Betis target Genk's Sander Berge

Real Betis are preparing to sign Genk midfielder and Norwegian international Sander Berge, according to reports in the Spanish press.

The 20-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Sevilla last summer but a report in Estadio Deportivo now states he has ‘moved up to the top of the agenda at Betis’.

The report states Betis are closing in on securing free transfers for Espanyol goalkeeper and Eibar midfielder Takashi Inui, leaving ‘a sizable’ transfer budget for contracted players.

Genk reportedly want in excess of €10m having signed the Norwegian from Valerenga from €2m in January 2017 and could ask for as much as €15m.

However, Los Verdiblancos are said to be willing to make an offer of instalments and add-on clauses which the Belgian club would be willing to accept.

Read more: https://www.football-espana.net/70365/betis-target-genks-sander-berge

Barca unclear on Iniesta injury

Barcelona have refused to put a timescale on captain Andres Iniesta’s return to action and he may miss the Champions League clash with Chelsea.

Iniesta lasted just 34 minutes of Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash at Camp Nou, and Barca’s official website immediately confirmed the presence of “a hamstring injury in his right leg”.

Catalunya Radio then claimed the problem could keep the midfielder out for as long as a month, explaining “everything points to a small tear” and he is yet to return to training.

The last statement from the Catalan club, who usually disclose timetabled returns, said ‘Andres will return to action upon his return to fitness’.

If the worst fears come true, the 33-year-old will miss Barca’s upcoming games against Malaga, Athletic Bilbao, Sevilla in La Liga, as well as the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Chelsea and Spain’s friendlies against Germany and Argentina on March 23 and 27.

Read more: https://www.football-espana.net/70362/barca-unclear-iniesta-injury

Madrid challenge Juventus for Can?

Real Madrid are trying to beat Juventus to the signing of Liverpool’s Emre Can, reports suggest.

The German international will be a free agent after June 30, and is widely expected to join the Bianconeri when his deal with the Reds expires.

Despite that there has so far been no announcement of a pre-contract deal, and the midfielder has said there’s no agreement “with any club”.

This morning’s Gazzetta dello Sport has looked in to the situation, and states that the contract on offer from Juve isn’t the issue.

The Old Lady is offering €5m per season, plus bonuses, and agent Reza Fazeli has no intention of trying to start a bidding war.

However, there is interest from Real Madrid, and that’s what is thought to be holding up the deal.

While Can is still favourable to a move to Turin, but his entourage have asked for time to consider the offer from Madrid.

As a result, Juventus are keeping their options open and are keeping an eye on Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini, who can leave for €25m in July, or €30m if he manages 25 Serie A appearances this season. 

Read more: https://www.football-italia.net/118213/madrid-challenge-juventus-can

Chelsea defender David Luiz sees specialist in Barcelona in bid to solve knee injury

Chelsea defender David Luiz remains on the sidelines with knee and ankle injuries respectively

Chelsea defender David Luiz has twice flown to Barcelona to see a knee specialist in a bid to save his season, Sky Sports News understands.

The Brazil international has not undergone surgery, but is still recovering from knee and ankle injuries respectively.

Sky Sports News understands Luiz hopes to be fit by the end of March, in time to face London rivals Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on April 1, live on Sky Sports Premier League.

Luiz last featured for Chelsea against Watford on February 5

The 30-year-old has featured just 10 times in the Premier League this season due to those injuries and has not played for Antonio Conte's side since the 4-1 defeat at Watford on February 5.

Luiz re-joined Chelsea in August 2016 following two years at Paris Saint-Germain and played 38 times as the Blues won the Premier League title.

Chelsea currently sit fifth in the Premier League, five points behind Tottenham in fourth following a run of four defeats in five matches.

Read more: http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/11279651/chelsea-defender-david-luiz-sees-specialist-in-barcelona-in-bid-to-solve-knee-injury

Cristiano Ronaldo heads Real Madrid through to the UCL quarter-finals

Paris Saint Germain vs Real Madrid was brilliantly poised. Real Madrid had an advantage coming into this away leg. PSG had the 12th man. 

Both teams had key players missing. Neymar is out for 6-8 weeks whereas Toni Kroos and Luka Modric weren't fit. The tie that couldn't disappoint almost did. 

The game didn't open up till Marco Veratti's red card, but it was an entertaining game throughout. The first half was a feisty battle even though chances were at a premium.

Even without their Brazilian star, PSG was expected to come out with guns blazing, trying to get that crucial first goal to put them back into the tie. Unfortunately, Les Parisiens couldn't emulate Barcelona's memorable fightback against them. It just didn't click for PSG. Very little went their way. Madrid had the better chances in the first half, forcing Alphonse Areola into two brilliant saves. The first denied Karim Benzema, the second Sergio Ramos.

Los Blancos struck early through talisman Cristiano Ronaldo. Veratti took a second yellow for protesting a foul not given; letting his team down in the process. The home side pulled one back through Edison Cavani, but the tie was well over. Madrid toyed with their counterparts for the remainder. A deflected Casemiro shot found its way into the net in the 80th minute, eliminating any last bit of hope. The match finished 1-2 on the night, 5-2 on aggregate.

Cristiano Ronaldo again proved the man for the big occasion. Before scoring his goal, he headed a Marcelo cross just wide. When he finally delivered moments later, his movement was genius. He set himself for a running start, then accelerated into the cross and headed it down. Ronaldo has scored 12 Champions League goals in eight matches this campaign, making the scoresheet in every one.

PSG get lost in the smoke

The atmosphere at the Parc des Princes was electrifying. From kick-off to the final whistle, the PSG faithful kept making noise, even disrespecting the minute's silence for Davide Astori. They were that pumped. Flares and fireworks caused referee Felix Brych to stop the game on multiple occasions. The supporters' antics likely disrupted their team's rhythm more than intimidating the Merengues.

Les Parisiens were turgid and lacklustre. They sorely missed Neymar's creativity. The team was as flat as the Paris skyline. Thiago Motta just recycled possession. Veratti and Adrien Rabiot rarely moved the ball forward. Edinson Cavani was isolated, Angel Di Maria tried things, but none worked. Kylian Mbappe finally showed that he is just a teenager with much to learn. His decision making was poor; he never troubled the solid Real defence. Dani Alves looked past his prime. If losing possession then getting nutmegged on the play leading to the goal wasn't enough, the Brazilian was also partly at fault for the second goal.

Unai Emery's XI didn't play like a team. Players weren't willing to cover distances or track back. No one took the lead. The game was poorly managed. To be sent off for dissent was incredibly immature for a player of Veratti's stature. Then again, the opposition's manager has done worse in a World Cup, no less. 

Zidane gets it right

Zinedine Zidane has had his critics, including me, despite winning back-to-back Champions League titles. The list of dismissals is long.

• He's inherited the best squad
• Ronaldo just scores every time 
• Ramos saves them 
• He's tactically inept.

Ronaldo scored in both legs, but it was a team effort that won Los Blancos the tie that was supposed to announce PSG's ascension.

Zidane found a balance even without Modric and Kroos, a balance of experience and youth, attack and defence. Mateo Kovacic was brought into midfield to pair Casemiro. Marco Asensio and Lucas Vasquez flanked them with Ronaldo and Benzema up top.

It all came down to a trusted back four, however. Defending is an underrated art at which Zizou's rearguard are masters. Sergio Ramos and Rafael Varane were at their brilliant best, tackling, clearing, blocking. Their organisation and distribution were top class. Dani Carvajal and Marcelo did the usual, bossing the wings, supporting both attack and defence. The team pressed high and kept a high line. They were aggressive and took the game away from PSG. The front two linked up well and threatened on the counter.

Kovacic and Casemiro were the stars. They shielded the back four, tracked runners, covered for defenders when they were drawn out, and provided the wingers license to go forward. Man of the match Casemiro even got the goal to round off a brilliant performance. The Brazilian created two chances, made three clearances, eight tackles. and had a 98% passing accuracy.

Zidane and Co are a step closer to La Decimotercera.

Read more: http://www.itsroundanditswhite.co.uk/articles/psg-vs-real-madrid-champions-league-second-leg-cristiano-ronaldo-heads-through

Gary Lineker: La Liga clubs won’t dominate once Messi and Ronaldo go

Gary Lineker believes Premier League clubs have significantly closed the gap on the La Liga clubs in Europe – and will close it even further as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi near the ends of their careers.

Real Madrid have won the Champions League in three of the last four seasons, with Barcelona winning it in the other year, and Atletico Madrid have been twice runners-up to their city rivals.

Sevilla, meanwhile, won the Europa League three times in a row before Manchester United ended that run last year, while Atletico have also won it twice since 2010. In total, nine of the last 13 winners of the two major European trophies have been Spanish.

Lineker, however, believes the situation could change over the next couple of years.

“I think the Premier League clubs were miles behind, but we are creeping closer and we see that by having five teams in the knock-out stages,” he says.

“I would save we have halved the gap that was there a couple of years back, and with the money in the English game we should get even closer in the next couple of years.

“You have to remember that Real Madrid and Barcelona have a magical appeal to players all over the world and can generally sign who they want, but they have had Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at their peak for the last few years, which has been a deciding factor in so many big games.

“The two of them are now getting towards the back end of their careers, and when they go, which sadly for all of us they will, it is going to be impossible to replace them.

“The exits of Ronaldo and Messi will level things quite significantly because those two players have been so far above everyone else in the world game for an extended period of time.”

Winter break benefit

Lineker also believes a winter break in the Premier League, which could be introduced for the 2019-20 season, would help level the playing field for English clubs in Europe.

He does, however, acknowledge the slower, more possession-based game favoured by most teams in Spain, regardless of where they are in the La Liga table, provides its clubs with an advantage.

“The way all the teams play in the Spanish league is not as physically combative as the English league, and that helps them at the back end of a long season when they also have a winter break to recharge the batteries.

“We are seeing that when the knock-out stages of the Champions League come around, teams from other countries look fresher than us.

“English teams have injuries and jaded players by the middle of February, which is one of the reasons why we have struggled in the Champions League in recent years.

“That is due in part to the fact that we have had the Christmas period that is so demanding, while other countries have a nice break at that time of the year.”

No lack of interest

Lineker, meanwhile, does not agree with Arsene Wenger’s claim from earlier in the season that the Champions League has “lost some attraction power” for supporters.

“People say interest is waning in the Champions league and I hear the same arguments raised about the England national team as well, but I disagree,” the BT Sport host says.

“When the World Cup comes around, everyone is gripped by international football and I would say the same is true for genuine football fans when we have the big games in the Champions League.

“Arsene Wenger might have said that interest is waning in the Champions League for some fans, but why might he have said that? Might it be that this is the first year in two decades that his Arsenal team are not in the competition?

“This is the biggest club competition and all football fans want to see it.

“Maybe Arsene was talking about Arsenal fans when he made that comment and I fully agree that they may well have lost interest in the Champions League this season for a very good reason.”

BT Sport has live and exclusive coverage of the Premier League, Emirates FA Cup and UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League this season.

Read more: http://www.planetfootball.com/in-depth/gary-lineker-la-liga-clubs-wont-dominate-once-messi-and-ronaldo-go/

Gossip: Will Manchester United target Barcelona trio?

MANCHESTER UNITED TARGET THREE BARCELONA PLAYERS

You really have to take plenty of what Don Balon says about transfer rumours with a pinch of salt, but they aren’t hanging about on Manchester United’s apparent summer plans.

We can just about get on board with a claim that United will sign Andre Gomes, on the basis that at least you can see Barcelona letting him leave. We can also believe that United might want to sign central defender Samuel Umtiti, given that he is young and brilliant. But Barcelona surely won’t let him go?

The most ballsy shout of all is that United will sign Marc Andre ter Stegen’s for €100m if David de Gea joins Real Madrid. Those are some weighty ifs and buts, and we can’t get on board with any of them.

HAZARD LOOKING FOR CHELSEA ESCAPE ROUTE
After watching him be left isolated a Chelsea played with a bank of five defenders and four midfielders against Manchester City, you can see why Eden Hazard might not be in the best of moods this week. He’s now publicly told Antonio Conte that he’d rather play on the left.

Hazard could easily ride out the storm at Chelsea, see Conte replaced and flourish again under a new manager, but the alternative is that this is the summer that he finally leaves English football. The Daily Mail say that the Belgian is now deliberately stalling over a new deal in order to try and tempt Real Madrid to make a bid for him.

Real would surely be tempted, but might their priority lie in buying a central striker? Paulo Dybala or Robert Lewandowski, perhaps.

SOUTHAMPTON WILL SACK PELLEGRINO WHATEVER HAPPENS
Now here is an interesting line in the Daily Mirror. They say that Southampton will sack manager Mauricio Pellegrino at the end of the season, even if they stay in the Premier League. That makes a good deal of sense, but it does beg the question of why they don’t get rid now, given the dreadful run of league form that has taken them close to the edge. What do they have to lose?

Anyway, the Mirror also have a couple of names for us on a possible replacement for Pellegrino. They say Ostersunds’ Graham Potter could get his chance in England, while Fulham’s Slavisa Jokanovic is another option if they fail to get promoted. That sounds like an excellent fit.

AND THE REST
Ramires would like to rejoin Chelsea… Stoke are interested in Real Betis midfielder Fabian Ruiz… Watford want Stevenage defender Ben Wilmot.

Read more: http://www.football365.com/news/gossip-will-manchester-united-target-barcelona-trio