Football News: Review Of The Day 20th May 2018

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Review of the Day

Transfer Round Up

Nigerian international Tyronne Ebuehi has joined Benfica from ADO Den Haag. The 22 year old defender has signed a five year deal with the Portugese giants. He was included in Nigeria's provisional 30-man World Cup squad.

Terriers Appoint Sporting Director

After achieving survival in the Premier League last season, Huddersfield Town have no appointed a German sporting director, Olaf Rebbe, to work alongside David Wagner. The 40 year old was sacked by Vfl Wolfsburg in April and will be involved with player recruitment, scouting, analysis, sports science and medicine.

Conte Says He Is Always A Hero

While concentrating on avoiding questions about his future at Chelsea (or if it is not at Chelsea) Antonio Conte has said he is always a hero. Ahead of his team's FA Cup final win, Conte said: "I can say for sure this will be my last match this season. For me and my players it will be the last game for us. Then, as you know very well, I have a contract and I'm committed to the club. In every season you must divide the responsibility, positive or negative, with three parts: club, manager and players. Last season we were heroes. This season we are... I don't know what we are to people, but I don't care. It doesn't matter. I didn't change my commitment for the club. My commitment has always been the same. Maybe this season we worked harder than last season. I don't know if something has changed. We were heroes for Chelsea's fans. But in my soul and my heart, I'm always a hero because I gave 120 per cent, also this season to solve the problems."

Mbappe Responds To Monaco Fans Boos

AS Monaco fans have not forgiven Kylian Mbappe for leaving them in the summer for the big money on offer at Paris Saint-Germain and booed him when they faced each other. Now the young PSG striker has responded to those jeers, perhaps showing they did get to him, by saying: "In 6 months, I did more than 3/4 of the players to ever play there. They can blame me, but in six months I had the best season in the club's history."

Favre Leaves Nice

OGC Nice have confirmed that manager Lucien Favre has left the club following the end of the Ligue 1 season. Favre told Canal Plus: I am leaving Nice, but I cannot say more... I cannot say more. Quite simply I cannot say more. These were two fantastic years here, I have learned a lot in France and it was superb to work here, the environment, the people, the club's board everything was magnificent."

Caen Manager To Leave

Straight after drawing with league champions PSG to ensure they retained their Ligue 1 status for another year, SM Caen's manager Patrice Garande announced his departure from the club. Garande said: "Yesterday, I met the new president, Gilles Sergent. During this meeting we discussed... the possibility of arranging a meeting on Sunday were we to stay in Ligue 1 to discuss working together in the future... but I told him that owing to my relationship with Jean-François Fortin, I could not be the Caen manager next season." They will also have to make do with central defender Damien Da Silva, who is set to leave on a free transfer in the summer, after confirming he would not be staying in Normandy.

PSG President Says Nothing Is Bigger Than The Club

After spending a world record fee last summer to buy Neymar Jr from Barcelona, then spending the entire season treating him like he is the centre of the universe and more important than the team, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has now said the club is bigger than any player. Speaking to L'Equipe, Al-Khelaifi said: "Nothing and nobody is bigger than the club, not the coach nor the players. The club is and always will be first, it is bigger. If someone does not accept that and is not happy, then they leave. Each and every person must give their best and do their best for PSG... Since we have been here, we have won 19 trophies. That's enormous. But we are still criticised a lot. But those are things that happen to all these clubs. If today I was to tell you that we are going to leave, what would your opinion be?"

Balotelli Gets Italy Recall

Roberto Mancini has named his first Italy squad and the 30 man roster has included Mario Balotelli. Chelsea's Emerson Palmeri could be set to earn his first cap, despite barely featuring for the Premier League team since joining them.
Italy squad:
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan), Mattia Perin (Genoa), Salvatore Sirigu (Torino).
Defenders: Leonardo Bonucci (AC Milan), Mattia Caldara (Atalanta), Domenico Criscito (Zenit St. Petersburg), Danilo D'Ambrosio (Inter Milan), Mattia De Sciglio (Juventus), Emerson Palmieri (Chelsea), Alessio Romagnoli (AC Milan), Daniele Rugani (Juventus), Davide Zappacosta (Chelsea).
Midfielders: Daniele Baselli (Torino), Giacomo Bonaventura (AC Milan), Bryan Cristante (Atalanta), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Jorginho (Napoli), Rolando Mandragora (Crotone), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma).
Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Nice), Andrea Belotti (Torino), Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Matteo Politano (Sassuolo), Simone Verdi (Bologna), Simone Zaza (Valencia).

Lukaku Decided He Was Not Ready

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has told the media that he had to leave out top scorer Romelu Lukaku as the player had told him he was not ready to play. Mourinho said: "It's not difficult decision. It was an easy decision. When a player tells you he's not ready to play, that he's not ready to start the game, then the question is how many minutes do you think you can? How can I convince a player that is not ready to play? I knew the opponent I was going to play against. I knew they have a compact low block with lots of physicality where they try to close everything. I knew without a target man it would be difficult for us. I knew at least Fellaini coming from the second line, attacking their second line with his physicality would be difficult. I wouldn't expect that the game was exactly like it was. I think it was a bit too much."

Written by Tris Burke May 20 2018 20:54:56