager didn’t need changing, the people who run the club do. — RMZZ (@RMBlancoZz) May 31, 2021 × Difficult to imagine Florentino calling Zidane next February to come back and save them, after they've cycled through two more coaches in meantime. — Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) May 31, 2021 × Be that as it may, as the fans all the while commending the remarkable accomplishment of this perfectly tuned symphony of a football crew, Zinedine Zidane announced his resignation. An enormous part of the football world wars tossed into stun, into absolute mistrust, at the breaking of this news. In any case, for the individuals who have meticulously followed his groundbreaking vocation from a splendid player to an incredible coach, they could just grin and cheer in enthusiasm for a man who has at last taken in his exercise. He came, he saw, he conquered and he left. His legacy shall remain untouchable in football.

Football: 'He symbolises Real Madrid': Fans left gutted after Zinedine Zidane's open letter to supporters

Mumbai City FC on Monday confirmed that Amrinder Singh will leave the club after his contract ends on May 31. The 27-year old goalkeeper will bid farewell to the Islanders after spending five seasons with the defending ISL Champions and League Winners. 
&nbsp; 
Amrinder, who joined the club on September 7, 2016 initially on loan from Bengaluru FC, made his debut for the Islanders in a 0-0 draw against FC Goa later in the year in November. Despite joining midway through the 2016 ISL campaign, Amrinder notched up five clean sheets in six appearances, leading Mumbai City FC to their first-ever ISL semi-final appearance, and made his way to the Golden Glove award in his debut season with the Islanders. 
&nbsp; 
The Mahilpur-born goalkeeper stayed on with Mumbai City for the 2017-18 campaign and gave glimpses of his brilliance in goal in an otherwise forgettable season as the Islanders finished seventh in the table. However, his performances were duly rewarded as Amrinder put pen to paper on a three year extension with his club in March 2018. 
&nbsp; 
Named as one of the club’s captains by Jorge Costa in the 2018-19 campaign, Amrinder continued his rise as one of the finest shot-stoppers in the country and led Mumbai City to only their second semi-final appearance in five seasons of the ISL, but only to make it so far yet again.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-leaving-because-real-madrid-no-longer-has-faith-in-me-zinedine-zidane-pens-open-letter-to-fans-388553">Zidane pens open letter to fans, accuses president Perez of lacking respect</a> 
&nbsp; 
On January 4, 2020, Amrinder created history by becoming the highest capped player in the history of Mumbai City when he led the Islanders out against ATK at the Mumbai Football Arena, passing the record set earlier by Lucian Goian. The Islanders, however, missed out on consecutive semi-final appearances on the final day of the league later in the same campaign. 
&nbsp; 
Amrinder would soon play a crucial role in one of the most important seasons in the club’s history. He remained as one of the leaders of the side under incoming head coach Sergio Lobera in a highly successful 2020-21 season and was instrumental towards leading Mumbai City to first, the ISL League Winners’ Shield and then, the elusive ISL Trophy – the first pieces of silverware in the club’s history. 
&nbsp; 
With 84 appearances for Mumbai City FC, his last one coming in the iconic 2020-21 ISL Final at the Fatorda, Amrinder leaves the Islanders as the Islanders’ highest appearance maker and an icon in the history of the Club.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-mancini-names-new-28-man-italy-squad-as-euros-approach-388551" hreflang="en">Football: Mancini names new 28-man Italy squad as Euros approach</a> 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Amrinder Singh said: “I came to this club five years ago as a boy and now I leave as a man. I have learnt so much about football and about life in my time at Mumbai City FC. I have had the privilege of working with some of the best players, the best coaches, and staff here in Mumbai.” 
&nbsp; 
“Moreover, I will cherish every minute I've spent playing in front of our fans. They are the backbone of this club and I can never forget all the love and support they've given me and my teammates in good times and especially, the not-so-good times.” 
&nbsp; 
“This club is my family and it's always tough to say goodbye to family. But I am proud that I can leave this family as a champion, winning our first ever trophies, and I will always hold Mumbai City close to my heart.”

Mumbai City FC on Monday confirmed that Amrinder Singh will leave the club after his contract ends on May 31. The 27-year old goalkeeper will bid farewell to the Islanders after spending five seasons with the defending ISL Champions and League Winners.

Mumbai City FC on Monday confirmed that Amrinder Singh will leave the club after his contract ends on May 31. The 27-year old goalkeeper will bid farewell to the Islanders after spending five seasons with the defending ISL Champions and League Winners. Amrinder, who joined the club on September 7, 2016 initially on loan from Bengaluru FC, made his debut for the Islanders in a 0-0 draw against FC Goa later in the year in November. Despite joining midway through the 2016 ISL campaign, Amrinder notched up five clean sheets in six appearances, leading Mumbai City FC to their first-ever ISL semi-final appearance, and made his way to the Golden Glove award in his debut season with the Islanders. The Mahilpur-born goalkeeper stayed on with Mumbai City for the 2017-18 campaign and gave glimpses of his brilliance in goal in an otherwise forgettable season as the Islanders finished seventh in the table. However, his performances were duly rewarded as Amrinder put pen to paper on a three year extension with his club in March 2018. Named as one of the club’s captains by Jorge Costa in the 2018-19 campaign, Amrinder continued his rise as one of the finest shot-stoppers in the country and led Mumbai City to only their second semi-final appearance in five seasons of the ISL, but only to make it so far yet again. ALSO READ: Zidane pens open letter to fans, accuses president Perez of lacking respect On January 4, 2020, Amrinder created history by becoming the highest capped player in the history of Mumbai City when he led the Islanders out against ATK at the Mumbai Football Arena, passing the record set earlier by Lucian Goian. The Islanders, however, missed out on consecutive semi-final appearances on the final day of the league later in the same campaign. Amrinder would soon play a crucial role in one of the most important seasons in the club’s history. He remained as one of the leaders of the side under incoming head coach Sergio Lobera in a highly successful 2020-21 season and was instrumental towards leading Mumbai City to first, the ISL League Winners’ Shield and then, the elusive ISL Trophy – the first pieces of silverware in the club’s history. With 84 appearances for Mumbai City FC, his last one coming in the iconic 2020-21 ISL Final at the Fatorda, Amrinder leaves the Islanders as the Islanders’ highest appearance maker and an icon in the history of the Club. ALSO READ: Football: Mancini names new 28-man Italy squad as Euros approach Amrinder Singh said: “I came to this club five years ago as a boy and now I leave as a man. I have learnt so much about football and about life in my time at Mumbai City FC. I have had the privilege of working with some of the best players, the best coaches, and staff here in Mumbai.” “Moreover, I will cherish every minute I've spent playing in front of our fans. They are the backbone of this club and I can never forget all the love and support they've given me and my teammates in good times and especially, the not-so-good times.” “This club is my family and it's always tough to say goodbye to family. But I am proud that I can leave this family as a champion, winning our first ever trophies, and I will always hold Mumbai City close to my heart.”

Football: Mumbai City bid farewell to Amrinder Singh after five seasons

Zinedine Zidane on Monday accused Real Madrid president Florentino Perez of lacking respect in his final season as the Los Blancos manager as he announced his departure from the club by saying: "I’m leaving because I feel the club no longer has the faith in me I need".

Zidane won three UEFA Champions League titles and two LaLiga trophies across two spells at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, the World Cup-winning former French midfielder decided to part ways again following Real Madrid’s trophyless campaign in 2020-21.

The Frenchman has now opened up on his decision to quit the top job at Real Madrid while also touching upon his relationship with president Perez.

Many reports, prior to Zidane’s open letter, suggested that the Frenchman is tired of managing and wants a break while other reports suggested that he may be signed by Paris Saint-Germain or the French national team.

Spanish publication AS on Monday published Zidane’s open letter to fans which reads: "Dear Real Madrid fans, for more than 20 years, from the first day I arrived in Madrid and wore the white shirt, you’ve shown me your love. I wanted to write this letter, to say goodbye to you and explain my decision to leave the coaching job.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-tuchel-set-for-new-deal-and-hungry-for-more-after-chelsea-champions-league-triumph-388458" hreflang="en">Football: Tuchel set for new deal and hungry for more after Chelsea Champions League triumph</a>

"I’m going, but I’m not jumping overboard, nor am I tired of coaching. In May 2018 I left because after two and a half years, with so many victories and so many trophies, I felt the team needed a new approach to stay at the very highest level. Right now, things are different. I’m leaving because I feel the club no longer has the faith in me I need, nor the support to build something in the medium or long term.”

Zidane further added that he knows the demands of managing a top club like Real Madrid as the manager will be sacked if he doesn’t win anything. However, the Frenchman said that his efforts to build a culture in the club has been forgotten. The former Real Madrid manager said that he would have wished for a better relationship with the club and president over the last few months.

"I understand football and I know the demands of a club like Real Madrid. I know when you don’t win, you have to leave. But with this a very important thing has been forgotten, everything I built day-to-day has been forgotten, what I brought to my relationships with the players, with the 150 people who work with and around the team.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-acute-nose-bone-fracture-and-left-orbital-fracture-kevin-de-bruyne-reveals-extent-of-injury-picked-up-during-ucl-final-388411" hreflang="en">Football: 'Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture' - Kevin De Bruyne reveals extent of injury picked up during UCL final</a>

"I’m a natural-born winner and I was here to win trophies, but even more important than this are the people, their feelings, life itself and I have the sensation these things have not been taken into account, that there has been a failure to understand that these things also keep the dynamics of a great club going. To some extent I have even been rebuked for it.

"I want there to be respected for what we have achieved together. I would have liked my relationship with the club and the president over the past few months to have been a little different to that of other coaches. I wasn’t asking for privileges, of course not, just a little more recollection.

"These days the life of a coach in the dugout at a big club is two seasons, little more. For it to last longer the human relationships are essential, they are more important than money, more important than fame, more important than everything. They need to be nurtured.

"That’s why it hurt me so much when I read in the press, after a defeat, that I would be sacked if I didn’t win the next game. It hurt me and the whole team because these deliberately leaked messages to the media negatively influenced the squad, they created doubts and misunderstandings.

"Luckily I had these amazing lads who were with me to the death. When things turned ugly they saved me with magnificent victories. Because they believed in me and knew I believed in them."

Zinedine Zidane on Monday accused Real Madrid president Florentino Perez of lacking respect in his final season as the Los Blancos manager as he announced his departure from the club by saying: "I’m leaving because I feel the club no longer has the faith in me I need".

Zinedine Zidane on Monday accused Real Madrid president Florentino Perez of lacking respect in his final season as the Los Blancos manager as he announced his departure from the club by saying: "I’m leaving because I feel the club no longer has the faith in me I need". Zidane won three UEFA Champions League titles and two LaLiga trophies across two spells at the Santiago Bernabeu. However, the World Cup-winning former French midfielder decided to part ways again following Real Madrid’s trophyless campaign in 2020-21. The Frenchman has now opened up on his decision to quit the top job at Real Madrid while also touching upon his relationship with president Perez. Many reports, prior to Zidane’s open letter, suggested that the Frenchman is tired of managing and wants a break while other reports suggested that he may be signed by Paris Saint-Germain or the French national team. Spanish publication AS on Monday published Zidane’s open letter to fans which reads: "Dear Real Madrid fans, for more than 20 years, from the first day I arrived in Madrid and wore the white shirt, you’ve shown me your love. I wanted to write this letter, to say goodbye to you and explain my decision to leave the coaching job. ALSO READ: Football: Tuchel set for new deal and hungry for more after Chelsea Champions League triumph "I’m going, but I’m not jumping overboard, nor am I tired of coaching. In May 2018 I left because after two and a half years, with so many victories and so many trophies, I felt the team needed a new approach to stay at the very highest level. Right now, things are different. I’m leaving because I feel the club no longer has the faith in me I need, nor the support to build something in the medium or long term.” Zidane further added that he knows the demands of managing a top club like Real Madrid as the manager will be sacked if he doesn’t win anything. However, the Frenchman said that his efforts to build a culture in the club has been forgotten. The former Real Madrid manager said that he would have wished for a better relationship with the club and president over the last few months. "I understand football and I know the demands of a club like Real Madrid. I know when you don’t win, you have to leave. But with this a very important thing has been forgotten, everything I built day-to-day has been forgotten, what I brought to my relationships with the players, with the 150 people who work with and around the team. ALSO READ: Football: 'Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture' - Kevin De Bruyne reveals extent of injury picked up during UCL final "I’m a natural-born winner and I was here to win trophies, but even more important than this are the people, their feelings, life itself and I have the sensation these things have not been taken into account, that there has been a failure to understand that these things also keep the dynamics of a great club going. To some extent I have even been rebuked for it. "I want there to be respected for what we have achieved together. I would have liked my relationship with the club and the president over the past few months to have been a little different to that of other coaches. I wasn’t asking for privileges, of course not, just a little more recollection. "These days the life of a coach in the dugout at a big club is two seasons, little more. For it to last longer the human relationships are essential, they are more important than money, more important than fame, more important than everything. They need to be nurtured. "That’s why it hurt me so much when I read in the press, after a defeat, that I would be sacked if I didn’t win the next game. It hurt me and the whole team because these deliberately leaked messages to the media negatively influenced the squad, they created doubts and misunderstandings. "Luckily I had these amazing lads who were with me to the death. When things turned ugly they saved me with magnificent victories. Because they believed in me and knew I believed in them."

Football: 'Leaving because Real Madrid no longer has faith in me' - Zinedine Zidane pens open letter to fans

Italy coach Roberto Mancini announced a provisional 28-man squad for Euro 2020 on Sunday as he prepares for their final pre-tournament friendly against the Czech Republic.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Moise Kean was the biggest name to be dropped by Mancini, who kept Kean's PSG teammate Marco Verratti and Inter Milan midfielder Stefano Sensi despite the pair being injured.

The latest squad is not final as it will need to be whittled down to 26 by midnight on Tuesday, a day before Mancini's players are set to meet to prepare for the match against the Czech Republic, which kicks off on June 4.

Compared to the 33-man squad Mancini selected ahead of Friday's 7-0 thumping of San Marino, Sunday's squad list also excluded Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno, Lazio defender Manuel Lazzari, Vincenzo Grifo, Cristiano Biraghi and Gian Marco Ferrari.

Veteran Juventus defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci were called up, as well as Jorginho and Emerson Palmieri who are fresh from Champions League victory with Chelsea.

Matteo Politano, Matteo Pessina and Atalanta defender Rafael Toloi also get the nod after good displays against San Marino.

The Azzurri are a team reborn under Mancini after their shock failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and are undefeated in 26 games.

Italy are in Group A at the Euro and will face Turkey in the tournament's opening match on June 11 in Rome. They will also play Switzerland on June 16 and Wales on June 20, also in the Italian capital.

<h2>Italy squad announced on Sunday:</h2>

Goalkeepers:&nbsp;Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan), Alex Meret (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Torino)

Defenders:&nbsp;Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Emerson Palmieri (Chelsea/ENG), Alessandro Florenzi (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma), Rafael Toloi (Atalanta)

Midfielders:&nbsp;Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Jorginho (Chelsea/UK), Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Matteo Pessina (Atalanta), Stefano Sensi (Inter Milan), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA)

Forwards:&nbsp;Andrea Belotti (Torino), Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Matteo Politano (Napoli).

Italy coach Roberto Mancini announced a provisional 28-man squad for Euro 2020 on Sunday as he prepares for their final pre-tournament friendly against the Czech Republic.

Italy coach Roberto Mancini announced a provisional 28-man squad for Euro 2020 on Sunday as he prepares for their final pre-tournament friendly against the Czech Republic. Paris Saint-Germain striker Moise Kean was the biggest name to be dropped by Mancini, who kept Kean's PSG teammate Marco Verratti and Inter Milan midfielder Stefano Sensi despite the pair being injured. The latest squad is not final as it will need to be whittled down to 26 by midnight on Tuesday, a day before Mancini's players are set to meet to prepare for the match against the Czech Republic, which kicks off on June 4. Compared to the 33-man squad Mancini selected ahead of Friday's 7-0 thumping of San Marino, Sunday's squad list also excluded Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno, Lazio defender Manuel Lazzari, Vincenzo Grifo, Cristiano Biraghi and Gian Marco Ferrari. Veteran Juventus defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci were called up, as well as Jorginho and Emerson Palmieri who are fresh from Champions League victory with Chelsea. Matteo Politano, Matteo Pessina and Atalanta defender Rafael Toloi also get the nod after good displays against San Marino. The Azzurri are a team reborn under Mancini after their shock failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and are undefeated in 26 games. Italy are in Group A at the Euro and will face Turkey in the tournament's opening match on June 11 in Rome. They will also play Switzerland on June 16 and Wales on June 20, also in the Italian capital. Italy squad announced on Sunday: Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan), Alex Meret (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Torino) Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Emerson Palmieri (Chelsea/ENG), Alessandro Florenzi (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma), Rafael Toloi (Atalanta) Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Jorginho (Chelsea/UK), Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Matteo Pessina (Atalanta), Stefano Sensi (Inter Milan), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA) Forwards: Andrea Belotti (Torino), Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Matteo Politano (Napoli).

Football: Mancini names new 28-man Italy squad as Euros approach

Five months after being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel lifted the Champions League as he got the better of Pep Guardiola once more to keep Manchester City waiting for European glory.

A 1-0 victory in Porto rounded off a rollercoaster year for the German, who was handed the chance to revive Chelsea's fortunes less than a month after losing his job in Paris.

Chelsea were ninth in the Premier League table at the time with owner Roman Abramovich seeing little return on his £220 million ($312 million) outlay on new players under Frank Lampard.

In fact, Tuchel had never met the Russian billionaire in person until they crossed paths on the pitch at the Estadio do Dragao as the wild celebrations went on around them.

"Maybe I have a new contract now with that win," said Tuchel, who was only handed an 18-month deal when he signed on at Stamford Bridge.

"I spoke to Roman just now and it was the best moment for the first meeting, or maybe the worst moment. Maybe it can only get worse now!"

Kai Havertz was the most expensive purchase of that summer splurge after his £71 million move from Bayer Leverkusen.

Getting the best out of Havertz was one of Tuchel's major tasks and the 21-year-old German came good on the biggest stage of all with the only goal three minutes before half-time.

Unlike Guardiola, Tuchel did not have a glittering playing career. A series of knee injuries forced him to retire at 25 and take up a job as a waiter, while he began his coaching career in the youth ranks of Stuttgart.

From afar he watched and was inspired as Guardiola won 14 trophies in four years at Barcelona before joining him in Germany where they battled for Bundesliga supremacy in charge of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

During their first meeting, the two football obsessives talked long into the night using glasses and salt and pepper shakers to mimic formations.

"I was such a huge admirer of Pep when he was a player and then when he became a coach it was like learning on the job for me," Tuchel said this week.

"I was an academy coach and then in the Bundesliga with Mainz, but I don't think I missed a game because there was so much to learn."

Tuchel did not win any of the first five clashes between the pair during his time at Mainz and Dortmund against Guardiola's dominant Bayern side.

But the pupil has now outfoxed the master three times in the past six weeks as Chelsea completed a treble of victories over the English champions after wins in the FA Cup semi-final and Premier League.

<h2>- Tactical battle -</h2>

Guardiola spoke glowingly ahead of the game on how Tuchel's switch to a 3-4-3 formation had transformed Chelsea's season and denied City's abundance of creative midfielders space between the lines in their two previous meetings.

That allowed Tuchel to arguably win the tactical battle before a ball had even been kicked.

Often accused of overly tinkering with his line-ups when the pressure is ramped up in the final stages of the Champions League, Guardiola's bold call to start without a recognised holding midfielder backfired.

Tuchel was dismissed by PSG despite leading the French giants to their own first Champions League final in August.

That time he had to suffer the pain of a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, but his desire not to leave Portugal empty-handed again was in evidence as he prowled the touchline, constantly cajoling his players and whipping up the Chelsea fans into a frenzy.

The travelling support from London were among a 14,000 crowd that contributed hugely to the spectacle after almost a full season of European football behind closed doors.

Chelsea fans showed they have not forgotten the club's all-time record goalscorer with cries of "super Frank" in honour of Lampard's part in getting the Blues into the top four last season to qualify for this competition, and then through the group stages before his dismissal.

But this was Tuchel's triumph and he wants more.

"Nobody wants to rest, I want the next one, the next title," he added. "I want to be a part of it and I demand to be a part of it."

Five months after being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel lifted the Champions League as he got the better of Pep Guardiola once more to keep Manchester City waiting for European glory.

Five months after being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel lifted the Champions League as he got the better of Pep Guardiola once more to keep Manchester City waiting for European glory. A 1-0 victory in Porto rounded off a rollercoaster year for the German, who was handed the chance to revive Chelsea's fortunes less than a month after losing his job in Paris. Chelsea were ninth in the Premier League table at the time with owner Roman Abramovich seeing little return on his £220 million ($312 million) outlay on new players under Frank Lampard. In fact, Tuchel had never met the Russian billionaire in person until they crossed paths on the pitch at the Estadio do Dragao as the wild celebrations went on around them. "Maybe I have a new contract now with that win," said Tuchel, who was only handed an 18-month deal when he signed on at Stamford Bridge. "I spoke to Roman just now and it was the best moment for the first meeting, or maybe the worst moment. Maybe it can only get worse now!" Kai Havertz was the most expensive purchase of that summer splurge after his £71 million move from Bayer Leverkusen. Getting the best out of Havertz was one of Tuchel's major tasks and the 21-year-old German came good on the biggest stage of all with the only goal three minutes before half-time. Unlike Guardiola, Tuchel did not have a glittering playing career. A series of knee injuries forced him to retire at 25 and take up a job as a waiter, while he began his coaching career in the youth ranks of Stuttgart. From afar he watched and was inspired as Guardiola won 14 trophies in four years at Barcelona before joining him in Germany where they battled for Bundesliga supremacy in charge of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. During their first meeting, the two football obsessives talked long into the night using glasses and salt and pepper shakers to mimic formations. "I was such a huge admirer of Pep when he was a player and then when he became a coach it was like learning on the job for me," Tuchel said this week. "I was an academy coach and then in the Bundesliga with Mainz, but I don't think I missed a game because there was so much to learn." Tuchel did not win any of the first five clashes between the pair during his time at Mainz and Dortmund against Guardiola's dominant Bayern side. But the pupil has now outfoxed the master three times in the past six weeks as Chelsea completed a treble of victories over the English champions after wins in the FA Cup semi-final and Premier League. - Tactical battle - Guardiola spoke glowingly ahead of the game on how Tuchel's switch to a 3-4-3 formation had transformed Chelsea's season and denied City's abundance of creative midfielders space between the lines in their two previous meetings. That allowed Tuchel to arguably win the tactical battle before a ball had even been kicked. Often accused of overly tinkering with his line-ups when the pressure is ramped up in the final stages of the Champions League, Guardiola's bold call to start without a recognised holding midfielder backfired. Tuchel was dismissed by PSG despite leading the French giants to their own first Champions League final in August. That time he had to suffer the pain of a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, but his desire not to leave Portugal empty-handed again was in evidence as he prowled the touchline, constantly cajoling his players and whipping up the Chelsea fans into a frenzy. The travelling support from London were among a 14,000 crowd that contributed hugely to the spectacle after almost a full season of European football behind closed doors. Chelsea fans showed they have not forgotten the club's all-time record goalscorer with cries of "super Frank" in honour of Lampard's part in getting the Blues into the top four last season to qualify for this competition, and then through the group stages before his dismissal. But this was Tuchel's triumph and he wants more. "Nobody wants to rest, I want the next one, the next title," he added. "I want to be a part of it and I demand to be a part of it."

Football: Pupil beats the master as Chelsea's Tuchel gets the better of Guardiola

Chelsea fans piled into the streets surrounding the Stamford Bridge ground of the new kings of European football following their 1-0 defeat of Manchester City in the Champions League final on Saturday in Portugal.

Some lit flares as they sang and cheered the club's triumph earned thanks to Kai Havertz's first-half goal in Porto.

The goal from the club's most expensive ever signing gave the Russian-owned club their second European crown nine years after the first in 2012.

Coronavirus restrictions meant far fewer Chelsea supporters were able to attend Saturday's clash compared to the night they beat Bayern Munich.

Many of those who could not be there congregated in the fashionable west London neighbourhood, near the stadium where the same supporters had gathered for an angry protest against Chelsea's shortlived membership of the European Super League in April.

A light show in the club's blue spelled out "Champions for the Fans" as fireworks went off in the distance.

The fans' joyous celebrations, standing shoulder to shoulder in the streets, showed a complete disregard for the present social distancing advice in England that groups of no more than 30 can congregate. &nbsp;

Some climbed up to balconies of houses raising their arms in triumph -- several whipping off their shirts to celebrate half naked on a warm night.

Other Chelsea fans watching the game on giant screens at the Boxpark entertainment complex in Croydon, south of London, erupted in cheers at the final whistle.

"I'm ecstatic. It's amazing, this is something I've felt before, a long time ago, but to re-live it is mad. I'm really happy, I can't believe it," said landscape gardener Aaron Cheneoy, 36.

"Why do we think we've won it? Because we're the best team in Europe! I mean, look what's happened this season, this is the third time we've beaten City," said Bradley Smith, a 25-year-old consultant.

In northwest England, many Manchester City fans congregated in the Townley Pub in the city and experienced a wave of emotions as their team fell short of becoming European champions for the first time.

They drowned their sorrows but with the consolation that Pep Guardiola's team ended the season as runaway Premier League champions and retained the League Cup.

The City fans' emotions went from despair when Havertz scored to anger and despair at the early departure of influential midfielder Kevin De Bruyne after a shuddering clash with Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger.

At the final whistle, the sky blue-clad fans began chanting defiantly.

"Well, I'm not impressed, but I'm not going to slate my team because at the end of the day, we win everything," one fan said, and couldn't resist a jibe at their city rivals Manchester United.

"Manchester’s still blue, if you don't like it oo…oo."

Chelsea fans piled into the streets surrounding the Stamford Bridge ground of the new kings of European football following their 1-0 defeat of Manchester City in the Champions League final on Saturday in Portugal.

Chelsea fans piled into the streets surrounding the Stamford Bridge ground of the new kings of European football following their 1-0 defeat of Manchester City in the Champions League final on Saturday in Portugal. Some lit flares as they sang and cheered the club's triumph earned thanks to Kai Havertz's first-half goal in Porto. The goal from the club's most expensive ever signing gave the Russian-owned club their second European crown nine years after the first in 2012. Coronavirus restrictions meant far fewer Chelsea supporters were able to attend Saturday's clash compared to the night they beat Bayern Munich. Many of those who could not be there congregated in the fashionable west London neighbourhood, near the stadium where the same supporters had gathered for an angry protest against Chelsea's shortlived membership of the European Super League in April. A light show in the club's blue spelled out "Champions for the Fans" as fireworks went off in the distance. The fans' joyous celebrations, standing shoulder to shoulder in the streets, showed a complete disregard for the present social distancing advice in England that groups of no more than 30 can congregate. Some climbed up to balconies of houses raising their arms in triumph -- several whipping off their shirts to celebrate half naked on a warm night. Other Chelsea fans watching the game on giant screens at the Boxpark entertainment complex in Croydon, south of London, erupted in cheers at the final whistle. "I'm ecstatic. It's amazing, this is something I've felt before, a long time ago, but to re-live it is mad. I'm really happy, I can't believe it," said landscape gardener Aaron Cheneoy, 36. "Why do we think we've won it? Because we're the best team in Europe! I mean, look what's happened this season, this is the third time we've beaten City," said Bradley Smith, a 25-year-old consultant. In northwest England, many Manchester City fans congregated in the Townley Pub in the city and experienced a wave of emotions as their team fell short of becoming European champions for the first time. They drowned their sorrows but with the consolation that Pep Guardiola's team ended the season as runaway Premier League champions and retained the League Cup. The City fans' emotions went from despair when Havertz scored to anger and despair at the early departure of influential midfielder Kevin De Bruyne after a shuddering clash with Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger. At the final whistle, the sky blue-clad fans began chanting defiantly. "Well, I'm not impressed, but I'm not going to slate my team because at the end of the day, we win everything," one fan said, and couldn't resist a jibe at their city rivals Manchester United. "Manchester’s still blue, if you don't like it oo…oo."

Kai's the limit as Chelsea fans revel in Champions League glory

While Manchester City had been building towards what they thought was their moment in the Champions League for five years under Pep Guardiola, Chelsea showed with their victory in Saturday's final in Porto what can be achieved in just four months.

That is how long has elapsed since Thomas Tuchel became coach, replacing Frank Lampard with Chelsea ninth in the Premier League.

The German oversaw an immediate transformation in their fortunes, dragging them into the top four, taking them to the FA Cup final which they lost to Leicester City, and now winning the Champions League.

They have beaten Guardiola's City for the third time in six weeks thanks to Kai Havertz's goal, and they are champions of Europe for the second time.

Tuchel is set to reap the rewards with a handsome new contract, although whether he will be allowed to put down roots in west London remains to be seen given how managerial cycles tend to go at Stamford Bridge.&nbsp;

Once again a mid-season managerial sacking has worked out perfectly for Chelsea, whose 2012 Champions League triumph came following the decision to sack Andre Villas-Boas and appoint Roberto Di Matteo.

This time Chelsea have struck gold with Tuchel, but the 47-year-old would not have been able to deliver such success without the huge investment in players that came before his arrival, as well as some of the outstanding young talents who were already thriving under Lampard.

<h2>- Room for improvement -</h2>

Five of Chelsea's line-up at the Estadio do Dragao were signed at the start of the season, including match-winner Havertz, the 71 million-pound ($100m) recruit from Bayer Leverkusen. There was also Reece James and Mason Mount, youth academy graduates who are in England's squad for Euro 2020.

This is a team that has already conquered Europe but that appears to be just at the start of its adventure together.

"We have a strong bond, a strong group who can really defend and play and have answers on all questions in the game," Tuchel said on Saturday.

"Once the celebrations are over and once we digest this experience, it is the moment to grow, to evolve, to learn from it and become better."

There is huge room for improvement in the Premier League after Chelsea finished 19 points behind champions City, and a proper domestic title challenge will be expected now.

"When you play for a club like Chelsea you are always thinking in the future," said veteran skipper Cesar Azpilicueta.

Tuchel knows full well that past success counts for little -- Di Matteo was gone within six months of that 2012 victory and Tuchel himself was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain last December despite leading them to their first ever final last season.

<h2>- 'I want the next one' -</h2>

"When we won the Cup in Dortmund I did not arrive at the next training with less hunger, less desire or ambition," he said.

"Of course now is the time to celebrate for some days, to enjoy and let it sink in, for one or two weeks, to talk about it and reflect on it, but then it does surprisingly not a lot to you.

"I think it's good because nobody wants to rest. I want the next one, the next title. I want to be a part of it and I demand to be a part of it and this is what comes next."

He was initially handed just an 18-month contract but has earned an extended deal after what he has achieved in such a short time.

"I am not even 100 percent sure, but maybe I already have a new contract now with that win. My manager said something about that but I didn't know so let's check this first," he told reporters with a smile.

"My desire is to go for more victories, to grow as a coach and to push the group on the first day of next season to the limit."

The next Premier League campaign starts on August 14, but Chelsea will play three days before that against Villarreal with an opportunity for another trophy in the UEFA Super Cup.

While Manchester City had been building towards what they thought was their moment in the Champions League for five years under Pep Guardiola, Chelsea showed with their victory in Saturday's final in Porto what can be achieved in just four months.

While Manchester City had been building towards what they thought was their moment in the Champions League for five years under Pep Guardiola, Chelsea showed with their victory in Saturday's final in Porto what can be achieved in just four months. That is how long has elapsed since Thomas Tuchel became coach, replacing Frank Lampard with Chelsea ninth in the Premier League. The German oversaw an immediate transformation in their fortunes, dragging them into the top four, taking them to the FA Cup final which they lost to Leicester City, and now winning the Champions League. They have beaten Guardiola's City for the third time in six weeks thanks to Kai Havertz's goal, and they are champions of Europe for the second time. Tuchel is set to reap the rewards with a handsome new contract, although whether he will be allowed to put down roots in west London remains to be seen given how managerial cycles tend to go at Stamford Bridge. Once again a mid-season managerial sacking has worked out perfectly for Chelsea, whose 2012 Champions League triumph came following the decision to sack Andre Villas-Boas and appoint Roberto Di Matteo. This time Chelsea have struck gold with Tuchel, but the 47-year-old would not have been able to deliver such success without the huge investment in players that came before his arrival, as well as some of the outstanding young talents who were already thriving under Lampard. - Room for improvement - Five of Chelsea's line-up at the Estadio do Dragao were signed at the start of the season, including match-winner Havertz, the 71 million-pound ($100m) recruit from Bayer Leverkusen. There was also Reece James and Mason Mount, youth academy graduates who are in England's squad for Euro 2020. This is a team that has already conquered Europe but that appears to be just at the start of its adventure together. "We have a strong bond, a strong group who can really defend and play and have answers on all questions in the game," Tuchel said on Saturday. "Once the celebrations are over and once we digest this experience, it is the moment to grow, to evolve, to learn from it and become better." There is huge room for improvement in the Premier League after Chelsea finished 19 points behind champions City, and a proper domestic title challenge will be expected now. "When you play for a club like Chelsea you are always thinking in the future," said veteran skipper Cesar Azpilicueta. Tuchel knows full well that past success counts for little -- Di Matteo was gone within six months of that 2012 victory and Tuchel himself was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain last December despite leading them to their first ever final last season. - 'I want the next one' - "When we won the Cup in Dortmund I did not arrive at the next training with less hunger, less desire or ambition," he said. "Of course now is the time to celebrate for some days, to enjoy and let it sink in, for one or two weeks, to talk about it and reflect on it, but then it does surprisingly not a lot to you. "I think it's good because nobody wants to rest. I want the next one, the next title. I want to be a part of it and I demand to be a part of it and this is what comes next." He was initially handed just an 18-month contract but has earned an extended deal after what he has achieved in such a short time. "I am not even 100 percent sure, but maybe I already have a new contract now with that win. My manager said something about that but I didn't know so let's check this first," he told reporters with a smile. "My desire is to go for more victories, to grow as a coach and to push the group on the first day of next season to the limit." The next Premier League campaign starts on August 14, but Chelsea will play three days before that against Villarreal with an opportunity for another trophy in the UEFA Super Cup.

Football: Tuchel set for new deal and hungry for more after Chelsea Champions League triumph

Manchester City and Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has revealed the extent of his injury picked up during the UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea in Porto, Portugal. De Bruyne was substituted off in the 60th minute after Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger body-checked the Belgian.<o:p></o:p>

The 29-year-old straightaway went on to the ground and looked in immense pain as the physios and medical staff checked him. De Bruyne left the field in tears and pain as the Man City staff helped him limp off. Now, the Belgian has revealed the extent of his injury.<o:p></o:p>

De Bruyne has said that he has suffered acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. The Man City midfielder further said he is still disappointed about the Champions League final defeat against Chelsea while vowing that the team will be back fighting for titles next season.<o:p></o:p>

“Hi guys just got back from the hospital. My diagnosis is Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. I feel okay now. Still disappointed about yesterday obviously but we will be back,” De Bruyne tweeted.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-final-how-pep-guardiolas-manchester-city-imploded-on-their-biggest-night-388380" hreflang="en">Champions League Final: How Pep Guardiola's Manchester City imploded on their biggest night</a>

<o:p></o:p>

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Hi guys just got back from the hospital. My diagnosis is Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. I feel okay now. Still disappointed about yesterday obviously but we will be back
— Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeBruyneKev/status/1398944269348573188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Manchester City players were left in tears as Chelsea defeated them 1-0 to lift their second Champions League trophy. Chelsea’s club-record signing, Kai Havertz netted his first-ever goal in UCL to hand Chelsea the most important goal of their season as the London club enjoyed their first success under manager Thomas Tuchel. <o:p></o:p>

Earlier on Sunday, Man City right-back Kyle Walker expressed his disappointment in not winning the coveted Champions League but said the team will bounce back stronger next season.<o:p></o:p>

“We gave everything last night to make our fans proud and I’m sorry it wasn’t enough to bring the trophy home for you. We will be back stronger.&nbsp; Thanks for all your support,” Walker tweeted.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kais-the-limit-as-chelsea-fans-revel-in-champions-league-glory-388360" hreflang="en">Kai's the limit as Chelsea fans revel in Champions League glory</a>

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We gave everything last night to make our fans proud and I’m sorry it wasn’t enough to bring the trophy home for you. 
 
We will be back stronger. 
Thanks for all your support. 
💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mancity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mancity</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ManCity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mancity</a> <a href="https://t.co/wmKnh1ogp0">pic.twitter.com/wmKnh1ogp0</a>
— Kyle Walker (@kylewalker2) <a href="https://twitter.com/kylewalker2/status/1398940075145170948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Manchester City and Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has revealed the extent of his injury picked up during the UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea in Porto, Portugal.

Manchester City and Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has revealed the extent of his injury picked up during the UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea in Porto, Portugal. De Bruyne was substituted off in the 60th minute after Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger body-checked the Belgian. The 29-year-old straightaway went on to the ground and looked in immense pain as the physios and medical staff checked him. De Bruyne left the field in tears and pain as the Man City staff helped him limp off. Now, the Belgian has revealed the extent of his injury. De Bruyne has said that he has suffered acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. The Man City midfielder further said he is still disappointed about the Champions League final defeat against Chelsea while vowing that the team will be back fighting for titles next season. “Hi guys just got back from the hospital. My diagnosis is Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. I feel okay now. Still disappointed about yesterday obviously but we will be back,” De Bruyne tweeted. ALSO READ: Champions League Final: How Pep Guardiola's Manchester City imploded on their biggest night Hi guys just got back from the hospital. My diagnosis is Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. I feel okay now. Still disappointed about yesterday obviously but we will be back — Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) May 30, 2021 × Manchester City players were left in tears as Chelsea defeated them 1-0 to lift their second Champions League trophy. Chelsea’s club-record signing, Kai Havertz netted his first-ever goal in UCL to hand Chelsea the most important goal of their season as the London club enjoyed their first success under manager Thomas Tuchel. Earlier on Sunday, Man City right-back Kyle Walker expressed his disappointment in not winning the coveted Champions League but said the team will bounce back stronger next season. “We gave everything last night to make our fans proud and I’m sorry it wasn’t enough to bring the trophy home for you. We will be back stronger. Thanks for all your support,” Walker tweeted. ALSO READ: Kai's the limit as Chelsea fans revel in Champions League glory We gave everything last night to make our fans proud and I’m sorry it wasn’t enough to bring the trophy home for you. We will be back stronger. Thanks for all your support. 💙 #mancity @mancity pic.twitter.com/wmKnh1ogp0 — Kyle Walker (@kylewalker2) May 30, 2021 ×

Football: 'Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture' - Kevin De Bruyne reveals extent of injury picked up during UCL final

Antonio Cassano trusts Italian manager Antonio Conte will be employed as Zinedine Zidane's substitution by Los Blancos this late spring. The striker likewise accepts the French legend could be the ideal decision for Paris-Saint Germain if Mauricio Pochettino chooses to leave the Ligue 1 colossus.&nbsp;

Antonio Conte stunned fans and savants everywhere in the world when he headed out in different directions from Inter Milan by mutual break-up in the wake of driving the club to its first Scudetto in quite a while.&nbsp;

The Italian manager has demonstrated himself to be a chronic victor lately and constructed himself standing for creating groups that proceed to win prizes several years since his appointment.

Conte has won four Serie A titles, a Premier League, and an FA Cup during his fifteen years as a football manager.&nbsp;

Various top clubs in Europe are presently on the lookout for another manager. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris-Saint Germain, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are for the most part apparently searching for another manager this late spring.&nbsp;

Conte is probably going to be at the highest point of the list of things to get for the vast majority of these clubs because of his experience of overseeing top-quality football teams and winning trophies.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-final-how-pep-guardiolas-manchester-city-imploded-on-their-biggest-night-388380" hreflang="en">Champions League Final: How Pep Guardiola's Manchester City imploded on their biggest night</a>

Antonio Cassano trusts Antonio Conte could wind up at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"For me, Conte's only option is Real Madrid. His time at Inter was positive, with a good first year and winning the Scudetto in his second, playing his way. I don't think he can go to PSG because they don't have the right players for his game or share his football mentality, Zidane is perfect for PSG" - he said

Real Madrid is presently in danger of being prohibited from the Champions League for up to two seasons on the off chance that they neglect to separate themselves from the European Super League. Los Blancos are likewise prone to confront a fine worth up to €100 million.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-pupil-beats-the-master-as-chelseas-tuchel-gets-the-better-of-guardiola-388363" hreflang="en">Football: Pupil beats the master as Chelsea's Tuchel gets the better of Guardiola</a>

This could risk their odds of marking Antonio Conte and marking their top exchange focuses on this mid-year.

Antonio Cassano trusts Italian manager Antonio Conte will be employed as Zinedine Zidane's substitution by Los Blancos this late spring. The striker likewise accepts the French legend could be the ideal decision for Paris-Saint Germain if Mauricio Pochettino chooses to leave the Ligue 1 colossus.

Antonio Cassano trusts Italian manager Antonio Conte will be employed as Zinedine Zidane's substitution by Los Blancos this late spring. The striker likewise accepts the French legend could be the ideal decision for Paris-Saint Germain if Mauricio Pochettino chooses to leave the Ligue 1 colossus. Antonio Conte stunned fans and savants everywhere in the world when he headed out in different directions from Inter Milan by mutual break-up in the wake of driving the club to its first Scudetto in quite a while. The Italian manager has demonstrated himself to be a chronic victor lately and constructed himself standing for creating groups that proceed to win prizes several years since his appointment. Conte has won four Serie A titles, a Premier League, and an FA Cup during his fifteen years as a football manager. Various top clubs in Europe are presently on the lookout for another manager. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris-Saint Germain, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are for the most part apparently searching for another manager this late spring. Conte is probably going to be at the highest point of the list of things to get for the vast majority of these clubs because of his experience of overseeing top-quality football teams and winning trophies. ALSO READ: Champions League Final: How Pep Guardiola's Manchester City imploded on their biggest night Antonio Cassano trusts Antonio Conte could wind up at the Santiago Bernabeu. "For me, Conte's only option is Real Madrid. His time at Inter was positive, with a good first year and winning the Scudetto in his second, playing his way. I don't think he can go to PSG because they don't have the right players for his game or share his football mentality, Zidane is perfect for PSG" - he said Real Madrid is presently in danger of being prohibited from the Champions League for up to two seasons on the off chance that they neglect to separate themselves from the European Super League. Los Blancos are likewise prone to confront a fine worth up to €100 million. ALSO READ: Football: Pupil beats the master as Chelsea's Tuchel gets the better of Guardiola This could risk their odds of marking Antonio Conte and marking their top exchange focuses on this mid-year.

Football: 'Antonio Conte's only option is Real Madrid': Antonio Cassano

David Alaba described his move to Real Madrid as a dream come true and said the decision to move to Spain had been made some time ago.

The 28-year-old Austrian international signed for Real Madrid on Friday, joining on a free transfer after spending more than a decade with Bayern Munich.

"This is a dream come true for me personally," Alaba said as Austria continued their preparations for the European Championship at their training camp in Bad Tatzmannsdorf over the weekend.

“It is a team at the top in&nbsp;football&nbsp;history. That's something special," he told reporters.

Real announced on Friday that Alaba had signed a five-year contract.

"The last weeks and months have been very intense, also somewhere emotional," said the defender, who left Bayern after 13 years and 10 Bundesliga titles.

He said he had decided on Real some time ago, with only details sorted in recent weeks. "I talked to a few clubs, but for me personally Real Madrid has always been at the top of the list. I knew from the start that when I left Bayern I was going in that direction.

"It was a very exciting season in Spain - this is a top league, that is clear to everyone. That's why I'm looking forward to it," he added.

"Other factors were that I want to develop as a person, want to learn a new culture, want to learn a new language."

The announcement of Alaba’s signing came one day after the departure of coach Zinedine Zidane.

"The situation is not that easy to assess. But I am sure that they have it under control," said Alaba on the subject.

As to which position he would play at Real, the versatile Alaba was not specific. "That we will find out in the future. First and foremost, they know that I can play multiple positions."

Having settled on his club future, Alaba can now concentrate on Austria’s campaign.

"It's nice for me personally that I can now be clear in my head and focus on the essentials,"

"The anticipation is huge, we are very keen to get going and everyone is happy to be together,” he said of his national team colleagues.

At the last finals in France in 2016, Austria disappointed by finishing last in their group. "Five years ago it was frustrating, anything but nice. Of course, we want to do better this time."

David Alaba described his move to Real Madrid as a dream come true and said the decision to move to Spain had been made some time ago. The 28-year-old Austrian international signed for Real Madrid on Friday, joining on a free transfer after spending more than a decade with Bayern Munich.

David Alaba described his move to Real Madrid as a dream come true and said the decision to move to Spain had been made some time ago. The 28-year-old Austrian international signed for Real Madrid on Friday, joining on a free transfer after spending more than a decade with Bayern Munich. "This is a dream come true for me personally," Alaba said as Austria continued their preparations for the European Championship at their training camp in Bad Tatzmannsdorf over the weekend. “It is a team at the top in football history. That's something special," he told reporters. Real announced on Friday that Alaba had signed a five-year contract. "The last weeks and months have been very intense, also somewhere emotional," said the defender, who left Bayern after 13 years and 10 Bundesliga titles. He said he had decided on Real some time ago, with only details sorted in recent weeks. "I talked to a few clubs, but for me personally Real Madrid has always been at the top of the list. I knew from the start that when I left Bayern I was going in that direction. "It was a very exciting season in Spain - this is a top league, that is clear to everyone. That's why I'm looking forward to it," he added. "Other factors were that I want to develop as a person, want to learn a new culture, want to learn a new language." The announcement of Alaba’s signing came one day after the departure of coach Zinedine Zidane. "The situation is not that easy to assess. But I am sure that they have it under control," said Alaba on the subject. As to which position he would play at Real, the versatile Alaba was not specific. "That we will find out in the future. First and foremost, they know that I can play multiple positions." Having settled on his club future, Alaba can now concentrate on Austria’s campaign. "It's nice for me personally that I can now be clear in my head and focus on the essentials," "The anticipation is huge, we are very keen to get going and everyone is happy to be together,” he said of his national team colleagues. At the last finals in France in 2016, Austria disappointed by finishing last in their group. "Five years ago it was frustrating, anything but nice. Of course, we want to do better this time."

Football: Real Madrid was David Alaba's only real consideration

Chelsea lifted their second UEFA Champions League trophy as the Thomas Tuchel side outclassed Manchester City to win the summit clash 1-0, thanks to a defence-splitting pass by Mason Mount to find Kai Havertz in the 42nd minute as the young German rounded Ederson to net his first-ever goal – the one he will savour forever – in the biggest club competition.

While Manchester City have themselves to blame for a forgettable outing in Porto, Chelsea were up for every tactical nuance&nbsp;which Guardiola threw in front of them. The genius of N’Golo Kante produced one of the most breathtaking performances by a defensive midfielder as he swept and stole every ball that came his way. Whereas, young Reece James and Ben Chilwell nullified whatever threat the wingers – Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez – had, if any, on the night.

Manchester City headed into the final against Chelsea as favourites. Given the impressive shows on the road to the final, Man City were expected to blow Chelsea over by their quality and form. However, the Premier League champions imploded on the night.

Some say the players felt the pressure of their first-ever Champions League final appearance (only Scott Carson from Man City had made it to the Champions League final before), many say Pep Guardiola’s ‘overthinking’ has cost them the coveted Champions League trophy.

<img alt="Pep Guardiola UCL final" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f9d1c91d-3f10-492c-8a5e-72c07e56bbba" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9AZ9F4.jpg" />

Guardiola lost his first cup final as Manchester City manager, and second major cup final defeat of his managerial career - after the Copa del Rey in 2010-11.

So where did Manchester City lose the Champions League final against Chelsea?

<h2>Formation change</h2>

Manchester City’s game is based on patience and finding that perfect time to accelerate the tempo. The Cityzens did it to almost perfection during the course of the Premier League and League Cup-winning campaign but Guardiola decided to tweak the formation. Man City, in the 2020-21 season, played 59 out of 60 matches with either of Fernandinho or Rodri in the playing XI – the defensive midfielders, integral to rhythm of the match while providing stability to the defensive line.

Guardiola went without either of them in the Champions League final and put Ilkay Gundogan, club’s highest goal-scorer this season in a holding position. Phil Foden, who excelled as left-winger this season, played as a number eight while Kevin De Bruyne dropped deep to link-up the play. Nothing worked as N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mason Mount continued to crowd the space in between. As Kante swept and cleaned almost every ball in the midfielder, Jorginho and Mount were present to find the relentless runs by Timo Werner.

<img alt="Kevin De Bruyne vs Chelsea" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32dad7e1-a029-4693-a45c-728017a451c9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9AZ8YZ.jpg" />

Guardiola spoke glowingly ahead of the game on how Tuchel's switch to a 3-4-3 formation had transformed Chelsea's season and denied City's abundance of creative midfielders space between the lines in their two previous meetings.

Often accused of overly tinkering with his line-ups when the pressure is ramped up in the final stages of the Champions League, Guardiola's bold call to start without a recognised holding midfielder backfired.

“I did the best in the selection. Against Lyon like it was against PSG, Dortmund, I tried the selection the best to win the game. The players know it, I think Gundogan played good, we were exceptional,” Guardiola said after the crushing defeat to Chelsea in the final of Champions League.

<h2>Sterling left-wide, Riyad Mahrez kept drifting inwards</h2>

Many were left surprised when Manchester City named Raheem Sterling as one of the starters in the Champions League final. The Englishman didn’t enjoy the best of seasons and mostly struggled to find his A-game. Even when Sterling’s positioning and speed helped him to be in goal-scoring spaces, the 26-year-old has more often ended up scuffing his chances, during the course of the season.

Maybe, Guardiola wanted to take the pace of Reece James out of the game by planting Sterling on the left-wing but the tweak didn’t help as the Chelsea right wing-back kept tight on his England teammate. More surprisingly, Riyad Mahrez, who has been one of the finest performers in Europe this season, was asked to drift inwards without the ball, to create more space for Kyle Walker to explore his pace.

While Mahrez, most of the time, found no space to get on with his trickery, Walker found himself isolated in the wings when bombing forward. &nbsp;Another move, which Guardiola, in hindsight, would be gutted about.

<img alt="Pep and Sterling" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f5102ee1-3a6a-477d-bddc-badd47331826" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9AZ9AU.jpg" />

<h2>Patience out of the building</h2>

Manchester City’s game, under Pep Guardiola, has been based on “patience” and trying to find the space for the perfect pass in front of the goal. But surprisingly, the team which won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, four League Cups – on the trot, two Community Shields and reached the final of Champions League, with the same approach was set-up to play in a completely contrasting style.

At one point, the likes of Sterling, Foden, De Bruyne and Mahrez were hugging Chelsea’s defensive line with the hope that one of the defenders or Gundogan would find the long ball penetrating the resilient and stubborn defense. This is where Guardiola got it completely wrong, by forcing a style that doesn’t suit how Man City play. The forced style by Guardiola left Man City in the lurch, neither they were able to get on with their usual passing, pressing, position game; nor did they manage to counter-attack when spaces opened. There were plenty of long-balls played, but again, this is not how Man City are accustomed to playing.

"We expected Fernandinho in the line-up, to start. He chose a very offensive line-up, a very tactical line-up. It's very hard to steal and recover the ball. Everything else we more or less expected,” said Chelsea boss and now a UCL winner, Thomas Tuchel.

<img alt="Pep Guardiola" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0073a055-a4f6-4487-b921-c08a7f46f014" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9B22FV.jpg" />

Manchester City could have had a perfect ending to a difficult 2020-21 season but the curious stat of debutant UCL finalist failing to win the coveted European trophy continues. While the long wait for the Champions League trophy continues for the Cityzens, the fans will be proud of the heights the club has reached in the last decade or so.

While an xG of 0.52 on the biggest night of Manchester City was underwhelming, a&nbsp;Premier League trophy and League Cup along with a Champions League final appearance is a terrific achievement for Manchester City. But they must find a way to overcome the heartbreaking defeat and get going again in the next season, like they have, on so many occassions.&nbsp;

<o:p></o:p>

Chelsea lifted their second UEFA Champions League trophy as the Thomas Tuchel side outclassed Manchester City to win the summit clash 1-0, thanks to a defence-splitting pass by Mason Mount to find Kai Havertz in the 42nd minute as the young German rounded Ederson to net his first-ever goal – the one he will savour forever – in the biggest club competition.

Chelsea lifted their second UEFA Champions League trophy as the Thomas Tuchel side outclassed Manchester City to win the summit clash 1-0, thanks to a defence-splitting pass by Mason Mount to find Kai Havertz in the 42nd minute as the young German rounded Ederson to net his first-ever goal – the one he will savour forever – in the biggest club competition. While Manchester City have themselves to blame for a forgettable outing in Porto, Chelsea were up for every tactical nuance which Guardiola threw in front of them. The genius of N’Golo Kante produced one of the most breathtaking performances by a defensive midfielder as he swept and stole every ball that came his way. Whereas, young Reece James and Ben Chilwell nullified whatever threat the wingers – Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez – had, if any, on the night. Manchester City headed into the final against Chelsea as favourites. Given the impressive shows on the road to the final, Man City were expected to blow Chelsea over by their quality and form. However, the Premier League champions imploded on the night. Some say the players felt the pressure of their first-ever Champions League final appearance (only Scott Carson from Man City had made it to the Champions League final before), many say Pep Guardiola’s ‘overthinking’ has cost them the coveted Champions League trophy. Guardiola lost his first cup final as Manchester City manager, and second major cup final defeat of his managerial career - after the Copa del Rey in 2010-11. So where did Manchester City lose the Champions League final against Chelsea? Formation change Manchester City’s game is based on patience and finding that perfect time to accelerate the tempo. The Cityzens did it to almost perfection during the course of the Premier League and League Cup-winning campaign but Guardiola decided to tweak the formation. Man City, in the 2020-21 season, played 59 out of 60 matches with either of Fernandinho or Rodri in the playing XI – the defensive midfielders, integral to rhythm of the match while providing stability to the defensive line. Guardiola went without either of them in the Champions League final and put Ilkay Gundogan, club’s highest goal-scorer this season in a holding position. Phil Foden, who excelled as left-winger this season, played as a number eight while Kevin De Bruyne dropped deep to link-up the play. Nothing worked as N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mason Mount continued to crowd the space in between. As Kante swept and cleaned almost every ball in the midfielder, Jorginho and Mount were present to find the relentless runs by Timo Werner. Guardiola spoke glowingly ahead of the game on how Tuchel's switch to a 3-4-3 formation had transformed Chelsea's season and denied City's abundance of creative midfielders space between the lines in their two previous meetings. Often accused of overly tinkering with his line-ups when the pressure is ramped up in the final stages of the Champions League, Guardiola's bold call to start without a recognised holding midfielder backfired. “I did the best in the selection. Against Lyon like it was against PSG, Dortmund, I tried the selection the best to win the game. The players know it, I think Gundogan played good, we were exceptional,” Guardiola said after the crushing defeat to Chelsea in the final of Champions League. Sterling left-wide, Riyad Mahrez kept drifting inwards Many were left surprised when Manchester City named Raheem Sterling as one of the starters in the Champions League final. The Englishman didn’t enjoy the best of seasons and mostly struggled to find his A-game. Even when Sterling’s positioning and speed helped him to be in goal-scoring spaces, the 26-year-old has more often ended up scuffing his chances, during the course of the season. Maybe, Guardiola wanted to take the pace of Reece James out of the game by planting Sterling on the left-wing but the tweak didn’t help as the Chelsea right wing-back kept tight on his England teammate. More surprisingly, Riyad Mahrez, who has been one of the finest performers in Europe this season, was asked to drift inwards without the ball, to create more space for Kyle Walker to explore his pace. While Mahrez, most of the time, found no space to get on with his trickery, Walker found himself isolated in the wings when bombing forward. Another move, which Guardiola, in hindsight, would be gutted about. Patience out of the building Manchester City’s game, under Pep Guardiola, has been based on “patience” and trying to find the space for the perfect pass in front of the goal. But surprisingly, the team which won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, four League Cups – on the trot, two Community Shields and reached the final of Champions League, with the same approach was set-up to play in a completely contrasting style. At one point, the likes of Sterling, Foden, De Bruyne and Mahrez were hugging Chelsea’s defensive line with the hope that one of the defenders or Gundogan would find the long ball penetrating the resilient and stubborn defense. This is where Guardiola got it completely wrong, by forcing a style that doesn’t suit how Man City play. The forced style by Guardiola left Man City in the lurch, neither they were able to get on with their usual passing, pressing, position game; nor did they manage to counter-attack when spaces opened. There were plenty of long-balls played, but again, this is not how Man City are accustomed to playing. "We expected Fernandinho in the line-up, to start. He chose a very offensive line-up, a very tactical line-up. It's very hard to steal and recover the ball. Everything else we more or less expected,” said Chelsea boss and now a UCL winner, Thomas Tuchel. Manchester City could have had a perfect ending to a difficult 2020-21 season but the curious stat of debutant UCL finalist failing to win the coveted European trophy continues. While the long wait for the Champions League trophy continues for the Cityzens, the fans will be proud of the heights the club has reached in the last decade or so. While an xG of 0.52 on the biggest night of Manchester City was underwhelming, a Premier League trophy and League Cup along with a Champions League final appearance is a terrific achievement for Manchester City. But they must find a way to overcome the heartbreaking defeat and get going again in the next season, like they have, on so many occassions.

Champions League Final: How Pep Guardiola's Manchester City imploded on their biggest night

Hungary will bank on its X-factor to emerge from the toughest group at Euro 2020 alongside defending champions Portugal and the past two world champions in France and Germany.

Hungary, 37th in the world rankings, are clear underdogs, but as Portugal will remember from the last European Championship, they can be difficult opponents.

They played out an exhilarating 3-3 draw with the Portuguese five years ago - taking the lead three times - en route to winning the group with victory over Austria and a draw against Iceland.

That appearance ended a 30-year absence from international tournaments, a dark age for a Hungarian side once considered the world's best and ranked third before crashing out of the 1986 World Cup.

Lacking big-name players, Hungary relies on solid defense and swift counter-attacks to pick apart opponents, though they have been plagued by inconsistency.

In qualifying for the tournament, they beat World Cup runners-up Croatia and Euro 2016 semi-finalists Wales, only to lose twice to Slovakia and finish fourth in the group.

Relegated to the Nations League, Hungary shone once again, beating higher-ranked opponents Serbia (in Belgrade) and Turkey twice.

"It will be a really strange European Championship," said&nbsp;football&nbsp;analyst Janos Kele. "The bigger teams are so World Cup focused that some of them are far from complete. Plus the coronavirus scheduling mess really hurt their planning."

Because of the pandemic delayed and complicated&nbsp;football&nbsp;seasons everywhere, the best players at the biggest clubs will get very little rest before the tournament, and even less time to prepare together.

In matches where exhausted players are thrown together to face lesser-known but fresher and well-coached teams, the difference in ability will be less obvious than usual.

"Rawer opposing game plans are a lot easier to pick apart," Kele said.

Cornerstones of the squad come from one Bundesliga club, RB Leipzig, including goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi and center-back Willi Orban, as well as Hungary's brightest star, midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.

Hungary owes their Euro participation to a last-minute solo effort by the 20-year-old Szoboszlai which secured victory over Iceland in the qualification playoff.

Injured since January but now training fully, Szoboszlai should be fit for the tournament.

Italian coach Marco Rossi has boosted the squad with 16 new players and has built a reputation for making good decisions during games. Substitute Loic Nego scored the equalizing goal against Iceland before Szoboszlai's winner.

"Hungary is probably one of the most cohesive teams," said Kele. "This could be the Euro of surprises."

Hungary will bank on its X-factor to emerge from the toughest group at Euro 2020 alongside defending champions Portugal and the past two world champions in France and Germany.

Hungary will bank on its X-factor to emerge from the toughest group at Euro 2020 alongside defending champions Portugal and the past two world champions in France and Germany. Hungary, 37th in the world rankings, are clear underdogs, but as Portugal will remember from the last European Championship, they can be difficult opponents. They played out an exhilarating 3-3 draw with the Portuguese five years ago - taking the lead three times - en route to winning the group with victory over Austria and a draw against Iceland. That appearance ended a 30-year absence from international tournaments, a dark age for a Hungarian side once considered the world's best and ranked third before crashing out of the 1986 World Cup. Lacking big-name players, Hungary relies on solid defense and swift counter-attacks to pick apart opponents, though they have been plagued by inconsistency. In qualifying for the tournament, they beat World Cup runners-up Croatia and Euro 2016 semi-finalists Wales, only to lose twice to Slovakia and finish fourth in the group. Relegated to the Nations League, Hungary shone once again, beating higher-ranked opponents Serbia (in Belgrade) and Turkey twice. "It will be a really strange European Championship," said football analyst Janos Kele. "The bigger teams are so World Cup focused that some of them are far from complete. Plus the coronavirus scheduling mess really hurt their planning." Because of the pandemic delayed and complicated football seasons everywhere, the best players at the biggest clubs will get very little rest before the tournament, and even less time to prepare together. In matches where exhausted players are thrown together to face lesser-known but fresher and well-coached teams, the difference in ability will be less obvious than usual. "Rawer opposing game plans are a lot easier to pick apart," Kele said. Cornerstones of the squad come from one Bundesliga club, RB Leipzig, including goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi and center-back Willi Orban, as well as Hungary's brightest star, midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai. Hungary owes their Euro participation to a last-minute solo effort by the 20-year-old Szoboszlai which secured victory over Iceland in the qualification playoff. Injured since January but now training fully, Szoboszlai should be fit for the tournament. Italian coach Marco Rossi has boosted the squad with 16 new players and has built a reputation for making good decisions during games. Substitute Loic Nego scored the equalizing goal against Iceland before Szoboszlai's winner. "Hungary is probably one of the most cohesive teams," said Kele. "This could be the Euro of surprises."

Football: Hungary count on X-factor in Euro 2020 group of death

In what could be one of the biggest transfers ahead of the 2021-22 season, Tottenham Hotspur have held talks with Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino over a return to the club. Pochettino was sacked by Spurs 18 months ago and the Argentine went onto sign a short-term deal with his former club PSG.<o:p></o:p>

With the Ligue 1 giants, Pochettino won two domestic trophies to end his wait for a title as a manager but failed to guide PSG to a league title after being pipped by Lille.<o:p></o:p>

Under Pochettino, PSG qualified for the UCL semi-final but were defeated by Manchester City.<o:p></o:p>

While Pochettino is regarded as one of the finest tacticians, Tottenham Hotspur are working on a possible return for the Argentine to the North London club.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-zinedine-zidane-leaves-real-madrid-after-disappointing-2020-21-campaign-387764" hreflang="en">Football: Zinedine Zidane leaves Real Madrid after disappointing 2020-21 campaign</a><o:p></o:p>

Reportedly, Pochettino is unhappy with how some of the things have been handled by the PSG hierarchy and is considering returning to Premier League. Apparently, Daniel Levi has accepted that it was a “mistake” to sack Pochettino and believes bringing him back is the best possible chance for the club to get back to UCL contention and win the fans back after the Super League fiasco.<o:p></o:p>

The Argentine guided Spurs to three top-three finishes in the Premier League, on the bounce, and four Champions League qualifications. He also took Tottenham Hotspur to the final of the Champions League only to lose against Liverpool.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-at-least-70-racial-slurs-marcus-rashford-subjected-to-online-abuse-after-europa-league-final-defeat-387732" hreflang="en">Football: 'At least 70 racial slurs' - Marcus Rashford subjected to online abuse after Europa League final defeat</a><o:p></o:p>

However, PSG are reluctant to let go of Pochettino and it will be interesting how Spurs negotiate with the French giants. <o:p></o:p>

Besides Pochettino, Ajax boss Erik Ten Haag continues to remain a strong contender for the role in case PSG don’t allow the Argentine to leave. <o:p></o:p>

In what could be one of the biggest transfers ahead of the 2021-22 season, Tottenham Hotspur have held talks with Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino over a return to the club.

In what could be one of the biggest transfers ahead of the 2021-22 season, Tottenham Hotspur have held talks with Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino over a return to the club. Pochettino was sacked by Spurs 18 months ago and the Argentine went onto sign a short-term deal with his former club PSG. With the Ligue 1 giants, Pochettino won two domestic trophies to end his wait for a title as a manager but failed to guide PSG to a league title after being pipped by Lille. Under Pochettino, PSG qualified for the UCL semi-final but were defeated by Manchester City. While Pochettino is regarded as one of the finest tacticians, Tottenham Hotspur are working on a possible return for the Argentine to the North London club. ALSO READ: Football: Zinedine Zidane leaves Real Madrid after disappointing 2020-21 campaign Reportedly, Pochettino is unhappy with how some of the things have been handled by the PSG hierarchy and is considering returning to Premier League. Apparently, Daniel Levi has accepted that it was a “mistake” to sack Pochettino and believes bringing him back is the best possible chance for the club to get back to UCL contention and win the fans back after the Super League fiasco. The Argentine guided Spurs to three top-three finishes in the Premier League, on the bounce, and four Champions League qualifications. He also took Tottenham Hotspur to the final of the Champions League only to lose against Liverpool. ALSO READ: Football: 'At least 70 racial slurs' - Marcus Rashford subjected to online abuse after Europa League final defeat However, PSG are reluctant to let go of Pochettino and it will be interesting how Spurs negotiate with the French giants. Besides Pochettino, Ajax boss Erik Ten Haag continues to remain a strong contender for the role in case PSG don’t allow the Argentine to leave.

Football: Tottenham Hotspur hold talks with Mauricio Pochettino as PSG boss eyes Premier League return

Real Madrid on Thursday announced that Zinedine Zidane has decided to end his contract as the head coach of Los Blancos as the Frenchman brings an end to his second stint with the Spanish giants as the manager. <o:p></o:p>

Real Madrid officially announced the development after Zidane reached the club’s training center early in the morning. Zidane leaves Real Madrid after a disappointing campaign with the 13-time European champions, who lost to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final before failing to grab the opportunity to win the LaLiga. <o:p></o:p>

The Los Blancos ended the season trophyless for the first time in 11 years. <o:p></o:p>

The 1998 World Cup winner first took the helm in January 2016 and guided Real to the 2017 La Liga title and an unprecedented hat-trick of Champions League titles before abruptly quitting on May 31, 2018.<o:p></o:p>

<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:
0in;background:white;-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;box-sizing: border-box;
color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;
orphans: 2;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;
text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:
0px">He returned in 2019, winning a second La Liga crown in 2020 and the Spanish Super Cup.&nbsp;

<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:
0in;background:white;-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;box-sizing: border-box;
color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;
orphans: 2;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;
text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:
0px"><o:p>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-at-least-70-racial-slurs-marcus-rashford-subjected-to-online-abuse-after-europa-league-final-defeat-387732" hreflang="en">Football: 'At least 70 racial slurs' - Marcus Rashford subjected to online abuse after Europa League final defeat</a><o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Real Madrid full statement on Zinedine Zidane (translated to English from Spanish):</h2>

<h2 class="MsoNormal"><o:p><img alt="Zidane" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a5fd7944-f8cf-47a4-a94c-2842a016c62a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Zidane.JPG" /></o:p></h2>

Real Madrid CF announces that Zinedine Zidane has decided to end his current stage as coach of our club.<o:p></o:p>

It is now time to respect his decision and show him our appreciation for his professionalism, dedication and passion in all these years, and for what his figure represents for Real Madrid.<o:p></o:p>

Zidane is one of the great myths of Real Madrid and his legend goes beyond what he has been as a coach and player of our club.<o:p></o:p>

He knows that he is at the heart of Real Madrid and that Real Madrid is and will always be his home.<o:p></o:p>

Real Madrid on Thursday announced that Zinedine Zidane has decided to end his contract as the head coach of Los Blancos as the Frenchman brings an end to his second stint with the Spanish giants as the manager.

Real Madrid on Thursday announced that Zinedine Zidane has decided to end his contract as the head coach of Los Blancos as the Frenchman brings an end to his second stint with the Spanish giants as the manager. Real Madrid officially announced the development after Zidane reached the club’s training center early in the morning. Zidane leaves Real Madrid after a disappointing campaign with the 13-time European champions, who lost to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final before failing to grab the opportunity to win the LaLiga. The Los Blancos ended the season trophyless for the first time in 11 years. The 1998 World Cup winner first took the helm in January 2016 and guided Real to the 2017 La Liga title and an unprecedented hat-trick of Champions League titles before abruptly quitting on May 31, 2018. He returned in 2019, winning a second La Liga crown in 2020 and the Spanish Super Cup. ALSO READ: Football: 'At least 70 racial slurs' - Marcus Rashford subjected to online abuse after Europa League final defeat Real Madrid full statement on Zinedine Zidane (translated to English from Spanish): Real Madrid CF announces that Zinedine Zidane has decided to end his current stage as coach of our club. It is now time to respect his decision and show him our appreciation for his professionalism, dedication and passion in all these years, and for what his figure represents for Real Madrid. Zidane is one of the great myths of Real Madrid and his legend goes beyond what he has been as a coach and player of our club. He knows that he is at the heart of Real Madrid and that Real Madrid is and will always be his home.

Football: Zinedine Zidane leaves Real Madrid after disappointing 2020-21 campaign

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford on Thursday was left frustrated as he revealed that he has been subjected to racial abuse on social media following Manchester United’s 11-10 defeat (in penalty shootout) to Villarreal in the final of UEFA Europa League in Poland. <o:p></o:p>

Rashford missed one of the easiest chances for Manchester United and also got another couple of good chances to give the Red Devils an advantage in the game. However, with Manchester United ending up losing the match, Rashford was flooded with racial abuses on social media. <o:p></o:p>

The England international took to social media platform Twitter to express his disappointment as he said he received at least 70 racial slurs. He added that one of the fans who racially abused him was a mathematics teacher.<o:p></o:p>

"At least 70 racial slurs on my social accounts counted so far. For those working to make me feel any worse than I already do, good luck trying," tweeted Rashford.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-22-kicks-and-1-miss-as-villarreal-defeat-manchester-united-11-10-in-europa-league-final-shootout-watch-387719" hreflang="en">Football: 22 kicks and 1 miss as Villarreal defeat Manchester United 11-10 in Europa League final shootout- Watch</a><o:p></o:p>

In another tweet, Rashford said, "I'm more outraged that one of the abusers that left a mountain of monkey emojis in my DM is a maths teacher with an open profile."<o:p></o:p>

"He teaches children!! And knows that he can freely racially abuse without consequence," he added.

<o:p></o:p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I’m more outraged that one of the abusers that left a mountain of monkey emojis in my DM is a maths teacher with an open profile. He teaches children!! And knows that he can freely racially abuse without consequence…
— Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarcusRashford/status/1397709656240369665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Rashford has been one of the vocal voices who have called out social media giants to take stringent steps to stop online hate and racial discrimination. <o:p></o:p>

After Rashford's tweet, Manchester United also released a statement condemning the racial abuse.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-solskjaers-man-utd-rebuild-mission-laid-bare-by-europa-league-agony-387675" hreflang="en">Football: Solskjaer's Man Utd rebuild mission laid bare by Europa League agony</a><o:p></o:p>

"Following the Europa League final, our players were subjected to disgraceful racist abuse. If you see any form of abuse or discrimination, act and report it," United's official handle tweeted.

<o:p></o:p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Following the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UEL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UEL</a> final, our players were subjected to disgraceful racist abuse. 
 
If you see any form of abuse or discrimination, 𝗮𝗰𝘁 and 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 it.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SeeRed?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SeeRed</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/allredallequal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#allredallequal</a>
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) <a href="https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/1397709133613199360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea missed the 22 nd kick of the penalty shootout as Villarreal won it 11-10 to lift their first major European title. <o:p></o:p>

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford on Thursday was left frustrated as he revealed that he has been subjected to racial abuse on social media following Manchester United’s 11-10 defeat (in penalty shootout) to Villarreal in the final of UEFA Europa League in Poland.

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford on Thursday was left frustrated as he revealed that he has been subjected to racial abuse on social media following Manchester United’s 11-10 defeat (in penalty shootout) to Villarreal in the final of UEFA Europa League in Poland. Rashford missed one of the easiest chances for Manchester United and also got another couple of good chances to give the Red Devils an advantage in the game. However, with Manchester United ending up losing the match, Rashford was flooded with racial abuses on social media. The England international took to social media platform Twitter to express his disappointment as he said he received at least 70 racial slurs. He added that one of the fans who racially abused him was a mathematics teacher. "At least 70 racial slurs on my social accounts counted so far. For those working to make me feel any worse than I already do, good luck trying," tweeted Rashford. ALSO READ: Football: 22 kicks and 1 miss as Villarreal defeat Manchester United 11-10 in Europa League final shootout- Watch In another tweet, Rashford said, "I'm more outraged that one of the abusers that left a mountain of monkey emojis in my DM is a maths teacher with an open profile." "He teaches children!! And knows that he can freely racially abuse without consequence," he added. I’m more outraged that one of the abusers that left a mountain of monkey emojis in my DM is a maths teacher with an open profile. He teaches children!! And knows that he can freely racially abuse without consequence… — Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) May 27, 2021 × Rashford has been one of the vocal voices who have called out social media giants to take stringent steps to stop online hate and racial discrimination. After Rashford's tweet, Manchester United also released a statement condemning the racial abuse. ALSO READ: Football: Solskjaer's Man Utd rebuild mission laid bare by Europa League agony "Following the Europa League final, our players were subjected to disgraceful racist abuse. If you see any form of abuse or discrimination, act and report it," United's official handle tweeted. Following the #UEL final, our players were subjected to disgraceful racist abuse. If you see any form of abuse or discrimination, 𝗮𝗰𝘁 and 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 it.#SeeRed #allredallequal — Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 27, 2021 × Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea missed the 22 nd kick of the penalty shootout as Villarreal won it 11-10 to lift their first major European title.

Football: 'At least 70 racial slurs' - Marcus Rashford subjected to online abuse after Europa League final defeat

A decade on from when he last lifted the Champions League trophy, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is once again in the final and is looking to back up his claim to being the greatest coach football has ever seen.

Victory over Chelsea in Porto would take Guardiola level with Zinedine Zidane, Carlo Ancelotti and Bob Paisley as the only men to win three European Cups as coach.

The 50-year-old's record in 12 seasons at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City speaks for itself. Among his 26 major trophies are nine league titles, three in each of Spain, Germany, England, and nine domestic cups.

At his boyhood club Barca he also conquered the Champions League in two of his first three seasons.

But since masterminding one of the greatest ever performances in a European final to sweep aside Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley in 2011, Europe's top club competition has been the one blot on Guardiola's record.

Newly-crowned European champions Bayern expected a dynasty when the Catalan arrived in Bavaria fresh from a year's sabbatical in 2013. Instead, Guardiola's Bayern suffered semi-final heartache to Spanish opposition in each of his three seasons in charge.

City's determination to create the perfect project to lure him to Manchester by appointing his former colleagues at Barcelona, Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano, to top jobs at the Etihad Stadium has been fully vindicated with three Premier League titles in the past four years.

"They have an incredible squad and the best manager in the world and that makes it a good recipe," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after City dethroned his side as English champions.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is also a Guardiola disciple, labelling City "the benchmark" for the Blues to aim for.

Guardiola has been so revered because he brings a style to go with the substance of hoarding trophies.

"He's had, arguably, the most positive influence of anyone, ever on our game," said former England striker Gary Lineker on how Guardiola has shaped a change of style in English football more reliant on technique than tenacity.

<h2>- Overthinking -</h2>

Yet the Champions League continued to bring out the worst in Guardiola as persistent tinkering and surprise team selections saw him labelled as a coach guilty of overthinking a series of knockout ties.

City did not even make it beyond the quarter-finals in his first four seasons in charge as a combination of wasteful finishing, defensive errors and controversial refereeing calls repeatedly combined to cost them.

That has all changed this season with the signing of Portuguese centre-back Ruben Dias helping City to boast the tightest defence in the Champions League, while Guardiola's use of a system without a natural striker has not stopped City scoring four goals in each of their knockout ties against Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain.

"We are quite a similar team from in the past when we were out," said Guardiola this week. "The margins are little details. This year it fell on our side when for many years it was the opposite.

"Now we are quite satisfied to get to the final but we know if you don't have a huge desire to win it, a huge desire to know what we have to do, it will not be possible to win the game, to win the Champions League."

Winning the Champions League has been the long-term goal for City's Abu Dhabi owners since Sheikh Mansour's takeover transformed the club 13 years ago.

In their 10th season in the competition, City have finally made it to the final. A decade of disappointment for both the the club and their manager will be quickly forgotten if they make history on Saturday.

A decade on from when he last lifted the Champions League trophy, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is once again in the final and is looking to back up his claim to being the greatest coach football has ever seen.

A decade on from when he last lifted the Champions League trophy, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is once again in the final and is looking to back up his claim to being the greatest coach football has ever seen. Victory over Chelsea in Porto would take Guardiola level with Zinedine Zidane, Carlo Ancelotti and Bob Paisley as the only men to win three European Cups as coach. The 50-year-old's record in 12 seasons at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City speaks for itself. Among his 26 major trophies are nine league titles, three in each of Spain, Germany, England, and nine domestic cups. At his boyhood club Barca he also conquered the Champions League in two of his first three seasons. But since masterminding one of the greatest ever performances in a European final to sweep aside Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley in 2011, Europe's top club competition has been the one blot on Guardiola's record. Newly-crowned European champions Bayern expected a dynasty when the Catalan arrived in Bavaria fresh from a year's sabbatical in 2013. Instead, Guardiola's Bayern suffered semi-final heartache to Spanish opposition in each of his three seasons in charge. City's determination to create the perfect project to lure him to Manchester by appointing his former colleagues at Barcelona, Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano, to top jobs at the Etihad Stadium has been fully vindicated with three Premier League titles in the past four years. "They have an incredible squad and the best manager in the world and that makes it a good recipe," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after City dethroned his side as English champions. Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is also a Guardiola disciple, labelling City "the benchmark" for the Blues to aim for. Guardiola has been so revered because he brings a style to go with the substance of hoarding trophies. "He's had, arguably, the most positive influence of anyone, ever on our game," said former England striker Gary Lineker on how Guardiola has shaped a change of style in English football more reliant on technique than tenacity. - Overthinking - Yet the Champions League continued to bring out the worst in Guardiola as persistent tinkering and surprise team selections saw him labelled as a coach guilty of overthinking a series of knockout ties. City did not even make it beyond the quarter-finals in his first four seasons in charge as a combination of wasteful finishing, defensive errors and controversial refereeing calls repeatedly combined to cost them. That has all changed this season with the signing of Portuguese centre-back Ruben Dias helping City to boast the tightest defence in the Champions League, while Guardiola's use of a system without a natural striker has not stopped City scoring four goals in each of their knockout ties against Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain. "We are quite a similar team from in the past when we were out," said Guardiola this week. "The margins are little details. This year it fell on our side when for many years it was the opposite. "Now we are quite satisfied to get to the final but we know if you don't have a huge desire to win it, a huge desire to know what we have to do, it will not be possible to win the game, to win the Champions League." Winning the Champions League has been the long-term goal for City's Abu Dhabi owners since Sheikh Mansour's takeover transformed the club 13 years ago. In their 10th season in the competition, City have finally made it to the final. A decade of disappointment for both the the club and their manager will be quickly forgotten if they make history on Saturday.

Football: Guardiola on the brink of exorcising Champions League demons

Whatever happens in Saturday's Champions League final against Manchester City, Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel can already claim a small bit of history by becoming the first coach to make it to the showpiece game in European club football in successive seasons with different clubs.

Tuchel's impact on Chelsea, at least up until the last few matches, has been little short of remarkable and, it can be argued, hardly reflects well on his old side Paris Saint-Germain.

The French giants' gratitude towards Tuchel for leading them to the Champions League final for the first time in their history last season was not enough to stop them sacking him in December.

PSG have since gone on, under Tuchel's replacement Mauricio Pochettino, to finish second in Ligue 1 to Lille while going out of the Champions League in the semi-finals to Pep Guardiola's City.

In any case Tuchel came out of that sacking with his reputation intact, in large part thanks to the job he did in taking PSG to last season's final where they lost narrowly to Bayern Munich in Lisbon.

At Chelsea, he took over a team that was underperforming under Frank Lampard and had an immediate impact -- Tuchel has turned the London club into a supremely well-drilled machine with a three-man defence led by his old captain in Paris, Thiago Silva.

They kept 18 clean sheets in his first 24 matches in charge, culminating in the semi-final victory over Real Madrid.

<h2>- 'Great connection' -</h2>

"He came in and from the first minute the players felt a great connection with him, from the first meeting," said midfielder Mateo Kovacic this week.

"It was like he had been here for two years so it came quite naturally, everything.

"I think the team completely changed, how we approach games, like we were more confident, solid at the back, not conceding anything in the last two or three months."

After the difficulties of dealing with a Paris team built around Neymar, Tuchel has been effusive in his praise of the Premier League and the mentality of the players he inherited at Stamford Bridge.

"It is different here, it's like we play a Champions League game every weekend and I think in the end it means we are better prepared," Silva, who spent eight years at PSG, said after the Madrid semi-final.

Silva joined in August but when Tuchel came in, he took over a team that looked unlikely to qualify for next season's Champions League before leading them to a top-four finish.

Now they have the chance to cap it all if they can win Saturday's final in Porto to give Tuchel the medal he missed out on last year.

Chelsea have already beaten City twice under their new coach, a 1-0 FA Cup semi-final victory being followed by a 2-1 away success in the league.

It has not all been a bed of roses though, with Chelsea losing three of their last four games, including the 1-0 defeat by Leicester City in the FA Cup final.

"It concerns me because it always concerns me when we lose, and it's not so easy to get a grip on these losses and analyse them," Tuchel said this week.

<h2>- Back in Portugal -</h2>

Now he is back in Portugal, where he took PSG through two knockout ties against Atalanta and RB Leipzig in the 'Final Eight' last season before succumbing to Bayern.

Tuchel followed in the footsteps of Jurgen Klopp when he took the coaching job at Mainz at the start of his career and again at Dortmund.

He is now hoping to match Klopp's achievement in winning the Champions League final in 2019 with Liverpool, 12 months after his side lost at the same stage to Madrid.

However, the 47-year-old is not convinced his experience last season means much to the players who will step out at the Estadio do Dragao against City.

"If I was a player, I am not sure I would love to hear the story from my coach who was there last year with a different team," Tuchel admitted.

"If we had it together as a team we would clearly use it but now we arrive for the first time together."

Whatever happens in Saturday's Champions League final against Manchester City, Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel can already claim a small bit of history by becoming the first coach to make it to the showpiece game in European club football in successive seasons with different clubs.

Whatever happens in Saturday's Champions League final against Manchester City, Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel can already claim a small bit of history by becoming the first coach to make it to the showpiece game in European club football in successive seasons with different clubs. Tuchel's impact on Chelsea, at least up until the last few matches, has been little short of remarkable and, it can be argued, hardly reflects well on his old side Paris Saint-Germain. The French giants' gratitude towards Tuchel for leading them to the Champions League final for the first time in their history last season was not enough to stop them sacking him in December. PSG have since gone on, under Tuchel's replacement Mauricio Pochettino, to finish second in Ligue 1 to Lille while going out of the Champions League in the semi-finals to Pep Guardiola's City. In any case Tuchel came out of that sacking with his reputation intact, in large part thanks to the job he did in taking PSG to last season's final where they lost narrowly to Bayern Munich in Lisbon. At Chelsea, he took over a team that was underperforming under Frank Lampard and had an immediate impact -- Tuchel has turned the London club into a supremely well-drilled machine with a three-man defence led by his old captain in Paris, Thiago Silva. They kept 18 clean sheets in his first 24 matches in charge, culminating in the semi-final victory over Real Madrid. - 'Great connection' - "He came in and from the first minute the players felt a great connection with him, from the first meeting," said midfielder Mateo Kovacic this week. "It was like he had been here for two years so it came quite naturally, everything. "I think the team completely changed, how we approach games, like we were more confident, solid at the back, not conceding anything in the last two or three months." After the difficulties of dealing with a Paris team built around Neymar, Tuchel has been effusive in his praise of the Premier League and the mentality of the players he inherited at Stamford Bridge. "It is different here, it's like we play a Champions League game every weekend and I think in the end it means we are better prepared," Silva, who spent eight years at PSG, said after the Madrid semi-final. Silva joined in August but when Tuchel came in, he took over a team that looked unlikely to qualify for next season's Champions League before leading them to a top-four finish. Now they have the chance to cap it all if they can win Saturday's final in Porto to give Tuchel the medal he missed out on last year. Chelsea have already beaten City twice under their new coach, a 1-0 FA Cup semi-final victory being followed by a 2-1 away success in the league. It has not all been a bed of roses though, with Chelsea losing three of their last four games, including the 1-0 defeat by Leicester City in the FA Cup final. "It concerns me because it always concerns me when we lose, and it's not so easy to get a grip on these losses and analyse them," Tuchel said this week. - Back in Portugal - Now he is back in Portugal, where he took PSG through two knockout ties against Atalanta and RB Leipzig in the 'Final Eight' last season before succumbing to Bayern. Tuchel followed in the footsteps of Jurgen Klopp when he took the coaching job at Mainz at the start of his career and again at Dortmund. He is now hoping to match Klopp's achievement in winning the Champions League final in 2019 with Liverpool, 12 months after his side lost at the same stage to Madrid. However, the 47-year-old is not convinced his experience last season means much to the players who will step out at the Estadio do Dragao against City. "If I was a player, I am not sure I would love to hear the story from my coach who was there last year with a different team," Tuchel admitted. "If we had it together as a team we would clearly use it but now we arrive for the first time together."

Football: Tuchel earns second crack at Champions League glory with immediate impact on Chelsea

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