MESSI IS NOT A LEADER, SAYS MARADONA
LONDON: Argentina great Diego Maradona has hit out at his countryman Lionel Messi, saying the forward is not a leader on the pitch and should not be considered a footballing God.
“We shouldn’t deify Messi any longer,” Maradona said in an interview with Fox Sports. “He’s Messi when he plays for Barcelona. Messi is Messi when he wears that shirt and he’s another Messi with Argentina. He’s a great player but he’s not a leader. It’s useless trying to make a leader out of a man who goes to the toilet 20 times before a game.”
“I wouldn’t call him up right now, but never say never. We have to take the pressure off him,” Maradona said.
SALAH INJURED AGAIN
CAIRO: Egypt’s assistant coach says Mohamed Salah’s injury “doesn’t look serious” after the Liverpool forward limped off late in an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Swaziland.
Salah scored direct from a corner in Egypt’s 4-1 win but went down with what appeared to be a leg injury in the 88th minute. He received treatment and tried to shake off the problem but left the field soon after, in injury time.
BELGIUM CHARGES 19
BRUSSELS: Belgian prosecutors said on Friday they had charged 19 people, including two referees, agents and the coach of Belgian champions Club Bruges, with fraud or match-fixing.
EMPTY STANDS
RIJEKA, CROATIA: Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic described a 0-0 Nations League draw with England in a World Cup semi-final rematch as a “sad” day for football as fans were banned from the clash in Rijeka. Croatia were completing a UEFA sanction after a swastika symbol was carved into the pitch during a Euro 2016 qualifier against Italy over three years ago. most successful World
Cup campaigns to date – scoring two goals against Brazil in the 1998 final and ending the 2006 campaign as the Player of the Tournament despite France’s loss to Italy in the final – he is one of the most coveted managers in world football at the moment.
to three successive Champions League titles in his two and half years at the club, also winning one league title. He was named Fifa’s Best coach of the year in 2017. Champions League La Liga UEFA Super Cup began in June 2007 with Bordeaux (Ligue 1) where he led them to second place, winning him the Manager of the Year award. He won the title in the next season (2008/09). the Les Bleus in 2010, with the national team playing 25 consecutive matches without defeat. But were ousted in the quarters of Euro 2012. calling where he enjoyed a successful three years, winning three consecutive league titles. Ligue 1 Club World Cup French League Cup Spanish Super Cup French Cup French Super Cup and captain of the 1998 World Cup team, Deschamps made his way into the history books by leading the French team to only their second World Cup triumph in Russia earlier this year. He was named the Fifa Best coach of the Year in 2018. the third man behind Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer to win the World Cup as a player and then a coach. He had also steered France to the Euro 2016 final, where they lost to Portugal in the final. Deschamps also tasted success with Olympique Marseille. Fifa World Cup Ligue 1 French League Cup French Super Cup on Saturday named as Monaco coach, taking his first job in club management after leaving his position with the Belgium national team, where served as an assistant to head coach Roberto Martinez since 2016. with Monaco until June 2021 and replaced Leonardo Jardim, who was sacked after a poor string of results saw Monaco fall in the relegation places.