Corona chaos for Oxford

STORMS, VIRUS AND NO FOOTBALL FLOORS ALEXIS

2020-06-13 - ■ ■ by TONY BANKS by TONY BANKS

ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER has not had the best of introductions to English football.

First he had storms Ciara, Dennis and Jorge battering the country in February, and then the coronavirus pandemic swept in.

All of that chaos has meant that Brighton’s 21-year-old Argentine international midfielder has managed just 10 minutes of football since coming back to Albion from a loan spell in January.

Mac Allister was signed from Argentinos Juniors in January 2019 in a £7m deal and loaned back.

He then had a further six-month loan spell at Boca Juniors.

He arrived back in January but a short appearance at Wolves as a sub is all he has managed.

Mac Allister is not alone. Several other January signings in the Premier league have barely kicked a ball.

Seagulls boss Graham Potter said: “He’s had time in the country, but he’s had time in his flat, not being able to go out!

“He’s not really been able integrate himself or adjust

OXFORD’S plans for their League One play-off against Portsmouth suffered a setback last night after two players tested positive for Covid-19.

Both are now selfisolating and boss Karl Robinson said: “Thankfully the players don’t have symptoms. We to to

British culture would like.

“But Alexis is a professional and determined guy, and he came back in really good shape, like the rest of the players. He’s itching to play football.

“He’s had a bit of a tough introduction to life over here. But he’s got a smile on his face and he’s ready to go.”

Brighton have played several games between their squads at an empty Amex Stadium to try to get ready for their opening game against Arsenal a week today.

Potter said: “The players know why it is happening. They are not complaining. It’s been positive, with the caveat that, of course, we would all want to be playing with supporters in the ground.

“We are trying to adapt. There have been no complaints.

“It’s just the fact that it is going to be a Premier League game, at the back end of the league where people are fighting to stay in the league, for the Champions League, for the Europa League, and there is no atmosphere.” Potter added that as much went through all the data available from training.

“We can see who was where and whether there was any contact.

“We have reviewed everything and are satisfied it has been done with player and staff welfare a priority.” as he he was not surprised that in the Bundesliga the ratio of home wins had dropped because of games being played behind closed doors.

He said “The hostility of the home crowd in the Premier League is where the advantage is.

“The crowd in the British game get so involved in the game, and little moments can change things in the match.

“But now it’s not there, we haven’t got the crowd and then you just have to play football as well as you can.

“That’s the challenge. It’s not like the Amex was a massive fortress for us and now we haven’t got that anymore. We have to get on with it.”

Brighton have won only four of their 14 home games, drawing six but Potter added: “The enforced break came at a good time for us, and for me. You have to use it to reflect, analyse and plan.”

FIRST LEGS -

SECOND LEGS -

FINAL -

■ KEITH HILL will leave Bolton when his contract expires this month following their relegation from League One.

■ MEMORIES: Alexis Mac Allister in action for Boca Juniors before his return to the south coast

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SYMPATHY: Graham Potter feels sorry for Mac Allister’s plight

midfielder (from Bristol City for £9m, left) 1 min. LEICESTER

Defender (on loan from Wolves) 0 mins SHEFFIELD UNITED

midfielder (signed from Blackburn, inset)

58 mins in FA Cup.

Defender (signed from Nottingham Forest) 11 mins in FA Cup.