Sport

Lionel Messi will decide his future this week – Barcelona manager, Xavi reveals

Published

11 months ago

June 2, 2023

Barcelona manager Xavi has revealed Lionel Messi will decide on his future next week amid a possible return back to the club.

Messi left Barca to join PSG in 2021 and spent two years in Paris, but boss Christophe Galtier confirmed on Thursday that the 35-year-old would leave the club.

The Argentine World Cup winner has been linked with a move to Inter Miami, who are reportedly willing to sign him as a free agent before loaning him to Barca for 18 months.

Now the Barcelona boss has told Mundo Deportivo that Messi will make his mind up in the coming seven days and there’s nothing stopping a move back to LaLiga .

Xavi said: ‘He will decide next week and now there are 200 hypotheses. In the end he will decide his future and here he has the doors open, there is no more debate.

‘If it is the coach who has to give the OK to come, he has the OK at 100%.’

When asked about what role Xavi views Messi in, the 43-year-old said: ‘Well, in many positions he can adapt inside, he can play as a winger, he can play as a midfielder, he can play as a false nine, where he has played all his life.

‘In the end, you have to find a natural habitat to enhance all your game, but I do see that it can help us a lot, I think we lack that talent in the last third and Leo always gives it to you.’

Messi wants to make a sensational return to the Catalan giants but the club are locked in a battle with LaLiga to see if a move is financially viable.

Messi’s only concrete offer as of yet is from Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal, with the Riyadh-based team offering a two-year deal worth towards £2billion.

Headline

I Still Get Attacked By People – Yakubu Aiyegbeni Reveals

Published

2 months ago

March 3, 2024

Alero Danjuma

In a recent interview, former Nigerian football star Yakubu Aiyegbeni has revealed that he continues to receive messages and criticisms from fans, years after his infamous miss during the 2010 FIFA World Cup match against South Korea.

The moment, etched into football history, occurred during Nigeria’s crucial group stage game against South Korea. With the score tied at 2-2 and a spot in the knockout stages on the line, Aiyegbeni found himself with what seemed like an open goal opportunity. However, to the shock of fans worldwide, he missed the chance, leaving Nigeria unable to secure the much-needed victory.

Despite this moment happening over a decade ago, Aiyegbeni expressed his surprise at the ongoing messages he receives about the miss. “I still get messages from people, different messages,” he stated in the interview. “It’s surprising how that moment still sticks with people, even after all these years.”

The striker, who had a successful career playing for clubs like Everton and Portsmouth in the English Premier League, admitted that the miss was a tough moment in his career. “Of course, it was a big moment, and I wish it had gone differently. But in football, you have highs and lows,” he remarked.

Sport

Napoli Sack Rudi Garcia, Announce Mazzarri As Replacement

Published

5 months ago

November 15, 2023

Ifunaya Emeka

Serie A giants Napoli have announced the departure of coach Rudi Garcia after a poor spell and announced his successor with immediate effect

Reigning Serie A champions Napoli have announced the departure of French manager Rudi Garcia after a poor run of form that sees the Partenopei handing on to faint hopes of defending the Scudetto title won last season.

Napoli have only claimed one win in their last four matches in all competitions, trailing Serie A leaders Inter by 10 points while also trailing Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League by five points.

Osimhen gets new coach as Napoli reportedly appoint Walter Mazzarri to replace Rudi Garcia

With the Partenopei looking a lot worse than they did at this stage last season, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has chosen to act swiftly before things get out of hand.

The club chief revealed that Garcia had been relieved of his duty, after posting a message on social media platform X to announce the arrival of the Frenchman’s replacement.

Napoli announce Garcia successor
That replacement is a former Napoli manager Walter Mazzarri[url][/url], who was welcomed back to the club by De Laurentiis, who was also the owner during his last spell at the club.