No Verratti? Better Call Saul! Or Kovacic!

  Ernesto Valverde's side, FC Barcelona, are looking to bolster their midfield this summer. They want to find a suitable replacement for ageing Andres Iniesta.

   The Catalans have had a tough season, winning only Copa Del Rey. They lost La Liga to historic rivals Real Madrid, and got kicked out from Champions League quarter final by Italian giants, Juventus.

   Barca's midfield was disasterous, with Andre Gomez failing to make an impact, and the diappointing form of both, Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic.

   There have been rumours linking Marco Verratti with the Blaugrana, but Paris Saint Germain will refuse any offer for the dynamo.

   The French giants have a clear plan. Their objective is to succeed in Europe and if that is going to happen, they must keep their key players.
   
   Moreover, the club is one of the richest clubs in the world which means they don't have to sell players for money, and no price can lure them.

   This barrier led Barcelona to search for other options to strengthen their midfield.

   According to Sky Sports, the Catalans are keen on signing Atletico Madrid's Saul Niguez. Barcelona are ready to pay €80 million for their long-time-target. But Atletico Madrid are banned from bringing new players to the Vicente Calderon, by FIFA. This means that the Madrid side are desperate to keep their players which makes the deal unlikely.

   In this case, Barcelona will switch their interest towards Real's Mateo Kovacic, who's being tipped to become a long-term-replacement for Croatian team-mate Luka Modric.

   Don Ballon reports that Ernesto Valverde will work hard to make Kovacic one of the few players who switch from the Santiago Bernabeu to the Camp Nou.

   It also claims that the 23-year-old has no intention of leaving Los Blancos, as he is considered to be one of Real's big stars in the years to come. Moreover, he was reliable when needed in the center of the park in the absence of the star players, which contributed to Real winning the Champions League and La Liga.

Official: Salah Signs For Liverpool

   Liverpool completed record €42 million (+€8 million add-ons) signing of Mohammed Salah from Roma.  The 25-year-old agreed a long-term contract worth £90,000 a week.

   The forward is now the club's #11 after he switched with Roberto Firminho who chose #9. Salah is set to thrive at Anfield, bolstering the Red's attack.

   Jurgen Klopp is happy with his new signing. He hailed the Egyptian speedster, saying that he will create more attacking options, and that his skills will be helpful for the squad.

   Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com, Salah said: 'I'm very excited to be here. I'm very happy.
'I will give 100 per cent and give everything for the club. I really want to win something for this club. We have a great team and very good players. I was watching the games last year and everyone was giving 100 per cent to win something. Everyone can see the coach gives everything. I hope to see that together we can give everything to win something for the club, for the supporters and for us.'

   There are many people who criticize this move, and don't believe that he can succeed in the Merseyside. But in my opinion, Salah is the perfect fit for liverpool. His style of play fits Klopp's plans. He is pacy, skillful, agile, and a versatile player. He can replace Sadio Mane or Philippe Coutinho, and can deliver the same quality, when needed, as Liverpool are back in The Champions League, and need to maintain their form.

Cristiano Ronaldo To Quit Real And Join United After Fraud Allegations.

   Every summer we hear rumours about Ronaldo reuniting with Manchester United, then Real offer a bumper deal on the table and he stays. But this time is different!

   Cristiano Ronaldo is accused of defrauding the authorities of £13 million in tax between 2011 and 2014, and if that turns out to be true, then he's facing 6 years of jail time.

  A Bola reports that the Portuguese has told the club of his decision to leave. It's been rumoured that Florentino Perez is willing to support the 4-time-Ballon d'Or-winner, but if he wants to leave Perez won't stand in his way, and would name the price tag for interested clubs. Real Madrid released a statement supporting their #1 star on their official website,hoping he stays at the Santiago Bernabeu:

 "Real Madrid CF shows their full confidence in our player Cristiano Ronaldo, who we understand has acted in accordance with the legality regarding compliance with their tax obligations.

Cristiano Ronaldo has always shown since his arrival at Real Madrid CF, in July 2009, a clear will to fulfill all his tax obligations.

Real Madrid CF is absolutely convinced that our player Cristiano Ronaldo will prove his total innocence in this process.

Real Madrid CF hopes that the Justice will act as quickly as possible so that its innocence can be demonstrated as soon as possible."

   Though, a source close to the player told the BBC that the 32-year-old is is willing to leave Los Blancos. The source added:"He's very sad and really upset. He doesn't want to stay in Spain. At this moment, he wants to leave."

  It's obvious that Ronaldo's destination is a world class club, that plays Champions League. And the only clubs that are able to afford his €1 billion release clause, and pay his wages are Manchester United and Paris saint Germain. China move looks unlikely at the moment. It's not a good choice.

Ronaldo would like to return to the Premier League and rejoin the Red Devils, escaping the media and fraud allegations in Spain, where accusing players seems to be a trend. Manchester United fans are very excited about this potential move, and they would like to see Ronaldo again in the Old Trafford. Jose Mourinho could be an additional factor that would facilitate this deal, for the two have worked together in Real Madrid.  

                                                                                       

Barcelona Ask Veratti To Force His Way Out!

   New Barcelona coach, Ernesto Valverde, who was appointed last month hopes to leave his mark by signing new players to bolster the squad. Reports say that Marco Verratti is from the club's priorities.

   According to The Sun, Verratti wants to move away from PSG, but the club isn't willing to sell the player, whose contract ends in 2021. Barcelona could also face financial complications, for Juventus and Chelsea are also interested in the star, and are ready to pay £55 million. Reports in Spain indicate that entering a bidding war isn't a choice for Barca who "are aware of the economic limitations" they face in the transfer market. The club may be one of the richest clubs in the world, but at the same time its the highest-wage-paying club.

   Verratti, who once declared he's happy at Parc de Princes, is now desperate to take his career to next level and win more trophies. And Barcelona happens to be the right place for such dreams. Meanwhile, the Catalans are having hard time replacing Xavi, and soon enough aging Iniesta,33. This means the Italian will be the perfect fit in the Blaugrana's suffering midfield, and could be the solution for their problems.

   The 24-year-old's desire is Camp Nou, deducing from Blaise Matuidi's question to Iniesta if Verratti is his successor, during the famous UCL game which ended 4-0 in favour of the Parisians. Iniesta gave Matuidi a positive answer! Therefore, if Verratti really wants Barca switch, he should force his way out, by informing the board of directors of his wishes, so that the Catalans can start negotiating, lowering the price. Chelsea's interest in Monaco's Bakayoko, could open the doors for Nemanja Matic to leave for Juventus who are interested in signing the Serbian, thus the battle for Verratti won't be fierce, and Barca would land him easily.

   Barcelona used this strategy before with Cesc Fabregas, who ended his transfer saga by joining his former local club. Arsenal refused to sell back then, but Fabregas revealed his desire to leave the club, so the deal took place eventually. Reports also claim that the Spanish giants will repeat the same scenario with Hector Bellerin.

   

Lionel Messi Hails Phenomenal Cristiano Ronaldo And Hints On Contract Renewal

   There has been a debate in the past decade about the best player in the world. The competition is limited between the two incredible players, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

   According to The Telegraph, Lionel Messi hailed the Portoguese's title winning season, and insisted that the rivalry between the two has been created by the media.

   Ronaldo was exceptional in the 2nd half of the season, netting his 600th career goal, and his 105th for Los Blancos. Although he struggled at the beginning of the season, his performances later on were impressive. His efforts helped Real Madrid win La Liga for the 1st time in a while, and brought back the Champions League trophy to the Santiago Bernabeu for the 2nd time in a row. Now he is the #1 nominee to win Ballon d'Or.

   Messi also admitted to Tencent Sports, while on international duty, that he was overwhelmed by Ronaldo's recent performances.

"He is a phenomenal player who has many qualities that  he improves year after year  and that is why he is one of the best in the world,"

  And about their rivalry he added:

 "That thing about our rivalry is something more invented by the press than by us.What we want is to do our best every year, to do the best for our teams and what is spoken from outside is not something I give importance to."

   Meanwhile the 5-time-Ballon d'Or-winner revealed his desire to stay at the Camp Nou, to assure reports claiming the Argentine is ready to sign a 5-year-deal with Barcelona.

  "Today, I only think of my day today, in Barcelona, where I am at," Messi said.

  "To strive to achieve and get the most titles that we can, because in football, we don't know what could happen in the year to come. So I like to take it calm and little by little."

  "Staying with Barca is what I have always wanted, what I have always dreamt of. I said that I would like to end my career in Barcelona, and we will see if it ends that way."

   And by this declaration, Messi played down all speculations about his future. The 29-year-old was linked with a move to Manchester City where he can rejoin his ex-mentor Josep Pep Guardiola, who was keen on the debatably best player in the world. Moreover there has been talks about him jheading to China when Football Espana reported the Chinese were willing to offer unbelievable £500 million per year, tax free, for the ace."
 

Dybala on Manchester United's radar

   Jose Mourinho is desperate to strengthen his attacking options for next season. He's on the hunt for a new forward, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic ruled out for the rest of the season because of his horrific knee injury, and Wayne Rooney rumoured to leave Old Trafford.

   Starsport reports that Mourinho cooled his interest in Atletico Madrid's man Antoine Griezmann, who was the 1st on the wishlist. And according to Mundo Deportivo, Dybala is the next target who's viewd as Wayne Rooney's heir, and identified by Mourinho as the perfect fit for Manchester United.

   This deal could be easier than ever, after Real Madrid shifted their interest to Monaco's starlet Kylian Mbappe, and Chelsea close on reuniting with Romelu Lukaku.

    The Argentine signed for Palermo in 2012. Dybala had his breakthrough season in the 2014–15 Serie A where he scored 10 goals in the first half of the season, forming a successful striking partnership with fellow Argentine–Italian Franco Vázquez and being linked with several top European clubs. He finished the season with 13 goals and 10 assists, which made him one of the top assist providers in the league. After this impressive season, Juventus announced the signing of Dybala on a five-year deal for a fee of €32 million (plus €8 million in add-ons).

   Since then, the 23-year-old has proved himself as one of Europe's best players, scoring 35 goals and providing 16 assists for the Old Lady. News about his transfer to top clubs in Europe bursted especially after his  2 valuable goals against Barcelona in the Champions League quarter final, despite signing a new deal last month which keeps him in Turin until 2022, earning €7 million per year.

   The versatile, skillfull player has been linked to Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, in addition to other EPL teams. But few hours ago, his agent played down speculations about the rising star's move to another club, and declared that he is happy in Torino, and that he has a long term deal with a team that can win things.

   But can we see Dybala play alongside Pogba, again?

 
 

   

Aggressive Pepe leaves sentimental message for Real fans and slams Zidane as he says farewell!

 After 10 seasons leading the defence at Santiago Bernabeu, Pepe's journey nears to its end. He stepped in the club on 12 july 2007, made 334 appearances and won 14 trophies. His contract ends on 30 june 2017, and there's no sign that the club wants to renew. So he posted some photos on instagram with a goodbye note (@official_pepe).

   A few hours after the Champions League win against Juventus, the Portoguese defender spoke to Cadena Cope explaining why he has to leave the Spanish capital, without confirming any agreement with PSG. 

  "It is clear that I will leave Real Madrid , an important stage of my career has come to an end. It is time to look ahead and advance to the next step. At the moment I have not signed anything with anyone, there are many clubs interested in me, some even in the Premier League. We'll see what happens."
   
      So Pepe spoke about his future. Arriving at Real Madrid from Porto in 2007 for just over 30 million euro figure, the Portuguese had immediately won the title in central defense, becoming a reference point for the team and one of the symbols of the fans. He also spoke how he struggled under Zidane, so he added:
  
 "Zidane and the club knew that I would leave after the Champions League final. The coach has done spectacular things but he behaved in a haphazard manner with me. They disappeared from the field without even knowing why, I'd be really curious to know the reasons for his choices. On the contrary, I enjoyed the sincerity that Rafa Benitez has had on me."

  And about his relation with Florentino Perez, he added:

   "With the president it has always been a professional relationship but not friendship. It was very painful to see the club lose interest in my problems. I had to resolve them alone with the authorities.The board of directors it's just screwed. For Real Madrid I gave blood and sweat in every game I played, I will be forever linked to this city and to the fans."
  
The 34-year-old has been linked with a move to the French giants PSG. The club is looking forward to sign new quality players to bloster their squad after a disappointing season. 

Cardiff, a date with destiny!

   The champions league  final kicks off in 2 hours! Everyone wants to know how it's going to end, you're also wondering how it's going to start.

   Here's the predicted lineups for both teams:

    Real's 4-3-1-2 with Isco featuring which was a surprise for many when Zidane announced it. Its seems like the midfielder got Zizou's attention due to his improving form int the past couple of games. He was picked instead of Bale who was injured and maybe not 100% ready.

   This formation could change throughout the play to 4-3-3 with Isco on the right wing which will create more attacking options for Zidane's side.

   Juve's formation is hard to predict with their capability in changing tactics, with players playing different roles, like Dani Alves and Mandzukic. It's probably a flexible 4-2-3-1 which varies during the game to a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 accordingly.

   The odds are 50-50. Both teams played like champions from the beginning of the tournament. They performed well in every single match. Today the 2 teams are willing to give everything they have to be champions of europe. Real dream of bringing La Duodecima their 12th title to make history, again! And Juve want their 3rd UCL cup and also want to write history by winning the treble.

   Now how will the 2 teams play?

   Juve will try to play a physical battle, which they are already trained to play and can win it easily. In addition to that, Allegri will want Dani Alves and Dybala to take advantage of Marcello's attacking style and surprise Real with an early goal that would change the whole scenario. Higuain has to face Ramos his ex-teammate whose form is not so promising this year (defensively) and score from half chances to kill the game. Dybala will cause many troubles for Real's defence, and pjanic, if free, will break the defence with his accurate passing. Mandzukic will have a defensive role for his astonishing physique which can win him duo battles with almost any player. Khdeira could be lethal in corners and set pieces and should take care of Isco and Modric and prevent them from passing easily without pressure with the help of Pjanic . Sandro will help in the attack which will give Mandzukic time to relax. The back 3 should be careful from Ronaldo and Isco who will make them uncomfortable.

  Real will try to use Juve's defensive weaknesses. Yeah! Juve have weaknesses in their defence. Their defence may look impenetratable, but in fact it is. Juve's defence has a problem when it comes to back runs. When the opposition player makes a run behind the defenders back , and with Real Madrid's players, pace is not an issue! Moreover, Juve have some holes in their marking system where the player marking the opposing player has 2 choices, either block the pass/shot or stay with the marked man. These factors will help Real win the match, although their righ side won't be that effective with Mandzukic performing his defensive duties.

  A sure thing is that the game will be great, with the 2 teams fighting to win with any possible way. It would be great if Zidane won his 2nd UCL title in a year and a half, but would be greater to see Buffon win it before he retires. Anyway the game would be dramatic and on fire, so ENJOY!