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Man City boss Pep Guardiola: "I have the feeling we've done something exceptional. It's something extraordinary. People know how exceptional it is. But to be considered one of the greatest we have to win the Champions League, otherwise it's not complete."

Man City boss Pep Guardiola described his side's achievements as "exceptional" and "extraordinary" after they celebrated clinching a fifth Premier League title in six years, but admitted they would need to go on to win the Champions League to be regarded among the greats.

Arsenal's loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday ensured City wrapped up a third straight title win, and they sealed the achievement in style by defeating Chelsea 1-0 for their 12th consecutive league win.City hope the Premier League will prove the first leg of a treble, with the FA Cup and Champions League finals to follow next month. They face United in the FA Cup final on June 3 before meeting Inter Milan a week later as they chase a first Champions League crown.

Guardiola, who won the European competition twice as Barcelona manager, said: "A fifth Premier League in six years, seven in 12, I could not imagine winning five in six."I have the feeling we've done something exceptional. It's something extraordinary. People know how exceptional it is."But to be considered one of the greatest we have to win the Champions League, otherwise it's not complete.



"You have to win in Europe, the Champions League, to be considered one of the best teams like Manchester United or Liverpool but also it's unfair to say if you don't win it, the Premier League doesn't make sense."He added: "Of course, it makes sense, of course it's important. It's every day, every week. This club won five of the last six but six of the last 10 and seven of the last 12. It's amazing.

"It can be unfair that you need to win the Champions League to give credit and value to what you have done but we have to accept it. It is good.

"A long time ago, people did not say I had to come here and win the Champions League but after what we have done, I know it will not be complete if I do not win the Champions League, if we do not win the Champions League.

"But sometimes training with this pressure is so nice. It is necessary. We talked to each other a lot, [saying] we have to do it.

"At the same time, if the club continues in this way, sooner or later we will do it. But we are there so we have to try."Guardiola also insisted Manchester City's latest Premier League title success should not be demeaned by suggestions Arsenal 'bottled it' in the run-in.

The Gunners had led City by eight points as recently as last month but their form deserted them at a crucial stage.

Guardiola, however, paid tribute to his former assistant Mikel Arteta's team after City celebrated their triumph with a 1-0 victory over Chelsea on Sunday.

Guardiola said: "There's a tendency to underestimate. They are winners.

"We pushed Arsenal but they are exceptional. They should be proud of where they have come from. They have to sustain it, that is the reality, but for me they are winners.

"They made me think a lot what I had to do to beat them, and they did it to us. Our relentlessness and not giving up, and having the feeling that we had to win otherwise it would not be possible, helped us a lot.

"With the relationship I have with Mikel - congratulations for what they've done. He's brought them back to what Arsenal was in the past."Similar to Liverpool in previous seasons, they took us to our limits."

'If Arsenal had sustained rhythm, it would have been almost impossible'
Man City boss Pep Guardiola on pursuing Arsenal in the Premier League title race:

"Arsenal made 50 points in the first leg. If they had sustained that rhythm, it would have been almost impossible to catch up. We just think, 'Ok, we have to push them and wait if they drop some points', and they did it. We were there.

"Always we thought we have to try when they have to visit us here to be close to them. After that it was tough, tough games against Fulham, West Ham and Everton, in the middle Champions League games, FA Cup semi-final. We had many games and you never know how we are going to respond but the team was outstanding."Meanwhile, Manchester City's stars hailed the club as "unstoppable" and one of the best teams in Premier League history.

Defender Kyle Walker told Sky Sports: "Obviously every one is a very special moment. I think to not be sitting at the top of the league for as long as we were, I think it was 11 points at one stage, so to then come back just needing a victory out of one of the three games, it's brilliant.

"This group of lads are second to none. They're professionals, they're winners, and I think that's how we get across the line more times than not. But we're not finished. We've got the FA Cup against our bitter rivals Manchester United and then we've got the Champions League final."When asked about his side potentially winning the treble, Walker added: "It would be fantastic but there's a lot of football to be played before we can start saying about the treble.

"We've got two massive finals. I think, just for this club and this group of lads that I've been involved with for six years, to say we're up there with one of the greatest Premier League teams of all time, I think we have to go and conquer some of that.

"To go and get this, I think we can really stamp our mark on being one of the greatest teams of all-time in the Premier League."

'We feel unstoppable'
Jack Grealish has been a key player in their recent winning run, and he said of his second Premier League title: "Obviously it's different. For me personally, I feel this year especially I've played much more of a part.

"I feel good in myself, I feel confident, back to my normal self and what I knew I could do."

Asked if City feel invincible, the England forward added: "It's mad because I spoke to some of the lads not long ago and I said, 'Imagine if someone would have said to you to win the league you've got to go and win 12 games in a row?'

"I'm not saying I didn't think we could do it but it was going to be difficult. We've got so much talent in this squad and I think at the moment we feel unstoppable."

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Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips insists his lack of game time has been tough for him this season, while he also admits to praying for Leeds to stay up.
Haaland: Not a bad start | De Bruyne: I want to win more
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Erling Haaland delayed his post-match interview to celebrate their title victory with the Manchester City fans.
It was a first title for goal machine Erling Haaland, who said: "(It's) a dream. I don't know what to say. It's just unreal and I'm so happy. These are memories I will remember for the rest of my life. We've been fighting so hard.

"Debut season, 36 goals so far, Premier League trophy and two finals left - not a bad start."

Kevin De Bruyne is now an old hand at winning titles with City, and he added: "You work 11 months to see this. It is a day to celebrate with the fans and the family. It is amazing.

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Kevin De Bruyne says Manchester City work hard every day for 11 months to have experiences like this and they are still hungry for more.
"People expect us to win a lot but we work every day for this. People sacrifice a lot for the team. It is tougher physically than it is mentally because you have to go and go again.

"I have been here eight years. This is my home and the amazing moments keep on coming. We just try to perform the best we can. I just want to do the best I can and play good football. I want to win more and keep going.

"It is two games now we need to get ready for."

Man City's remaining fixtures
May 24: Brighton (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports

May 28: Brentford (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm

June 3: Manchester United (N) - FA Cup final, kick-off 3pm

June 10: Inter Milan (N) - Champions League final, kick-off 8pm

Kevin de Bruyne's stunning goal helped Manchester City get a draw from their Champions League first leg against Real Madrid - but does he get the credit he deserves?

Vinicius Jr crashed Real into the lead at the Bernabeu last week, with De Bruyne's 25-yard strike levelling the semi-final going into Wednesday's second leg at Etihad Stadium.

The Belgium midfielder has been consistently one of the best players in Europe since joining City from Wolfsburg in 2015.

The 31-year-old has scored 64 goals and made 101 assists in 237 Premier League games for City. Only Lionel Messi and Thomas Muller have made more assists across Europe's top five leagues in that time.

"I think De Bruyne still needs a defining moment on this stage," said journalist James Horncastle on BBC Radio 5 Live's Euro Leagues Show.

"As big as City are in the Premier League and as much as Pep Guardiola brings the world's attention on City, they are not a legacy club.
"It is harder for a City player to create consensus around football journalists. A lot of time the genius and style of play is associated with Guardiola."

De Bruyne has scored 14 Champions League goals for City, with a club record 11 of them coming in knockout games.

French journalist Julien Laurens said: "City needed De Bruyne to step up in the second half because he was quite neutral in the first half.

"He just popped up in a moment that maybe could take his team to another final.

"Real Madrid were set up to prevent De Bruyne from having a big impact on the game. Yet he stays in the game because at some point he knows something will come to him.

"Mentally you have to be very strong to stay in your game until that moment and I think his celebration showed it. He ran to the corner where the City fans were and he clearly exploded. This is what big players do."

De Bruyne has been named Premier League player of the season twice and finished third in the 2022 Ballon d'Or.

City team-mate Erling Haaland was recently named the Football Writers' Association (FWA) footballer of the year.Spanish journalist Guillem Balague said: "I voted for De Bruyne as player of the year. But it is difficult to pick him. It doesn't come natural to say De Bruyne, the best player of Manchester City and the Premier League.

"In Spain he is seen as good but not as in Real Madrid and Barcelona should be fighting for him. That's partly because we have had a few like De Bruyne in recent years and secondly because his manager is a work of art at City, playing the best football we've seen but it is not down to one player doing marvellous things in different parts of the pitch.

"They all have their square of influence and Kevin de Bruyne has not been allowed to come out of that. In that area of influence he is very good but not in the kind of amazing way where we say he has to be given the Ballon d'Or."

READ MORE https://baboyo.com/post/kevin-de-bruyne-still-needs-his-legacy-moment

Ancelotti not concerned by Man City spending
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti insists the scale of Premier League spending counts for nothing ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final against Manchester City.

Asked whether there was more pressure on big-spending City or his reigning European champions, Ancelotti told his pre-match press conference: “Talking about stuff outside of the game doesn’t really come into my head.

“The heroes and the protagonists are on the field; we don’t talk about their value. Our main concern is coming up against a very strong rival and opponent.

“The thoughts of a player going into a game are nothing to do with the politics of football, if you like, that stays off the field and out of people’s minds and mentalities.”

Scamacca of interest to Salernitana
West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca has emerged as a surprise target for Italian club Salernitana.

The Italy international would represent a coup for the Serie A side who enjoyed a late season turnaround under Paulo Sousa, going 10 games unbeaten to avoid relegation.

Salernitana are set to have money to spend as they are expected to make a significant profit on the signing of Boulaye Día this summer, triggering a buy-clause in the player's loan deal from Villarreal before selling him on.

Scamacca, 24, is high on their list with a move back to Italy potentially appealing to all parties after an injury-hit first season in the Premier League in which he has started only 11 games.

Celtic, Watford tracking Dutch defender Mbuyamba
Celtic and Watford are among the clubs looking into signing Netherlands youth centre-back Xavier Mbuyamba, who was released by Chelsea’s academy just last year.

The 21-year-old has widely been compared to Virgil van Dijk by coaches and media in Holland due to his similar playing style and huge potential, and he has shone for FC Volendam in the Eredivisie this season.

Ajax and AZ Alkmaar are therefore also interested in signing the Netherlands youth international, who has represented his county at U19 level and is expected to feature soon for the U21s.

Chelsea signed him in 2020 after he left Barcelona’s La Masia academy amid the Coronavirus pandemic - and he joined FC Volendam last summer in search of his first chance at regular first-team football, signing a three-year deal.

He has played every game this season except for one due to suspension, scoring five goals, and many top clubs have continued to track him due to his Barcelona and Chelsea pedigree, including Scottish Champions Celtic and Championship side Watford.

Xhaka 'set to leave Arsenal this summer'
Granit Xhaka is set to leave Arsenal at the end of the season, according to various reports.

The Swiss midfielder, who has been at the club since 2016, has one year remaining on his deal, giving Arsenal a dilemma on whether to cash in now or risk him leaving for free in the summer of 2024.

According to Sky Germany, Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen are strongly interested in the midfielder, who has seven goals in all competitions this term.

Man Utd could let 13 go
Manchester United could let 13 players go this summer, with five of those set to be released including club stalwart Phil Jones and academy product Axel Tuanzebe,

Palace to hold talks with Hodgson over future
Crystal Palace want to hold talks with Roy Hodgson at the end of the season to find out what his short and long-term plans are.

Palace want to assess all options before deciding on their next step.

Hodgson’s only focus is finishing the season well in the final two games.

Hodgson has been in charge of eight games and picked up 16 points to guarantee Palace’s Premier League status.

They are currently 12th in the table.

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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says his "legacy is exceptional" as he prepares for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid.

Treble-chasing City, who have never been European champions, drew 1-1 at the Bernabeu in last Tuesday's first leg.

Guardiola has won two Champions Leagues as a manager, with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011.

"I have been here many times," he said.

"My legacy is exceptional already. I have told the players to enjoy the moment - we are incredibly lucky to be here.

"It's in our hands, it depends on us, we don't have to do something exceptional - just win one game to reach the final.

"I have an incredible feeling about them. Whatever happens - thank you so much to them for bringing me and the City fans here again."

Walker admits being 'hurt' by Guardiola criticism
The winners will face Inter Milan in Istanbul on Saturday, 10 June, after the Italian side beat fierce rivals AC Milan 3-0 on aggregate to reach the final for the first time in 13 years.

Statisticians Opta give Manchester City, who are unbeaten in 22 games, a 69% chance of reaching the final and 45% chance of winning the tournament, making them favourites.

They say Real have a 15% chance of becoming European champions for an unprecedented 15th time.


City are one win away from the Premier League title - which would be their fifth in six years - and face Manchester United in the FA Cup final. They are looking to match United's league, cup and Champions League Treble of 1999.

Guardiola, who won the Treble with Barcelona in 2008-09, got City to the Champions League final two years ago where they lost to Chelsea.

Last year they lost 6-5 on aggregate after extra time in the semi-finals to Real Madrid having led by two goals in the 90th minute.

"I said when I signed the contract seven years ago, they didn't tell me to win the Champions League. All the people said the reason why they brought me here with my staff was to do the best possible," Guardiola said.

"But of course, we cannot deny we have won all the titles except this one. Of course we want it. It is another opportunity from two seasons ago when we lost the final against Chelsea, against Madrid the season before. Of course we want it with all the desire.

"People say we are close enough, I think we are far away.
"It's a dream come true to be here. Nobody in the future can guarantee we will be here. Nobody can assure us. So once we are there, let's go. With our people, I am pretty sure will do it."

Real are playing an English team for a sixth Champions League knockout tie in a row, beating Liverpool in last year's final after knocking out Chelsea and City, while this season they have beaten Liverpool and Chelsea.

City defender Nathan Ake is the only absentee for either side.

Madrid defender Eder Militao is available after being suspended for the first leg, as is Eduardo Camavinga, despite sustaining a knee injury at the weekend.

'We do our best in difficult situations' - Ancelotti.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said he is "full of hope" that his side can overcome Manchester City at Etihad Stadium to reach the Champions League final for the sixth time in 10 years.

The Italian boss has won the competition four times - twice each with AC Milan and Real Madrid - and is confident his reigning European champions will rise to the occasion once again on Wednesday.

"We are close to doing something important. We are full of hope, motivated. It is going to be tough tomorrow but sometimes we get the most out of ourselves in difficult situations," Ancelotti said.

"The plan is the same as ever, to try and get as much out of the players [as possible]. I think we can do better than we did in the first leg, but I think they do too.

"Today, I am calm and full of hope. Matchday is the day when the worries come in. You think things through, whether [Erling] Haaland is going to score, or [Kevin] De Bruyne is going to hurt you. It is about managing your head."The match is unpredictable. If you think you are the best team in the world, it doesn't mean you are 100% sure to win. It is not just about quality, it is about personality and mentality."

Manchester City need just three points from their final three games to win the Premier League title; Arsenal have won just twice in their last seven matches while City have powered to the top with 11 consecutive victories; Sky Sports writers analyse how Arsenal's title bid unravelled Once eight points clear of treble-chasing Manchester City, Mikel Arteta's side now find themselves four points behind the leaders having played a game more after a disastrous 3-0 home defeat to Brighton.All that's required for City to be sure of becoming only the second club in Premier League history to claim a three-peat is three points from their remaining three games.Considering Pep Guardiola's players have won 11 on the trot in the league, you fancy them to wrap things up against Chelsea next Sunday, live on Sky Sports, leaving Arsenal's wait for the title to stretch to a 20th year.

Arsenal have spent 248 days at the top of the Premier League this season. No side has led the way for so long without claiming glory, but now their title bid appears to be in ruins.

It hasn't: a case for the defence
Around this time last year, Arsenal fans were suffering a similar kind of heartbreak. Nothing quite as painful as this, mind, but a torturous end to the season nonetheless.

Their bid for a return to the Champions League, after what was a five-year absence at the time, unravelled with back-to-back defeats at Tottenham and Newcastle. St Totteringham's Day was put on hold for another year as Spurs clinched fourth ahead of Arsenal. Having been in the driving seat, Arteta's youthful side couldn't quite hold on long enough to achieve their goal.
Sound familiar? An unkind interpretation of the past two seasons could lead you to the conclusion that Arsenal have a propensity to bottle, collapse or capitulate - whatever you want to call it.

Arsenal did squander what was once an eight-point lead. They've also dropped 11 points in their last seven games. But Manchester City have won 11 in a row and they've got Guardiola.

Consider the progress made at the Emirates in the short space of 12 months. They could finish the season 18 points better off than the last having pushed one of the Premier League's greatest-ever teams almost all the way.

It's all the more impressive when you realise Arteta is doing this with the second-youngest team in the division - only Southampton's has been more youthful and look what happened to them. This isn't the tale of a team that's missed their one shot at glory now condemned to living with the memory of the one that got away.

Did they bottle it?

Arsenal's 'bottling' has been on the agenda at the Emirates Stadium for a while now, first foretelling and now explaining their capitulation in the title race.

They are still on course to rack up 85 points this season, a record tally since the Invincibles season of 2003/04. They haven't broken the 80-point barrier since 2005, and have only hit 70 once in the last five years. Arsenal could end up 18 points ahead of last season, and have been in a title fight significantly ahead of schedule.

Most would agree they are overachieving. When the dust has settled, that will provide some solace but for now does nothing to stem the disappointment of coming so close and falling at the final hurdle.On the surface the way Arsenal have let Man City in under their noses looks like a textbook bottle-job. The Gunners only dropped seven points in the first half of the season, but 20 in the second already. When the pressure ramped up, they crumbled. Man City have done quite the opposite, winning 13 of their last 14 games to take control of the title race.

But below the headline figures, did Arteta's team ever have the mental capacity to see off Guardiola's winning machine, shaking off years of mediocrity in the space of nine months? Mental performance consultant Mark Bowden, who works with a number of Premier League footballers, told Sky Sports why it proved too big an ask in one season.

"Arteta has started to make some extremely big inroads into protecting Arsenal against what's called 'red-brain bias'. It's that fight or flight side - when the stakes are a little bit higher, the crunch time of the season, our brain's instinct is to respond to stress by going into more stress, and that's where we lose our performances."It's a survival mechanism, it says 'you always bottle it at the last minute, you're going to do it again', therefore self-doubt kicks in and there's a physical shift in what's going on inside the brain.

"You could turn round and ask why Manchester City don't do this. They've got the experience and evidence in their heads, that it doesn't matter where they are right now, we'll win our last 10 games in a row if we need to. It makes them less likely that they go into that zone, because they have evidence that they can do it.

"Arsenal might be falling by the wayside now, but Arteta has shown what can be achieved when you fight against the natural instincts of the brain. He leads with such unwavering green-brain performance attributes - absolute self-belief, focus on progression on moving forward, that headspace of thinking 'this is what we're doing'. Everything he does as well is with enormous intensity and positive aggression."He's making a huge influence - but as much as he can do, it might not be a fair match against Manchester City in their experience of knowing what to do."

Context is key in the scope of Arsenal's grander project. Yes, they have fallen short, but to get to this position is an indication of how far they've come. The mentality shift required to mount a title fight after years in the doldrums is far more significant than being pipped by Man City - just ask Jurgen Klopp.

Arsenal will always be left wondering what might have been had the lines been drawn against Brentford back in February.

Set to move eight points clear, the VAR team, led by Lee Mason, failed to spot that Christian Norgaard was offside before making the cross for Ivan Toney's equaliser and it later emerged no lines had even been drawn to check for a possible offside.

It wasn't the first time Arsenal dropped points following a contentious VAR decision. In September, Gabriel Martinelli's 12th-minute opener at Manchester United was ruled out for a soft foul on Christian Eriksen.

They would go on to lose 3-1 before the PGMOL included the decision as one of six incorrect VAR interventions in the first part of the season.

A month later, Gabriel Jesus was hauled to the ground in the box at St Mary's with a penalty shout waved away. A spot kick would have given them the chance to go 2-0. Instead, they drew 1-1.

Then there were the "two penalties" Mikel Arteta claimed the officials missed in the 0-0 draw against Newcastle in January and even Brighton's first goal on Sunday could have been ruled out when Jakub Kiwior went down clutching his ankle after contact from Evan Ferguson in the build-up.

HOW DID INJURIES IMPACT THE RUN-IN
"Arsenal, all the time their squad is totally available."

Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag suggested in March that Arsenal had enjoyed an easy ride with injuries this season.

At that stage, Gabriel Jesus had been out since the World Cup (knee), Oleksandr Zinchenko had missed seven league games (knee) and Thomas Partey had been absent for five. Not to mention, Reiss Nelson, Mohamed Elneny and Emile Smith Rowe had spent all or most of the campaign sidelined with injury.


Ten Hag's claim was baseless, but, until that stage, Arsenal had found a way to cope. That all changed when William Saliba suffered a back injury on March 16 as Sporting knocked Arsenal out of the Europa League on penalties just a day on from Ten Hag's comments. Saliba has not returned since and is unlikely to do so until next season.

Arsenal became vulnerable at the back without their star centre-back. The numbers show they concede more than double the goals per game without Saliba. But his absence has had repercussions far beyond the team's solidity at the back.

Rob Holding, the stand-in for Saliba, doesn't boast the same distribution skills as his team-mate and, as a result, Arsenal have suffered. Holding's preference to play the ball left, rather than right, has also seen Bukayo Saka's influence wilt in the run-in.

Saka, the star turn of this Arsenal team, has managed just one goal and one assist in his last eight. Quite the drop off for one of Arsenal's more prolific players, leaving the team wanting in front of goal at the most crucial stage of the season.

Arsenal's change in personnel, however small relative to the rotation we see at City, resulted in a shift of style that's ultimately had a detrimental impact on their season.Arsenal will finish the season on 87 points should they win their final two games - a total that surpasses or equals 14 of the 27 Premier League winners' since it has been a 20-team division.

Diving deeper, their points-per-game (with the projected 87 points) places them 14th compared with the division's champions since 1981/82. In simple terms, 87 points would be enough to win the title more often than not. Of course, they still need to win at Nottingham Forest and beat Wolves to reach that total.

Part of Arsenal's problem, as Liverpool have found out in recent seasons, is that Manchester City have been setting a new standard.

Assuming City win their final three games, a tally of 94 points will only be their third-best title-winning season. It would give them an average of the same amount from their five championships under Pep Guardiola.

Their 11-game winning run has come amid reaching the FA Cup final and the Champions League semi-finals. Arsenal have been victims of timing.
read more https://baboyo.com/post/arsenal-title-run

Qatar's Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS previously submitted their third and final bids to buy Man Utd on April 28; Sheikh Jassim's renewed offer would clear almost £1bn worth of debt at Man Utd and distribute ring-fenced funds for the club and community

Sheikh Jassim's renewed offer, believed to be close to £5bn but shy of the Glazer family's £6bn valuation, was submitted to the Raine Group, the New York-based investment bank overseeing the sale of the club, on Tuesday morning.

The third and final round of bidding concluded on April 28 but, with reports last week claiming a revised offer from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS had put them in pole position to acquire United, Sheikh Jassim has moved again.

Timeline of Man Utd takeover process
November 22, 2022: The Glazers confirm they are open to a sale but say other options "including new investment" will be considered.
February 17, 2023: Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani make rival bids for Man Utd takeover. Qatari wants to buy 100 per cent of the club.
February 18, 2023: US hedge fund Elliott Management lodge proposal for investment in Man Utd.
February 28, 2023: Glazers split on sale after bids fail to meet £6bn valuation.
March 5, 2023: Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe make it through to next stage of the process along with unnamed bidder.
March 10, 2023: Elliott Management make it through to the second stage of the Man Utd sale process.
March 16 & 17, 2023: Qatari group and Sir Jim Ratcliffe meet Raine Group at Old Trafford before being given access to detailed financial information. Sheikh Jassim stays away.
March 22, 2023 :Raine extend deadline for second bids after requests from Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe. Elliott Management did make minority stake offer before the soft deadline.
March 23, 2023: Ratcliffe makes his second bid.
March 24, 2023: Sheikh Jassim makes his second bid.
April 11, 2023: The Glazers take the sale process to a third round with interested parties asked to submit final offers by end of April.
April 28, 2023: Sheikh Jassim makes world record bid valuing Man Utd. Ratcliffe also makes his offer before the deadline.
May 16, 2023: Sheikh Jassim goes in with fourth bid close to £5bn. INEOS proposal values Man Utd at a higher price but is not for the whole club and would give Glazers chance to keep 20 per cent stake.

Sheikh Jassim believes his bid is a very competitive one which brings huge benefits to Manchester United, including clearing nearly £1bn worth of club debt and a separate fund to redevelop Old Trafford, the surrounding area and the club's Carrington training ground.

INEOS values United at a higher price than Sheik Jassim's bid but it is not for the whole club and would give the Glazers the opportunity to keep a 20 per cent stake. United's share price closed down to $18.80 on the NYSE on Tuesday, giving the club a market cap of $3.09 billion (£2.47 billion).

"This shows the determination of Sheikh Jassim's Qatari bid and just how serious they are when it comes to buying Manchester United. It's very difficult to say which bid is favourite to succeed because the decision ultimately lies with the Glazers.
READ MORE https://baboyo.com/post/sheikh-jassim-increases-bid-to-buy-manchester-united-from-glazer-family

Football is an extraordinary sport populated by remarkable athletes.

In every single match they are capable of producing memorable moments.

However, there are some moments that elevate beyond the ordinary and pass into the realm of the immortal. These are the players, goals and achievements that are so unique they are guaranteed to be remembered forever.

Over the next few slides, we celebrate world football's most impressive records.

Lionel Messi: 73 Goals i




n a European Season
1 OF 5
In 2011/12 Lionel Messi scored a truly incredible 73 goals, making him the highest goalscorer in a single European campaign.

The record had previous been held by Gerd Muller. The Germany striker scored 67 times for Bayern Munich in the 1972-73 campaign, a feat that many assumed would never be bettered.

Messi broke the record in typical style, scoring a hat-trick in a home tie with Malaga.

Lionel Messi: Scoring in 21 Consecutive League Games
2 OF 5
Lionel Messi breaks records as easily as he weaves between defenders.

Sir Alex Ferguson: 49 Trophies
3 OF 5
Sir Alex Ferguson retired this summer as the most successful manager in football history.

His tally of 49 trophies dwarfs the surrounding competition. His closest rival, the legendary Jock Stein, won just 27 major titles.

Ferguson's haul includes a Champions League winners' medal and an incredible 13 Premier League titles. Perhaps most impressively he won 10 trophies in Scotland with lowly Aberdeen, shattering the duopoly of Celtic and Rangers.


David Moyes has some big boots to fill.

Everton: Most Seasons in the Top Flight
4 OF 5
Since the English football league's inception in 1888, Everton have spent just four seasons in the second tier.

The Toffees were one of the league's founding members and have gone on to be almost ever-present. It's a remarkable achievement and one that speaks volumes about the club's careful management and intelligent planning.

New manager Roberto Martinez will be hoping to continue Everton's proud tradition of stability next season.

Josef Bican: Greatest Goalscorer Ever
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Who is the greatest goalscorer of all time? You might be surprised to discover it's not Pele, Gerd Muller nor Lionel Messi.

The man recognised by the International Federation of Football Historians as the greatest goalscorer ever is Hungarian hit man Josef Bican.

Bican was the top goalscorer in his domestic league an unbelievable 12 times and once scored 57 goals in a single season.

Most Expensive Player Transfer
Neymar's €222 million transfer fee from Barcelona to PSG in 2017 tops this list, which we predict will grow and grow and grow as television money goes even more bonkers and revenues continue to climb for the big clubs. For example, Manchester United just made £500 million in profit in a year for the first time in club history, and they aren’t even remotely, like, good at playing soccer.

Bale makes roughly €36.8 million per season in wages, which is about a million euros per goal scored. Keep getting them checks if they’ll give them to you, Neymar.
READ MORE https://baboyo.com/post/most-impressive-records-in-all-of-world-football

Novak Djokovic, after beating Cameron Norrie in straight sets: "It was an early start today, strange conditions. I finished my warm-up 10 minutes before I went on court so I was rushing a bit with everything. I'm just glad to overcome today's challenge in straight sets and move on"

Novak Djokovic has knocked Great Britain's Cameron Norrie out of the Italian Open at the last-16 stage, winning in straight sets 6-3 6-4.

Djokovic will face the winner of Australia's Alexei Popyrin against Denmark's Holger Rune in the quarter-finals in Rome.The world No 1 was simply too solid for Norrie in a victory that maintains his record of never having lost before the quarter-finals in Rome.

The main talking point came in the fourth game of the second set as Norrie sought to retrieve an early break.

Djokovic turned his back on the play after presenting his opponent with an easy smash, only for Norrie, seemingly unintentionally, to drill the ball into the Serbian's legs.

Djokovic gave the British No 1 an extremely frosty stare and there was an edge to the contest thereafter, but Norrie never really threatened to land more than a glancing blow.
READ MORE https://baboyo.com/post/novak-djokovic-knocks-britains-cameron-norrie-out-of-italian-open-at-last-16-stage

Chelsea lining up summer move for Osimhen'
Chelsea are lining up an ambitious summer move for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, according to The Guardian.

The report claims Mauricio Pochettino, who is set to take over as the club's new head coach, is keen to bring in a striker this summer and will have funds to strengthen his squad.


Serie A's top scorer this season, Osimhen, is reportedly a target for Pochettino with the Nigerian a key part of Napoli's Scudetto win after scoring 23 goals in 29 games.

The 24-year-old has also been linked with Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

The report claims that Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez and Brentford striker Ivan Toney are on Chelsea's No 9 shortlist.

Gallagher on Newcastle radar | Race for Maddison hots up
Newcastle are keen on Chelsea's Conor Gallagher as Eddie Howe looks to bolster his midfield this summer.


However, the Magpies will face stiff competition for Leicester's James Maddison - with the Foxes now two points from safety with two games left to play after their 3-0 defeat to Liverpool on Monday Night Football.

PSG eye Silva to replace Messi | Man City tracking Kovacic
Paris Saint-Germain have identified Man City star Bernardo Silva as the replacement for the outgoing Lionel Messi.


Meanwhile, The Daily Mail reports Pep Guardiola's side are maintaining a watching brief on Mateo Kovacic, who is ready to leave Chelsea this summer

Frankfurt consider life after Kolo Muani
Eintracht Frankfurt are considering a move for former Fulham and Celtic striker Moussa Dembele, according to Sky in Germany.

Dembele, 26, will be a free agent this summer when his contract with Lyon expires.

Frankfurt have started planning for life without star striker Randal Kolo Muani, the France international who is expected to leave at the end of the season and has suitors across Europe.
READ MORE https://baboyo.com/post/transfer-centre-live-chelsea-reportedly-lining-up-summer-move-for-napoli-striker-victor-osimhen

Man City can still win the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup this season. They are one game away from winning another league title and face Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday; Man City play Man Utd in the FA Cup final on June 3

Gary Neville hopes Manchester United can deny Manchester City the treble this season when they meet in the FA Cup final while Jamie Carragher does not see any problems for City after they play against "tough" Real Madrid.

Pep Guardiola's side can still win the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup this season and would be the first English team to win a treble since Manchester United in the 1998/99 season, when they also won the same set of competitions.Man City are one game away from winning another league title and can do so this weekend against Chelsea on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports.

But before that, they have to navigate the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday against Real Madrid, with the tie finely poised at 1-1.They will then face Manchester United in the FA Cup final on June 3 at Wembley, which could be the final piece of their treble puzzle.
On the latest Monday Night Football, Carragher and Neville reflected on Man City's bid for the treble, with the former not foreseeing any slips from Guardiola's side for the remainder of the season.



Carragher said: "It just feels like every game is so easy for them now.

"I thought Everton would be their hardest game because they were fighting for their lives, it's a hostile atmosphere and it came in between the Real Madrid games. I thought Guardiola might change a few more players but he didn't.
READ MORE https://baboyo.com/post/man-city-treble-bid-potential-titles-in-premier-league-champions-league-and-fa-cup

Arsenal midfielder Lia Walti has signed a new contract. Swiss international Walti joined Arsenal in 2018 and has made 128 appearances in all competitions. The 30-year-old won the Women's Super League title with Arsenal in 2019 and the Women's League Cup this season. "It's a special moment for me to commit my future to Arsenal.

I'm very happy and excited," said Walti, who has featured in 17 of the Gunners' 19 WSL games this season. "Arsenal means so much to me - it felt like home from the moment I joined and over the years I've built such strong bonds with this club and the community around it.

"This is an exciting time to be a part of Arsenal and I want to keep making new memories with this group." Walti has made more than 100 appearances for Switzerland, captaining her country since 2019. Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall added: "She is one of the best midfielders in world football and brings us so much in terms of leadership and presence. "Lia has played a pivotal role within this team during my time here and I'm looking forward to continuing to work together to achieve our goals."


Source: https://baboyo.com/post/arsenal-midfielder-walti-signs-new-contract

Midfielder Sergio Busquets to leave Barcelona after 18 years at Nou Camp; 34-year-old Spain international has played 719 times for the club he joined as a teenager; Busquets will leave when his contract expires on June 30

Busquets has spent his entire professional career at the club where his father also played, but announced in a Twitter video he will not renew his contract when it expires on June 30. He has been captain of his boyhood club since 2021.

The 34-year-old first joined Barca from Jabac Terrassa as a 15-year-old and went on to make more than 700 appearances for his local club, winning 23 major honours including eight LaLiga titles and three Champions Leagues.

Even in latter years, Busquets has continued as a regular member of the Barcelona first team and has made at least 30 appearances in each of his 15 seasons with the senior squad.

His emergence served as a hallmark of the Pep Guardiola era in Catalonia, as he was handed his first LaLiga appearance by the then-new boss in September 2008 and went on to form part of a formidable midfield trio alongside Andres Iniesta and Xavi, the current Barcelona manager.

Even as a 19-year-old, he would go on to feature 41 times in his debut season and earned his first LaLiga, Champions League and Copa Del Rey titles in that campaign.

It has been an unforgettable journey," he said in the video announcing his departure. "Since I was a child coming to the matches, or watching them on TV, I always dreamed of playing with this shirt at this stadium.

"The reality has exceeded all my dreams. I wouldn't have believed you if you told me when I arrived as a youth player that I would play 15 seasons for the best club in the world, the club of my life, of which I have been, am and always will be a fan, member, player, captain, and surpass 700 matches."
Read More https://baboyo.com/post/sergio-busquets-to-leave-barcelona-after-18-years-long-serving-midfielder-to-depart-nou-camp

Chelsea are 11th in the Premier League and are winless in their last nine matches across all competitions; Raheem Sterling's move from Manchester City has not yet paid off

sterling signed for the Blues in a deal worth £47.5m from Manchester City last summer but the move has not yet been a success with Chelsea sat in the bottom half of the Premier League and on a six-game losing streak in all competitions.
The 28-year-old has scored only four goals and produced just two assists in 24 league appearances amid a torrid season that has seen him struggle for form and fitness.

"Personally, this is one of the lowest points in my career," Sterling exclusively told Sky Sports. "This might sound a bit weird, but it is also a great learning curve.

"It's been pretty smooth sailing winning, winning and winning but sometimes in life stuff gets thrown at you and it is a challenge that I'm looking forward to, hitting it head on and not trying to hide from it.

"It will only make me stronger and also the group stronger. These challenges, not in just football but life as well, it's crucial to how we deal with things and how we kick on after.

Frank Lampard is the fourth manager of Chelsea's season as new ownership searches for a second boss of their reign. Sterling reckons the next person in the dugout must have full control.

"I'm not one to tell the club what to do but from what I can gauge from where I was previously, organisation is the most important thing. Having a manager that has the final say on everything and it being his way with everyone having to follow that," he said.

"Successful teams always have a manager that comes in, brings his blueprint and everyone follows. If there are people that don't follow, then they are not part of the team and that is how brutal it needs to be at a high level.

"It's a fine line between winning, coming second and being in the position we are now. It's about everyone being on the same page from my experience."
Read More https://baboyo.com/post/raheem-sterling-exclusive-chelsea-forward-says-season-has-been-one-of-the-lowest-points-of-his-care

Man City fight back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Real Madrid but Carlo Ancelotti was unhappy with the officiating for Kevin De Bruyne's stunning equaliser; Vinicius Jr had given Real the lead with an equally impressive strike; Pep Guardiola says second leg is 'like a final'

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti said Manchester City's equaliser in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg should not have counted.

Referee Artur Soares Dias showed Ancelotti a yellow card for entering the field of play as he protested the goal and the Italian was still unhappy with the official after the game.

"The ball was off the pitch," Ancelotti said. "The technology said it. I don't understand why VAR didn't check it. The referee didn't pay attention to many things tonight."

Vinicius Jr had given Real Madrid the lead against the run of play with a thunderous effort before De Bruyne stepped up for his team to bring them level with an equally-impressive strike when the hosts were in charge.


Ancelotti's side had struggled to cope with City for the opening half-hour, but grew into the game after going ahead and looked the more threatening in the second half.

They now have to beat City at the Etihad, a feat only Brentford have achieved this season, to reach the final of the Champions League if they wish to avoid penalties.


Ancelotti, speaking to BT Sport, added: "A good game, an interesting game. Difficult for us in the first half, in the second half it was much better. They controlled possession in the first half but we were in a good control defensively and when we started to play the ball we created a lot of difficulties.

"You have to stay calm, you have to keep the position defensively, do not go crazy to press, stay there and play the low block, and when we had the opportunity we scored the first goal. [Vinicius Junior] is in a fantastic moment but the team played well.

"I am satisfied, with a good sensation about the game on Wednesday."
Read More https://baboyo.com/post/real-madrid-head-coach-carlo-ancelotti-said-manchester-citys-equaliser-in-tuesdays-champions-leagu

Newcastle have Barcelona winger Raphinha high on their summer targets list; Mauricio Pochettino could convince N'Golo Kante to stay at Chelsea; Declan Rice is now top of Man Utd's summer shopping list.


Manchester United are preparing to step up their interest in Goncalo Ramos with a potential record bid as part of a major summer rebuild.

Newcastle are reportedly willing to spend big this summer in order to secure their main transfer targets, with Barcelona winger Raphinha said to be high on their list.

David De Gea has agreed the terms of his new contract at Manchester United to stay beyond the current season.

Chelsea's decision to offer Mauricio Pochettino the permanent head coach job could help get N'Golo Kante's proposed contract renewal over the line.

Declan Rice's performance against Manchester United has seen the West Ham star rocket to the top of Erik ten Hag's summer shopping list.

Brighton are preparing a summer bid for Hoffenheim attacking midfielder Christoph Baumgartner.

Manchester City have joined the chase for Italian wonderkid Cher Ndour.

Yan Dhanda is being watched by Blackburn, Birmingham and Ipswich.

Sergio Busquets has reportedly decided to not sign an extension at Barcelona and will leave this summer.

Yerry Mina is reportedly set to leave Everton for free after the club failed to offer him a new contract.


Former NFL star JJ Watt enjoyed a pub crawl before Burnley's last game of the season for "research" purposes.

UEFA has a back-up plan should the Champions League final be unable to be held in Istanbul as Turkey prepares to go to the polls over the weekend.

Marco Silva has a £6m release fee in his Fulham contract amid interest in the Portuguese coach ahead of what is set to be a summer of managerial upheaval.

Chelsea are exploring ways to keep Joao Felix at the club on a permanent basis with Atletico Madrid continuing to demand £88m for the forward.

Neymar wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer, according to reports.

Eintracht Frankfurt CEO Axel Hallmann has said it would take a bid in excess of £78m for the club to sell Randal Kolo Muani, amid interest from Manchester United and Bayern Munich.
Read More https://baboyo.com/post/man-utd-prepared-to-make-goncalo-ramos-clubs-most-expensive-player-latest-transfer-news

Cristiano Ronaldo's dismal first season at Al Nassr continued with a 1-1 draw against struggling Al Khaleej in the Saudi Pro League, losing his temper post-match when an opposition coach tried to take a selfie with him.

The 37-year-old's move to Saudi Arabia has not gone according to plan on the pitch, with Al Nassr eliminated from every cup competition available to them and now falling way behind in the Pro League title race.

They were dealt a serious blow on Monday when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to relegation-battling Al Khaleej. Fabio Martins gave the visitors the lead before Alvaro Gonzalez equalised for the hosts.

Ronaldo then had a would-be winner chalked off for offside in the second half as Al Nassr fell five points behind league leaders Al Ittihad with only four games left to play.

At the end of a disappointing match, Ronaldo was approached by several Al Khaleej players who were out to swap shirts with him, but he notably took offence when one of the club's coaches tried to take a selfie with him as he exited the pitch.

The forward shoved the coach away and instead tried to make his way to the tunnel with haste.

Ronaldo may soon be joined in Saudi Arabia by career rival Lionel Messi. 90min understands that rival Pro League clubs are looking to snap the Argentine up ahead of his contract expiry at PSG, though he is still focused on a return to Barcelona at this stage.
Read More https://baboyo.com/post/cristiano-ronaldo-fumes-at-rival-coach-for-taking-selfie-after-disappointing-al-nassr-draw

the 19-year-old England international, who is in talks to join Real Madrid this summer, took his season tally to 13 goals in all competitions.

Karim Adeyemi also scored twice as well as missing a late penalty for Edin Terzic's side.

Sebastien Haller and Donyell Malen completed the scoring. Read More https://baboyo.com/post/jude-bellingham-scored-twice-as-borussia-dortmund-thrashed-wolfsburg-6-0-to-narrow-the-gap-on-bundes

De Gea's future in doubt
Al-Hilal going all out for Messi11
Kane drops hint over his future09
Arsenal confident in Rice pursuit
Kompany signs new Burnley deal1

The summer transfer window id now is approaching fast - and many clubs are already turning their attention towards signing new players.

Manchester City appear to be on course for the Premier League title, so transfers are of little importance right now, but their rivals are poised for business. Regardless of whether they fall short in the title race, Arsenal could well be busy, with West Ham midfielder Declan Rice among those on their radar.

Meanwhile, Manchester United are readying themselves for a busy summer, with Erik ten Hag desperate to strengthen his side. However, the protracted takeover saga is hindering their effort.

Liverpool have lots of work to do, with many players set to leave at the end of the season, but previous top target Jude Bellingham now appears set to join Real Madrid.

Chelsea need to embark on a major overhaul under a new manager following a disastrous campaign. Tottenham likewise will need to overhaul their squad under whoever takes over.

A number of top-flight stars could find themselves on the move, including Brighton stars Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo. And in Europe, the biggest story will be the future of Lionel Messi, who is set to leave PSG at the end of the campaign. Read More https://baboyo.com/post/livetransfer-news-live-kane-to-man-utd-messi-update-osimhen-price-tag

A howler by Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea gifted West Ham United three vital points in their battle against relegation as the Londoners snatched a 1-0 win in the Premier League at the London Stadium on Sunday.

United are fourth on 63 points after 34 games, one ahead of Liverpool and with a game in hand over the Merseysiders, while West Ham are 15th on 37 points, seven above the drop zone.

Visiting forwards Marcus Rashford and Antony hit the post in the first half but De Gea's error will capture the headlines as it reopened the chase for Champions League places. Said Benrahma's bouncing shot from distance looked to be no real threat, but although Spain keeper De Gea dove and got a hand to it, he failed to keep the ball out as West Ham took the lead. That knocked the wind out of United's sails. They were lucky not to concede a penalty when Victor Lindelof moved his arm into the path of a ball from Benrahma, with the VAR deciding not to recommend a spot kick as the first half came to a close.Read more https://baboyo.com/post/de-gea-error-gifts-west-ham-1-0-win-over-manchester-united

Manchester City face Real Madrid on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. It pits Pep Guardiola against Carlo Ancelotti once again, two great coaches with completely different ways of doing their job. Which way will win out this time around?
Real Madrid’s comeback against Manchester City in last season’s semi-final was chaotic in the extreme. Some speculated that it was the magic of the Bernabeu. How else to explain what they had just witnessed? Certainly, nobody thought it was the tactics.
In the final minute of the 90, star striker Karim Benzema had roamed to the right flank and then to the left, popping up out wide to centre the ball for substitute Rodrygo to score the first of the two goals that Madrid needed to level the tie. The rest was history
https://baboyo.com/post/carlo-ancelottis-real-madrid-vs-pep-guardiolas-man-city-two-coaching-greats-could-not-be-more-dif

Report and free match highlights as Arsenal move back to within a point of Premier League leaders Manchester City, who have a game in hand; Martin Odegaard and a Fabian Schar own-goal was enough for the important victory at St James' Park

In a compelling encounter played in a ferocious atmosphere, Arsenal stood firm and stuck to their principles with Martin Odegaard firing them in front from 30 yards on 14 minutes before a Fabian Schar own-goal wrapped it up in the second half.

Newcastle had won eight of their last nine games and suffered defeat just twice in their last 24 Premier League home games but could not find a route to goal despite Jacob Murphy and Alexander Isak both striking the woodwork.
It leaves the Gunners a point behind Pep Guardiola's side, who still have a game in hand. It might prove a chase in vein but Arsenal are staying hot on Manchester City's heels as this fascinating title race rolls on.

It leaves the Gunners a point behind Pep Guardiola's side, who still have a game in hand. It might prove a chase in vein but Arsenal are staying hot on Manchester City's heels as this fascinating title race rolls on.