Month: September 2019

A former Blues playmaker is a big fan of a man currently filling that role and believes the Belgian stands shoulder to shoulder with all-time greats

Eden Hazard boasts the same “beauty of football” as Barcelona icon Lionel Messi, says Joe Cole, with the Belgian forward “the most talented player to play for Chelsea”.

There are few talents in world football that are worth the entry fee alone in order to catch a glimpse of them in action.

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi certainly fits into that category, with the mercurial Argentine considered by many to be the best to have ever played the game.

Hazard is another with the ability to entertain and excite, with former Chelsea playmaker Cole seeing similarities between the 28-year-old and those considered to form part of the global elite.

The ex-Blues star told The Sun: “There’s not many players in the world I’d pay to watch. Probably two – and that’s Lionel Messi and Eden Hazard.

“Eden mesmerises you with what he can do with the ball.

“When he or Messi plays you just see the beauty of football.

“Sometimes with other greats you see the strain. Some people like the idea of that but with those two they make it seem easy. Footballers first, athletes second.

“If I was down to my last few pounds and I had to pay to take my kids to watch a player it would be Messi and Hazard.

“I remember at Lille’s training ground seeing Hazard score the best goal I’ve ever seen. He might not even remember but I do.

“I think the manager had left him out for a game for some reason. We played an 11-a-side and it was the first time I’ve ever seen Eden play angry.

“He picked up the ball from the full-back position, drove past three or four players and hit a shot similar to Ronaldo’s one against Porto which just arrowed in.

“There aren’t many moments in your career where a goal stops training and everyone just applauds. Still, to this day it’s the best goal I can recall.

“Anyway, he was back in the team for the next game.”

It could be that Hazard’s skill set gets just one more outing for Chelsea.

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He is currently preparing for a Europa League final date with Arsenal on Wednesday, but reports continue to suggest that he will soon be on his way to Real Madrid.

Hazard is about to enter the final year of his contract, leading to those at Stamford Bridge being backed into a corner, but Cole claims a talismanic figure has already cemented a place among the all-time greats.

He added: “If it is to be his last game his name will stand alongside the likes of Peter Osgood, Gianfranco Zola, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, John Terry. He stands shoulder to shoulder with them.

“I stand by my claim he is the most talented player to play for Chelsea.”

The South American forward has been heavily linked with a move away from Turin, but the Serie A champions see him as an important part of their plans

Juventus have reiterated that they have no intention of offloading Paulo Dybala, with the Argentine part of their plans despite ongoing talk of interest from Manchester United.

A summer switch has been mooted for the South American after slipping down the pecking order at the Serie A champions.

The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018 has nudged Dybala out of his favoured position and into more of a support role.

It has been suggested that United, among others, would be happy to provide the 25-year-old with a clean slate and a new challenge.

Members of Dybala’s family have claimed that a change of scenery could be considered, but Juve have no intention of opening themselves up to offers.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici told reporters when quizzed on the future of a man who has netted 78 goals across four seasons with the Bianconeri: “He is one of our players, we have great confidence in him.

“The investment we made four years ago and the renewal of the contract is proof of this.

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“Dybala is a Juventus player, a very important player for us.”

Questions around a proven performer at the highest level appear set to rumble on despite Juve’s insistence that he is not for sale.

Dybala himself has also sought to quash the rumours by stating his desire to remain with the Italian title holders.

He has said: “Paratici knows what I want to do next year – to keep playing here.

“Paratici knows that next year I want to continue here. Then it doesn’t depend on me.

“Juventus must make its choices with the coach that will come. But society knows it – next year I want to stay here.

“I have a lot of respect for this shirt and for these fans, and because of this I will only talk about Juventus, not about other teams, because that seems to me a lack of respect.”

Juventus are currently looking to bring in a new coach after seeing Massimiliano Allegri walk away at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.

Dybala will be hoping to figure in the plans of whoever is appointed, but it could be that further transfer talk is sparked before and during the next window.

The 24-year-old was the star of the show in England’s 5-3 defeat of Kosovo, with his manager suggesting he can reach the very top

England manager Gareth Southgate has backed Raheem Sterling to become the world’s best player. 

Sterling has grown to play a key role for England with a stunning run of eight goals in his past eight appearances demonstrating his importance for Southgate’s side.

At club level Sterling has grown in stature as well, helping Manchester City to their second straight Premier League title last season by scoring 17 league goals.

With Cristiano Ronaldo now 34 and Lionel Messi 32, the pair’s dominance of global football is set to end in the coming years. 

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Southgate believes that Sterling, 24, has what it takes to reach the stature of that legendary duo. 

“There are obviously some outstanding players around,” Southgate said. “But he will give himself every chance, because he’s got the drive, he’s got the professionalism, he’s got the ability, he’s strong, he’s physically and mentally strong for such a small statured lad. 

Sterling initially struggled to turn his club form for Manchester City into high-level performances for the Three Lions, regularly facing strong criticism over his performances.

He branded himself “The Hated One” in a post on social media while enduring a difficult time during England’s unsuccessful Euro 2016 campaign.

The attacker has also become a social figurehead, drawing praise for speaking out over racism and going viral for his interactions with supporters, with manager Southgate delighted to have a front-row seat to Sterling’s continued rise to superstardom.

“For me, it’s lovely to see the shift in the public opinion of him,” Southgate said of the 24-year-old.

“That’s still a brave thing to decide that: ‘Right, I’m going to own that space and I’m going to put my own views across’. But those views represent many as well, so I think he’s aware of the power of his voice, but he also doesn’t waste it.

“I think he was very forthright in his social media posts [about racism]. I think he raised everybody’s awareness and made us all think, which was very mature and impressive. And, at the same time, he rose to the challenge with his club, with new signings coming in.

“You know, when you are at a club like that, to keep fighting off the quality of players that he has; and straight away with us, got the goals in Spain – first game after the World Cup for him, really. Croatia away, Spain. I think it was such a huge weight lifted for him, he almost jumped six foot in the stadium, didn’t he? 

“So I think from that moment – because he did come home a bit sad after the World Cup, there’s no hiding from that. He didn’t deserve to feel that way, but that’s as he was, so it’s lovely to see the recognition he’s getting and how much extra I think that’s bringing out of him.”

Asked how Sterling will have felt to have been made a scapegoat earlier in his international career, Southgate said: “Difficult for me to say. I can only imagine. Everyone wants to be liked, don’t they?

“Everybody, players give their all. He’s a player that has always given his all… You know how much it means to him, how much he wants to do well.

“So, I think it’s for him to reflect on how he might have felt then and, for me, it’s just lovely to see a young man establishing himself, at the real top table in the game.”

Albert Celades has been named as head coach at Valencia three games into the new season, with two of the club’s stars far from happy

Ezequiel Garay has extraordinarily hit out at Valencia for sacking Marcelino three matches into the new La Liga season.

Marcelino departed on Wednesday despite leading the club to successive top-four finishes in the past two campaigns.

He also won the Copa del Rey with the club last term – beating Barcelona in the final – but following a reported falling out with owner Peter Lim he has been replaced by Albert Celades.

Garay, who started all three La Liga games this season under Marcelino, made his feelings clear with an explosive social media post.

“After many years with you (not just at Valencia) I know perfectly well who you are, both professionally and personally,” he wrote on Instagram. 

“But I’m not just thinking about that, you’ve shown that to everybody. Because actions speak louder than words and you have had a clean, transparent and healthy journey. You are walking out the front door sir.

“Who ever made this decision did NOT just walk over you, they have dragged the whole team and support down with them, something I will say loud and clear: IT’S NOT FAIR.”

Dani Parejo, Valencia’s captain, also was unimpressed with the club’s call to replace Marcelino, and credited the coach with making him and the club better. 

“Sir, I wish you the best.,” Parejo wrote on Twitter alongside a photograph of him embracing the coach. 

“I am sure you’ll do well wherever you go and work. Thanks for making this club bigger and me a better footballer.”

 

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The former Italy star criticised both the forward and his new club following his recent loan move

Paolo Di Canio blasted Mauro Icardi following the forward’s move to Paris Saint-Germain, calling the Argentinian striker “undisciplined” while adding that he is “incapable of doing anything a modern striker should be able to do”.

The former Inter striker finally departed the club just ahead of the close of the transfer window, ending a months-long standoff between the striker and his agent and wife Wanda Nara and the Italian club.

Icardi was stripped of the captaincy at San Siro in January and then excluded from training with the rest of the squad this season, prompting links with the likes of Juventus, Napoli, Monaco and Atletico Madrid.

But it was PSG who swooped in and signed the forward, who agreed a one-year contract extension that keeps him tied to Inter until 2022 while joining PSG on loan for the season.

The club have given PSG a reported €70 million option to buy Icardi at the end of the campaign as part of the loan deal.

Di Canio, though, says Icardi and PSG are a match made in heaven as he fired criticism at the player, his wide and the club.

“But seriously, why did Ancelotti want someone like Icardi, unable to apologise to his team-mates for the words of his wife-agent,” he said according to Il Mattino.

“And then, also from a technical point of view, Carlo needs an imaginative striker like [Dries] Mertens. Icardi scores only when the ball arrives with a cross from the end line. For the rest, incapable of doing anything a modern striker should be able to do.

“If he does not score he never gives a hand to the team. Him at PSG? No wonder, because the French club is the natural landing place for undisciplined players.”

Icardi was prolific during his time at Inter, having scored 124 goals in 219 appearances for the Nerazzurri.

The forward could be in line to make his PSG debut in Ligue 1 against Strasbourg this weekend.

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After that, the club will turn its focus towards the start of the Champions League and a marquee matchup against Real Madrid in their opening group match.

 

The 18-year-old has inked an extension despite suffering a major knee injury during the pre-season this summer

Paul Glatzel believes his new Liverpool contract is “a massive show of faith” from the club as he recovers from his long-term knee injury.

The Reds announced on Wednesday that the 18-year-old had put pen to paper on a new long-term deal at Anfield, despite being expected to miss the rest of the current season with a knee problem.

Glatzel, who captained Liverpool’s under-18 team to FA Youth Cup glory last season, ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament playing for Jurgen Klopp’s senior side in a pre-season friendly at Tranmere in July. 

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At Klopp’s insistence, his rehabilitation will be carried out at Melwood, in and around the first-team, and Glatzel says that fact, plus his contract, will benefit him as he seeks to return to action.

He said: “I was disappointed to get my injury at the start of the season, but it’s a great feeling and it shows that the club has got faith in me. Now I can just focus on my rehab and get back on the pitch.

“The contract makes it easier. It’s massive. Mentally, it’s good to be able to focus on the rehab and know that there’s people that have faith in me and they know I’ll come back from my injury stronger and I’ll be ready when I’m back on the pitch.”

Glatzel revealed that it would be eight months before he will be ready to return. The striker, who has been with the Reds since the age of eight, has already overcome one significant setback in his young career having suffered a broken leg as an under-16 player, and says that experience will stand him in good stead in the coming months.

“Knowing that I’ve done it before helps a lot because I know I’ve got the mindset for it and I know I can do it,” he said. “It’s just the long process and I’ve got to believe in myself and trust the physios as well. I know I can do it, so it will help me. 

“I was looking forward to pre-season, I’d done quite a bit in the summer to be ready for pre-season because I thought I might get an opportunity. Obviously half an hour in or whatever, and it’s all come tumbling down and the season is gone for me. But with this contract now hopefully I’ve got the [future] to make an impact.”

Reflecting on the aftermath of the injury, he added: “It was quite a tough time, to be honest. I was quite low, probably the lowest I’ve been. Even though I’ve had quite a few injuries, that was probably the toughest to take just because I was on such a high and I was doing quite well. 

“The days after weren’t a great place but everyone got around me and I’m in a good place now just getting ready for the rehab and getting back.”

The Gunners academy coach believes that it is only a matter of time before the club’s new Brazilian signing shows his best form at the Emirates

David Luiz will learn from the mistakes he has made early in his Arsenal career, according to Per Mertesacker.

The defender has struggled since signing from Chelsea, making high-profile errors in Premier League games against Liverpool and north London rivals Tottenham.

Arsenal are fifth into the table ahead of Sunday’s trip to Watford and Gunners academy manager Mertesacker feels the Brazilian will bounce back.

“I think he will learn from his mistakes on the pitch, but he is very comfortable being at Arsenal,” former Germany centre-back Mertesacker told Sky Sports.

“That’s what I have been seeing. So we are happy to have him.

“He brings something different to the table right now. So I think he is able to learn and excel his level of being an Arsenal player.”

Arsenal began a match with their starry front three for the first time against Tottenham as Unai Emery selected new signing Nicolas Pepe alongside Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in attack.

Lacazette and Aubameyang scored to help Arsenal fight back from 2-0 down to claim a draw at home, but Mertesacker feels the Gunners may need a tactical rethink.

“I think we have a lack of balance right now, where you feel like, OK we have amazing strikers but they as well need to understand that we need to have a certain compactness,” Mertesacker said.

“It’s not only about our three strikers providing an offensive threat. It is about these front three as well, leading the first front line as being a defensive unit.

“So I think we need to be cautious of that. No matter how much striking power you have got, you need to have a sense of defensive compactness from everyone.”

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Smart vending machines and individual screens offer providers ways to monetize daily commutes

Public transportation is a critical part of a city’s infrastructure. Yet its advancement has not kept pace with technological development, setting the stage for artificial intelligence to lend a helping hand.

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In the eyes of tech gurus like DeepBlue Technology, transportation services are straining under the load and commuters are being driven to consider other forms of transport in urban environments.

For transport providers such as city governments and bus operators, one major pain point is that the industry is considered a loss-making venture in order to benefit the wider public, said Chen Haibo, founder and CEO of DeepBlue, a Shanghai-based AI startup.

“Some efforts have been made to address this issue – such as privatization and price discrimination – but these solutions do not tackle the root cause, which is that the bare-bones services offered often do not meet commuter needs,” Chen said.

Riding to the rescue is a solution known as Panda Bus, which uses a combination of AI technologies including computer vision, biometrics, autonomous driving and voice recognition to give buses a digital makeover.

The self-driving smart Panda fleet is already operating in 10 cities across China, with the latest expansion in Shanghai in August. The goal is to reach 20 cities by the end of this year.

Apart from self-driving, the vehicles promise to monetize the downtime of a daily commute, which Chen deemed as a genuine game changer.

NEW YORK – Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu, who dominated legendary Serena Williams in the US Open final last Saturday to win her first Grand Slam title, says she’s not done yet.

Since claiming the title in her US Open main-draw debut, Andreescu has had a photo shoot with the trophy atop Rockefeller Center and appeared on several US television shows to discuss her historic win.

“I never thought it would be this hectic, but I’m not complaining,” Andreescu, 19, said on Good Morning America.

“This is truly an amazing accomplishment, but I could definitely get used to this feeling. I’m not done yet.”

Andreescu produced a bold and brilliant performance to secure a 6-3, 7-5 win to deny former world No 1 Williams a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title.

With the win, Andreescu has jumped to a career-high fifth in the world rankings a year after sitting outside the top 200.

She also extended a 13-match unbeaten run, during which she won the Canadian Open.

The first Canadian – male or female – to win a Grand Slam title, Andreescu will now have to get used to her celebrity status as she is headline news back home.

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“It hasn’t really sunk in,” she said on Live With Kelly& Ryan. “I didn’t really have the time to see what’s happening in my life right now. It’s been a crazy year for me, and being able to hold this trophy is pretty awesome.”

Andreescu, who also appeared on Today, The View and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to discuss her victory, said she has spent plenty of time reflecting on her journey to the US Open crown.

“I started playing tennis at the age of seven, and ever since then I’ve been dreaming of this moment,” she told Good Morning America.

“I don’t think I was ever as composed as I am now, or even a year ago. I would get really down on myself and have very negative thoughts going through my mind. I would smash rackets. I’d just yell at myself during matches.

“But I found that wasn’t working to my advantage at all, so I started…seeking some advice from other people.

“Ever since then, I’ve been trying to have a very positive outlook on everything. I think that’s really been helping me, even in tough situations.”

Barty back on top

Meanwhile, Australia’s Ashleigh Barty has reclaimed the No 1 spot in the WTA rankings less than a month after losing it while Andreescu has moved up to a career-high No 5.

French Open champion Barty exited the US Open in the last 16 but regained the No 1 spot after last year’s champion Naomi Osaka of Japan was also knocked out at the same stage.

Osaka, who beat Williams in last year’s final, slipped to fourth in the rankings with Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic and Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina leapfrogging her to move up to second and third respectively.

Wimbledon champion Simona Halep fell two places to sixth while Williams slipped one spot to ninth despite her run to the final.

In the ATP rankings, there was no change in the top three with Novak Djokovic leading men’s champion Rafa Nadal, who won his 19th Grand Slam on Sunday, and Roger Federer. This year’s New York runner-up Daniil Medvedev moved up to a career-high fourth.

Medvedev, a 6-foot-6 Russian, has had a stellar record since a third-round exit at Wimbledon, reaching the finals of his past four tournaments and winning the Cincinnati Masters last month.

Reuters

Chinese teen reveals major ambitions after making breakthrough at this week’s prestigious Zhengzhou Open

Chinese teenager Wang Meiling is already dreaming of winning a Grand Slam after playing in her first WTA Premier 700 event this week.

The 19-year-old, who reached the main draw at the inaugural ICBC Credit Card Zhengzhou Open through the qualification rounds, showed plenty of promise in her debut at the tournament on Tuesday before eventually succumbing 6-3,6-4 to world No 53 Polona Hercog of Slovenia.

“I was both nervous and excited before the start of the match,” Wang told China Daily. “However, I told myself there’s nothing to worry as I was playing against such a high-ranking player. I just needed to try my best.

“I always consider Zhengzhou my lucky place. I made many breakthroughs here in different matches. So far my biggest achievement is to qualify for the Zhengzhou Open.

“I wish to go further in the future. I hope one day I can not only play in a Grand Slam but also win one.”

Wang is in elite company at the newly upgraded Zhengzhou Open, which offers $1.5 million in total prize money and features a host of big names, including world No 2 Karolina Pliskova, No 3 Elina Svitolina and former world No 4 Caroline Garcia.

Wang made a special effort to go and watch her idol Garcia in action－a first-round victory over Tereza Martincova of the Czech Republic.

“After the qualification rounds, I hoped she (Wang) would have a rest back at the hotel,” said Zhang Xingguo, Wang’s coach. “But the little girl told me that she would stay because she wanted to watch Caroline Garcia’s first-round match. She just wanted to learn.”

And Wang hopes one day she will get the chance to test herself against the French star. “I’d be super excited, but I’d show her what I’m capable of,” said the plucky teen.

The Zhengzhou Open marks the start of the Asian swing for Wang, with coach Zhang hoping his charge can win enough matches in China to get a shot at qualifying for next year’s first major, the Australian Open.

“From now on she needs to play her best to earn as many ranking points as possible,” said Zhang. “There are seven more matches in China for us to play. If we can have good results, we can enter the qualification for the Australian Open next year.

“Just like the Zhengzhou Open, there are more and more high-level tennis tournaments in China now. Women’s tennis is becoming more and more important in China. There are more chances for Wang’s generation to level up their world rankings.”

Indeed, young Chinese pros have never had it so good in that regard.

When China’s International Tennis Hall of Famer and two-time Grand Slam champion Li Na played her first professional match in 2000, there was just one WTA event in the world’s most populous nation. Now there are nine, with the arrival of the WTA Finals in Shenzhen this October undoubtedly the most significant addition.

“Compared to the time when I was their age, the generation of Wang Meiling enjoys a much better environment. I believe this generation can achieve big things,” said Lu Jiajing, a 29-year-old Chinese qualifier in Zhengzhou.

Wang is also taking inspiration from another trailblazing 19-year-old－Canadian Bianca Andreescu, who stunned the world last weekend by defeating 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in the US Open final.

“I was shocked to learn the result of the US Open, as I’m the same age as Andreescu,” said Wang. “There are still so many things for me to learn. I need to improve step by step.”

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