RELIGION: FOOTBALL
People sing their songs and anthems. Banners are unfurled, white flags with red crosses flutter in the breeze. The worship begins as the players run onto the field of play at the start of the match. According to the great Bill Shankly, "Some people think football's a matter of life and death. I can assure them it is much more serious than that". What can be more serious than life and death? Heaven and hell? Football is some religion!
Saturday, 27 September 2014
Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Real Madrid line up Hazard as Ronaldo replacement
Madrid could try to sign the Belgian next summer, with Ronaldo potentially on the way out of the Bernabeu
In a sensational move, Eden Hazard is being
lined up as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid,
according to reports today. The future of the Portuguese international
has recently been up in the air, with the player thought to have fallen
out with club executives.
It means that the ex-Man United man could be
set to quit the Bernabeu at the end of the season and it has lead to
Real reportedly drawing up a list of replacements, with Eden Hazard top
of that list. Any move is currently unlikely but if Ronaldo does indeed
end up forcing a move away next year, then Madrid will move to sign the
Belgian.
If these two deals are done, they will most
certainly be mega-money moves. The Blues themselves would likely demand
at least £60m for Hazard, with Jose Mourinho determined not to lose any
key players. As for Ronaldo, a move would be worth even more and could
break the current world-record transfer fee if he was to leave.
It was former team-mate Angel Di Maria who
cast the winger’s future into doubt, as he said this about the Poruguese
man: “I don’t know how much longer Ronaldo can put up with it at
Madrid.
“I get the impression that he is not very happy.”
Chelsea would more than happily sign Ronaldo
and could potentially offer Hazard in some kind of swap deal, but if
Ronaldo was to return to the Prem, he would much prefer a move to old
club Man United. The player himself said this last week about the Red
Devils: “I love Manchester. Everyone knows that. Manchester is in my
heart. I left many good friends there.
“The supporters are amazing and I wish I can come back one day.”
Only time will tell if Ronaldo does make a move away from Spain and whether Hazard makes the move to the Bernabeu or not.
‘Hazard can be the new Zidane’, says Mourinho
Chelsea boss backs Belgium to become one of the world’s best
Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, has backed midfielder, Eden Hazard, to go on to become the next Zinedine Zidane.
The Belgium international is all set to sign a new lucrative five year deal at Stamford Bridge, worth roughly £200k-a-week, and Mourinho has continued to heap praise on the 23-year-old by suggesting he could become the new Zidane, who is classed as one of the best midfielders ever.
Hazard, who was scouted by Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid over the Summer, wants to make it aware he is committed to Chelsea, and that is why he will sign a new deal keeping him at the club until 2019, and Mourinho is hopeful that he can continue to progress and develop at the club.
“Can he be another Zinedine Zidane? The first point to compare is the size!” Hazard is a diminutive 5ft 8ins, while Zidane was a solid 6ft 1ins.
“To have that ambition is good. I like that,” Mourinho added. “I don’t care about shirts and numbers. The players decide, they ask, they change.
“Eden means a lot to us because he’s a fantastic player. We are seeing day by day his motivation to work hard and improve.
“We have big hopes that he will go from the top talent he is at this moment to one of the greats of his generation. His talent will allow that.
“He is a player we want to keep. It’s true Chelsea are trying to have an agreement with him over a new contract, and that he wants to stay. It’s a question of time.”
The Belgium international is all set to sign a new lucrative five year deal at Stamford Bridge, worth roughly £200k-a-week, and Mourinho has continued to heap praise on the 23-year-old by suggesting he could become the new Zidane, who is classed as one of the best midfielders ever.
Hazard, who was scouted by Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid over the Summer, wants to make it aware he is committed to Chelsea, and that is why he will sign a new deal keeping him at the club until 2019, and Mourinho is hopeful that he can continue to progress and develop at the club.
“Can he be another Zinedine Zidane? The first point to compare is the size!” Hazard is a diminutive 5ft 8ins, while Zidane was a solid 6ft 1ins.
“To have that ambition is good. I like that,” Mourinho added. “I don’t care about shirts and numbers. The players decide, they ask, they change.
“Eden means a lot to us because he’s a fantastic player. We are seeing day by day his motivation to work hard and improve.
“We have big hopes that he will go from the top talent he is at this moment to one of the greats of his generation. His talent will allow that.
“He is a player we want to keep. It’s true Chelsea are trying to have an agreement with him over a new contract, and that he wants to stay. It’s a question of time.”
Real Madrid preparing Strootman bid
The Spanish giants are plotting a £30m bid for the Man United target in January
Man United will now have to fight off interest from Real Madrid to
sign Kevin Strootman. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Spanish
giants are preparing to make a big offer for the Roma man in January to
end the Red Devil’s hopes of signing him themselves.
The fee that is on the table is rumoured to be £30m, which is quite a large fee considering that Strootman is still recovering after suffering a knee injury. However, if United were to offer the same fee, they would have the upper hand in negotiations, as the 24-year old has played under Louis Van Gaal for the Dutch national team before.
Plus, many are wondering WHY Madrid are prepared to make this offer for the midfielder, when they have Sami Khedira, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos all capable of playing in Strootman’s position. Either way, if the Spanish reports are true, then the Red Devils are going to have to think about making a reasonable offer for the Holland man before Madrid do.
The fee that is on the table is rumoured to be £30m, which is quite a large fee considering that Strootman is still recovering after suffering a knee injury. However, if United were to offer the same fee, they would have the upper hand in negotiations, as the 24-year old has played under Louis Van Gaal for the Dutch national team before.
Plus, many are wondering WHY Madrid are prepared to make this offer for the midfielder, when they have Sami Khedira, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos all capable of playing in Strootman’s position. Either way, if the Spanish reports are true, then the Red Devils are going to have to think about making a reasonable offer for the Holland man before Madrid do.
Liverpool offers £42,5M for STRIKER
Liverpool keeping tabs on Benzema
The Reds remain keen on French hitman despite contract renewal
Liverpool are monitoring Real Madrid star Karim Benzema’s situation at the club despite renewing his contract until 2019.
The French forward has comitted his future to the Spanish Giants, but has recieved heavy criticism in the past few months for his failure to score in many games.
The 26 year-old suffered a dip in form at the end of last season and appears to have carried it through to this La Liga season and could be asked to move on once the transfer window reopens in January.
Liverpool were strongly linked with Benzema during the summer window but talk of a switch to Anfield was played down as the striker penned a new deal until 2019 at Madrid.
It is understood that Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has not given up hope of signing the striker and will attempt to land the former Lyon player in the future.
The French forward has comitted his future to the Spanish Giants, but has recieved heavy criticism in the past few months for his failure to score in many games.
The 26 year-old suffered a dip in form at the end of last season and appears to have carried it through to this La Liga season and could be asked to move on once the transfer window reopens in January.
Liverpool were strongly linked with Benzema during the summer window but talk of a switch to Anfield was played down as the striker penned a new deal until 2019 at Madrid.
It is understood that Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has not given up hope of signing the striker and will attempt to land the former Lyon player in the future.
'My future is at Madrid' - Cristiano Ronaldo dismisses Manchester United rumours
Ronaldo has openly spoken about his desire to return to Old Trafford in
the future, and Goal understands he wants to surpass Raul's mark of 323
goals for Madrid before heading back to the club where he made his name.
Talk of a transfer at the end of the current season has intensified in recent weeks after the Portuguese made his feelings known over the sales of Angel Di Maria and Xabi Alonso, but he insists he is paying no attention to the growing rumours.
"It's all speculation, speaking about my future … My future is Madrid. I'm happy," he told reporters.
"The season is going well and I'm not talking about my future, it doesn't make sense."
Ronaldo scored four goals for Madrid in their 5-1 victory over Elche on Tuesday night, three days after netting a hat-trick in an 8-2 win against Deportivo.
The 29-year-old has already scored nine La Liga goals in just five appearances so far this season, though Madrid are fourth in the table, three points behind leaders Barcelona have played one game more.
Talk of a transfer at the end of the current season has intensified in recent weeks after the Portuguese made his feelings known over the sales of Angel Di Maria and Xabi Alonso, but he insists he is paying no attention to the growing rumours.
"It's all speculation, speaking about my future … My future is Madrid. I'm happy," he told reporters.
"The season is going well and I'm not talking about my future, it doesn't make sense."
Ronaldo scored four goals for Madrid in their 5-1 victory over Elche on Tuesday night, three days after netting a hat-trick in an 8-2 win against Deportivo.
The 29-year-old has already scored nine La Liga goals in just five appearances so far this season, though Madrid are fourth in the table, three points behind leaders Barcelona have played one game more.
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