SPORT : Three clubs Diego Costa cannot join from Atletico Madrid revealed

 Atletico Madrid striker, Diego Costa, will have to pay £23m if he wishes to cut short his contract with Atletico Madrid early and make a move to their LaLiga rivals Real Madrid or Barcelona, Cadena Cope reports.

The 32-year-old rejoined Atletico from Chelsea in 2017 and has scored 19 goals in 81 appearances in all competitions.

However, this season, he has been a peripheral figure, making just two starts in the league after falling down the pecking order behind Luis Suarez and Joao Felix.

With his contract set to expire at the end of the campaign, Costa was widely expected to leave in the summer anyway, but it is now believed he is keen to depart in January.

The Spain striker missed training on Monday in order to try to find a resolution with the club.

But Costa has a clause in his contract whereby he would be forced to pay a staggering £23m if he were to join any of the three elite teams in Spain outside Atletico: Barca, Madrid or Sevilla.

SPORT : EPL, How Lampard clashed with Chelsea players during 3-1 defeat to Arsenal

 

Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard, ‘lost it’ in the dressing room when speaking to his players at half time during the 3-1 loss to Arsenal, The Athletic reports.

After a fine start to the season, the Blues have hit a blip recently, winning just one of their last five Premier League matches.

They could now slip nine points adrift of leaders Liverpool if the reigning champions win their game in hand.

Undoubtedly, the nadir of their recent run of bad results came on Boxing Day against Arsenal.

Prior to that win, Mikel Arteta’s side had not won in seven league games and were closer to the relegation zone than the top four. But they went two goals up at half-time against the Blues.

During the break, Lampard raged at the players in the dressing room, criticizing their poor display.

His words did not seem to have any effect as Bukayo Saka made it 3-0 early in the second half. Tammy Abraham eventually netted a late consolation, while Jorginho missed a penalty.

SPORT : EPL, Brendan Rodgers reacts as Iheanacho misses penalty in Leicester’s 1-1 draw with Palace

 

Leicester City boss, Brendan Rodgers, has reacted to the penalty miss by Nigerian international, Kenechi Iheanacho, during the Foxes 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Monday.

Leicester failed to pick up all the three points against Palace as Iheanacho fired a first half spot kick into the hands of goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.

The Super Eagles star, who has not scored for Leicester since July 2020, wasted the chance to put the Foxes 1-0 ahead in the 18th minute.

Ivorian Wilfried Zaha scored for the home side in the 58th minute through a counter attack before Harvey Barnes restored parity seven minutes from time.

Rodgers, however, defended the Nigerian forward, insisting that Iheanacho had done very well during training before the trip to the game.

“I said at half time, it was one you have to let go of,” Rodgers told Amazon Prime

“He practised yesterday and hit five out of five, so he was confident, but it is just one of those things.”

SPORT : Why I fight with my son – Cristiano Ronaldo

 

Juventus superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he always fights with his 10-year-old son over what he, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. eats

Ronaldo said he would allow his son do whatever he decides to do in future and will never force him to pursue a career as a footballer.

The Portuguese star, however, said that it irks him when his son drinks Coca-Cola!

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star was in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates with his family at the Globe Soccer Awards.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was awarded the ‘Player of the Century’ at the event for his outstanding performance in the last 20 years.

“I’m hard with him sometimes because he drinks Coca-Cola and Fanta sometimes and I’m pissed with him,” Ronaldo said in an interview after picking up the award in Dubai.

“I fight with him when he eats chips and fries and everything, he knows I don’t like it. I tell him every time, it takes a lot of dedication, a lot of hard work.

“I’m not gonna push nothing for him to be a football player….”

SPORT : Man Utd vs Man City, Why Guardiola’s men will not be thrown out of Carabao Cup

 

Manchester City will not be thrown out of the Carabao Cup if their COVID-19 crisis prevents them from playing Manchester United on Wednesday.

City’s Premier League clash with Everton on Monday was postponed four hours before kick-off, after they recorded three new positive cases.

The former champions are wary the virus has infiltrated their squad bubble, with Gabriel Jesus and Kyle Walker among five already isolating.

But Manchester United will not be handed a bye into the Wembley final, despite Leyton Orient leaving the competition at the third-round under the same circumstances.

Orient had 17 positive tests back in September when they were scheduled to face Spurs, who have reached their own semi-final against Brentford, after being ushered through to the fourth-round.

City will not receive the same treatment, with the EFL’s rules for the semi-final stating their committee will use its “reasonable endeavours” to rearrange the match as early as possible.

Responding to a tweet suggesting City should forfeit the fixture, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville commented: “Not sure they will but I think Leyton Orient will be watching closely.”

There is a small chance the fixture could still be abandoned though, only if the EFL committee decides it cannot be rearranged.

SPORT : EPL, Lampard reveals why Chelsea lost to Arsenal, drew with Aston Villa

 

Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard, has admitted his team has been missing the creativity of Hakim Ziyech.

Ziyech who is currently injured, might make his return in the Blues’ next scheduled game against Manchester City on Sunday.

The Moroccan went off with a hamstring injury during Chelsea’s win over Leeds United on December 5.

Ever since, Lampard’s men have won only one of their five league fixtures since then, losing three and drawing 1-1 on Monday with Aston Villa.

“I think with Hakim, the way he was playing, he was being very effective for us in terms of assists, goal creation, chance creation and some goals,” Lampard said.

“We were very fluid at the time. You’re going to miss players at that level when they drop out and we want him back.”

Lampard said he is optimistic Ziyech might feature on Sunday if the game goes ahead – Manchester City’s game against Everton on Monday was called off due to new COVID-19 cases reported at City.

SPORT : Chelsea vs Aston Villa, What Lampard said about John Terry after EPL 1-1 draw

 

Chelsea boss, Frank Lampard, has lauded Aston Villa’s assistant manager, John Terry, as one of the greatest centre-backs to have played in the Premier League.

Lampard said this following Chelsea’s Premier League 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Monday,

According to him, Terry had an influence in Aston Villa’s draw against Chelsea as goals from Olivier Giroud and Anwar El Ghazi gave both teams a point each.

The Blues’ boss and Terry were former teammates during their time at Chelsea and also with the England national team.

“I am sure John has an influence because he is, in my opinion, one of the greatest centre-backs to have played in the Premier League and for England, and in the world for a long period of time,” Lampard said as quoted by Chelsea’s official website after the game.

“He has an absolute wealth of knowledge of the game, so his input will be invaluable to Dean Smith and all the staff.

“Their team is working hard, and you have seen a real big uplift in them, and I am sure there is a lot of work behind the scenes through John and all the staff there.”