The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Real Madrid

  • Real Madrid target Mbappe injured

    Real Madrid target Mbappe injured

     

    Real Madrid will be sweating on the fitness of top transfer target Kylian Mbappe after he went off injured during their opening match of the season on Friday evening.

    The suitors from La Liga face an anxious wait after the starlet valued at £178 million was substituted on 74 minutes with an apparent knee injury and was replaced by Allan Saint-Maximin.

    Monaco lost key players during the offseason but not their fighting spirit as the French champion started their title defence with a 3-2 win over Toulouse on Friday after twice coming from behind.

    Kamil Glik scored the winner with 20 minutes left after Jemerson and Radamel Falcao leveled twice for the hosts in the opening game of the season.

    Monaco were one of the most spectacular teams in Europe last season, scoring 107 league goals in 38 games to win the title eight points clear of Paris Saint-Germain.

    But the team was completely reshuffled this summer after the club sold left-back Benjamin Mendy, central midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, playmaker Bernardo Silva, forward Valere Germain and midfielder Nabil Dirar.

    Rivals PSG, in turn, has been boosted by Brazil star Neymar’s arrival for a world record £178m price tag.

    Monaco made a sloppy start on a hot evening but showed it still has the resources to defend its title, especially if star striker Kylian Mbappe decides to stay.

    The France international has been courted by major European teams and his future at Monaco remains unclear.

    Mbappe did not score but was involved in dangerous moves before he was substituted in the 74th minute with an injury believed to be to his knee.

    Monaco’s midfield also worked well, with Joao Moutinho releasing quick passes that caught out Toulouse’s static defence.  Zinedine Machach and Andy Delort scored for Toulouse.

  • Ronaldo shuns media after court appearance

    Ronaldo shuns media after court appearance

     

    Cristiano Ronaldo opted not to speak to reporters after making a court appearance in Madrid over his tax evasion case.

    The Real Madrid forward, who denies any wrongdoing, had been expected to make a statement after attending court proceedings in Pozuelo de Alarcon – the suburb where he lives – on Monday.

    But Ronaldo opted not to speak to reporters after the 90-minute session with a judge, Inaki Torres of his management company Gestifute instead speaking on his behalf, insisting “everything is in order” with the case.

    The announcement that Ronaldo, who did not enter or leave through the court’s main entrance, would not be speaking was met by boos from some sections of the gathered media.

    Prosecutors allege the 32-year-old has evaded €14.7million in taxes relating to his image rights between 2011 and 2014.

    The four-time Ballon d’Or winner is alleged to have created a “business structure” in 2010 to conceal his earnings, a claim which has also been strenuously denied by Gestifute.

    If Ronaldo’s case is sent to trial and he is ultimately found guilty, the Gestha union of experts at Spain’s Inland Revenue has said he could face a fine of “at least €28m” and a prison sentence of three-and-a-half years.

    The case has sparked intense speculation over Ronaldo’s future with his club after reports claimed he no longer wanted to play in Spain amid the scrutiny of his tax affairs, but he is now apparently set to stay.

    He is yet to join up with Madrid for their pre-season preparations due to his involvement in the Confederations Cup with Portugal in Russia.

    Madrid have offered Ronaldo their support and believe he will be proven innocent.

  • Real Madrid in record breaking deal with Mbappe

    Real Madrid in record breaking deal with Mbappe

     

    Real Madrid are set to smash the world transfer record after agreeing a deal worth €180million to sign Kylian Mbappe from Monaco, according to latest  report in Spain.

    Madrid-based newspaper Marca claim that the Spanish and European champions have struck a deal that would easily eclipse the world-record sum of €105m that Manchester United paid to Juventus to sign Paul Pogba last year.

    Madrid will pay €160m up front and at least a further €20m in add-ons relating to Mbappe’s success at the Santiago Bernabeu, it is reported.

    The France international is expected to sign a six-year contract that will see him earn €7m per year.

    Monaco had always appeared resolute in their determination to keep Mbappe despite speculation linking him with teams across Europe.

    The Ligue 1 champions threatened to involve FIFA after accusing unnamed clubs of making unauthorised approaches for the forward in recent weeks.

    It is said that head coach Zinedine Zidane has given the green light to the transfer after expressing concern at his lack of options in attack, with Madrid having sold Alvaro Morata and Mariano Diaz to Chelsea and Lyon respectively.

    Mbappe registered 26 goals and 14 assists in all competitions last season as Leonardo Jardim’s side claimed the league title, reached the final of the Coupe de la Ligue and the semi-final of the Champions League.

    Monaco have lost a number of stars since the end of last season, with Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy joining Manchester City and Tiemoue Bakayoko signing for Chelsea.

    Thomas Lemar has been linked with a move to Arsenal, meanwhile, and Fabinho has also been tipped for a transfer.

    Monaco did not respond when contacted by Omnisport, but are reported to have denied agreeing such a deal even as another report insists that the deal is seriously in the pipeline.

  • Bale shows off powerful legs in pre-season training

    Bale shows off powerful legs in pre-season training

    Real Madrid’s stars were putting in the hard yards at the University of California as the Spanish champions performed some grueling drills.

    The conditioning session in Los Angeles involved players lifting weights and leaping from boxes under the watchful gaze of Zinedine Zidane, with Gareth Bale looking in strong shape, showing off his leg muscles during an explosive plyometrics workout.

    Players were also pictured performing sit-ups in the scorching west coast sunshine as Real continued their pre-season preparation.

    Bale, Marcelo, Alvaro Morata and Co looked in great condition as the squad dressed in black vests and shorts for the session.

    Real still have plenty of time before their pre-season begins in earnest with a game against Manchester United on July 26 in the International Cup.

    The 12-time European Champions will continue to face elite level opposition in the United States, also taking on Manchester City and fierce rivals Barcelona.

    A game against the MLS All-Stars then concludes the tour before Los Blancos face United again in the UEFA Super Cup.

    The men behind the scenes are working hard at bringing in transfer targets and the next man to join up with the squad will be Dani Ceballos.

    The Real Betis midfielder signed a six-year deal after his club accepted a £14.5million bid for the highly-rated 20-year-old.

    After his unveiling at the Bernabeu, Ceballos will jet off to meet his new team-mates and partake in the shared suffering of pre-season training.

  • Armed customs officers invade Ronaldo’s yacht

    Armed customs officers invade Ronaldo’s yacht

    Armed customs officers are reported to have boarded Cristiano Ronaldo’s holiday yacht as part of an inspection.

    The Real Madrid star is said to have been stopped at high sea after leaving a restaurant on the paradise island of Formentera near Ibiza.

    Ronaldo, 32, was reportedly on the yacht with girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez and friends and family when the officials approached the vessel on a large boat.

    The Real Madrid star is said to have been stopped at high sea after leaving a restaurant on the paradise island of Formentera near Ibiza.

    The routine inspection is said to have lasted around an hour and a half.

    Spanish society magazine Hola, which broke the news today, published pictures on its website of three officials boarding the yacht.

    ‘One of Cristiano’s relatives was the person who dealt with the administrative work and showed them the documentation they asked for.

    ‘Ronaldo stayed very calm and at no time did he get up to speak to the officials or ask about what was happening.

    ‘He was with his girlfriend Georgina and his mother Dolores Aveiro, who he was seen chatting with inside the yacht.’

    The footballer and his entourage were understood to be on their way back to Ibiza when they were stopped.

    The inspection is believed to have formed part of routine checks performed on vessels in the area, related to the paperwork on board to make sure the correct taxes have been paid.

    The Customs agents are understood to have left after discovering everything on board Cristiano’s yacht, named as AYa London, was in order.

    Spanish Tax Agency officials are not expected to make any official comment.

    A source quoted by leading Spanish daily El Mundo described the inspection as ‘a routine control on vessels of the type that are carried out every summer in the Balearic Islands.’

    Customs agents are understood to have made their unexpected appearance just off the Formentera shoreline as Cristiano returned from a restaurant with his mother, girlfriend and children including his new surrogate twins Eva and Mateo.

    The Real Madrid star is currently enjoying his last few days holiday in the Balearics before the start of his club’s pre-season.

    Ronaldo is due to attend court at the end of the month to testify as part of an investigation into his tax affairs over claims he may have defrauded £12.9 million by paying insufficient tax over a four-year period.

    There is no suggestion the inspection and the court probe are linked in any way.

  • Rodriguez joins Bayern Munich on £40m loan deal

    Rodriguez joins Bayern Munich on £40m loan deal

    Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez has signed for Bayern Munich on a two-year loan deal – in a move that reunites him with Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti.

    Rodriguez will have a medical with the German giants before completing his move to the Allianz Arena – in a deal which could cost up to £40million.

    Bayern will also have an option to buy the Colombia international permanently at the end of the loan deal on June 30, 2019. The initial loan will cost them £9m with another £31m on top of that, should they wish to make it a permanent one too.

    Carlo Ancelotti signed James Rodriguez from Monaco in a deal that cost Real Madrid £63million in the summer of 2014 after a glorious World Cup.

    During their one season together they won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

    However, at the end of the 2014-15 season saw Carlo Ancelotti sacked by Real president Florentino Perez.

    Two seasons on though, Ancelotti and Rodriguez are reunited – this time at Bayern Munich – with the latter joining on a two-year loan to begin with.

    He will be a member of the Bayern squad that sets off on Sunday evening for their pre-season 12-day Audi Summer Tour to China and Singapore.

    Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge expressed his delight at the capture of the 25-year-old – revealing that he was Ancelotti’s main priority this summer.

    ‘We’re delighted we’ve been able to complete this transfer,’ he told the club’s official website.

    ‘Signing James Rodríguez was our coach Carlo Ancelotti’s biggest wish, following their successful spell working together in Madrid.

    ‘James is a very versatile player. He’s a goalscorer himself, he sets up a lot of goals and on top of that he’s great from set-pieces. There’s no question that this transfer further increases the quality in our team.’

    Ancelotti and Rodriguez worked together at Real Madrid with the latter joining in a £63million deal in the summer of 2014 from Monaco after excelling for his country at that year’s World Cup.

  • Ronaldo hails son over Brazil U18 call up

    Ronaldo hails son over Brazil U18 call up

     

    Ronaldo, of the Brazilian variety, appears to have passed on his exquisite footballing genes as his son prepares to follow in his footsteps.

    Ronald Nazario de Lima, who is the former Real Madrid star’s first son, has been selected to represent Brazil in this year’s Maccabiah games.

    The Maccabiah games is the third-largest sporting event in the world, with 10,000 athletes set to take part from 85 nations, and is often referred to as the Jewish Olympics.

    And this could well be the launchpad for the next generation of Ronaldo’s, with the Brazilians looking to catch up with the recent standards set by the Portuguese Cristiano.

    Ronald was born in Milan while his father was making his name for Inter in 1999. And if the 17-year-old needed any more footballing pedigree in his genes, his mum, Milene Domingues, was a Brazil international herself.

    His parents boast a combined 118 caps for Brazil and 775 club appearances — so a fairly well stocked footballing background.

    And Ronaldo was bursting with pride as his son set off for Jerusalem as he posted a photo of the team. He captioned the photo: ‘This is the Brazilian team representing the people in the World Macabbiah 2017.

    ‘A special hug for my son Ronald Lima, who is in the Under-18 soccer team. Good luck, guys! Go for it, Brazil!’

    Ronald himself is not Jewish but has often frequented Hebraica in Sao Paulo, a club that functions as a cross between a Jewish community centre and country club.

    His mother plays for Sao Paulo Hebraica women’s football and at 17 years old, the age her son is now, she broke the world record for the most keepy-ups with an incredible 55,187 touches.

  • Pepe Joins Besiktas From Real Madrid

    Pepe Joins Besiktas From Real Madrid

    Besiktas have completed the signing of Real Madrid defender Pepe.

    The Portuguese, who has represented Los Blancos for 10 years, failed to agree a new contract with the club and was tipped to sign for PSG.

    The 34-year-old even went as far as to have a medical with the Ligue 1 giants, according to Marca,but the deal fell through.

    The paper reported that Pepe would instead agree terms with Turkish club Besiktas, and would fly to Istanbul following the Confederations Cup.

     

    The Portuguese has left Real Madrid after a decade of service (Photo: @Besiktas/Twitter)

    According to reports in Turkey, the defender has signed on a three-year deal and will earn around €3.25million per season.

    Real fans have been keeping a close eye on the movement of the club veteran, who on Tuesday took to Twitter to tease out his next move ahead of an official announcement.

    Posting online, the 34-year-old uploaded an image of Besiktas’ stadium alongside the caption: “bu sene?” which translates as “this year?”

  • Man City needs 10 years to match Barca and Real Madrid

    Man City needs 10 years to match Barca and Real Madrid

    Manchester City needs 10 years to match the levels of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Juventus, according to manager Pep Guardiola.

    The 46-year-old’s first season in charge at the Etihad Stadium ultimately ended in relative disappointment, with City finishing third in the Premier League and failing to win a trophy.

    Their Champions League campaign was ended in the last 16 by Monaco, ensuring that Guardiola missed out on reaching at least the semi-final stage for the first time as a head coach.

    City have set about revamping the squad to improve their chances of silverware in 2017-18, having spent a reported £76.5million on Bernardo Silva and Ederson amid links with a number of other possible signings, including Alexis Sanchez and Benjamin Mendy.

    Guardiola insists that he will not change his methods in England but he has warned City fans that it takes a decade to establish the kind of success enjoyed by Europe’s dominant sides.

    “I’m not going to change because I don’t know how to do things in another way,” he told L’Esportiu.

    “Here, just as it is everywhere, it’s 11 against 11 and in the same space. The difference is that the referee allows more and then the game is more balanced.

    “I hope to do quite well, as I did in the first season, because I’ve enjoyed it. There are some people who say it hasn’t gone well but the exception is what we have done until now.

    “Seven years as a professional head coach and six league titles, and with respect to the one that was lost, there is plenty to discuss.

    Always in the Champions League semi-finals. This year, we weren’t there, but not even Barca have reached the semi-finals every year.

    “City are a great team, they’ve been in the Champions League for five consecutive years, the only team in England to have done so, but to reach Barca, Real Madrid, Bayern, Juventus… it’s very tough. You need time, a decade.”

  • Coentrao pays €1.7m in back-taxes and fines

    Coentrao pays €1.7m in back-taxes and fines

     

    Real Madrid defender Fabio Coentrao has paid €1.7 million in back-taxes and charges after appearing in court charged with alleged tax fraud.

    Coentrao, 29, ran into trouble with Spain’s “Hacienda” tax authority, who pressed charges after it was reported that he had not filed a return for the years 2011 through to 2014, and had been making use of a network of overseas companies to avoid paying €1,291,398 in taxes due on image rights income.

    The Portugal international attended the court of judge Monica Gomez Ferrer on Monday morning in Madrid and deposited the €1.7m which will reconcile his tax situation.

    Gomez Ferrer is also overseeing the case which sees Cristiano Ronaldo due in the same court on July 31 to answer charges of an alleged €14.7m tax fraud.

    On June 27, Coentrao’s agent Jorge Mendes also gave evidence in front of Gomez Ferrer in a case relating to an alleged €5.6m tax fraud involving Monaco striker Radamel Falcao. During that appearance Mendes told the court that he and Gestifute staff had no involvement whatsoever in tax issues, but solely concerned themselves with contract negotiations and sponsorship agreements.

    A group of European media outlets reported in December 2016 that Ronaldo and other Gestifute represented stars had used complicated accounting structures which saw their image rights income routed away from Spain’s tax system through a network of companies in Ireland, the British Virgin Islands, Panama and Switzerland.

    All the players involved have publicly stated that they never deliberately misled the authorities. Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho claimed his tax affairs are all currently up to date, while a source told ESPN FC that Ronaldo wants to quit the club and leave Spain this summer after being accused of tax evasion.

    Paris Saint-Germain winger Angel Di Maria recently accepted a one-year prison sentence and will pay a total of €2m in back-taxes and fines in a deal similar to that which saw his Argentina teammate Lionel Messi accept wrongdoing in summer 2016.

    Coentrao, who joined Madrid from Benfica for around €30m in 2011, will reportedly leave to join Sporting Lisbon on loan for the 2017-18 season having fallen out of favour under Zinedine Zidane.