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Four men were fined £51,700 and banned from sports venues for two years after hanging a banner and an inflatable black effigy in a replica of Vinicius' No 20 shirt on a bridge; three other people were fined £4,300 after making racist gestures towards Brazil international.

Seven people involved in different racist attacks against Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr have been punished by Spain's State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport, the country's Sports Commission said on Monday.

Four men were fined €60,000 (£51,700) and banned from sports venues for two years after hanging a banner reading "Madrid hates Real" and an inflatable black effigy in a replica of Vinicius' No 20 shirt on a bridge near Real's facilities before the team's Cup match against Atletico Madrid on January 26.

Three other people were fined €5,000 (£4,300) and banned from sports venues for one year after making racist gestures towards the Brazil international during a LaLiga match at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium on May 21.The sanctions come 11 days after the arrest of the four men on suspicion of hanging the effigy and their release on bail by a Madrid court.

Vinicius Jr has been in the spotlight for the past couple of weeks after calling LaLiga and Spain racist following the abuse he suffered during Real's match against Valencia.The sporting world has shown solidarity with the 22-year-old since then and the Brazilian government has called for severe sanctions against those responsible for the racial slurs.

Brazil will play friendlies against Guinea on June 17 and Senegal, three days later, as a part of an anti-racism campaign.Earlier this month, Valencia had their partial stadium closure reduced to three matches and their fine cut to €27,000 (£23,500) following an appeal for the racist abuse of Vinicius by fans.

The Spanish Football Federation appeals committee said that it had decided to "partially uphold" Valencia's appeal.

It means the partial closure of the Mestalla Stadium has come down from five matches, with an initial €45,000 (£39,000) punishment reduced by €18,000.Vinicius threatened to leave the pitch in the second half of Real Madrid's LaLiga match against Valencia on Sunday after being subjected to alleged racist chants from the crowd and Madrid, who said the abuse constituted a "hate crime", filed a complaint with the Spanish State Attorney General's Office.

Valencia had 10 working days to file an appeal to the appeals committee. LaLiga players and officials called for racism to be tackled in Spain in the wake of Sunday's match.

Before Tuesday night's games between Real Valladolid and Barcelona, and Celta Vigo and Girona, players from both sides, as well as the match officials, stood behind banners which read "Racism, out of football".

Vinicius was set to serve a two or three-match ban after being sent off at Valencia, but Spain's competition committee - a body formed by one member from LaLiga, one from the Spanish Sports Council (CSD) and one from RFEF (Spanish FA) - has rescinded that red card.LaLiga, meanwhile, said it would request greater jurisdiction to punish clubs whose fans were guilty of racist abuse after feeling "powerless" at the lack of current sanctions in the wake of the latest Vinicius incident.

According to the country's law, LaLiga can currently only identify and report incidents, and punishment is rarely handed out.

Four people were arrested in Spain on Tuesday under suspicion of hanging an effigy of Vinicius off a bridge in January.

An inflatable doll dressed in a Vinicius shirt was hung from the railings with a banner that read 'Madrid hates Real Madrid' ahead of Real's Copa del Rey game with city rivals Atletico at the start of the year.

And Spanish police confirmed on Tuesday that four suspects had been apprehended.

Tebas claims LaLiga could eradicate racism in six months
Speaking on Thursday, LaLiga president Javier Tebas claimed his organisation could eradicate racism from Spanish football in six months if given adequate sanctioning powers.

Vinicius Junior spoke out against both Spain and LaLiga after the abuse, highlighting "continuous episodes across several cities" and suggesting LaLiga "belongs to the racists".

Tebas gave a tetchy response to Vinicius on social media, for which he subsequently apologised, and at a news conference on Thursday he complained the league's hands are tied by laws which mean LaLiga can currently only identify and report incidents and punishment is rarely handed out.

"What we want is the power to do more things. With the power we are convinced within months this would be solved," he told the specially-arranged conference.

"We are going along the legal route, and I think in six months' time this will be at zero and we will be the best league in the world. The competencies we want are for those intolerable behaviours - racism, homophobia."

When challenged on his six-month solution claim, Tebas added: "We have been able to have economic control to stop our clubs going bankrupt so if we are given the competencies we can put an end to this because it is easier to stop than financial control.""This was an extraordinary press conference. Tebas answered every question openly, but my interpretation was that some of those answers were embarrassing, some of them seemed horribly out of touch.

"There are, of course, cultural differences and language barriers at play here, maybe, but this felt like Tebas trying to backpedal and make amends for the hugely damaging comments he made towards Vinicius Jr where he diminished his experience of racism."There were one or two really uncomfortable moments where Tebas talked of the racist comments he heard in stadiums of the past, and he almost mimicked that language, using one word which was grossly offensive.

"It was a really difficult watch for the majority of those 86 minutes.

"Incredibly, he said he could solve the problem of racism in Spain 'within months' if LaLiga were given the powers to crack down on it.

"Tebas admitted the affair had been very damaging to LaLiga's reputation on the world stage and you couldn't help but feel there was a commercial aspect to this news conference, that Tebas was speaking as much to try and reassure sponsors as much as he was players like Vinicius Jr.

"Perhaps the most extraordinary comment from Tebas came at the end of the conference. His response, while laughing, of 'we don't count them', when asked how many black people worked with him at LaLiga was absolutely staggering and spoke volumes about what's going on at LaLiga at the moment."

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West Ham are preparing for their first major final in Europe since 1976, and they are bidding to win a first trophy since the FA Cup 43 years ago; Hammers face Italian side Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final in Prague on Wednesday night Approaching the end of a rollercoaster season, it fits well that the story of West Ham's campaign is yet to be determined ahead of its final chapter - even though the match in question is their first European final in more than two generations.

Their season has already been one of wild contrasts, simultaneously mounting a desperate battle against Premier League relegation while breezing their way through Europe for the second year in a row.The purgatory runs from top to bottom. There has even been talk of David Moyes walking away from the club voluntarily depending on the outcome of Wednesday's Europa Conference League final with Fiorentina in Prague, although the Hammers manager has since insisted he intends to continue.

Beneath such potential highs and lows does run an undercurrent of positivity and faith that this West Ham squad, which has delivered on the continent time and time again over the past nine months, can deliver one final push.Before West Ham flew out to the Czech Republic, Moyes was even asked whether this squad would be recognised with a statue like the one unveiled only two years ago in memory of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters' contribution to West Ham's last taste of European glory, the Cup Winners' Cup in 1965.Even ahead of the biggest night in the Hammers' recent history, the 60-year-old emphasised the importance of the bigger picture to assess how far the club has come since his return in 2019.

He said: "I'm not sure that if you'd told anybody in the period we would finish sixth and seventh in the Premier League, we'd have got to a semi-final of a European competition, and then a year after, you would get to the final of a European competition. I think if you said that to people before we came in, you would've said no, that's not true.

"I think there a lot of good things going on. I think we've given lots of the West Ham supporters and the club some really good times and long may it continue. We want to continue it, we want to grow it. We want to keep it going and keep these moments happening and to me, in a cup final, it is special. Certainly for West Ham, it's been a while since we've been here."

A perfect send-off for captain Rice?
If the potentially-departing Declan Rice's final chapter of his West Ham legacy were to lift a European trophy for his boyhood club, it would be a fitting end for one of east London's favourite sons.

Rice has risen through the ranks like few others in recent years to write himself into club folklore. It is easy to forget the affable, confident skipper who never shies away from fronting up for his team-mates only turned 24 in January.

He has led his side on the pitch as well as off it en route to Prague and few would begrudge him a move of the kind that has been talked about this summer, with Champions League incumbents Bayern Munich and Arsenal at the front of the queue.

Rice was present two years ago at the unveiling of the Olympic Park statue commemorating that legendary West Ham trio, and would be in line for one of his own if he and his team can add to the all-too-slim honours board at the London Stadium on Wednesday night.

The 'West Ham way' has been a source of ridicule in the club's lesser moments but he embodies it in his manner - just as Mark Noble did before him - and also in his ability to mix fight with composure.

Even in a poor domestic season for the club, he has made more interceptions than anyone else in the Premier League, while only five of the eight players ahead of him in the tackling ranks are midfield rivals.

In the same breath he has controlled West Ham's midfield with the ball, enjoying the 12th-most touches in the league, completing the 10th-most passes, and the 13th-most in the final third.

Moyes admits there is a "good chance" his skipper will make headway when the transfer window reopens, but he has one final job to do before that, and, given how he has relished leading this West Ham team so far, he looks sure to do exactly the same on the biggest stage of his club career to date.


'Hopefully it's the start' - Moyes on Hammers future.
Moyes could become only the third West Ham manager to guide them to silverware, following in the fabled footsteps of Ron Greenwood and John Lyall.

There is a growing narrative that were he to achieve it the Scot, who turned 60 this year, could be forgiven for deciding to leave the club on a high, especially given their struggles in the Premier League this season which, at times, he admitted, left him close to the sack.

But speaking on Tuesday, he categorically denied suggestions that he could step down after the final, regardless of the result.

"It's great to be sitting here in a European final, for any manager it's a thrill, one of the pinnacles you can get in football as a coach," he added.

"Hopefully it's the start. I've always said the best years are still to come and I'm certainly enjoying the moment and being here."

Moyes is set to start with cup goalkeeper Alphonse Areola despite Lukasz Fabianski being the club's number one. But if the match goes to penalties Moyes will have a big decision to make.

Fabianski has an excellent spot-kick record - he has saved 11 in the Premier League alone. Areola, by contrast, dived the wrong way for eight consecutive penalties when West Ham lost an FA Cup shootout to Blackburn in November. If the final goes the distance Fabianski could be summoned from the bench and have a big part to play in this competition after all.

Full-back Vladimir Coufal and midfielder Tomas Soucek have had their sights set on reaching the final ever since the venue was confirmed; the Fortuna Arena is the home of their former club, Slavia Prague. Coufal has even promised to treat his team-mates to a famous Czech beer or two if they go on and lift the trophy.

Fiorentina plan 'tactical' fouls to stop Hammers playing
West Ham's Europa League semi-final downfall against Lyon last year owed a lot to a level of gamesmanship from the French side which the Hammers were ill-prepared to face.

AZ Alkmaar tried a similar tactic at the same stage of this season's Conference League, but Moyes and his side had learned from their experience and won home and away to seal their progress to Prague.

That will not stop Fiorentina trying their luck again, manager Vincenzo Italiano has admitted ahead of Wednesday's showdown. And having run Champions League hopefuls Inter close in the Coppa Italia final late last month, he has reason to be confident this time it will work.


"In Prague, we will see if we can manage, with our attitude to have a different ending than the Coppa Italia final," Italiano said.

"We have analysed West Ham. They're very strong. They have legs, they run a lot and have quality. They are a typical English team and have an expert coach. We know their strengths and we hope we have identified some of their weaknesses. We will have to play with maximum respect and great focus.

"We will try to not give them dangerous balls and to work on tactical fouls, preventative tackles, to avoid counter-attacks. These are the counter-measures to play against this kind of attitude.

"After training, we decided to have every member of the squad taking a penalty each with an eye on the final. We have eight or nine players who are very cool-headed, but we will have to see who feels like taking one on the night if the final goes that way."

West Ham's route to the final...

Qualifying round

West Ham's journey to Prague began on August 18, three Prime Ministers ago, with a home meeting against Danish minnows Viborg.

New Italian striker Gianluca Scamacca, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio scored in a 3-1 first-leg win. Scamacca was on target again, along with Said Benrahma and Tomas Soucek, in the away leg to secure a comprehensive 6-1 aggregate victory.

Group stage

The Hammers were drawn with Romanian side FCSB, Belgium's Anderlecht and Silkeborg of Denmark in Group B.

They fell behind to FCSB at home in their first match but goals from Bowen, Emerson Palmieri and Antonio earned a 3-1 win and David Moyes' side went on to breeze into the knockout stages with six wins out of six.

Last 16

The travelling fans were rewarded with a trip to sunny Cyprus and a tie against AEK Larnaca.

West Ham were struggling domestically, having just been knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United and thumped 4-0 at Brighton in the Premier League, but Antonio's double settled the away leg and a brace from Bowen helped them to a 4-0 win at home, and 6-0 on aggregate, to keep the European adventure going.

Quarter-final

Next up were another Belgian outfit, Gent, and for the first time in the competition West Ham failed to register a victory, with Danny Ings on target in a 1-1 away draw.

Jarrod Bowen salutes the travelling supporters
Image:
Jarrod Bowen salutes the travelling supporters
But despite conceding an early goal, the home leg was comfortable thanks to another Antonio double, Lucas Paqueta's penalty and a stunning solo goal from captain Declan Rice to wrap up a 4-1 win.

Semi-final

Dutch dark horses AZ Alkmaar would be no pushovers in the last four having already accounted for Lazio and Anderlecht.

West Ham fell behind at the London Stadium to Tijani Reijnders' first-half goal but Benrahma's penalty and Antonio's scrambled effort secured a 2-1 win.

In an edgy second leg, Pablo Fornals raced through to score the only goal in stoppage time to inflict AZ's first European defeat in 26 matches and send the Hammers through.

Form

West Ham remain the bookmakers' favourites to win the tournament, but only just following Fiorentina's storming end to the domestic season. Italiano's side have won eight, drawn four and lost just two matches since March, securing an eighth-placed finish in Serie A.

Their attacking style should suit Moyes' counter-attacking tactics, but while West Ham have enjoyed a very agreeable draw on their journey to Prague, this promises to be tough.

Pedigree

In qualifying for the showpiece in Prague, Fiorentina became the first team to reach all four finals of the major European competitions.Czech police have drafted in an extra 250 officers ahead of the Europa Conference League final in Prague. Local police are working in conjunction with state police and UEFA to ensure the match passes off peacefully.

However, one officer told the Press Association there had already been "a couple of incidents" involving West Ham fans, and added that they are "prepared for trouble".

Around 20,000 Hammers fans are expected to travel to the Czech capital, but the majority are without tickets as both clubs only have an allocation of less than 5,000 each for the match.

Thousands had already arrived in Prague by Tuesday afternoon, the day before the final. Fan parks will be set up in the city centre so those supporters without tickets can watch the match on a big screen.

A shuttle bus service has also been arranged to ferry fans straight from the airport to the parks.

West Ham's semi-final victory at AZ Alkmaar was marred by a large group of Dutch fans attempting to storm a section full of the friends and family of West Ham's players and staff.

Wednesday's final is West Ham's first in Europe since 1976, and they are bidding to win a first trophy since the FA Cup 43 years ago.

Realguyman1:
Let's see what unfold today

May the best team win

Sevilla's Europa League final against Roma in Budapest has the makings of an all-time European classic as two storied clubs go head-to-head, writes Ben Grounds; Follow Sevilla vs Roma in the Europa League final.

Jose Mourinho had the air of a man who has been here several times before.

Dressed in an oversized white T-shirt with a dark jumper tied around his shoulders, the Portuguese prowled his side's final training session on the eve of another European final.In these situations, one-off games, there are few more qualified to handle the occasion. He is a man who, in the week of a major final, goes 'into the tunnel'."It's been a week where none of us have slept at night, there is a lot of excitement," one Roma supporter said as he sought to calm his nerves in Heroes' Square (Hosok tere), one of the landmark locations in the heart of Budapest, host city of Wednesday's Europa League final with Sevilla.

"We are excited but also full of energy and let's hope for the best. Tomorrow will be a very long day, it will never pass by."According to reports, Mourinho has been extremely strict as to who is allowed in Roma's training centre and has banned certain members of staff from entering the grounds in Trigoria.

The Portuguese boss has reached five European finals in his career, winning every single one he has appeared in. He knows what works.With five major European titles to date - the UEFA Cup in 2003, the Champions League in 2004 and 2010, the Europa League in 2017 and the Europa Conference League in 2022 - he is a man you want in your corner on nights such as these."He's different, he makes you realise the importance of the match," Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini said earlier this month, insisting that all credit should be directed towards Mourinho for the team's success.

"We came here and everyone knew what they had to do. We study, we organise ourselves, we watch videos. Especially in Europe, you can see what the coach brings us. Mourinho is the creator of this personality of ours."

Acuna banned, Dybala set to be passed fit
Sevilla will be without talismanic left back Marcos Acuna, who was sent off in extra time in the second leg of the semi-final against Juventus, which Sevilla won 2-1 for a 3-2 aggregate victory, for time wasting after a second yellow card.

Roma will have full-back Leonardo Spinazzola back after a muscle strain, while forwards Stephan El Shaarawy and Paulo Dybala should also be fit.

Bright sunshine in Budapest, the man from Setubal has come a long way since being hand-picked by Porto, two years after quitting Benfica.The 2002/03 season was career-defining for Mourinho, marking the start of his affinity with European silverware as victory over Martin O'Neill's Celtic in the UEFA Cup completed a treble success.

Under the lights of the Puskas Arena, Mourinho will have the chance to add to his legacy, having also won the Europa League with Manchester United in 2017.At 60, Mourinho strikes a more measured tone when it comes to speaking on his own success.

"My concern isn't marking my place in the Roma history books," he told Sky Sports. "It's helping these kids (players) to grow, to achieve important things.

"It's also helping the Roma fans who have given me so much since day one. It's an immense joy to get to another final."

It is quite startling that Mourinho has more European titles than Sevilla head coach Jose Luis Mendilibar has total games managed in those same competitions.Having only joined Sevilla two months ago on a short-term contract after the sacking Jorge Sampaoli, the 62-year-old's career is already peaking.Like Roma, Sevilla are short of finishing in LaLiga's top four, but the Andalusians have overgone a remarkable turnaround having flirted with relegation earlier in the campaign.

Mendilibar, Sevilla's third different manager this term, took over with the club two points clear of the relegation zone but they are now just a point off seventh place going into the final round of domestic fixtures this weekend.

"People didn't expect we would do something like this and we have achieved it," said Mendilibar, who has lost just twice in 11 league games and claimed the scalp of Manchester United in the previous round.

The stakes couldn't be any higher - in stark contrast to what Mourinho said of this competition 10 years ago that became infamous."If I win the Europa League it will be a big disappointment for me because I don't want to play in it," he said on being re-appointed by Chelsea. It was seen as throwing shade on his predecessor Rafa Bentez who weeks earlier as Blues interim coach won the 2013 Europa title.

At Roma, he is demonstrating precisely what Daniel Levy had hoped he would achieve at Tottenham.

Twelve months ago, he guided Roma to their first trophy in 11 years, beating Feyenoord in the Europa Conference League final.The feat made him only the third manager - after Udo Lattek and Giovanni Trapattoni - to have won all three existing major European trophies.

It also marked him as the first to achieve the UEFA treble by winning the Champions League, UEFA Cup/Europa League, and Europa Conference League - in place of the defunct UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

Even with Financial Fair Play regulations dictating that Roma could only spend £6m in the January transfer window, Mourinho has guided his side to back-to-back European finals.

The Italian club could win a major European title in consecutive seasons, which has been achieved on four previous occasions - Inter Milan in 1964 and 1965, Milan in 1968 and 1969, Juventus in 1984 and 1985, and Milan again in 1989 and 1990.

Their failure to land a Champions League berth via their position in Serie A was confirmed at the weekend after a 2-1 defeat at Fiorentina.

Sixth in the table, another season in the Europa League is not yet guaranteed if results go against them on the final day, with Juventus only a point behind them.

At the end of a long, arduous season it is still all to play for - as always when it comes to Mourinho in May.

Sevilla stand in his way. The Spanish outfit have won the competition six times, the most of any club in history, and on each occasion they have reached the final.

Should they win their seventh title here, only five sides will have more major European trophies - Real Madrid (16), Barcelona (12), Milan (nine), Liverpool (nine) and Bayern Munich (eight).But Mourinho is no stranger to finals on the big stage. This will be his 14th major cup if they can go all the way in Hungary.

Should Roma lift the trophy, Mourinho will be the most decorated manager in the history of major European competition, going clear of Trapattoni's five honours.

What happens when the immovable object meets the irresistible force?

Wednesday marks an opportunity for Mourinho to reaffirm his relevance in the modern game, when some have questioned whether he still warrants being mentioned in the same breath as other visionaries among the elite.Earlier this month, Sky Sports reported that Paris Saint-Germain have shown tentative early interest in him as their next manager. The French champions will assess their options at the end of the season, with current head coach Christophe Galtier out of contract in 2024.

His future at Roma is uncertain heading into the summer, but while the Portuguese may consider a change of club, his sole focus will be on another masterclass, as the trickster of Sevilla.

"If they called, they didn't find me," was Mourinho's light-hearted response when asked if PSG had contacted him.

He will be front and centre to the drama on Wednesday. With both records on the line.

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Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have revealed their end-of-season awards in the final Monday Night Football of the campaign.
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville announce their Monday Night Football end-of-season awards for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign. Erling Haaland is an easy choice but there is plenty of disagreement too...The Sky Sports pundits each selected their player of the season, young player of the season, signing of the season, manager of the season, surprise of the season and game of the season for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

They also named their teams of the season, and while they both included Kieran Trippier, Ruben Dias, Martin Odegaard, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, they differed on the remaining five names. Read on to see their selections in full.

Carragher's best player: Erling Haaland
Carragher: "It is like Messi and Ronaldo isn't it in terms of that goal-a-game? I think before Haaland, City had maybe the best striker in Premier League history in Sergio Aguero in terms of his minutes per goal anyway. So how does Haaland score that many more than Aguero with a similar team, same manager? That just shows he is a freak."

Neville's best player: Erling Haaland
Neville: "It is the first time that the Premier League has signed a player who is going to be the best in the world or is already at that level. They go to Real Madrid, they go to Barcelona, in recent years they have gone to Paris Saint-Germain. They do not go to thePremier League. We have grown the best player in the world."For instance, Cristiano Ronaldo came as a young kid and developed. I felt this player was a phenomenon. We knew he was special and what he has done is out of this world."

Carragher's best young player: Bukayo Saka
Carragher: "I love him. I think he has been fantastic. Odegaard has been Arsenal's best player, I just did not pick Odegaard because he is too old - 24 seems too old to be the young player."

Neville's best young player: Martin Odegaard
Neville: "I was surprised and shocked when I found out Odegaard is Arsenal's captain. Where has that come from? But he has been Arsenal's best player. Even in this difficult period, I think Odegaard has been outstanding. His quality on the ball. The best young player."

Carragher's best manager: Eddie Howe
Carragher: "It was either Eddie Howe or Pep Guardiola and I think we all feel Pep Guardiola could go on to win the treble. How could you go against him if he does that. The only reason I went for Eddie Howe was that I just cannot believe what has happened from last season to this season with Newcastle in terms of where they were whenEddie Howe came in. I actually felt there was more chance of doing a treble than Newcastle being in the Champions League so that is why I went for Eddie Howe."

Neville's best manager: Pep Guardiola
Neville: "I was going to go for Mikel Arteta a few weeks ago. Gary O'Neil has done an unbelievable job at Bournemouth. Roy Hodgson coming in at Crystal Palace. So many managers have exceeded what we thought they would do. But there are only three teams in the history of football who have got to a Champions League final, an FA Cup final and won the title. Forget the fact that they might not win it yet. Liverpool in 1977 was stopped. But the fact that he has got to those finals is quite a unique event."

Carragher's best signing: Morgan Gibbs-White
Carragher: "I was debating over two players. I was going for Manuel Akanji. But I think the fact that he is playing for Man City means I have gone for Morgan Gibbs-White. I would not say he has single-handedly kept Nottingham Forest in the league but every time I watch him… it was a big price tag and he has justified that. He must be really close to the next England squad."

Neville's best signing: Casemiro
Neville: "I could not think of a player who has had a bigger impact on their team. I look at United's season, they are in the top four, they won the Carabao Cup and they are in the FA Cup final. I genuinelydon't think they would be anywhere near top four or doing what they are doing in those competitions without Casemiro. He makes them 30 per cent better."I have doubts about the five-year deal and the expense of it, but in terms of the jump in performance when he is playing to when he is not playing, it is enormous. He has brought experience to the dressing room and I think he has done a good job."

Carragher's biggest surprise: Lisandro Martinez
Carragher: "Any centre-half coming to the Premier League who is under six foot, you are thinking they are going to have a problem but he hasn't. Every player has weaknesses, but the best players hide their weaknesses. How can you overcome that? I wasn't the biggest centre-half and I was worried I was going to get bullied. I thought hewas smaller than me.

"But when you are talking about the role of Casemiro, I think there is a massive drop off when Lisandro Martinez is not in the Manchester United team. Defensively but also his ability on the ball in terms of playing out from the back. He is a warrior, he is a leader, and when you think of that spine, he and Casemiro have made a big difference. So I apologise to Lisandro Martinez. Manchester United fans please stop tweeting me!"

Neville's biggest surprise: Brighton 1-5 Everton
Neville: "Seeing them go to Brighton and rip them to shreds shocked the living daylights out of me, I did not think they were capable of a performance like that. Brighton had just beaten Manchester United. That victory is more than likely going to keep them in the Premier League."

Carragher's favourite game: Liverpool 7-0 Man Utd
Carragher: "I don't think it was the game, it was the selfie in the commentary box I took with him! It has been a poor season for Liverpool but that game will still be being talked about in 10 or 20years, there is no doubt about it. You beat your rivals, 7-0, it is laughable, isn't it."

Neville's favourite game: World Cup final
Neville: "We have had a very unique season where the World Cup final was sandwiched between two halves of the season. That World Cup final was probably the best game that I have ever seen live. It was absolutely unbelievable, that game."

Carragher's team of the season
Carra's XI: Alisson, Trippier, Dias, Botman, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Rodri, De Bruyne, Salah, Kane, Haaland.

"Haaland is a freak but Harry Kane, what he has done this season, playing in one of the worst teams he has played in, to get that number of goals, I think is out of this world."

Neville's team of the season
Nev's XI: Pope, Trippier, Saliba, Dias, Estupinan, Odegaard, Rodri, De Bruyne, Saka, Haaland, Martinelli.

"I think this season, Saka and Martinelli have absolutely lit up this league, I think they have been spectacular, I think they have been electric. Some of the best play I have seen all season has been from them two."

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Saka was the best player for the season

Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have revealed their end-of-season awards in the final Monday Night Football of the campaign.
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville announce their Monday Night Football end-of-season awards for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign. Erling Haaland is an easy choice but there is plenty of disagreement too...The Sky Sports pundits each selected their player of the season, young player of the season, signing of the season, manager of the season, surprise of the season and game of the season for the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

They also named their teams of the season, and while they both included Kieran Trippier, Ruben Dias, Martin Odegaard, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, they differed on the remaining five names. Read on to see their selections in full.

Carragher's best player: Erling Haaland
Carragher: "It is like Messi and Ronaldo isn't it in terms of that goal-a-game? I think before Haaland, City had maybe the best striker in Premier League history in Sergio Aguero in terms of his minutes per goal anyway. So how does Haaland score that many more than Aguero with a similar team, same manager? That just shows he is a freak."

Neville's best player: Erling Haaland
Neville: "It is the first time that the Premier League has signed a player who is going to be the best in the world or is already at that level. They go to Real Madrid, they go to Barcelona, in recent years they have gone to Paris Saint-Germain. They do not go to thePremier League. We have grown the best player in the world."For instance, Cristiano Ronaldo came as a young kid and developed. I felt this player was a phenomenon. We knew he was special and what he has done is out of this world."

Carragher's best young player: Bukayo Saka
Carragher: "I love him. I think he has been fantastic. Odegaard has been Arsenal's best player, I just did not pick Odegaard because he is too old - 24 seems too old to be the young player."

Neville's best young player: Martin Odegaard
Neville: "I was surprised and shocked when I found out Odegaard is Arsenal's captain. Where has that come from? But he has been Arsenal's best player. Even in this difficult period, I think Odegaard has been outstanding. His quality on the ball. The best young player."

Carragher's best manager: Eddie Howe
Carragher: "It was either Eddie Howe or Pep Guardiola and I think we all feel Pep Guardiola could go on to win the treble. How could you go against him if he does that. The only reason I went for Eddie Howe was that I just cannot believe what has happened from last season to this season with Newcastle in terms of where they were whenEddie Howe came in. I actually felt there was more chance of doing a treble than Newcastle being in the Champions League so that is why I went for Eddie Howe."

Neville's best manager: Pep Guardiola
Neville: "I was going to go for Mikel Arteta a few weeks ago. Gary O'Neil has done an unbelievable job at Bournemouth. Roy Hodgson coming in at Crystal Palace. So many managers have exceeded what we thought they would do. But there are only three teams in the history of football who have got to a Champions League final, an FA Cup final and won the title. Forget the fact that they might not win it yet. Liverpool in 1977 was stopped. But the fact that he has got to those finals is quite a unique event."

Carragher's best signing: Morgan Gibbs-White
Carragher: "I was debating over two players. I was going for Manuel Akanji. But I think the fact that he is playing for Man City means I have gone for Morgan Gibbs-White. I would not say he has single-handedly kept Nottingham Forest in the league but every time I watch him… it was a big price tag and he has justified that. He must be really close to the next England squad."

Neville's best signing: Casemiro
Neville: "I could not think of a player who has had a bigger impact on their team. I look at United's season, they are in the top four, they won the Carabao Cup and they are in the FA Cup final. I genuinelydon't think they would be anywhere near top four or doing what they are doing in those competitions without Casemiro. He makes them 30 per cent better."I have doubts about the five-year deal and the expense of it, but in terms of the jump in performance when he is playing to when he is not playing, it is enormous. He has brought experience to the dressing room and I think he has done a good job."

Carragher's biggest surprise: Lisandro Martinez
Carragher: "Any centre-half coming to the Premier League who is under six foot, you are thinking they are going to have a problem but he hasn't. Every player has weaknesses, but the best players hide their weaknesses. How can you overcome that? I wasn't the biggest centre-half and I was worried I was going to get bullied. I thought hewas smaller than me.

"But when you are talking about the role of Casemiro, I think there is a massive drop off when Lisandro Martinez is not in the Manchester United team. Defensively but also his ability on the ball in terms of playing out from the back. He is a warrior, he is a leader, and when you think of that spine, he and Casemiro have made a big difference. So I apologise to Lisandro Martinez. Manchester United fans please stop tweeting me!"

Neville's biggest surprise: Brighton 1-5 Everton
Neville: "Seeing them go to Brighton and rip them to shreds shocked the living daylights out of me, I did not think they were capable of a performance like that. Brighton had just beaten Manchester United. That victory is more than likely going to keep them in the Premier League."

Carragher's favourite game: Liverpool 7-0 Man Utd
Carragher: "I don't think it was the game, it was the selfie in the commentary box I took with him! It has been a poor season for Liverpool but that game will still be being talked about in 10 or 20years, there is no doubt about it. You beat your rivals, 7-0, it is laughable, isn't it."

Neville's favourite game: World Cup final
Neville: "We have had a very unique season where the World Cup final was sandwiched between two halves of the season. That World Cup final was probably the best game that I have ever seen live. It was absolutely unbelievable, that game."

Carragher's team of the season
Carra's XI: Alisson, Trippier, Dias, Botman, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Rodri, De Bruyne, Salah, Kane, Haaland.

"Haaland is a freak but Harry Kane, what he has done this season, playing in one of the worst teams he has played in, to get that number of goals, I think is out of this world."

Neville's team of the season
Nev's XI: Pope, Trippier, Saliba, Dias, Estupinan, Odegaard, Rodri, De Bruyne, Saka, Haaland, Martinelli.

"I think this season, Saka and Martinelli have absolutely lit up this league, I think they have been spectacular, I think they have been electric. Some of the best play I have seen all season has been from them two."

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Arsenal and England winger Bukayo Saka has signed a new four-year contract with the Gunners; the 21-year-old became the first Premier League player to hit double-digit goal and assist tallies this season; Saka's new Arsenal deal lasts until 2027.Saka's previous contract was due to expire at the end of next season, with the new deal a major boost to Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta.The 21-year-old has been one of Arsenal's standout players in the last two seasons, while also establishing himself as a key player for Gareth Southgate's England team since the European Championships in 2021.

Saka has scored 14 goals and registered 11 assists in all competitions for Arsenal this season, while he was also the club's top scorer last term with 11.Saka's excellent season for Arsenal also saw him nominated for the Premier League Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season awards, while Saka also joins Aaron Ramsdale and Gabriel Martinelli in committing their futures to the north London club.

"I'm just really happy," Saka told the Arsenal official website. "There's been a lot of talking and it's been a while, but I'm here now. I think this is the right club, the right place to make the next step. It's a beautiful club - look where we are."For me, it's about achieving my personal ambitions; how much I push myself and demand from myself each game, week in, week out. Then I have all the right people around me in terms of family, and when I come to the training ground, my teammates, the coaching staff.

"I think I have everything I need to become the best player I can be, and that's why I'm happy to stay here and be here for the future, because I really believe that we can achieve big things."Despite the disappointment of missing out on the Premier League title to City, Arsenal's campaign has shown that the red half of London is a top place for young players like Saka to develop. With Martin Odegaard and William Saliba rumoured to be next on the new contract agenda, Arsenal have some of the Premier League's brightest sparks and are making them theirs for the long haul.

But Arsenal's next task regarding Saka is to give him more competition. Arteta's next-best option on the right flank is Reiss Nelson, who has only been used for two hours of league football since mid-November.

Arsenal's right-wing reliance on Saka has seen him start every Premier League game for Arsenal bar two in the last two seasons -and it has led to some fatigue in the previous two run-ins.


Vinicius Jr misses training as Real Madrid prepare for Rayo Vallecano
Vinicius Jr was absent from Real Madrid's training on Tuesday morning as the club prepare for their home game against Rayo Vallecano.

Pep Guardiola: Roberto De Zerbiis one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes Roberto De Zerbi is one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years and says the Seagulls deserve their success this season.

Evan Ferguson: The making of Brighton forward who could develop into a £100m player
Evan Ferguson has undergone a superb breakthrough season at Brighton at just 18-years-old; the Republic of Ireland forward has helped the Seagulls secure European football for the first time; Sky Sports News charts his rise from Bettystown to the cusp of a big move.As Brighton secured European football for the first time in the club's history with help from two Evan Ferguson goals against Southampton on Sunday, there was a celebration for what will be, but also a tinge of regret for what could have been.If the kid who could become king had not been unavailable for nearly a month through an ankle injury, the south coast club are confident they would have had Newcastle and Manchester United fretting over a Champions League spot, while reaching the FA Cup final at the expense of the latter.At just 18, the impact Ferguson has had during his breakthrough season both on Brighton's attack and opposition defences has been pronounced enough for some sharp minds in football to declare he could develop into a £100m player.No one involved in the Republic of Ireland international's formative years would mark that as hyperbole. Those working with Ferguson now believe we are being treated to a live showcase of a Premier League great in the making.Is that too much expectation and pressure on a teenager? An unequivocal 'no' is the response from those who know him best.



Manchester City are ready to take on arch-rivals Liverpool in the battle to sign Brighton World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister.

Liverpool have asked referee body the PGMOL to explain two decisions at the weekend, which they feel crossed the clear and obvious threshold despite the scrutiny of VAR.Avram Glazer has reportedly billed two private jet flights to Manchester United in recent months, with the club's majority shareholder allegedly spending £250,000 on separate trips to watch matches at Wembley Stadium.



Arsenal defender Ben White could be named in the England squad for upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers after Gareth Southgate reached out to hold clear-the-air talks.

Manchester United are dumping Anthony Martial after running out of patience with the Frenchman, who stormed straight down the tunnel after he was substituted against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Old Trafford could witness another star Brazilian arrival this summer amid rumours Casemiro is doing his bit to tempt Paris Saint-Germain stud Neymar to Manchester United.

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Papers: Man City to offer Cancelo to Bayern as part of Kimmich deal
West Ham to allow Rice exit this summer
Arsenal want Rice, Mount and Gundogan as Arteta plots midfield overhaul
Milner, Firmino, Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain to leave Liverpool
Ramsdale signs new Arsenal contract | Martinez set for Man Utd deal
Real want Bellingham, Mbappe, Davies | Mane, Cancelo to leave Bayern
Arsenal rumours | Chelsea rumours | Liverpool rumours | Man City rumours | Man Utd rumours | Newcastle rumours | Spurs rumours

Arsenal keen on Rice, Mount and Gundogan as Arteta plots midfield overhaul
Arsenal are keen on signing Declan Rice, Mason Mount and Ilkay Gundogan this summer, according to The Athletic.

Bolstering midfield is a priority for Mikel Arteta and their main target is Rice, whose West Ham contract has a year left to run plus an option to extend by 12 months.Arsenal also want to add creativity in a more advanced position and that has fuelled the pursuit of Mount, although there is strong competition from Liverpool and Manchester United, while Chelsea will make a final push to extend his terms, which are scheduled to expire in 2024.

Arsenal are determined to sign the England internationals and may require an additional player in that department if Granit Xhaka exits, with Bayer Leverkusen in talks to recruit the Switzerland midfielder.Arsenal have concrete interest in Gundogan and Arteta is driving it, having worked with the 32-year-old German at the Etihad Stadium and identified him as the ideal replacement for Xhaka.

Fresh efforts will be made to keep him at Manchester City and Gundogan has other possibilities including Barcelona, but as things stand, no agreements have been reached and the situation is still open.


Slot wants Spurs job | Feyenoord knock back approach for technical director
Tottenham target Arne Slot has ordered Erling Haaland's agent to force through a move that would see him leave Feyenoord to take charge of the managerless London club, according to the Daily Mirror.

However, Spurs' bid to appoint Dennis te Kloese as their new technical director has been knocked back by the Dutch club.

Liverpool aiming to bring in Schmadtke for start of summer window
Jorg Schmadtke is due in Liverpool this week to finalise terms on a deal to start work as the club's sporting director ahead of the summer transfer window, according to The Athletic.

Liverpool have already done the majority of the groundwork on new signings ahead of the window opening but having a new sporting director in place is seen as an ideal solution ahead of such a crucial summer.

Schmadtke is likely to agree an initial short-term deal to replace Julian Ward, who is leaving at the end of the season. There will be an option to extend his stay if the role goes well or Liverpool may decide to explore other options.

Head of recruitment Dave Fallows and chief scout Barry Hunter will work closely with the former goalkeeper, who is available to start work immediately after announcing his “retirement” from Wolfsburg in January.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is very supportive of the appointment but pointed out last week that his compatriot is not a target simply because of his nationality.

“If it happens, it would not be a Jurgen Klopp signing because we are both German or both know each other,” said the Liverpool boss.

West Ham agree to allow Rice exit this summer.

West Ham have a gentleman’s agreement with Declan Rice that he can leave this summer.

The money raised from selling the captain, plus additional funds, will be made available to strengthen the squad.

West Ham will allow Rice to leave if they receive an offer worth £120m from a Champions League club.

The Hammers would also accept £100m plus a player for the England midfielder.

Rice rejected the offer of a new £200,000-a-week contract 18 months ago.

Fulham's Willian: Let's see what happens.
Willian has indicated he is open to remaining at Fulham beyond this season.

The Brazil international, who picked up an assist in Fulham's 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday, said: "I have a contract until the end of June, I don't know what's going to happen.

"Of course it's some place that I feel good here to play (at).

"I have to speak to the club to see the situation. Let's see what's going to happen."

Roma eye Tielemans swoop
Roma will try and strike a deal to sign Youri Tielemans on a free transfer once his Leicester contract expires this summer.

Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Jose Mourinho is a big fan of the Belgium international and hopes to persuade the midfielder to make a move to the Italian capital.

Man City set to sell Steffen
Manchester City are ready to sell USA international goalkeeper Zack Steffen after his stunning season out on loan at Middlesbrough with Bundesliga clubs lining up and ready to make their move, according to The Sun.

De Zerbi: Brighton must work the market
Roberto De Zerbi insists Brighton must continue improving ahead of their maiden European campaign next season.

The Brighton boss says the work ahaead of next season has already begun to ensure they have the squad to compete in four competitions next term.

"We have to keep this level. We have to build a squad to
improve our level because I think (chairman) Tony (Bloom) and the club they don't want to lose this level."And to not lose this level we have to work harder in this transfer market, not only in the transfer market but to organise better and better and better because the victory can be dangerous.

"If you celebrate the victory it's right, it's normal, but you have to
improve. You have to work harder because you can lose the level."

Sevilla plan move for summer free agent Moura
Sevilla are set to make an offer to sign Lucas Moura, who is leaving Tottenham as a free agent this summer, report Fichajes.

Moura is leaving Spurs at the end of his deal after spending the last five years in north London.

O'Hara: Tottenham are a joke
Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara described his old club as a 'disgrace' and questioned the decision to put 'rookie' Ryan Mason in interim charge.'Hara: Tottenham are a joke.

Akpom targeted by Premier League clubs
Former Arsenal striker Chuba Akpom could be set for a stunning £15m return to the Premier League with several clubs tracking the forward after his 29-goal season for Middlesbrough.

Busquets: Everyone wants to play with Messi

Departing Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets says his future is not tied to Lionel Messi's amid speculation that the pair could reunite as team-mates, potentially in Saudi Arabia next season.

Busquets said: “My future linked to Messi’s?

"Everyone wants to play with Leo, he is the best in the world.

"But my future is not linked to Leo’s future.”

Selles unaware of any decision to appoint Martin

Ruben Selles, speaking after Southampton's defeat at Brighton, said the club haven't told him anything regarding Russel Martin taking the job.

Martin has verbally agreed to become the new Southampton manager.

He said: "I know nothing. It hasn't changed anything in my position since we spoke on Friday. I have been respectful with the club to use all my knowledge to keep this team and the club together. I expect if something goes on like that before the Liverpool game, someone will come to me to clarify to me.

Brighton 3-1 Southampton - Match report & highlights
How the teams lined up | Match stats
"I don't need to go to nobody. Everyone knows who I am and where I am and that I am the face of the club for the last three months and the reference for everybody. I expect that to happen for the last game against Liverpool."I didn't know about the update until Jordan [Press Officer] told me. I have a clear idea that I want to stay here until the Liverpool game, if something changes, that's not my decision. My focus has been on this week, a hard week for us, to prepare and to perform and try to win this game. I'm not worried about my future, my contract expires at the end of the season and what the club decides will be the right decision. I've already made my points a couple of months ago about this scenario so it's not my decision. I have no control of it, so I won't spend time on it."

Allegri: I'm staying at Juve

Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri insists he has no plans to leave the club this suummer.

"I’m staying here at Juventus, 100 per cent," the Juve head coach said.

"I’m under contract here. After that, it’s not up to me to decide.
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Peacecore:
How una dey take change mouth sharp sharp dey shock me walai

LOL

Brentford striker Ivan Toney was banned from football for eight months with immediate effect on Wednesday after admitting 232 breaches of the FA's betting rules; Toney will be banned until January 16, 2024, and has been fined £50,000, but it only covers English football.

The FA will apply to FIFA to make Ivan Toney’s eight-month ban from football a worldwide sanction, Sky Sports News has been told.

It means the Brentford striker, who was suspended on Wednesday with immediate effect until January 16, 2024 and fined £50,000 after admitting 232 breaches of the FA's betting rules, would not be allowed to go on loan to a foreign club while he serves his punishment.

The idea was raised as a possibility when it became clear that the sanction - set by an independent commission, but enforced by the FA - applies only to English football.

Brentford's Ivan Toney banned for eight months for breaching FA betting rules.

Sky Sports News has been told that, because any loan or transfer to a foreign club requires the FA to hand over a player's registration, as soon as Brentford hypothetically applied to do so, the FA would inform the buying club's FA and FIFA that Toney is subject to a football ban in England.

At that point, FIFA would, as a matter of procedure, look to apply the ban worldwide. However, to make things more transparent, it is understood that, once the written reasons are published and it's clear whether Toney will appeal, the FA will formally apply to FIFA to endorse Toney's punishment universally.

FIFA's standard procedure would then be to review what the FA has done by setting up its own disciplinary committee to discuss the details, but there is no obvious precedent where FIFA has failed to endorse a worldwide ban in circumstances such as this.

Both Kieran Trippier and Daniel Sturridge, for example, were playing abroad at the time when they were sanctioned for breaching betting rules in England.

Sturridge had to immediately end his contract with Trabzonspor in 2020. Likewise, Trippier missed 10 weeks of football with Atletico Madrid in early 2021.

Tottenham's former managing director of football Fabio Paratici was given a 30-month ban by the Italian Football Federation for his part in the alleged financial irregularities at Juventus.

As a result, he consequently resigned from his role at Spurs - even though technically, his ban only applied in Italy. Had he continued to work at Tottenham, FIFA would have stepped in. Paritici's punishment has since been reduced on appeal.Toney's suspension will start with immediate effect, meaning he will miss Brentford's final two games of the season - at Tottenham on Saturday and at home to Manchester City on the final day. He will not be allowed to train with his Brentford team-mates until September 17.

The one-cap England forward, who has scored 21 goals in 35 appearances for Brentford this season, has the right to appeal the punishment.

In a statement, Brentford said they were "awaiting the publication of the written reasons of the independent regulatory commission. We will review them before considering our next steps."

Toney later posted on social media to say he was "disappointed" with the ban but would not be commenting further until the written reasons are published.


Brentford want to offer Toney new contract despite ban
Brentford want to offer a new contract to Toney despite his eight-month ban from football.

The club plan to hold talks with the striker in the summer with the intention of extending his deal, which will be into its last 18 months once his ban is concluded.

The club had been braced for offers for Toney from big clubs prior to the emergence of his betting discrepancies. Head coach Thomas Frank has recently said the club value him at least at £100m.And the club now see a window of opportunity to make sure they retain his value, especially if he returns to the Premier League with a bang next year - and puts his name back at the top of club's shopping lists in the 2024 summer market.

Brentford have no interest in penalising Toney for effectively being in breach of his contract, with the majority of his offences having been made before he joined the club.

In fact, they intend to support him and his family in every way possible while he is not allowed to attend the club, and will continue discussions over a potential appeal against the disciplinary commission's sentence once written reasons are published.

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Freshtruth:
Bayern intentionally gave them d league for it to look like budesliga is competitive and to face Barcelona next season

They fought for it and they got what they fought for

Evan Ferguson scored twice in the first half as Brighton beat Southampton in the Premier League to secure European football for the first time in their history.

The 18-year-old forward opened the scoring with a powerful low shot past Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy before doubling the Seagulls' advantage with a first-time finish from inside the area.

Mohamed Elyounoussi's glancing header offered the visitors brief hope of a comeback but Pascal Gross fired in a third to seal victory for the hosts.

Brighton strengthened their grip on sixth place in the table and have all-but qualified for next season's Europa League because of their superior goal difference over seventh-placed Aston Villa.

A point from their two remaining matches will confirm a sixth-placed finish but victory over their south-coast rivals assures Brighton of a Europa Conference League spot at the very least.

Southampton, whose relegation was confirmed with their defeat by Fulham last time out, will finish their top-flight campaign against Liverpool at St Mary's next Sunday.

De Zerbi - Getting to Europe is bigger than title win
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'We're all going on a European tour'
The Brighton fans were in buoyant mood as the game kicked off in the sunshine at the Amex Stadium.

The Seagulls, one of the success stories of the campaign, were heading for Europe and their fans enjoyed every moment by taunting the visitors, who in contrast will be watching their side in the Championship next season.

On the pitch, the hosts were quickly into their stride and Kaoru Mitoma should have put them ahead when he drove into the area only to shoot wide from close range.

McCarthy nearly handed Brighton an easy second as the Japanese forward latched on to the keeper's loose pass but could only hit the post with his lifted attempt.

The deadlock was eventually broken when Alexis Mac Allister teed up Ferguson, who took a touch to set himself before smashing the ball through the legs of Lyanco and under McCarthy, who will be disappointed not to have kept it out.

Ferguson took his tally to 10 goals for the season 11 minutes later when the vibrant Mitoma shrugged off Romeo Lavia's challenge and picked out the Irishman, who found the corner of the net with a composed strike.

Southampton were boosted by Elyounoussi's header from a corner but Gross equalled Glenn Murray and Neal Maupay's Premier League club record of 26 goals with a fierce swipe of his left boot.

Brighton fans cheered the final whistle with renditions of "We're all going on a European tour" - something they can look forward to for the first time ever next season.

Struggling Saints turn attentions to fresh start.

Saints arrived at the Amex with their fate already sealed. In reality, their relegation has seemed inevitable for some time and defeat by Brighton was a 12th top-flight game without a win.

The visitors looked bereft of ideas and intensity but they could have taken the lead before the Seagulls took control when Carlos Alcaraz fired wide after a brisk counter-attack.

It meant Brighton could make their dominance count through Ferguson's double and Elyounoussi's goal just before the hour mark was Southampton's first attempt on target.

However, minutes later Theo Walcott thought he had beaten the offside trap to stun the hosts with an equaliser - with an initial burst of pace to run clear followed by the composed finish which has typified his career - but the goal was chalked off by the tightest of margins following a video assistant referee review.

Gross' goal killed Southampton's challenge and meant a fourth away game in a row in which they had conceded at least three goals, for the first time since 2012-13.

On a bright note for the visitors, right-back Tino Livramento made his return after 13 months out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury he sustained in the corresponding fixture last season.

Saints will want to end their stay in the Premier League on a high against Liverpool but work will already have begun behind the scenes as they prepare to launch a promotion bid at the first time of asking, with Swansea boss Russell Martin heavily linked to lead the charge.

Speaking about his future, current Saints boss Ruben Selles said he "expects respect" from the club.

"If the club want to make a a decision before the end of the season, I expect some respect and communication before or I will be very disappointed," said Selles.
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Victory takes them two points clear of Bayern Munich, who lost 3-1 to RB Leipzig on Saturday.

Felix Uduokhai was sent off in the first half for a foul on Donyell Malen before Sebastian Haller opened the scoring with a low strike in the 58th minute.

Haller then finished from close range before Julian Brandt got a late third.

Victory means Dortmund are in a strong position to win the Bundesliga for the first time since 2011-12 and deny Bayern Munich an 11th-successive title.

Thomas Tuchel takes his Bayern side to Koln on the final day of the season next Saturday but Dortmund know a win at home to Mainz at the same time will secure the trophy.

Bayern sacked Julian Nagelsmann in March with the side sitting second in the table.

They swiftly brought in ex-Chelsea boss Tuchel in the hope he could claim the title but they will now need to win and hope Dortmund slip up to retain the Bundesliga trophy.Dortmund are now two points clear of Bayern Munich, who lost 3-1 at home to RB Leipzig on Saturday, with one match remaining.They now need to better Bayern’s result next week at home against Mainz to lift the Bundesliga shield for the first time since 2011-12.

Dortmund’s German midfielder Julian Brandt (C) celebrates scoring the 0-3 goal with his teammates including Dortmund’s German midfielder Emre Can during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Augsburg and BVB Borussia Dortmund in Augsburg, southern Germany, on May 21, 2023. (Photo by Christof STACHE / AFP) .
Despite Augsburg being reduced to 10 men late in the first half, the game was scoreless until the 58th minute, when Haller pounced on a rebound to score the opener.Haller, who missed the first half of the season as he overcame testicular cancer, scored another with six remaining to send the visiting fans into raptures.

Julian Brandt added a goal in injury time.

“We’re very happy, but not completely satisfied” Dortmund manager Edin Terzic told DAZN, “we’ve got a next step we need to take”.

A “happy and proud” Haller told DAZN “we’ve got a huge chance to achieve something big”.Augsburg manager Enrico Maassen said “the red card was the crucial moment… you can give it, but that’s a hard decision”.

Dortmund, who came into the game knowing victory would put them in control of the title race, were winless on the road since February.Dortmund’s players celebrate after winning the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Augsburg and BVB Borussia Dortmund in Augsburg, southern Germany, on May 21, 2023. (Photo by Christof STACHE / AFP).
The visitors made the trip south without star midfielder Jude Bellingham, who failed to recover from a knee complaint.

Stuttgart’s earlier win at Mainz meant Augsburg were only two points clear of the relegation zone.Dortmund, who scored 11 goals in their past two games, were dominant in the first half but could not find a breakthrough, Haller forcing a fingertip save from Tomas Koubek.

With 33 minutes gone, Julian Brandt latched onto a 40-metre defence-splitting pass from Emre Can but blasted directly into Koubek when one on one with the Augsburg ‘keeper.

Shortly before half-time last-man Felix Uduokhai earned a red card, tackling Donyell Malen on the edge of the penalty box.

Augsburg dug deep despite losing a man in the hope of snatching a point.

Haller finally broke through for the visitors, collecting a rebound off Koubek before turning and threading the ball into the far corner.

With just over five minutes remaining, Haller repeated the trick, pouncing on a rebounded Marco Reus shot to tap Dortmund 2-0 up, sending the visiting fans into a chant of “German champions, only Dortmund”.With the clock winding down, Dortmund captain Mats Hummels was helped off the field after copping a boot to the face.

The centre-back’s replacement, Nico Schlotterbeck, put the ball through for Brandt to score a third.

When the travelling Kop spends 15 minutes serenading a player who is sitting in the stands injured while Liverpool are 2-0 up, you know it is for someone special.

Roberto Firmino will wave farewell to fans at Anfield on Saturday and it will signal the end of an era for a player who has been so important to Liverpool's success under Jurgen Klopp.

The Brazilian departs at the end of the season after eight memorable years at Liverpool and he was given a tribute at the King Power in their 3-0 win over Leicester on Monday night.

"He made football fun again," Liverpool fan Ross Chandley told BBC Sport.

"When you're young and you fantasise about being a footballer, you fantasise about being like Bobby. He has flair and the hard graft. In football you usually get one or the other."

Ex-Manchester United defender Gary Neville told Sky Sports that "Firmino was sensational for years", while Liverpool team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold once called him "priceless".Firmino might have sat out his final weeks with a muscle injury, but he has left a lasting impression and it will be celebrated against Aston Villa this weekend.

'He's a player so many kids want to be'
"He's a cult hero," former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy told BBC Sport.

During his time at the club, Firmino has helped Liverpool reach four European finals in seven years, winning one of them, while playing a key role in securing their first league title in 30 years.

He also won the domestic cup double last season to add to the Club World Cup they won in 2019.

"You wouldn't quite put him up there with Kenny Dalglish or Ian Rush, but he has been a big part of a wonderfully successful time at Liverpool," added Murphy.

"There are not many players who have played for Liverpool and done what he has. He's a unique footballer in a jigsaw puzzle Jurgen Klopp put together.

"He's known for his humility. He's loved by a lot of Liverpool people and will be for a long, long time.

"He is one of those players that so many young players and kids want to be. That's the biggest compliment you can get."

Murphy said it would be "almost impossible to find someone exactly the same" as Firmino and The Anfield Wrap's John Gibbons believes it is because he "sums up" a Klopp team perfectly."He's done the whole journey with Klopp. Firmino was the frontman in every sense. He was the leader of the press," Gibbons told BBC Sport.

"He was a nightmare for defenders and people found it so hard to get out because of the work he was doing in that front three. He was vital but he also scored a lot of goals for us - some great ones.

"He has been an incredible player for this football club. We have been very, very lucky to have him."

'He just loves the game'
Firmino is seen as the "cheeky" one in the group, always smiling, always enjoying himself and always producing wacky celebrations - including his trademark karate kick and pretend patch over the eye.

"Football at its best is when you feel like a kid and there was nobody who made you feel that more so than Bobby. If I was a 10-year-old kid I'd have his posters on my wall," said Gibbons.

"It's the no-look goals and the celebrations which change all the time. He was making fun of himself when he got an eye injury at one point.

"He just loves the game, loves scoring, playing football and winning. He had the best song as well and I can't believe we won't be able to sing that at him in the Kop any more. I will miss that.

How does he compare to Liverpool's greatest goalscorers?
Firmino finishes his Liverpool career as the club's 17th highest goalscorer.

He has notched up 71 assists on top of his 109 goals in 360 appearances for the club.Only Steven Gerrard, Steve McManaman and Mohamed Salah have assisted more goals for Liverpool in the Premier League era.

Twenty-seven of Firmino's goals have come against top-six sides in the Premier League, while 22 have been scored in the Champions League.

"I've seen lots of great players and teams but he's in our top 20 goalscorers of all time and we've had some incredible goalscorers," said Gibbons.

"He gave us assists and work-rate too, so could have scored many more, but he was a team player first. He could not have done better for Liverpool as a signing from Hoffenheim."

Firmino's career has often been entwined with Salah's and Sadio Mane's and the trio formed one of the most feared attacking line-ups in Europe.

They scored 60% of Liverpool's Premier League goals during their 44-game unbeaten run between 2019 and 2020.

They became the most prolific front three in a Champions League season in 2018, combining for 29 goals, surpassing the 28 by Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema.

"Out of the three, Firmino was probably the least productive in terms of goals, but I don't think he's ever been under-rated," said Murphy.

"When you talk about that famous Liverpool front three, people see them as a collective for what they all did in those seasons they had together.

"It's very unusual to get a trio who had the durability that Firmino, Mane and Salah had for so long."

What were his most memorable moments?
Firmino has had plenty of memorable moments.

His extra-time winner over Brazilian champions Flamengo handed Liverpool their first Club World Cup trophy in 2019.

He scored the final goal as Liverpool beat rivals Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals in 2018 en route to the final.

He scored in both 7-0 wins over Maribor and Spartak Moscow in the Champions League, as well as a crucial goal in a 2-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League in 2016.

A memorable Premier League hat-trick against Arsenal in 2018 was followed by a double at Old Trafford in 2021 and another hat-trick at Vicarage Road later that year.

He may soon be gone, but Firmino will never be forgotten at Anfield and the next instalment of his career will be watched with interest.

READ MORE https://baboyo.com/post/roberto-firmino-liverpools-cult-hero-who-made-football-fun

THIS has to stop

verifiablefacts:
They for find one small penalty give am now.

lol :

omooba74:
I trust that guy,Guardiola,he is going to win that champions league,he is a witch...

He is the man for the job

Vinicius Jr was subject to racist abuse during Real Madrid's 1-0 defeat to Valencia on Sunday; it is not the first time the 22-year-old has been abused this season; LaLiga president Javier Tebas told Vinicius to "inform yourself", prompting an angry response from Real winger.

Vinicius Jr says "racism is normal in LaLiga" and that "the championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi today belongs to racists" after once again being subjected to racist chants on Sunday.

The Brazil international was targeted by chants from sections of the crowd at the Mestalla during Real Madrid's 1-0 loss to Valencia.

The game was stopped in the second half for 10 minutes as the visibly angry 22-year-old grabbed the referee and pointed towards fans who he felt had abused him.

Vinicius was later sent off for violent conduct in added time following an altercation with striker Hugo Duro.

He tweeted after the game: "It wasn't the first time, nor the second, nor the third. Racism is normal in LaLiga. In football they think it's normal, the federation does too - and the opponent encourages it.

"I'm so sad. The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Lionel] Messi today belongs to racism.

"A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love, but which agreed to export the image of a racist country to the world.

"I'm sorry for the Spaniards who don't agree but today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists. And unfortunately, for something that happens each week, I have no defence. I let it happen.

"But I am strong and I will go to the end against racists. Even if it is far from here."

Javier Tebas, the LaLiga president, criticised Vinicius after the game, accusing him of twice failing to appear at arranged meetings with the league regarding his complaints.Tebas also told Vinicius "it is necessary that you inform yourself", adding: "Do not let yourself be manipulated."

Those comments prompted an angry response from the Real winger, who wrote on Twitter: "Once again, instead of criticising racists, the president of LaLiga appears on social media to attack me.

"As much as you talk and pretend not to read, the image of your championship is shaken.

"Omitting yourself only makes you equal to racists. I want actions and punishments."

LaLiga has said it will request all available images in order to investigate what took place in light of the incident. "If any hate crime is identified, we will take the appropriate legal action," the league said in a statement.

The Spanish league has previously lodged complaints of racist chanting or insults against Vinicius, the latest of which was a claim before a court in Mallorca after fans were filmed racially abusing the forward.

Spanish police are also investigating a possible hate crime against Vinicius after a mannequin wearing his number 20 shirt was hung from a bridge outside Real Madrid's training ground in January.

Ancelotti: The game should have been stopped
Speaking after the game, Vinicius' manager Carlo Ancelotti said the abuse aimed at his player was unacceptable and told the referee the game should have been stopped.

"What we saw today is unacceptable. An entire stadium chanting racist slurs," the Real Madrid boss said."I don't want to talk about football today, there is no meaning in talking about football today. I told the referee he should have stopped the match.

"LaLiga has a problem. For me Vinicius is the most important player in the world. LaLiga has a problem, these episodes of racism have to stop the match.

"It's the entire stadium that is insulting a player with racist chants and the match has to stop. I would say the same if we were winning 3-0, there is no other way."

Ancelotti later added on Twitter: "Today has been a sad day at Mestalla, where a group of fans have shown their worst version.

"It is time to stop talking and act forcefully. Racism cannot have a place in football or in society. NO TO RACISM ANYWHERE."

Valencia director expects Ancelotti apology
Responding to the statement made by Ancelotti after the game, Valencia corporate director and spokesperson Javier Solis said: "In light of the unfortunate and completely incorrect statements by Mr Ancelotti, in which he branded all of the fans at Mestalla as racist, the club cannot tolerate this.

"We reject these complaints head-on. Possibly it is the result of a mistake in the language and he must have understood another word as being said.

"The club condemn any type of racist insults and are working to identify the people who allegedly made a gesture or action, but calling all the Valencia fans racist is nonsense and the club cannot remain silent.

"We understand that when Ancelotti realises the mistake he has made and the very serious statements he has made, he should apologise, in the same way that both the coach and I condemn any racist insult. In the same way, when he realises the mistake he has made, he should apologise."

Valencia earlier released a statement on their club website condemning what happened and confirming they will investigate.

"Valencia wish to publicly condemn insults and attacks of all kinds in football," it read.

"The club have a firm commitment to the values of respect and sportsmanship and reiterate our position against physical and verbal violence in stadiums. Thus, we are saddened by the events that occurred during the LaLiga matchday 35 match against Real Madrid.

"Although this is an isolated episode, insults to any opposing player have no place in football and do not fit with the values and identity of Valencia.

"The club are investigating what occurred and will take the most severe measures against the perpetrators. Valencia also condemn any offence and request the utmost respect for our fans."Whilst strongly denouncing these isolated incidents, Valencia would like to thank the more than 46,000 fans in attendance for their support for the team."

Lewis: Spanish football is in crisis
Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror told Sky Sports: "It's all very well for clubs to come out, like Valencia have done, and apologise after the event but the fact is that action isn't being taken, not just to protect someone of the calibre of a Vinicius Jr, but also Black players in general and that's the reason why Vinicius Jr says Spain is seen as a country of racists.

"Sport is not a forum for young men to be racially abused on the basis of the colour of their skin.

"If they are in a situation like that the only way they will retain their power is to walk from the field of play because when Black players walk from the field of play the game will start to listen.

"Black men do not go to work in 2023 to be racially abused."Spanish football is in crisis because it cannot handle this and the trite apologies after a situation like this one are not good enough."

Ferdinand: Why are authorities not helping Vini Jnr?
Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand took to Instagram in support of Vinicius and questioned player protection.

"Bro you need protecting....who is protecting Vinicius Junior in Spain??" Ferdinand posted.

"He receives a red card after being choked and receiving racial abuse during the game."How many times do we need to see this young man subjected to this s***?? I see pain, I see disgust, I see him needing help... and the authorities don't do s*** to help him.

"People need to stand together and demand more from the authorities that run our game.

"No one deserves this, yet you are allowing it. There needs to be a unified approach to this otherwise it will be swept under the carpet AGAIN."

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.

SEE MORE https://baboyo.com/post/transfer-live

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.
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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.
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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
5 OF 5
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.
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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.
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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