A new summer saga begins?
WhoScored.com (@WhoScored)
🤯 Lionel Messi's 2020/21 in numbers:
👤 Apps - 33(2)
⚽ Goals - 30
🅰️ Assists - 9
🔐 Key Passes p90 - 2.3
🏹 Shots p90 - 5.8
🤤 Dribbles p90 - 4.7
🌡️ WS Rating - 8.52👋 Messi will miss Barcelona's last game. His season is over pic.twitter.com/rHMaBPS1yO
May 21, 2021
Callum Wilson was named Newcastle United’s player of the year. Steve Bruce on his star striker:
“He’s got a dozen goals in 26 appearances which proves how valuable he is. He’s a really good player and we’ve seen his importance to the team. Let’s hope he can stay well. At the moment we look a very decent team going forward.”
The Metropolitan Police have arrested eight men after an unnamed Tottenham player received a large amount racist abuse following their 3-1 loss to Manchester United on April 11th:
Detective Sergeant Matt Simpson said:
“This action makes it abundantly clear that police will not stand for racist thuggery, even if it is committed online. The posts, all of which were on Twitter, were vulgar and were utterly unacceptable. There is no safe haven for this type of abusive behaviour and we are committed to taking decisive action to root it out.”
Joe Willock, 21, became the youngest player to score in six consecutive Premier League games during Newcastle’s 1-0 win against Sheffield United on Wednesday, which has naturally led to ample discussion about his future.
Steve Bruce respectfully hinted that he will be looking to see if he can permanently secure the Arsenal loanee:
“We always said that it was a double-edged sword, and we have to respect that he is Arsenal’s player We’ll see over the summer whether we can test their resolve, but as I said from day one, I’d like to thank Mikel and Steve Round and the football side of it because they were instrumental in getting me him and letting us borrow him for a few months. It’s been great. He’s been great for us, he’s been great for Newcastle. He’s done well and propelled himself into - when I see what he’s done in the last few weeks and the names who have scored six in six, it’s quite remarkable, so well done to Joe.”
Mikel Arteta, however, doesn’t seem too keen to see him go:
“I’m really happy things have gone so well for him because of the potential Joe had. I think it was great for him to go away and have a different experience.
“He has grabbed that opportunity in a really positive and remarkable way. He will be back with us, we will have those conversations with him and plan the next few years for him.”
(via PA)
10 things to look out for on this final weekend.
Nick Ames’ take on Harry Kane and Tottenham-Leicester:
“If Harry Kane really is making his Tottenham swansong at the King Power Stadium, he will have wished it could come with stakes rather higher than a fraught battle to cling on to seventh place. The emotions will be inescapable and the motivation to provide one last star turn presumably huge. Winning at such a difficult venue would be bittersweet for Kane and Spurs, given how costly the collapse of their away form has been to their campaign, with only two wins in their last nine.”
MUNDIAL (@MundialMag)
Everton's new season Away kit sees them go full Black Watch with a kit inspired by those wore two decades before they adopted their now famous royal blue in 1901.
That's black and 'burnt orange', in case you were wondering. Definitely, definitely not red. pic.twitter.com/jFWr14xhe7
May 21, 2021
Ligue 1 will also have a nail-biter of a finale, with PSG trailing Lille by one point ahead of the final games at 8pm on Sunday:
- Lille - 80 points (Goal difference +40)
- PSG - 79 points (Goal difference +56)
- Monaco - 77 points (Goal difference +34)
Lille face 9th place Nice at home, while PSG are against 16th Brest away. Goal difference is the first tiebreaker. Monaco are still technically in the race but they are unlikely to overcome the goal difference. Ligue 1’s final matches all take place on Sunday at 8pm.
Of course, we don’t only pay attention to events in this country. There is still much to be decided across the continent. We will finally see the conclusion of this La Liga race in which Atletico seemed to blow their chance at another league title early in 2021, but they have recovered admirably as both Real Madrid and Barcelona failed to make up sufficient ground. They held onto their top spot in high drama last week after a late winner from Luis Suarez against Osasuna.
How things stand:
- Atletico Madrid - 83 points
- Real Madrid 81 points
- Barcelona 76 points
- Sevilla 74 points
Atletico Madrid are fortunate to be up against Valladolid, a team that has shown minimal fight over the past weeks as they have dipped deeper into the relegation zone. Real Madrid face 7th place Villarreal. The first tiebreaker when two teams are tied on points is their head-to-head. Due to Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Atletico earlier in the season, Real Madrid would win the title should the two clubs finish with the same number of points so this is a must win.
Meanwhile, Barcelona have spectacularly messed up these final weeks and now could actually be caught in third place by Sevilla.
Hello! Welcome to the Friday blog for one final weekend of Premier League football in this intense and at times surreal season. On Sunday at 4pm, all 20 teams will line up concurrently for a final 90 minutes:
- Leicester City vs Tottenham
- Wolves vs Manchester United
- West Ham vs Southampton
- Sheffield United vs Burnley
- Fulham vs Newcastle
- Leeds United vs West Brom
- Arsenal vs Brighton
- Aston Villa vs Chelsea
- Man City vs Everton
- Liverpool vs Crystal Palace
Although Manchester City are champions and Fulham, West Brom and Sheffield United have been relegated, there is still the not so small matter of Europe to be decided. Behind Manchester City and Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Leicester are fighting for the two remaining Champions League Spots. One of West Ham, Tottenham or Everton are aiming for the Europa League in sixth place. The seventh place team will compete in the new Europa Conference League.
from Football | The Guardian https://ift.tt/3oJj1rC
via IFTTT
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