أكد محمود فتح الله المدرب العام بالجهاز الفني لفريق الكرة الأول بنادي بيراميدز، جاهزية اللاعبين لمواجهة حوريا كوناكري الغيني في نصف نهائي بطولة الكونفدرالية.

ويستعد بيراميدز لمواجهة حوريا كوناكري في موقعة من مباراة واحدة، لحسم بطاقة الصعود لنهائي البطولة القارية ومواجهة نهضة بركان المغربي.

طالع | كاف يعلن حكم مباراة بيراميدز وحوريا الغيني في نصف نهائي كأس الكونفدرالية

وقال فتح الله في تصريحات تلفزيونية بفضائية “أون تايم سبورتس”: “كل الأمور تسير على ما يرام، واللاعبين في حالة تركيز حتى نعود من المغرب بالكأس”.

وأضاف: “عبد الله السعيد وباقي اللاعبين جاهزين، وهذه من المرات القليلة التي يشهد الفريق تواجد الجميع”.

وأردف: “عبد الله السعيد ونبيل عماد دونجا تعرضا لكدمة طفيفة، وجاهزان وباقي اللاعبين أيضًا”.

وواصل: “فريق حوريا جيد ولديه لاعبين محترمين، ونحن من بداية البطولة هدفنا التتويج”.

وأتم: “نحاول حل أزمة الإجهاد البدني بسبب ضغط المباريات الفترة الماضية، ولكن نمتلك لاعبين رجال يشعرون بالمسؤولية، وهذا شئ يجعلنا مطمئنين كجهاز فني ومسؤولين”.

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Manchester City crashed out of the Champions League despite beating Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, but it could have all been so different had manager Pep Guardiola brought Leroy Sane on to the pitch earlier.

The hosts had the result they needed to advance when Sergio Aguero made it 4-2 on the night with just over half-an-hour to play, but it was at that point that the Spanish boss made a mistake.

Instead of trying to go for the goal that would have put the tie out of sight, he instead brought on Fernandinho for David Silva four minutes later.

You can understand his thinking in many ways to try and bring some calm to what was a completely crazy encounter, and he perhaps could have got away with it as long as he brought Sane on to the pitch shortly afterwards.

Instead, they were pegged back on aggregate when Fernando Llorente in the 73rd minute, but even then Guardiola waited another 11 minutes before bringing the Germany international on for Benjamin Mendy.

Are Man City better than Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’? Fans discuss in the video below…

The 23-year-old had little time to make an impact and get at what was a tired Tottenham backline, and the night was to end in disappointment for the Cityzens when Raheem Sterling’s last-gasp goal was ruled out by VAR.

While he deserves so many plaudits for the impact he has made during his time on the blue side of Manchester, the former Barcelona boss cost his side here by being too negative.

Had he introduced Sane 15 minutes earlier it would have given Mauricio Pochettino’s men an extra attacking threat to deal with, and that would have been vital to their tie and seen them progress to a semi-final shoot-out with Ajax.

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Watford are a side with a stark history of staging dramatic comebacks to triumph in the face of adversity, but even the most optimistic of fans would have been struggling to see a way back for their side at 2-0 down on Sunday.

Wolves were largely fancied by the British media in the pre-match buildup, with their convincing giant-killing of Manchester United in the quarter-final lending reason to believe that a place in the final was beckoning.

But the impact of Gerard Deulofeu from the substitutes bench saw the Hornets stage a historic comeback at Wembley to book their place in the final against Manchester City next month.

The diminutive Spaniard dominated the post-match headlines after scoring a sensational goal to half the deficit before landing the decisive knockout blow in extra-time.

It was the type of cameo performance which naturally evokes interest from journalists and pundits worldwide and, with that in mind, Football FanCast have rounded up a selection of the reaction to the 25-year-old’s deadly impact on the big stage…

Simon Burnton – The Guardian

Simon Burnton of The Guardian drew comparisons with Deulofeu’s first strike of the game and the subtle yet exquisitely intricate motion of a spin bowler.

Just like fans of Australian cricket ritually re-watch videos of bamboozling Shane Warne googlies, Deulofeu’s strike will be replayed by nostalgic Watford fans for decades to come – bowling Gerard!

‘Deulofeu’s first goal, 13 minutes after coming on, was an act of defiance and a thing of beauty, the Spaniard collecting the ball in the area after Romain Saïss headed down a José Holebas long throw, looking up, assessing his options, deciding none of them amounted to much and then flicking his ankle like a cricketing spinner turns his wrist to impart dip and curl on the ball and transform a situation from which little seemed possible into a large stride towards glory.’

Ron Walker – Sky Sports

Sky Sports’ Ron Walker raised a valid point regarding a facet of Deulofeu’s performance which slightly went under the radar within the media storm surrounding his goal scoring exploits.

The former Barcelona prodigy was not only scintillating in the final-third but also a solid defensive pawn.

His devilish charisma in the attacking phase was supplemented with a tireless work-rate and desire to preserve Watford’s defensive shape.

‘The winning goal was meat and drink compared to that strike and while it is unfortunate the substitute had to return to the bench after injuring himself towards the end of extra-time, it summed up his short afternoon that he was hurt tracking back to cut out Ruben Vinagre’s run.’

Phil McNulty – BBC Sport

BBC’s chief football writer, Phil McNulty, left readers with no uncertainty in how highly he regarded the game-changing impact provided by Deulofeu.

The player who once played alongside Lionel Messi in Catalonia was afforded praise of the highest esteem.

McNulty suggested the world’s most gifted footballer of all time would have been watching on with fond admiration when the ball was caressed into John Ruddy’s goal.

‘This maverick 25-year-old, a player of undoubted talent but unfulfilled potential at Barcelona, Everton, Sevilla and AC Milan, chose what looked like Watford’s losing cause to produce a cameo performance as substitute that will write his name into Vicarage Road folklore.

‘Lionel Messi would have appreciated the stroke of genius from his former Nou Camp team-mate that put Watford back in the game after 79 minutes, an astonishing instinctive flick from the angle of the penalty area that sent the ball arcing over Wolves keeper John Ruddy into the top corner.’

The Verdict

The genius behind Deulofeu’s display lay within Gracia’s pre-match decision to omit him from the starting XI. It takes genuine cojones (credit Troy Deeney) to drop a player of his calibre for a high-magnitude fixture, but it was one which ultimately gave Watford’s match-winner the motivation to do something truly special on the big stage.

Not only was this an act of defiance against Wolves’ dream of reaching the final of the FA Cup, this was a rebellion against Gracia’s selection; a reminder to his manager that for however cold he might blow on a Tuesday night against Fulham he can equally blow hot on a Sunday afternoon at the home of English football.

It has been quite a decade for John Stones’ career.

From representing Barnsley in the Championship to starting a World Cup semi-final for his country in 2018, the defender’s rise to prominence has been nothing short of spectacular.

The England international was signed as a child by the Tykes in 2001 and became one of the club’s stand-out players in the youth system as he climbed through the ranks at Oakwell. After signing his first contract at Barnsley, Stones made his first senior appearance aged just 18 in a 4-0 home defeat against Reading before making an instant impact in his full-debut for the club in a League Cup tie the following season. With Barnsley facing Rochdale, he headed in an equaliser for his hometown-club and helped them prevail in extra time, avoiding what would have a shock upset in the competition.

His good performances in the cup competitions for the Tykes allowed Stones to establish himself as a key player for the Tykes during the first-half of the 2012/13 campaign as he made 26 appearances, catching the eye of then-Everton boss David Moyes. Having been impressed by the defender’s performances in the Championship, the Scotsman decided to sign him for the Toffees in January 2013.

After several months spent watching from the sidelines at Goodison Park, Stones was finally given the opportunity to play regularly in the 2013/14 season by Moyes’ replacement Roberto Martinez who encouraged him to develop his ball-playing skills. Three successful years saw the former Barnsley man grow into a promising young central defender at Everton as he made 95 appearances for the club in all competitions.

However, despite the Toffees’ historical stature, Stones knew that in order to achieve modern day success, he needed to move on and so when Manchester City came calling, he made his choice to leave. Thanks to a £47.5m deal being agreed between the two Premier League clubs, Barnsley received a healthy sum of £6.79m (according to the Guardian) due to their agreement to include a 15% sell-on clause when they sold him to Everton.

Since joining City, Stones’ career has gone from strength to strength as he was won three major trophies with the club including a record-breaking Premier League triumph last season. On an individual note, the 24-year-old has developed into one of England’s best defenders under the guidance of the masterful Pep Guardiola.

Now a mainstay for his country when fit, Stones scored twice in last year’s World Cup and played an integral role in helping his country reach the semi-final of the competitions, their best result in a major competition in 22 years.

With City now fighting to complete an historic quadruple, the defender could be on course to be remembered as being a key cog in one of football’s all-time greatest sides.

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According to Football Insider, Leeds United will hold contract talks with star midfielder Kalvin Phillips at the end of the season, and convincing him to sign a new and improved extension would be their most important deal of the summer.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 23-year-old’s current contract at Elland Road is due to expire at the conclusion of the 2020/2021 campaign, and while discussions between the two parties were underway at the beginning of the season, Football Insider say they were put on the backburner at the beginning of 2019.

Now the same source reveals that the Yorkshire outfit will wait until May at the very earliest to try and tie one of their key players down, with Premier League clubs beginning to circle.

The Whites may be waiting to see which division they find themselves in before making their offer, and that is probably a sensible decision given the Championship situation they currently find themselves in.

Best deal of the summer

Whether Leeds go up or remain in England’s second tier, ensuring Phillips commits his future to them will be their most important achievement in the close season.

The 23-year-old has come on leaps and bounds under the leadership of Marcelo Bielsa, and is absolutely perfect for the defensive midfield role in a side managed by the Argentine.

As well as that, the midfielder is also capable of filling in well at centre-back too, and has generally been such a vital cog for the promotion hopefuls in his 34 Championship outings so far this term.

When he has been absent in midfield – whether he has been in the backline or unavailable – the Yorkshire club haven’t looked the same, and in that respect Phillips is a crucial player they can’t afford to risk losing.

Midfield creativity has been a continuous issue that Liverpool have struggled to solve ever since the departure of Philippe Coutinho in January 2018.

The arrival of Naby Keita last summer promised so much yet has delivered so little whilst the prolonged absences of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam Lallana due to injury have not helped whatsoever.

Yet despite just nine of the Reds’ 84 goals coming from midfielders, the club still find themselves in a great position to win the Premier League this season whilst they will also fancy their chances of reaching a second consecutive Champions League final in May.

Such is the strength of both their vibrant forward line and their domineering defence, Liverpool may still achieve one of their two goals at the end of the campaign but to guarantee longevity in success, they must sign a creative talent.

According to Italian website tuttomercatoweb, the Reds could be about to swoop for Juventus play-maker Paulo Dybala in the summer. An undeniably talented player, many supporters may see the Argentine as the perfect signing for Jurgen Klopp’s style of football.

However, when you look at his stats for the current season, Dybala may not be the saviour that Liverpool need to cure their midfield problems. Having only scored four goals in Serie A during the 2018/19 campaign, the former Palermo star is on course for his worst return in six years whilst his record of six assists is far from impressive.

Although his presence in the Argentina national team has been sporadic to say least, when he has been given the chance to represent his country he quite simply hasn’t delivered, scoring just one in eighteen appearances.

Furthermore, having spent the vast majority of his career in Italy, Dybala may suffer from the same issues that his compatriot Angel Di Maria had to deal with when playing in England. The winger’s big money move to Manchester United from Real Madrid was a failure from start to finish as he failed to adapt to the pace and power of the Premier League. In a dismal campaign, Di Maria scored just four goals in 32 appearances before being sold to PSG a year after joining the Red Devils in 2015.

If Liverpool are to convince Dybala to move to Anfield, they will more than likely have to pay a fee which could break the British transfer record, especially when you consider the player’s glowing Serie A reputation. This therefore would undoubtedly be a huge risk for Klopp to take as if it backfires, it would cause the German a great deal of embarrassment and maybe alter the club’s transfer policy in the future.

What do you think Liverpool fans? Should your club sign Dybala in the summer? Or should Klopp look elsewhere for a creative midfielder? Let us know below.

تلقى جيرارد بيكيه، مدافع برشلونة، بطاقة حمراء مباشرة في مواجهة فريقه أمام فيرينكفاروس.

واحتسب حكم اللقاء ركلة جزاء لصالح الفريق المجري، وسجلوا منها هدفًا لتصبح النتيجة (3-1) لصالح برشلونة.

وجاء طرد بيكيه في الدقيقة 68 من عمر المباراة الجارية بمنافسات الجولة الأولى لدور مجموعات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وبالتالي يغيب بيكيه عن مواجهة برشلونة أمام يوفنتوس، المقرر لها الأسبوع المقبل (يوم الأربعاء) في الجولة الثانية لدوري الأبطال.

شاهد لحظة طرد بيكيه

أكد فرينكي دي يونج، لاعب وسط برشلونة، أن وجود ليونيل ميسي في الفريق، يعطي الفارق دائمًا، متحدثًا عن مواجهة الكلاسيكو المرتقبة أمام ريال مدريد.

ويستضيف برشلونة نظيره ريال مدريد، غدًا السبت على ملعب “كامب نو”، في الدوري الإسباني.

وعن ليونيل ميسي، قال دي يونج في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية: “من الجيد أن يكون لديك لاعب مثله، لأنه الأفضل في العالم”.

وأضاف: “نحن نعلم أنه يستطيع التسجيل أو المساعدة من أي مكان في الملعب، يمكنه إنشاء فرصة أو تسجيل هدف أو مساعدة أحد زملائه في الفريق، وبالتالي وجوده معنا يعد ميزة كبيرة لنا”.

وتابع دي يونج: “يمكنك دائمًا منح الكرة لميسي، لأنه نادرًا ما يخسرها، وسيخلق بالتأكيد شيئًا ما، لذا فإن مهمتنا هي تسهيل الأمور عليه حتى يتمكن من إحداث فرق”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. دي يونج: ريال مدريد منافس عظيم.. وأريد تجربة شعور الفوز بالكلاسيكو

بالنسبة إلى الهولندي، ساعد وصول المدير الفني رونالد كومان أيضًا في تغيير وجه الفريق، وأكمل: “لقد شعر كومان بالراحة مع الفريق، إنه يعمل كثيرًا على الطريقة التي يجب أن نلعب بها في كل جلسة تدريبية، حتى الآن كان كل شيء إيجابيًا معه”.

وعن عودة فيليب كوتينيو للبارسا، أكد دي يونج: “إنه لاعب لامع، من الناحية الفنية هو مثير للإعجاب ويعمل بجد، من الجيد أنه معنا مرة أخرى لأنه أحد أفضل اللاعبين في العالم.”

واعترف لاعب خط وسط البلوجرانا أن الموسم الماضي كان مخيبا للآمال مواصلاً: “عندما تلعب لناد مثل برشلونة ولا تفوز بأي لقب، يكون الأمر كذلك ونريد أن نعوض الأمر، الموسم الماضي كان معقدًا، لكننا نأمل أن يكون القادم أفضل”.

وأتم: “نحن واثقون، المجموعة تنمو وهناك العديد من الأفراد، في الواقع، لدينا العديد من أفضل اللاعبين في العالم، لذلك إذا كنا أقوياء كمجموعة مع هؤلاء الأفراد سنرفع الألقاب، وهذا ما هو متوقع من نادٍ مثل برشلونة”.

Steven Fletcher has been in incredible form in recent weeks hasn’t he Owls fans?

The forward has scored five goals in his last six games which has helped to propel Sheffield Wednesday into a position where they can launch a late push for the play-off positions this season. Benefiting significantly from the arrival of Steve Bruce as manager in January, Fletcher has been nothing short of exceptional for the Owls and so his impending absence for Saturday’s clash at Stoke City due to a groin injury (via the Star) could be a bitter blow.

However, despite the Scotland international’s overwhelming presence up-front, Wednesday’s hopes of finishing in the top six are far from finished. Bruce’s side’s latest victory against Blackburn Rovers saw four different players score with two of the strikes coming from Atdhe Nuhiu and Marco Matias who are both more than capable of filling in for Fletcher up front.

Whereas other sides in the Championship rely heavily on one player to deliver the goods, the Owls have a multi-dimensional attack which contains a number of different match-winners. Therefore, the void left by Fletcher shouldn’t concern either Bruce or the club’s supporters as Wednesday are more than capable of continuing their ten-match unbeaten run in the Championship and securing a play-off position.

With Fernando Forestieri, Gary Hooper and Lucas Joao all back in training, the Owls could benefit from competition for places as it could lead to an even further increase in performance which will be needed when they face the likes of Leeds United and Norwich City in the coming weeks. Victories over both of these sides will lead Wednesday to fear no one and provide them with real belief that they can finish in the top six this season before achieving promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs in May.

What do you think Owls fans? How much of a blow is losing Fletcher to injury? Could other players step-up in his absence to fire your club to promotion? Let us know below.

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Leeds United fans on Thursday were reminiscing about the Champions League quarter-final first leg victory against Deportivo La Coruna exactly 18 years after the match took place.

Leeds demolished Deportivo on the night in a 3-0 win with goals from Alan Smith, Ian Harte and Rio Ferdinand putting them fully in control heading into the second leg.

The Champions League run of 2001 seems a long way away now but the good times may be on their way back to Elland Road as the Whites are on the verge of returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2004 under the management of Marcelo Bielsa.

Leeds would eventually be dumped out of the Champions League by Valencia in the semis but the win against Deportivo is regarded as one of the proudest moments in the club’s storied history.

Fans of the Yorkshire club still have fond memories of that night and they were quick to share them on Twitter.

Here’s what Leeds fans had to say on social media…