Berbatov: "What have Messi and Cristiano done to be finalists for The Best?"

 The former Manchester United player thinks that while both players are living legends, neither deserves to be up for the award: "Sadly, today's football is a business".

Former Manchester United and Tottenham player Dimitar Berbatov, who is now an ambassador for Betfair, feel that Robert Lewandowski would be the rightful winner of this year's The Best award which will be presented tomorrow night. He added that he has doubts that Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo fully deserve to be on the podium with the Polish striker on this occasion as neither have enjoyed a particularly memorable year out on the pitch.

"I'm surprised that Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi are among the finalists. I'm not sure that either of them should occupy those places. But unfortunately, football is a business and behind the scenes there is the work being done by agents, the press... there's a lot more going on than just the camaras and what we see," Berbatov said: "The Best for 2020 should go to Lewandowski and if doesn't win it wold be hugely unfair".

As for the other candidates for the award, Berbatov added. "I'm not too sure who should be up there with Lewandowski. As always, everyone has their own ideas about which players are the best,or who should win... This year it doesn't really matter, as whoever comes second ir third, Lewandowski is who deserves to win.

"United shouldn't forget that Real Sociedad are top of LaLiga"

Berbatov also gave his thoughts on the Europa League Last 32 tie between Manchester United and Real Sociedad - a tie, he warns, which will be much tougher than many in England might imagine. "They shouldn't forget that right now, La Real are leaders in LaLiga or the reason why they are top of the table. They play very good football. That should serve as a warning for United. And besides, United tend to struggle against Spanish sides," Berbatov said. "It might be hard to believe, but those things can affect your mental state. I bet that when they found out they'd drawn Real Sociedad, more than one person in Old Trafford thought 'Oh my god! not another Spanish team... we are in for a rough ride'. But at the end of the day, that's who they have drawn and so they need to confront it seriously. La Real are a very good side. I've said it loads of times, Europa League games are not like Champions League games - sometimes they are more difficult and this particular tie isn't going to be an exception. Also, Real Sociedad have David Silva so it will be even tougher. I'm not saying that David is the reason why La Real are where they are, but he helps them to play that fluid style of football with his vision. We've seen the player he is over may years at City. I'm in no doubt that this will be a very complicated tie".

Barcelona's five underperforming players

 Barcelona have lost 16 points in the 10 games they have played in LaLiga Santander this season, which is almost unthinkable for a team of the Blaugrana's size. Ronald Koeman's side have lost four times and there could be many reasons as to why the club have experienced some hiccups this year.

The end of a cycle at the club, a new coach and Lionel Messi not being at his best could all be factors behind Barcelona's demise, but one factor that stands out the most are the poor performances of several players that either are or were expected to be around the starting XI.

Players like Philippe Coutinho, Frenkie de Jong, Clement Lenglet, Miralem Pjanic and Francisco Trincao are not living up to the expectations that were created about them when they arrived at the Camp Nou.

Some of those players arrived last summer, while others have been around for much longer. These named and shamed players cost the club a total of 350 million euros.

Coutinho's confidence is deflating

At the start of the season, Coutinho returned hungry, seemingly as if Bayern Munich had changed him. His physical condition had improved, he had a new lease of life and looked sharp in the opening matches of the season, even getting himself on the scoresheet.

However, similarly to what happened three years ago, over time he has faded into background. From being a main part of the team to becoming a passenger, as we saw against Cadiz in a poor first half for the Brazilian.

De Jong and his false starts

The Dutch international has already started to tire. He arrived as a key player for the midfield, with his education at Ajax meaning that he already has already has Barcelona's DNA in his blood.

However, Barcelona have been waiting for a year and a half to see the true De Jong, and so far he has only impressed three times in that period. A very uninspiring return from a player who cost the club 75 million euros and was set to lead the new-look Barcelona side in the heart of their midfield.

Pjanic: Very little contribution so far

Pjanic is another player that has cost the club a lot of money, and a 60 million euro signing has to contribute more than just good sideway passing. Much more was expected of him, despite the fact that he is still in his adaptation period.

Barcelona urgently need a midfielder who will command, given that De Jong is not delivering. This is a golden opportunity for Pjanic, but he is simply not taking his chance.

Trincao: An explosive signing

The Portuguese winger arrived for 30 million euros and had a couple of good performances in pre-season that aroused a lot of hope amongst Barcelona fans.

While Ansu Fati, Ousmane Dembele and Pedri have had good performances, Trincao still hasn't woken up.

Napoli's Stadio San Paolo officially becomes the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona

 Napoli's San Paolo stadium will be renamed in tribute to club legend Diego Maradona following his death last month.

The Municipality of Naples officially confirmed the name change on Friday as the city continues to mourn the Argentine's passing at the age of 60.

Maradona spent seven seasons with the club between 1984 and 1991, lifting them to unprecedented success, including two Serie A titles, an Italian Cup win and a UEFA Cup triumph in 1989.

              

'With a resolution approved today, the stadium was named after Diego Armando Maradona,' the Naples municipality said in a statement.

'The resolution was proposed by Mayor Luigi de Magistris, by the Councillor for Toponymy Alessandre Clemente and signed by the entire city council, which met is Palazzo San Giacomo.

'Shortly before the executive committee meeting, the advisory commission for city toponymy had approved the proposal of the Mayor, the Councillor for Toponymy and the city council, naming the San Paolo stadium after Diego Armanda Maradona with the name Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.' 

The team will next play at their newly-named stadium against Real Sociedad in the UEFA Europa League next Thursday.

Though matches remain behind closed doors in Naples, fans gathered in their thousands to pay tribute to their club icon prior to last week's Europa League game against Rijeka, lighting flares all around the stadium.

Banners to 'The King' were also hung inside the stadium, while scores of items, including shirts, scarves, pictures and candles were left at a shrine outside.

But the decision to ditch Saint Paul in favour of the 1986 World Cup winner hasn't gone down well with everyone.

A group of priests from Naples wrote to the city's archbishop Crescenzio Sepe this week protesting against the decision to rename.

'I would be the right compromise the save the faith and honour the champion.'

                  --Written by MOULIK Porel

Lionel Messi's emotional tribute to Maradona

 Barcelona will have to pay a €3,000 (£2,700) fine after Lionel Messi paid tribute to Diego Maradona by celebrating in a Newell's Old Boys shirt on Sunday.

Messi celebrated his powerful strike from outside of the box against Osasuna by taking off Barcelona's blue-and-burgundy strip to reveal the red-and-black of Newell's.

Maradona, who died last week at the age of 60, played for Newell's at the end of his glittering career and Messi wore the same shirt at the start of his, making it a fitting tribute.

Messi also blew a kiss with both hands to the sky as he looked upward.

But the touching tribute was against the rules of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, who are now poised to fine the club for Messi's celebration.

After the game, Messi posted a photo of his tribute alongside an older image of Maradona in the same shirt, adding the message "Farewell, Diego" in Spanish.

'It was a great moment,' said Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman.

'First, for the goal that Leo scored and then for the gesture he had for the death of Diego Maradona. He had surely been thinking of what he would do. For me, it was a great moment in every way.'

In an interview with Argentine television TyC in 2013, Messi said that when he was a young boy he went to the stadium for Maradona's debut for Newell's back in 1993.

Messi had kept his head bowed during the minute of silence before kick-off at the empty Nou Camp for Maradona, who died of a heart attack at age 60. He also played for Barcelona from 1982-84.

Messi's was one of many tributes to Maradona from across the world of football over the weekend.

Napoli used a special fourth kit in honour of their former star during their win over Roma.

The strip, inspired by Argentina's kit, paid homage to Maradona, who led Napoli to two Serie A titles and a UEFA Cup during an illustrious seven-year stay between 1984-1991.

Before the two sides faced off in the aptly named Copa Diego Armando Maradona, both sets of players wore special shirts for a minute's applause around a flag of the 1986 World Cup winner.

After scoring a free-kick the Boca players went over to Maradona's daughter Dalma, who was sat in the stands and applauded her.

Maradona's daughter was overcome with emotion and was shown crying in her father's box at the Bombonera at the gesture.

The 2020-21 ISL season is going to be the most competitive

 Since its inaugural edition in 2014, the Indian Super League (ISL) has gone from strength to strength, with the quality of football and fanfare increasing exponentially. In fact, the competitiveness of the tournament has showcased such an upward trajectory that the identity of the semi-finalists usually boils down to the final few fixtures of the league phases. 

And, that trend continued last season as well when Chennaiyin FC narrowly pipped Mumbai City FC to make the ISL semi-final. To put things into perspective, the Marina Machans had been languishing at the bottom at the half-way mark, before Owen Coyle mounted a comeback of gargantuan proportions. In the process, the Chennai-based outfit highlighted the thrilling and the competitive nature of the ISL. 

A few days before the Islanders play their opening 2020-21 ISL encounter against NorthEast United FC, the Spaniard was quick to point out the ebbs and flows the ISL entails and how he expects the upcoming campaign to be the toughest ever.

Having said that, plenty of football enthusiasts have earmarked Mumbai City FC as favourites for the ISL title, courtesy the plethora of talented individuals in their ranks and the fact that they have arguably the most astute manager in the ISL. Sergio Lobera though, was swift in swatting aside those claims, explaining that the Islanders only wanted to concentrate on what they could do best, rather than concerning themselves with things that are out of their control.

“I want to respect all teams in the ISL and I think we need to work a lot and hopefully, we can work in this way and at the end of the season, we can be happy with our jobs. My focus and our dream is to work hard and to try to finish in the best possible position,” he added.

Last term, Mumbai City FC had the wood over the Highlanders, with the former collecting four points out of a possible six. While the Islanders drew 2-2 in Guwahati, the 2018-19 semi-finalists got the better of NorthEast United FC (1-0) at the Mumbai Football Arena. However, Sergio Lobera emphasized that past ISL contests might not play any role when the two sides clash on Saturday, for the past rarely shapes the future.

Ter Stegen: Goals which start from the back make me happy

 Marc Andre ter Stegen is fully recovered from injury and has taken back his No.1 role at Barcelona. The German sat out the recent international break in a mutual agreement with Joachim Low in order to get back to full fitness, and is now raring to go again for his club side.

A big challenge awaits the German in the form of Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday, but being the calm figure that he is, particularly with the ball at his feet, it is unlikely that the fixture will faze him.

His ability with both feet, as well as his hands, has made him the starting point of Barcelona's attacking moves, and nothing gives the former Borussia Monchengladbach star more pleasure than seeing a goal scored on the back of one of his passes.

"When I look back on recent seasons how many goals have been scored from playing out from the back, it makes me very happy," he told Barca TV. "I see that I can bring solutions to the team, and that's what I want to do, helping the team by giving others the freedom to move around and make it difficult for the opponent to pressure us.

"We all want to reach our full potential and always improve. And this is what I have tried every year, there is always something you can do better." The German was also asked about his relationship with Barcelona goalkeeping coach Jose Ramon de la Fuente.

"We make a good team. We have analysed things in which he believed I could improve and we have made changes," he stated. "We are honest in the analytical part, so that it can be better every time.Ter Stegen is now not only expected to keep clean sheets on the field, but off it as well, having become a father last December. "I think being a parent is exhausting, but at the same time very nice when you can spend time with your children. I am very proud, when he gives me a hug, for example, it is beautiful. It drives me crazy, completely," he said. 

                                      -written by MOULIK Porel.

Mascherano Retire at The Age of 36

 Former Liverpool and Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano has announced his retirement from football at the age of 36.

Mascherano Announcement in press conference at his current club Estudiantes the most capped Argentina's midfielder said," I want to announce that today I am retiring soccer professionally.

I want to thank this club that gave me the opportunity to finish my career in Argentina. I lived my profession 100% to the maximum that Possibly can and for a while now that been getting harder.

In 2006, winning domestic title's in South Africa with River Plate and Corinthians, he made a transfer to West Ham and get united with Carlos Tevez. 

He made 139 apprances in a sucessful three year spell with the club and finishing four points behind Manchester United in the 2008-09.

Mascherano then won two champions league crowns and a pair of club world cup title's win Barcelona along with five wins each in La Liga and the Copa del Rey, and played in 2014 World Cup final for Argentina.

 Then he moved to Hebei China  Fortune and Estudiantes followed in the twilight of his career with latter club giving him the opportunity to play along side follow national team stalwart Marcos Rojo.

Mascherano overtook Javier Zanetti's caps record of 143 in 2018, finishing with the princely total of 147.

                            - written by MOULIK Porel.