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قدم المدير الفني لبرشلونة، تشافي هيرنانديز، آخر التطورات الخاصة بشأن فريقه، وذلك قبل مواجهة أوساسونا في منافسات كأس السوبر الإسباني.

ويلاقي برشلونة نظيره أوساسونا، ضمن منافسات دور نصف النهائي من كأس السوبر الإسباني على ملعب “الأول بارك” في جامعة الملك سعود بالرياض مساء الخميس، في تمام التاسعة مساءًَ بتوقيت القاهرة.

الفائز من هذه المواجهة سيلاقي الفائز من مباراة ريال مدريد وأتلتيكو مدريد، في نهائي البطولة، يوم الأحد المقبل الموافق 14 يناير.

اقرأ أيضًا.. أراوخو يرد على أنباء التفاوض مع بايرن ميونخ ويؤكد: الفوز بالسوبر الإسباني سيساعدنا

وقال تشافي هيرنانديز في تصريحات صحفية قبل المباراة: “لا نعرف النهج الذي يتبعه أوساسونا، لكن لديهم مدرب عظيم، إنه فريق بدني يدافع بشكل جيد للغاية، هم يمكنهم الضغط علينا في كل مكان بالملعب”.

وتابع تشافي: “نحن نحترم أوساسونا كثيرًا، بالتأكيد نحن الأقرب للفوز، نحن برشلونة، ولكن من الواضح، إنها مباراة، ما زلنا نؤمن، مسابقة خروج المغلوب، يجب علينا أن نثبت أننا نستحق التواجد في هذا النهائي”.

وواصل: “لدينا منافس قوي، لدينا منافس صلب، ولكن نعم، أتمنى أن تساعدنا هذه المباراة أو هذه المسابقة لإعادة اكتشاف أسلوب لعبنا، لاستعادة لقب العام الماضي الذي جاء بشكل رائع، أعطانا الكثير من الروح المعنوية، الكثير من الثقة والاستقرار، وهذا العام أيضًا سيعطينا ذلك”.

وعن جاهزية كانسيلو وبيدري، أكد تشافي: “نحن متفائلون أكثر مع بيدري، نتمتع بأحاسيس جيدة منذ أيام، لكن بالنسبة لكانسيلو يبدو الأمر معقدًا لمباراة الغد، سنرى كيف هي الأحاسيس اليوم، لكن بيدري الأقرب للعودة”.

وأوضح قائلاً: “لدي ثقة كاملة في اللاعبين وهم يعرفون ذلك، إنهم قادرون وقد أظهروا ذلك، في المباريات المهمة ارتقى معظمهم إلى مستوى الحدث، الفريق مستعد، لدينا أشياء إيجابية لنقدم بطولة رائعة”.

وعن بطولة السوبر، أفاد تشافي: “إنها لقب، ولا يوجد هناك ألقاب صغرى، السنة الماضية فزنا بلقبين، أحدهما هذا اللقب، فزنا به عن جدارة ولعبنا مباراة عظيمة في النهائي، علينا أن نواصل البحث عن هذا المستوى، إنه مهم، ربما بطولة السوبر ليست مهمة بقدر الليجا أو دوري الأبطال، لكننا نريد الفوز بها”.

وبيّن تشافي: “قلت بالفعل إننا نفتقر إلى القوة، خاصة في منطقتنا، تلك التي تمنحنا الأمان والثقة فيما يتعلق باللعب، إنها تثقل كاهلنا أكثر بكثير، لقد قدمنا ​​الكثير في العام الماضي، كنا في غاية الصلابة”.

عن متابعة الدوري السعودي: “أتابعه كثيرًا، لأنني كنت في السد، أتابع الاتحاد، أتابع النصر، أتابع الهلال، ونادي الشباب، أتابع العديد من الفرق وهناك العديد من اللاعبين المهمين في هذا الدوري، وهو ينمو كثيرًا، كان بالفعل دوريًا مهمًا في آسيا والآن مع اللاعبين والمدربين الذين جاءوا، أصبح أكثر أهمية”.

Newcastle United will host Manchester United at St James' Park this afternoon and Eddie Howe will be hoping that his team are out for revenge on their League Cup rivals as they meet for the first time since the Wembley defeat.

The Magpies have everything to play for in the Premier League as they are just two points adrift of a Champions League qualifying spot, so snatching all three points from Erik ten Hag's side in front of the home support today would put them in a fantastic position to knock Tottenham Hotspur out of the top four ahead of their game against Everton tomorrow night.

Howe will be thrilled as Joelinton is now available to start after serving a two-match suspension due to yellow card bookings and there is no doubt that he will make an instant return to the midfield alongside his fellow Brazilian, Bruno Guimaraes.

Having said that, following their disappointing meeting with Man United in the League Cup final, the Newcastle boss could look at switching up his starting XI to counter the successful style of play that the Red Devils executed against them just weeks ago.

One player who could earn a spot in the starting eleven is the club's £45m January signing Anthony Gordon, as the young winger could be the difference that helps his side secure another victory.

Will Anthony Gordon start vs Manchester United?

The former Everton forward hasn't had too many opportunities to stake his claim for a starting position in the competitive Newcastle starting line-up ahead of his ankle injury blow, but he could be the perfect profile of player to taken on Ten Hag's formidable side.

Gordon is renowned for his incredible pace, ability to win possession high up the pitch and tenacity in one on one situations – with Newcastle legend Alan Shearer hailing his "fearless attitude" ahead of his move to the North East.

Over 20 Premier League appearances this season, the 6-foot ace – dubbed "different class" by former teammate James Tarkowski – has scored three goals, offered up 29 shot-creating actions, won 24 tackles and made 64 ball recoveries – proving that he is not only effective in the attacking threat but also not afraid to get stuck into challenges to win the ball for his team.

Howe wasted no time in heaping praise on the 22-year-old versatile winger upon his debut for Newcastle against West Ham United:

“Very pleased. First action here at St James’ Park is important, and his first pass was a brilliant one, he injected some life into us at a time when we needed it in the game.

“What he delivered was very bright. I'm really pleased. I was hoping for a goal or assist, but overall, very good."

Now Gordon may get the chance to deliver that goal contribution for his manager against Man United as he could provide the difference in class that Newcastle's forward line needs to earn the important three points to break back into the top four this afternoon.

Leeds United have a habit of picking up or forging their own top youth talent, hence why their squad is currently laden with such rich quality many of whom are 23 or younger.

They certainly have a knack for identifying the next big stars, and in Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch, they had two managers willing to give most a chance, whether through desperation or a genuine belief that it was deserved.

However, what was particularly surprising was to see young Joe Gelhardt shipped out on loan in January as per the American's orders, despite Patrick Bamford being the club's only senior striker alongside Rodrigo, both of whom have suffered with injuries.

Joining Sunderland, it was expected the 20-year-old would continue his development at the Wearside club who were impressing under Tony Mowbray. Whether this was the right move or not remains up for debate, but what is certain is that the young forward is destined for the very top; and to think, Victor Orta snatched him from Wigan Athletic for just £1m.

How much is Joe Gelhardt worth now?

Capitalising on the Latics' well-known financial struggles, this marked one of the club's most impressive coups in recent memory as the man branded a "goal machine" by journalist Phil Hay was welcomed to Elland Road.

Having since gone on to feature 41 times for the club already, this outlines the importance he holds in being the future of the club's goalscoring.

His importance throughout last season was particularly imperative, as his late goal against Norwich City secured three vital points, whilst his late piece of magic to assist against Brighton and Hove Albion earned another valuable point. They escaped the drop by just three points.

There is a reason why writer James Marschment branded him a "special, special talent with ice in his veins."

With three goal contributions already at the Stadium of Light, he seems poised to translate his fine form to the Championship as he continues to outline himself as a top talent.

As such, his value has unsurprisingly skyrocketed alongside his rise to prominence. Football Transfers rate the apex of his expected Transfer Value at a lofty €11.8m (£10.3m), outlining a huge 930% increase from that tiny aforementioned fee used to acquire him, with Leeds having struck gold by acquiring his services.

Upon the youngster's return from his loan spell, which is sure to be a success, perhaps Javi Gracia might see the star power that Marsch snubbed and hand him a starting spot in his team.

BBC Pundit Chris Sutton has slammed Liel Abada for diving in the most recent Celtic match and urged him to cut it out of his game.

What’s the latest on Liel Abada and Celtic?

The Bhoys claimed their first piece of silverware for the season on the weekend as they beat bitter rivals Rangers to win the Scottish League Cup.

Indeed, a brace for Kyogo Furuhashi put Ange Postecoglou’s side 2-0 up before the hour mark with Alfredo Morelos’ effort unable to spark a comeback for Michael Beale and co.

Despite the win, it seems as though not every Celtic player got through the game without coming under some scrutiny. Indeed, substitute Abada came on for Jota shortly after Rangers’ goal and caught the eye for all the wrong reasons.

While speaking about it on the BBC phone-in radio show 606, Sutton named the player as the winner of their weekly Simulation Game segment.

He said (01:08:55): “Liel Abada, I was there. Did you hear the anger within the commentary team that Liel Abada threw himself to the floor?

“So the second trophy that Celtic have won today, Liel Abada, you’ve won the trophy that you don’t want to win.

“You’re a talented young player. Your numbers are excellent. But just cut that out of your game, Liel. You’re better than that.”

What has been made of Abada’s Celtic cup final dive?

It seems as though Sutton wasn’t the only one to notice the poor dive from the Celtic man. For instance, in the player ratings for the Irish News, journalist Gavin McCafferty noted: “Liel Abada’s main contribution was an outrageous dive that saw him booked.”

Evidently, it wasn’t exactly the most exciting cameo from the bench from the attacker but at least he helped the Bhoys pick up a trophy. This is the third piece of silverware Abada has won in a Celtic shirt, having lifted the same trophy last year as well as the league title.

Despite not being a regular starter, the 21-year-old has still netted 11 goals and provided six assists across all competitions this season.

Clearly, the talent is there. However, he doesn’t want to pick up the reputation as a diver so early on in his career, so he’d be wise to take Sutton’s advice and cut it out of his game soon.

Tottenham Hotspur are laying the groundwork over a deal to sign Alex Scott, according to reports…

What’s the latest on Alex Scott to Spurs?

Football Insider has claimed that scouts at the north London outfit have recommended the 19-year-old midfielder ahead of the summer transfer window, with fears that multiple Premier League teams will look to target him.

Spurs had representatives at Bristol City’s recent 1-0 win over Norwich City and have watched him for some time.

The Championship side slapped a £25m price tag on his signature during the recent January window.

Is Scott the next Jack Grealish?

Scott has emerged as a key player for the Robins in recent seasons, despite his young age. This season, the teenager has remarkably only missed one Championship outing, starting 30 matches in central midfield.

The maestro – who can play as a no.6, no.8 and a no.10 – has been dubbed the ‘Guernsey Grealish’ for both his playing style and appearance, with him proving to be a big influence in the final third having provided five assists already this term.

City’s rising starlet has quick feet, a deft touch and can quickly transition play from defence to attack – when compared to other attacking midfielders across FBref’s next eight divisions, he ranks inside the top 3% for all of the following metrics: tackles (2.47), interceptions (1.12), blocks (1.58) and clearances (1.38) per 90.

Clearly, he can do pretty much anything to help his side, which is perhaps why his former youth coach Brian Tinnion once claimed that: “His work rate and his desire to learn has been unbelievable.”

More recently, his current boss Nigel Pearson heaped further praise on his qualities (via BristolLive).

“He’s just a very unique talent and he’s got a very impressive temperament. I think he’s destined for the very top,” he said before adding: “Alex Scott will continue to progress and be a top player. He also knows he has the humility that he has to do it for us while he is here and he just enjoys playing football.”

Grealish’s big ‘come-up’ came in the Championship, so it’s easy to see why so many have made the comparison between Scott and the former Aston Villa star, so given the evidence above, Spurs would certainly be getting an exciting talent for the long-term future and perhaps one that could make an impact sooner rather than later.

In the Robins gem, Lilywhites sporting director Fabio Paratici could well secure the next Grealish for the club, especially considering they nearly signed the original back in 2018.

AND in other news, Spurs could find dream Son heir in “unbelievable” £22m-rated gem who terrorised Porro…

Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol has shared who’s been ‘pushing hardest’ for Man City’s recent alleged charges from the Premier League.

The Lowdown: City accused…

The Sky Blues are alleged to have broken over 100 league rules by England’s top flight with the governing body announcing their accusations on Monday morning.

City were ‘surprised’ by the development with some sources around the club maintaining their ‘confident’ position.

This comes nearly three years after UEFA attempted to ban City from the Champions League for two years with that punishment eventually rescinded by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Latest: Solhekol shares who’s been ‘pushing hardest’…

Speaking on Sky Sports News, reporter Solhekol has shared who’s been ‘pushing hardest’ for these charges against Pep Guardiola’s side.

He explained:

“I’ve also been told, up to now, until yesterday, the clubs who’d been pushing hardest for these charges to be brought were some of the other members of the so-called big six.

“That’s not surprising, that Manchester City’s rivals would be looking for any kind of advantage that they could get.”

The Verdict: Crucial few months…

It’s perhaps inevitable that domestic rivals have been attempting to discredit City whilst ‘pushing hardest’ for the accusations against them.

The current league champions have looked near-unstoppable when at their best over the last few seasons, and before Arsenal recently, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Guardiola’s side could go on to dominate for years.

City narrowly beat rivals Liverpool to the title on the final day of last season with Ilkay Gundogan’s dramatic late comeback winner sealing a second-successive domestic crown.

The Blues have been imperious in recent seasons, potentially leading to rival club officials pushing even harder for these charges to be brought against City.

Until a final verdict is reached in court over the allegations, it appears City are set for a battle with both the league and its other biggest clubs.

Arsenal are still following Montpellier striker Elye Wahi for a potential swoop, according to a reports from France.

The Lowdown: Wahi targeted by Arsenal

It was reported at the beginning of the month that the Gunners were eyeing the 20-year-old as a replacement for the injured Gabriel Jesus, although Eddie Nketiah has performed very well in the Brazilian’s absence, scoring six goals since Christmas.

Everton have also been credited with an interest in recent weeks (as reported by Media Foot), with the Toffees said to be strongly considering a bid, and there is now a growing list of potential suitors…

The Latest: Arsenal still following Wahi

According to Foot Mercato, the Gunners are still following the ‘very coveted’ striker, while Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Juventus are also considering moves for the 20-year-old.

The report goes on to state that Montpellier value their prized asset at more than €30m (£26m) and they have no plans to let him leave this month, while the player is also believed to be settled.

The Verdict: Worth it?

Nketiah has defied expectations and done very well while Jesus has been on the treatment table, scoring four goals in his last five Premier League games. Therefore, Mikel Arteta does not necessarily need Wahi, but the youngster is showing signs that he could be a fantastic long-term prospect.

Hailed as ‘very impressive’ by football scout Jacek Kulig, the starlet is putting in performances beyond his years in Ligue 1 this season, scoring seven times in 18 outings, the joint-highest goal tally of any Montpellier player.

The forward is still quite raw, with some fundamental parts of his game still to develop. That is indicated by his return match average of just 0.04 assists per game over the course of the past year, placing him way below average compared to other strikers in Europe’s top five leagues.

However, the most crucial part of any striker’s game is their ability to put the ball in the the net, and he is already doing that in abundance.

Aston Villa will host Stevenage at Villa Park this afternoon in their FA Cup third-round clash and Unai Emery will be hoping to continue to transform the team’s fate by progressing to the next round of the competition.

The former Villarreal boss has picked up points in four of his first six games since taking over from Steven Gerrard in November but was knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Manchester United, so there is no doubt Emery will want to give the Villa supporters hope of silverware with a successful performance today.

In terms of injuries, John McGinn is currently being assessed for a thigh problem and Diego Carlos continues his recovery from a long-term injury that has seen him unavailable since August.

However, Villa are poised to welcome back Jacob Ramsey as Emery suggested in his pre-match press conference that the young midfielder could be back in contention.

With that in mind, this is how Football FanCast predicts Aston Villa will line up against Stevenage…
Robin Olsen (GK), Ludwig Augustinsson (LB), Tyrone Mings (CB), Calum Chambers (CB), Matty Cash (RB), Leander Dendoncker (CM), Jacob Ramsey (CM), Morgan Sanson (CM), Danny Ings (ST), Leon Bailey (RW), Philippe Coutinho (LW).
We expect to see eight changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this week, with Emery mixing first-team experience with fringe players who are rarely seen in the Villa starting XI.
The first three changes we predict to see are Ludwig Augustinsson and Calum Chambers joining Matty Cash and Tyrone Mings in the back four this afternoon, with Cash moving back into his right-back position to replace Ashley Young, Augustinsson getting the nod over Lucas Digne and Chambers replacing Ezri Konsa.
In midfield, we expect to see a full transformation with Ramsey reprising his role ahead of Emi Buendia after returning from injury, and he features alongside Leander Dendoncker and Morgan Sanson.
In the final third, Leon Bailey keeps his spot in the starting side with Philippe Coutinho joining the Jamaican forward in the front three, whilst Danny Ings comes into the team in the final change to the attacking threat.
Ings will replace Watkins with Emery likely to rest the £75k-per-week forward – who was hailed a “top player” by Michael Owen – by taking advantage of his quality rotation in the centre-forward position.
The eighth and final change we predict is Robin Olsen coming in for Emi Martinez as Emery will surely want to reward the ‘keeper for his contributions when the World Cup winner was unavailable due to the celebrations that followed.

Manchester City return to domestic action on Thursday evening as they take on Premier League rivals Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.

Pep Guardiola is set to be without a large amount of his squad for the game at the Etihad as a number of first-team players are yet to return after participating in the World Cup in Qatar.

This could force the Spanish manager to select a much-changed outfit against Jurgen Klopp’s side on Thursday evening, with several academy players in line for a senior appearance.

Here is how Football FanCast expects City to line up against Liverpool.

It features six changes from the side that lost against Brentford in their last game before the international break.

Although Ederson was second-choice for Brazil’s run to the quarter-finals, it seems likely that Stefan Ortega will get the nod against Liverpool to start in between the sticks.

With Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker both likely to be unavailable, Rico Lewis starts at right-back, with Sergio Gomez on the opposite flank.

Although all of City’s senior centre-back options would reach the knockout stages in Qatar, it seems likely that at least one will start against a dangerous Liverpool attack, so Aymeric Laporte partners Jadel Katongo in the heart of the defence.

In midfield, Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne have all returned to training after relatively early exits in Qatar, so they keep their places at the Etihad.

They support wingers Riyad Mahrez, who should be raring to go after Algeria missed out on a World Cup spot, and Cole Palmer, with the “special” academy talent no doubt looking to emulate Phil Foden by making an impression in the first team against such esteemed opposition.

Finally, there are no prizes for guessing who starts up front, as Erling Haaland should be fully fit after recovering from the knock that sidelined him ahead of the international break, while Julian Alvarez will still be celebrating Argentina’s success.

Manchester City star Jack Grealish will not be sold in the near future despite the rumours about replacing him, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Grealish’s future

It has been reported by Football Insider that Man City would be willing to sell Grealish to fund their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.

With the former Aston Villa man only arriving at the Etihad Stadium last summer in a British-record £100m deal, it would surely be a premature departure if he were to be sold already, and Jones has now given an update on whether this is likely to be the case…

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Jones tells GIVEMESPORT that the Englishman will not be leaving at this early stage, despite a difficult start to his City career:

“I just see no chance of Man City actually looking to cash in on Jack Grealish at this point. I know that he probably hasn’t transitioned into the team as well as you might have hoped in terms of stats, in terms of maybe even minutes.

“But it was a really big signing for them, and it’s a player that Pep Guardiola really has spoken about with great admiration and great hope. And it’s not very often Man City quickly turn their back on someone.”

The Verdict: Too soon?

While it is true that the 27-year-old has not recorded the best numbers for the Sky Blues up to this point, registering six goal contributions in 26 appearances last season, Pep Guardiola should give him more time to replicate his Villa form.

Jamie O’Hara has previously lauded the £300k-per-week earner as being ‘world-class’, and he has shown this in glimpses for City, starring in a 3-0 away win at Wolves earlier this season ,with a goal and an 8.1 SofaScore rating, the highest received by any player.

Hia manager has also been keen to stress that goals and assists are not the be-all-and-end-all for the maestro, saying:

“We didn’t sign for the incredible goals or assists at Aston Villa. It was another reason and when he played he did it. I want [him] to make goals and assists and he does too. But it’s not about that, it’s about his contribution without the ball and what he can produce for the other ones.”

As such, Grealish is still playing his part in the Man City team, even if he is not recording the same sort of numbers as the likes of Kevin De Bruyne or Phil Foden, and Guardiola should at least give him until the end of the season before making any hasty decisions.