Football News From Around Europe 2022-23 Soccer

[Bandit]

Football news, transfers, rumours and match discussions from around the football leagues of Europe.

 

[Tom]

Barcelona have not been able to register Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde.

Additionally, as Ousmane Dembele & Sergi Roberto contracts expired and were subsequently renewed they're also unregistered.

The club have been told they need to reduce their overwhelming wage bill immediately.

 

[Bandit]

Barcelona told Frenkie de Jong on July 15 they have evidence of criminality around contract given by old board & cause for legal action against all involved.⁠

• ⁠Barcelona asked him to annul deal & revert to previous terms⁠
• Previous board confident in legality of contract & insist deal agreed after approval from legal parties & La Liga⁠
• Barcelona declined to comment, De Jong reps HMC Sports Management were approached for comment⁠

Barcelona have told Frenkie de Jong they want to annul his existing contract and return to the deal he was on before, alleging the terms given to him by the club's previous board involved criminality and provide grounds for legal action against those involved.

The Catalan side have serious financial problems and among the ways they are trying to improve matters is by selling De Jong or reaching an agreement with him over deferred wages he is owed.

It was a two-year extension until 2026 that is reported to have reduced his salary for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, leaving €18 million (£15.2m, $18.3m) to be spread across the subsequent four campaigns.

The letter sent to De Jong last month is thought to inform the Dutchman that Barcelona think they are in a position to initiate criminal proceedings to establish what happened in relation to the signing of his contract and ascertain where responsibility resides for the supposed wrongdoing.

It is believed to then express Barcelona's wish to rescind the deal and proceed with De Jong's career at the Camp Nou under the conditions agreed when he arrived from Ajax in January 2019.

 

[Boot Cleaner]

La Liga have confirmed that Barcelona have been able to register Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Andreas Christensen, and Franck Kessie after activating their fourth 'economic lever', but the Spanish side have failed to register Jules Kounde.

Kounde will now be ineligible to face Rayo Vallecano in the club's La Liga opener on Saturday evening.

Reports suggest that centre-back Gerard Pique has offered to drastically reduce his salary in order to help the club register new signings.

The club have been activating a series of economic levers in a bid to balance their books, having previously had debts totalling over €1billion, with the fourth lever pulled on Friday morning — selling 24.5 per cent of Barca Studios to Orpheus Media for €100million (£84m, $102m).

It is understood that Kounde's registration is dependent on salary reductions and squad sales, with the France international missing out due to Barcelona's centre-back depth and his own lack of training sessions with the team.

As part of these efforts, Pique has informed Barcelona that he is willing to drastically reduce his salary this season in order to help the club register new signings.

Sources have suggested the 35-year-old's reduction could be to the extent that he effectively does not receive a salary for the 2022-23 campaign, although he would then take a wage during the final year of his contract in the 2023-24 season, but the final details are still to be thrashed out.

Pique previously reduced his wages last summer, along with Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, to help Barcelona register then-new signings Sergio Aguero, Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia.

 

[Tom]

Serie A - Juventus vs Salernitana

• 18' Juventus 0-1 Salernitana
• 45' Juventus 0-2 Salernitana
• 51' Juventus 1-2 Salernitana
• 93' Bonucci misses pen, scores rebound, 2-2
• 95' Milik scores to make it 3-2, given 2nd yellow for removing shirt
• 96' VAR rules goal out, Milik red card still stands
• 99' Fazio, Cuadrado and Juventus manager Allegri all sent off



Pure and utter carnage just ensued in the Juventus game!

 

[Crabtree]

Gerard Pique has announced his retirement from football.⁠
⁠
The Spanish centre-back will play his last football game next Saturday at the Camp Nou, in the match between FC Barcelona and UD Almeria in LaLiga.

 

[Boot Cleaner]

Gerard Pique has announced his retirement from football.⁠

He was on the bench for them tonight against Osasuna? He got sent off at half-time (still a sub) for arguing with the referee.

Barcelona also had Lewandowski sent off in the first half for two yellow cards but managed to win the game 2-1 to move 5 points clear of Real Madrid, though Madrid has a game in hand.

Didn't realise ITV4 showed La Liga games.

 

[Best]

Lionel Messi believes he still has more years left in him at the top European level, having settled and impressed further in his second season at PSG.

Remaining at PSG is Messi's first option and the French club are understood to have approached him about entering negotiations over an extension.

The 35-year-old is concentrating on the World Cup with Argentina so will not to consider his future options formally until January, when he can also speak to other top clubs outside France.

 

[Bandit]

Roberto Martinez has reached a verbal agreement to become the new head coach of Portugal's national team.⁠
⁠
The appointment of the 49-year-old Spaniard is on course to be finalised by the end of next week.⁠

 

[Boot Cleaner]

Roberto Martinez has reached a verbal agreement to become the new head coach of Portugal's national team.⁠
⁠
The appointment of the 49-year-old Spaniard is on course to be finalised by the end of next week.⁠

Martinez was confirmed as the new Portugal national team manager today.

I don't think he's a top draw coach and there's plenty of bad moments as a manager but his CV overall isn't too bad.