Here is exhibit 1,503,340 on why soccer is the beautiful game.
Emiliano Sala left FC Nantes to become Cardiff City’s most expensive signing ever on Jan. 19. Sala never played for Cardiff City, as his plane disappeared on his way back to Cardiff after saying goodbye to his teammates in France.
On Monday, Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon celebrated his 41st birthday. The man with 176 international appearances to his name is now chasing his personal Holy Grail — the UEFA Champions League title — with Paris Saint-Germain, but recent reports suggest that the birthday boy will carry on playing past his 42nd birthday.
You’ve heard this before: A broken foot is threatening to prematurely end Neymar’s club season, and he could be facing a race for fitness ahead of a major international tournament.
Last season, Neymar sustained a crack to the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot during a match against Marseille on Feb. 25. The injury was worse than first expected, required surgery and Neymar missed PSG’s Champions League Round of 16 return leg against Real Madrid before sitting out the rest of the season.
On Friday, it was confirmed that Thierry Henry had officially left his position as manager of Monaco after a disastrously short reign of just over 100 days. Henry was appointed back on Oct. 11 with the club languishing in 18th, and after two wins over the following 12 league matches, Henry was dismissed with the club now sitting 19th.
Where did it all go wrong for Henry?
A lot of people don’t like Neymar.
I get that — he went overboard with the theatrics at last summer’s World Cup.
But what Strasbourg's Anthony Gonçalves said after yet another Neymar injury crosses the line more than any Neymar dive. It’s dangerous territory, something that reflects a societal issue as well.
According to the Deloitte Football Money League 2019 study, Real Madrid is now the richest club in the world after generating a record revenue of $867.7 million over the course of the 2017-18 season. Last year’s number one, Manchester United, has fallen to number three in the rankings and been overtaken by Barcelona as well.
In the soccer world, one of the best sights for sore eyes is the return of the Champions League.
Sometimes, watching Champions League teams playing league cup matches against weak opposition can be really dull after a while. For example, Manchester City’s 9-0 drubbing of Burton Albion a few weeks ago. In a lot of ways, European soccer without Champions League becomes kind of monotonous. At some point between the last Champions League group stage match and the start of the Round of 16, soccer fans will be wondering when the tournament will start up again.
On Saturday, 28-year-old Argentine forward Emiliano Sala confirmed his $20 million transfer from Ligue 1 side Nantes to Premier League strugglers Cardiff City. The transfer made Sala the Welsh club’s record signing.
“It gives me great pleasure and I can’t wait to start training, meet my new teammates and get down to work,” said Sala when announcing his move.
Everything about this from Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes is simply sensational. First, the circumstances: This is a meeting between third and fourth in Ligue 1. Ultimately, third place gets a shot at the Champions League next season, fourth has to settle for qualification to the Europa League.
Saint-Étienne came into this match in third and played the role of hosts at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Things couldn’t have gone better for the home side in the opening period of play with Romain Hamouma opening the scoring in the 21st minute.
Maybe the trip to Qatar was a good thing for PSG, if this Neymar sombrero in the opening 11 minutes was anything to go by, not to mention the ridiculous amount of goals that followed.
Paris Saint-Germain crushed last-place Guingamp 9-0 at the Parc des Princes on Saturday. Kylian Mbappé and Edinson Cavani both had hat tricks. Neymar came close to a hat trick with two goals, but his first strike may have been the best of the lot.