The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Benjamin Mendy

  • ‘We can limit outstanding Messi’, says France coach Deschamps

    France have a number of options to limit Lionel Messi’s influence in their round of 16 clash against Argentina coach Didier Deschamps said on Friday.

    However, the French coach also resigned that he could turn the match in an instant.

    Messi has yet to light up the World Cup in a stuttering Argentina side.

    But his clinical strike in the 2-1 win over Nigeria underlined the danger the Barcelona forward will present Deschamp’s side at the Kazan Arena on Saturday.

    “Messi is Messi, look at his statistics, 65 goals in 127 matches,” Deschamps told reporters at the stadium.

    “It’s straightforward, hopefully we would like to neutralise him, but we know very well he can make the difference with very little.

    “When you play Argentina and Messi on the pitch there are several solutions to limit his impact.”

    France will look to boss the midfield in a bid to limit supply to the lethal 31-year-old, who has struggled to impose himself in the tournament.

    He will also hope their defence can continue to hold firm after conceding only one goal in the group phase.

    Read Also: Super Eagles are unbeatable without Messi – Rojo

    Deschamps said full back Benjamin Mendy had been ruled out with a “small muscle injury”.

    The Manchester City defender returned as a second half substitute in the 0-0 draw against Denmark after missing the opening games against Australia and France.

    France may face more queries up forward, however, where their array of attacking talents have yet to dominate.

    Striker Antoine Griezmann is under pressure to perform after being off the pace in the dull Denmark draw, and he has only got on the scoresheet with a penalty in the opening 2-1 win over Australia.

    Captain and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris backed Griezmann to make his mark at the tournament.

    “It is normal that there are expectations around Antoine,” said Lloris.

    “He’s one of the top players, he’s done a major Euro competition and feels like being one of the great players of this World Cup.”

    Although sailing through the group phase, the scoreless draw against Denmark raised concerns about Les Bleus’ momentum heading into the Argentina blockbuster.

    Lloris said his team was only looking ahead, however.

    “As we said, this is a new tournament that begins, and I think we have to depend on our collective strength, on a defensive solidity and we know our attacking potential,” Lloris added.

    “We have a lot of young but talented players who can make a difference at any moment of the game.”

    NAN

  • Flintoff nets £3million profit from home he never lived 

     

    Cricket legend Freddie Flintoff has made a £3million profit selling a home he has never even lived in.

    The former England all-rounder bought the seven-bedroom property in a Macclesfield road popular with footballers for £1.8million in 2008.

    He then flattened it and spent two years building a luxury property, which he has since rented out.

    But the League of Their Own host has now sold it for £4.8million to Manchester City’s left back Benjamin Mendy.

    The mansion has been passed around some the UK’s most famous sports stars in recent years.

    Flintoff, 40, initially bought the mansion from former Manchester City manager Mark Hughes, who already had planning permission to completely rebuild the property

    After his original plans for a four-storey property were rejected by the council over fears from neighbours that it would be too big, Flintoff settled for a two-storey 9,000 square foot mansion.

    The lavish six-bedroom property boasts a gym and two swimming pools in the basement, with everything from running a bath the light switches controlled from a remote.

    Flintoff is said to have never actually spent a night in the house after he decided to move to Dubai in 2010, before moving to Surrey in 2011 with wife Rachael.

    The house was sold to footballer Benjamin Mendy in November after a previous sale fell through.

    Mendy won’t be the first football star to move in as Flintoff previously rented the house to Peter Crouch and his wife Abbey Clancy in 2011, after he was unable to sell it.

    Situated on a street once dubbed ‘most expensive road in the north’, Mendy will also have Rooney and Coleen and Robbie Savage as his neighbours.

  • Man city laments Mendy injury

    Man city laments Mendy injury

     

    Manchester City have suffered a huge setback after Pep Guardiola confirmed that his new £52million signing Benjamin Mendy will be out of action for ‘months’ with a knee injury.

    Mendy missed Tuesday night’s Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk after limping off against Crystal Palace at the weekend.

    The France left back will fly to Barcelona for more tests on Wednesday but Guardiola admits he fears the worst after losing Ilkay Gudogan to a knee injury for nine months last season.

    ‘Our first impression is that it will it be a little long, longer than we expected,’ said the City boss. ‘We would miss him a lot – it would be a major setback.

    ‘It’s very frustrating for him. Like what happened last year with Ilkay Gundogan, I feel really sad. For the way we want to play, he is a unique player.’

    Asked if Mendy’s injury will force him into the transfer market for a new defender in January, Guardiola replied:

    ‘We will see. We thought next summer about looking for another left back, another replacement.

    ‘We have alternatives in our squad in Danilo, (Fabian) Delph, Fernandinho, even (Oleksandr) Zinchenko.’

    Midfielder Delph replaced Mendy on Tuesday night and expressed sympathy for his stricken team-mate.

    ‘It’s a massive loss,’ he said. ‘We’re all devastated he’s out injured. Hopefully it’s not too bad.’

    Guardiola was delighted with the win and brushed aside questions over Sergio Aguero’s failure to convert a 72nd-minute penalty that would have seen him equal Eric Brook’s all-time scoring record for City.

    ‘It doesn’t matter, the next time he is going to score a goal,’ said Guardiola. ‘He doesn’t need 50 goals to break the record, just one.’

  • Man City unveils £52m Benjamin Mendy

    Man City unveils £52m Benjamin Mendy

     

    Manchester City have taken their spending on full backs this summer up to £133million after completing the signing of Benjamin Mendy from Monaco.

    The French defender is the third full back to join the club this summer following the captures of Kyle Walker and Danilo.

    The France international joins Pep Guardiola’s side in a £52m deal after flying out to Los Angeles to undergo a medical and join his new team-mates on their tour of America on Sunday.

    The 23-year-old has signed a five-year deal and will wear the No 22 shirt at the Etihad Stadium.

    He is primed to make his debut for his new side in Wednesday’s pre-season friendly with Real Madrid in LA.

    Speaking to the club’s website, Mendy admitted: ‘I am absolutely delighted to be joining Manchester City.

    ‘They are one of Europe’s leading clubs and in Pep Guardiola they have a manager committed to playing attacking football.

    ‘I am sure that over the next few years we will be successful.’

    The left back tweeted himself that it was: ‘a dream come true to play under Pep’s orders’.

    City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, added: ‘Benjamin has all the qualities we are looking for in a full back. For such a young player, he has a wealth of top-level experience.

    ‘He is undoubtedly one of the world’s best full backs, our number one target in this position. We are all delighted to have him here at Manchester City.

    ‘I’m sure he will prove a fantastic addition to the squad.’