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Tag: Man City

  • Transfer: Guardiola responds to City-Messi links

    Transfer: Guardiola responds to City-Messi links

    Pep Guardiola has reiterated his desire to see Lionel Messi remain at Barcelona, with the Manchester City boss refusing to be drawn on speculation suggesting that he could be reunited with the Argentine in England.

    Speculation regarding a move away from Camp Nou for a six-time Ballon d’Or winner has surfaced again over recent weeks.

    It is not the first time that Messi has seen a switch mooted, with an all-time great holding obvious appeal to any team on the planet.

    Reports have, however, suggested that Messi has shelved talks in the present as he waits to discover in which direction a rather rudderless Blaugrana side will head from this point.

    “I’m not going to speak about transfers until the end of the season,” said the former Barca boss.

    “My wish is that Messi is going to stay in Barcelona.”

    Goal

  • COVID-19: Players are scared to resume – Aguero

    Players are “scared” about the prospect of returning to action amid the coronavirus pandemic, says Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero.

    The Premier League is hoping to resume the season on 8 June, which would require players to be be back in full training by 18 May.

    Top-flight clubs will meet on Friday to discuss options for the restart.

    “The majority of players are scared because they have children and families,” said 31-year-old Aguero.

    Speaking to Argentine TV station El Chiringuito, the Argentina international Aguero added: “I’m scared, but I’m with my girlfriend here and I’m not going to be in contact with other people. I’m locked in my house and the only person I could infect is my girlfriend.

    “They’re saying that there are people that have it and don’t have any symptoms but still infect you. That’s why I am here at home. Maybe I have the illness and I don’t even know.”

  • Man City defender on Barca 3-man shopping list

    Man City defender on Barca 3-man shopping list

    Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte remains on the radar of Barcelona.

    While City intermediaries have warned Barca off any summer attempt for the former Athletic Bilbao stopper, the Catalans remain keen.

    Mundo Deportivo says Barca want to sign a young centre-half this summer.

    And they have three names in mind in particular: Luiz Felipe (Lazio, 23), Laporte (25) and Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig, 21).

    It remains to be seen which of the three will settle in Barcelona this summer.

  • Award Liverpool Premier League title – Gundogan

    It would only be “fair” to award Liverpool the Premier League title if the season is not completed because of coronavirus, says Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.

    With football in England suspended until at least 30 April, Liverpool have a 25-point lead over defending champions City and are two wins from a first top-flight title in 30 years.

    Asked if the Reds should be given the trophy if the season is cut short, Gudogan told German broadcaster ZDF: “For me, that would be OK, yes.”

    “You have to be fair as a sportsperson,” the 29-year-old Germany international added.

    Premier League clubs are due to meet on 3 April, when it is almost certain the current postponement until the end of April will be extended again. That will take it past the official end of the English Football League season and towards the last round of Premier League fixtures, which was supposed to be on 17 May.

    Aleksander Ceferin, president of European football’s governing body Uefa, said on Saturday the 2019-20 campaign could be lost if it cannot be restarted by the end of June.

    Gundogan acknowledged football authorities faced a difficult decision because of the impact that cancellation of the season would have at both ends of the Premier League table.

    “There are different opinions. For clubs who have had a very good season, it obviously wouldn’t be nice if it was cancelled now,” he said.

    “On the other hand, for clubs who aren’t doing as well and are maybe in the relegation places, an abandonment would obviously suit them.”

    Gundogan added that he would be prepared to take a pay cut if English clubs went down the route of Juventus and Borussia Dortmund in asking players to accept reduced wages so that other staff can be paid.

    “Of course I think it’s OK, that goes without saying – [but] there’s been no discussion in England yet,” he said.

  • City beat Madrid to brighten Champions League quarter-finals hope

    City beat Madrid to brighten Champions League quarter-finals hope

    Manchester City have a huge advantage of qualifying for the Champions League quarter-finals as they came from behind to beat Real Madrid 2-1 away from home on Wednesday.

    After a goalless first half, the hosts capitalised on a defensive mix-up between Rodri and Nicolas Otamendi to take the lead as the impressive Vinicius Junior raced towards goal before neatly squaring for Isco to slot home.

    But Gabriel Jesus and Kevin de Bruyne scored late goals as Manchester City fought back from a goal down to beat Real Madrid.

    Sergio Ramos shot over as Real Madrid looked to double their advantage but City equalised 12 minutes before time when Jesus nodded in from close range.

    According to BBC, it was the least City deserved for what had been an impressive away performance by Pep Guardiola’s side and things got even better seven minutes from time when substitute Raheem Sterling was brought down inside the box and De Bruyne stepped home to confidently convert from the spot.

    It got even worse for Real Madrid when they were reduced to 10 men with five minutes remaining. Sergio Ramos brought down Jesus as he ran through on goal and the defender was shown a red card.

    It was the first time City had beaten Real Madrid in the Champions League and means they are in the driving seat before the second leg at the Etihad next month.

  • CAS confirms Man City appeal against UEFA ban

    CAS confirms Man City appeal against UEFA ban

    Manchester City’s appeal against their two-year ban from European club competition has been registered by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

    The Premier League champions were also fined 30m euros (£25m) for “serious breaches” of Uefa’s financial regulations.

    City chief executive Ferran Soriano has said the breaches are “simply not true”.

    Cas says “it is not possible” to say when the matter will be resolved.

    Cas arbitration procedures involve an exchange of written submissions between the parties while a panel of arbitrators is convened to hear the appeal.

    The independent adjudicatory chamber of the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) said it found City had broken the rules by “overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to Uefa between 2012 and 2016”, adding that the club “failed to cooperate in the investigation”.

    At the time, City said they were “disappointed but not surprised” by the “prejudicial” decision and would appeal.

    Uefa launched an investigation after German newspaper Der Spiegel published leaked documents in November 2018 alleging City had inflated the value of a sponsorship deal, misleading European football’s governing body.

    Reports alleged City – who have always denied wrongdoing – deliberately misled Uefa so they could meet financial fair play rules requiring clubs to break even.

  • City in trouble if Madrid come for Sterling – Guardiola

    City in trouble if Madrid come for Sterling – Guardiola

    Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has admitted the club will be in trouble if Real Madrid come for Raheem Sterling.

    Sterling, in a recent interview, hailed Madrid as a “fantastic club”.

    It comes amid City’s two-year European ban from UEFA, with most of their players’ futures now uncertain.

    Although Guardiola insisted that he cannot question Sterling’s commitment, he accepted that Madrid and Barcelona are the world’s most powerful clubs.

    He told reporters on Friday: “All the clubs have to know that when Real Madrid or Barcelona knock on the door, the other clubs must tremble.

    “That they will be a little bit in trouble.

    “But, on the same point, you see the commitment from Raheem, every single day when he arrives.

    “I don’t know if Madrid or Barcelona call his agent, but I don’t have any doubts about his commitment from the first day to the last day that Raheem and other ones have had – and will have – until the end.”

  • UEFA Ban: Guardiola speaks on quitting Man City

    Pep Guardiola insisted on Wednesday that he will stay with Manchester City, dismissing rumours he will hit the exit door following the club’s two-year ban from European competitions by UEFA.

    Guardiola vowed that the “truth will prevail” at the end.

    “If they don’t sack me I will stay here 100 percent more than ever. First because I want to stay. It’s something special, more than the contract I have,” Guardiola told Sky Sports after Wednesday’s 2-0 win against West Ham at the Etihad Stadium.

    “I said before, I say now, I want to stay and help the club and maintain this level as long as possible.

    “When I said I love this club I like to be here, why should I leave? No matter what happens I will be here next season.”

    City were banned from the Champions League and Europa League for the next two seasons and fined 30 million euros (£24.9 million) on Friday after UEFA found them guilty of committing “serious breaches” of financial regulations.

    The Premier League champions overstated sponsorship revenue in accounts submitted between 2012 and 2016, according to European football’s governing body.

    The severe punishment will cost City an estimated £170 million in lost Champions League revenue and the club reacted furiously, immediately vowing to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

    Amid speculation that Guardiola could quit if they lose the appeal, the City manager used his first public comments since news of the suspension broke to make it clear he will not desert the club whatever happens in court.

    That was the best possible news for City fans, who will hope Guardiola’s faith in what he has been told by his bosses proves wise.

    Guardiola said City’s Abu Dhabi-based owners told him the ban was unfair and he supports their decision to appeal.

    “It’s not finished. The club believes it’s unfair so we are going to appeal. When someone believes they are right they have to fight,” he said.

    “We are going to fight like we have fought every single game. We are optimistic that at the end the truth will prevail and next season we will be in the Champions League.

    “All we can do on the pitch is what we have done the last four years and focus on that until the end of the season.

    “I trust 100 percent completely my club what they have done. They explained to me the reasons why.”

    After scoring City’s second goal against West Ham to cap a man of the match display, Kevin De Bruyne insisted his team-mates will stay focused despite speculation that some of them will ask to leave if the ban is not lifted.

    “Obviously we were on holiday when the statement happened and I think we came back and we played football and the situation is what it is,” De Bruyne said.

    “We trained like normal and in the end nothing really changes for us – we just play the games that we have. Even today we gave a good performance and we still have a lot to play for.

    “I think the team gave their statement, so I don’t know as players what else we can do.

    “We can just play football and in the end the situation will show what it can show.”

  • UEFA Ban: Premier League to deduct points from Man City

    UEFA Ban: Premier League to deduct points from Man City

    Manchester City are facing a points deduction from the Premier League, as punishment for breaching UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP).

    The “serious breaches” also represents a breach of the EPL’s regulations.

    City on Friday, were banned from the Champions League for two years and fined €30m, after UEFA’s Adjudicatory Chamber found the club had bloated its sponsorship revenue in accounts submitted between 2012 and 2016.

    The UK Independent claims this will force the Premier League to act due to their own licensing, which pertains to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations.

    This is because any club must supply correct information to get a Premier League licence and that information must match that supplied to UEFA.

    City have confirmed they will appeal the decision, but it is understood Premier League committees had already discussed potential punishments and a points deduction is now seen as highly likely.

  • BREAKING: Man City banned from Champions League for two seasons

    Manchester City have been banned from the Champions League for the next two seasons by Uefa and fined €30m (£25m) after they were found to have seriously misled European football’s governing body and broken financial fair play rules.

    The decision is subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

    Manchester City say they are “disappointed but not surprised” by the “prejudicial” decision and will appeal.

    They added in a statement: “The club has always anticipated the ultimate need to seek out an independent body and process to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence in support of its position.

    “In December 2018, the Uefa chief investigator publicly previewed the outcome and sanction he intended to be delivered to Manchester City, before any investigation had even begun.

    “The subsequent flawed and consistently leaked Uefa process he oversaw has meant that there was little doubt in the result that he would deliver. The club has formally complained to the Uefa disciplinary body, a complaint which was validated by a CAS ruling.

    “Simply put, this is a case initiated by Uefa, prosecuted by Uefa and judged by Uefa. With this prejudicial process now over, the club will pursue an impartial judgment as quickly as possible and will therefore, in the first instance, commence proceedings with the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the earliest opportunity.”