Man City aims to clip Klopp’s run
EUROPEAN SOCCER: Charismatic Liverpool manager has his squad firing on all cylinders
Manchester City hosts Liverpool on Saturday in the Premier League’s feature match this weekend. Both teams are expected to challenge for the title, and sit just two points back of current leaders Manchester United.
Liverpool in particular has been attracting attention for the team’s stylish play. The Reds have depth in midfield, and plenty of pace in attack, while charismatic manager Jurgen Klopp has both fans and pundits believing this could be Liverpool’s year.
Adding to the confident mood at Anfield was the transfer deadline signing of Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for just over $55 million. The 24-year-old England international has plenty of talent but never lived up to his potential under Arsene Wenger. Oxlade-Chamberlain is hoping Klopp is the kind of inspirational coach who can help him raise his game.
With Liverpool’s depth in midfield and on the wings, the youngster will need all the inspiration he can get if he’s to earn a starting spot.
Derby days
The Barcelona derby is Saturday as Espanyol visits the Nou Camp. Barca is tied for top spot in La Liga after two rounds, while both Real and Atletico Madrid have already dropped points.
But Barca is not a club that currently inspires confidence, after all the inconsistent displays last season and then losing Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain. Fans are critical of how the team has performed in the transfer market, while Barca’s famed youth academy hasn’t been producing players as it once did.
A lot of hope is being pinned on newly signed striker Ousmane Dembele to replace Neymar. Dembele was signed for over $150 million from Borussia Dortmund two weeks ago. That puts a lot of pressure on a 20-year-old with only two seasons of top-level play under his belt.
Good news for Barcelona is that striker Luis Suarez has recovered quickly from his pre-season injury, and should play this weekend.
Game on
It’s Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League group stage next week, as 32 teams battle for Europe’s most prestigious prize.
Tuesday’s biggest clash has Barcelona hosting Juventus with those two sides expected to battle it out for top spot in Group D. Also on Tuesday, Atletico Madrid visits Roma in tricky Group C, which also includes Chelsea. These are all teams with a lot of talent and history, but the general feeling is that none are as strong as they were last season.
Meanwhile, Glasgow Celtic faces tough opposition in Group B facing both Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. Celtic hosts PSG on Tuesday.
Wednesday’s big game has Tottenham Hotspur hosting Borussia Dortmund. That’s the team Spurs really will need to beat for a top-two finish, as that group also includes two-time defending champions Real Madrid.
Beat the clock
Just as soon as Leicester City sold midfielder Danny Drinkwater to Chelsea at the transfer deadline, the Premier League side rushed to bring in a replacement. They thought they had succeeded, reaching a last-minute $35-million deal with Sporting Lisbon for Portugal international midfielder Adrien Silva.
Unfortunately, it all went disastrously wrong as Leicester raced to file all the necessary paperwork with FIFA before the deadline. Apparently the last piece of paperwork missed the deadline by just 14 seconds, and all indications are that FIFA is not about to set a precedent by bending the rules.
Often in these last-minute deals, a clause is added that nullifies the transfer if the final clearance doesn’t go through. It seems Leicester didn’t bother adding that clause, which means Silva is stuck in limbo. He’s no longer a Sporting player, but he’s not yet registered to play with Leicester, and can’t be until the next transfer window opens in January.
It might be possible for Leicester to loan Silva to a league where the transfer window is still open, such as Turkey. However, there is also a FIFA rule that says you can’t play for more than two clubs in a season. Silva has already played for Sporting, so if he plays in Turkey, then he won’t be able to play for Leicester until next season.
What a disaster, and all because of 14 seconds.
Bob Lenarduzzi is president of Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Tickets: visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets