The ex-Red Devil and Everton star believes their Merseyside rivals deserves to win the championship.

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Wayne Rooney believes Liverpool deserve to win the Premier League title and insists the campaign needs to be completed to decide promotion, relegation and European qualification.

The Premier League season has been thrown into doubt by the coronavirus pandemic with the campaign postponed until at least May 2 because of the global health crisis.

With Liverpool only needing six points to claim their first league title in 30 years, the former Manchester United and Everton star feels the Reds have earned the honour and it should not be taken away by a season cancellation.

The Derby County skipper feels the Premier League season will eventually be completed once the Covid-19 saga relents and it could compromise next campaign.

“Liverpool will win the Premier League. [They] have been fantastic. They have put so much work in. They deserve this title. Can you imagine waiting 30 years and then having it taken away like this? The right decision has been made,” Rooney said in his weekly column in The Times.

“It’s also right in terms of promotion and relegation and Champions League places. These issues are so big for the clubs involved that I imagine there would be a lot of legal fights if the season was just abandoned. The fair thing is to finish 2019-20 — even if we have to lose next season in the process.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if finishing the season takes until the end of 2020. Football, like every other industry, is in unknown territory and, just like every other industry, has to listen to the advice and take all necessary precautions. For me, that rules out finishing the season behind closed doors.”

Sheffied United boss Chris Wilder has a similar opinion to Rooney, as he hopes the season will be finished with his team in contention to qualify for European competition.

Coronavirus has wreaked havoc in the football world across the globe with most leagues and competitions postponed.

Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz passed away from the illness on Saturday, while several big-name stars including Juventus trio Paulo Dybala, Blaise Matuidi and Daniel Rugani have tested positive.

Source – Goal.com

The global pandemic has stopped leagues all around the world and the Super League outfit have taken drastic steps to stem the financial bleeding.

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Former Arsenal duo Johan Djourou and Alexandre Song are among nine players sacked by Swiss club FC Sion for refusing to take an unemployment settlement in light of the coronavirus.

The entire squad was contacted on social messaging service WhatsApp by president Christian Constantin on Tuesday. Constantin’s message asked the players to take a “technical unemployment” deal which would see them receive a payment of around 9600 Swiss francs – an amount that is equivalent to 80% of the legal monthly salary in Switzerland.

The players were given until noon on Wednesday to respond and, although many of them refused or failed to reply, nine were subsequently let go – many of them on contracts that were due to expire at the end of June.

As well as Song and Djourou – who played for Arsenal under Arsene Wenger – Christian Zock, Pajtim Kasami, Ermir Lenjani, Xavier Kouassi, Birama Ndoye, Mikael Facchinetti and Seydou Doumbia now find themselves dismissed without notice and without a club as world football has ground to a halt in the face of the pandemic.

The Swiss Players Union, the SAFP, has protested the dismissals, calling them unfair, while the players are reported to be seeking legal advice.

The SAFP wrote: “You have terminated the employment contracts of the players without notice by letter dated 18 March 2020. We hereby expressly protest against this termination without notice.”

The letter, issued to the Swiss club, adds: “We therefore expect you to withdraw these abusive terminations immediately and to enter into discussions on possible alternatives.”

In neighbouring Germany, Borussia Monchengladbach players agreed to take a reduction in wages in order to ensure the club could continue paying non-playing staff.

French Ligue 1 club Amiens have asked their players to consider similar measures.

In England, meanwhile,  Manchester United made a pledge to their casual staff that their wages would be paid, even if the Premier League season were to be cancelled or played out behind closed doors.

Either scenario would see a drastic reduction in the incomes of part-time matchday and non-matchday staff at Old Trafford.

Chelsea have offered their hotel to health service staff in England, as have hotels owned by Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs.

Lower league clubs in the UK are already suffering amid the coronavirus outbreak, with Barnet laying off all non-playing staff earlier this week.

Sion are the first club in one of Europe’s top divisions to have released playing staff though it would appear that Thursday’s announcement will not be the end of the matter.

Source – Goal.com

The Blues legend believes the 19-year-old would settle in with the club’s academy graduates, who have impressed under Frank Lampard.

John Terry has urged Chelsea to sign Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund.

The Blues have been heavily linked with the England international, who has emerged as one of the brightest young players in Europe since his breakthrough in Germany.

Sancho, 19, joined the Bundesliga side from Manchester City in 2017 and has gone on to score 31 times and made 36 assists in 90 appearances.

The winger has had run-ins with the Dortmund bosses this season, however, which have sparked rumours that he is open to returning to England.

But Chelsea are not the only team interested, as Manchester United are reportedly determined to sign him, while Liverpool have also been linked.

And Terry believes Chelsea should do their best to lure him to Stamford Bridge as he would thrive alongside the Blues’ young stars Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount.

“I think the young lads have shown their potential,” he told Frank Khalid of Chelsea’s latest academy graduates.

“We spoke at the start of the season about the likes of Tammy and Mason coming into the squad and they’ve shown that they’re capable of playing.

“I think Sancho is one of the best young players in the world at the moment, so he’d be a great addition to Chelsea’s squad.

“It would make us better as well, but the ones that have come through, the Billy Gilmours, Tammy, Mason, Reece [James], it’s endless isnt it? There have been so many positives this season.

“So I think every Chelsea fan, since I came through the ranks, that’s all Chelsea fans wanted to see: the youth team players and the younger generation coming through and making their first team debuts. We’ve seen that in abundance this year.”

Chelsea have relied on their youth system to raise the standard of the squad this season as the club navigated last summer’s transfer ban.

And former captain Terry is delighted to see them shine under former team-mate Frank Lampard.

“It’ s been incredible because we said there was no one better, to give Lamps the job,” he added. “With [assistant manager] Jody Morris as well, he has someone who knows the younger players and works with them at the youth team and U-18 level as well.

“I think it’s been a good mix. I think the expectation has been excellent because the group that they’ve had this year have done really, really well.”

Source – Goal.com

Former Cardiff City forward Peter Whittingham has died at the age of 35 , the Championship club announced on Thursday.

Peter Whittingham has died at the age of 35. Athena Pictures/Getty Images

Whittingham fell down a flight of stairs on March 7 and had been on life support since the incident.

“It is with an immeasurable amount of sorrow that we must inform supporters that Peter Whittingham has passed away at the age of 35,” a Cardiff statement read. “We are heartbroken.

“The news of Peter’s sudden and untimely passing has shaken us to our very foundation. Our love goes out to his wife Amanda, their young son and family. They are at the forefront of our thoughts and, on their behalf, we ask for their privacy to be respected at this unfathomably cruel and difficult time.

“First and foremost, Peter was a family man — and somebody who could light up a room with his sense of humour, warmth and personality. Then, as a professional footballer — as a Bluebird — he excelled with talent, ease, grace and humility. Nobody did it better.

“The loss of Peter will be painfully felt by our city, supporters and indeed all who ever had the pleasure of knowing him. We love you Pete and your memory will eternally stay with us.”

Whittingham, who was born in Wales but represented England at under-21 level, started his career with Aston Villa, where he was loaned to Burnley and Derby before joining Cardiff in 2007.

He spent 10 seasons in the Welsh capital, where he reached the FA Cup final in 2008 and League Cup final in 2012. He also helped Cardiff earn promotion to the Premier League in 2013.

Whittingham spent a season with Blackburn, before retiring in 2018.

Source – ESPN

The FA says that it “remains committed” to finding a way in which to conclude the season and is open to playing up until the end of June.

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The Football Association (FA) has confirmed that there will be no professional football in England, including the Premier League, until at least April 30 as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Initially, fixtures in the country were suspended until the weekend of April 3-5 as a minimum , but this has been extended as the UK battles the pandemic, with more than 2,500 cases confirmed in the country.

The governing body released a statement on Thursday, which said: “The FA, Premier League, EFL and women’s professional game, together with the PFA and LMA, understand we are in unprecedented times and our thoughts are with everyone affected by Covid-19.

“We’re united in our commitment to finding ways of resuming the 2019-20 football season and ensuring all domestic and European club league and cup matches are played as soon as it is safe and possible to do so.

“We’ve collectively supported UEFA in postponing Euro 2020 to create space in the calendar to ensure domestic and European club league and cup matches have an increased opportunity to be played and, in doing so, maintain the integrity of each competition.

“The FA’s Rules and Regulations state that “the season shall terminate no later than June 1” and “each competition shall, within the limit laid down by The FA, determine the length of its own playing season”.

“However, our Board has agreed for this limit to be extended indefinitely for the 2019-20 season in relation to professional football. Additionally, we’ve collectively agreed that the professional game in England will be further postponed until no earlier than Thursday, April 30.

“The progress of Covid-19 remains unclear and we can reassure everyone the health and welfare of players, staff and supporters are our priority.

“We will continue to follow Government advice and work collaboratively to keep the situation under review and explore all options available to find ways of resuming the season when the conditions allow.

“We would all like to re-emphasise that our thoughts are with everyone affected by Covid-19.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi are two highest profile figures within English football to have tested positive for the disease, which has killed in excess of 100 people in the UK.

It was announced on Wednesday by Prime Minister Boris Johnson that schools would be closed from Friday onwards, but no parts of the country have yet been put into lockdown despite such measures being taken elsewhere in Europe.

Source – Goal.com

The former Red Devil admits he was considering playing for another Serie A side before moving to his current club.

Romelu Lukaku was “really close” to joining Juventus last year, but the chance to work with Antonio Conte proved pivotal in his decision to sign for Inter.

The Belgium international ended a mixed two-year spell with Manchester United by joining Inter for a reported €80 million (£74m) fee in August 2019.

Lukaku has excelled in his debut campaign in Italy, scoring 23 goals in 35 outings in all competitions.

However, the 26-year-old has revealed he almost joined one of Inter’s fiercest rivals.

“I was close, really close [to joining Juve], but my mind was always set on Inter and the manager,” Lukaku said in an interview on  Ian Wright’s YouTube channel.

“As a kid I looked up to Adriano, Ronaldo and [Christian] Vieri.

“Obviously when Inter came – and the manager Conte wanted me at Chelsea and Juve as well – I wanted to go there and see what it was like, keep my head down and work.”

Lukaku has already bettered his goals tally from the whole of his final season at United, where he fell out of favour under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

“One bad year can happen to everybody, and I was done [at United],” Lukaku, who believes he made the right decision in leaving Old Trafford, added. “It was a difficult situation.

“I had to make a decision over going somewhere where I can learn other aspects of my game and work with somebody that wanted me as well.

“Ole wanted me to stay but I told him it was over. I didn’t have the energy. All credit to him because he’s been a man and he helped me make the move away.”

United have steadily improved in Solskjaer’s first full campaign in charge following the January signings of Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo, the latter arriving on an initial loan.

“They are going the right way because they are bringing in the right players,” Lukaku said. “Ole is doing a good job and the results are good.

“I wish them nothing but the best. As a club they gave me a platform that I had never seen in my life.”

Lukaku and the entire Inter squad are currently in self-isolation after playing a Serie A game against Juventus where substitute Daniele Rugani subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.

The Belgium striker admits the quarantine has been tough as he’s unable to see family and must find ways to keep fit while stuck inside.

As it stands, many don’t expect the Serie A season to restart until May at the very earliest with initial hopes of a return to action in April now extremely unlikely.

Source – Goal.com

The veteran midfielder says his team tactically took turns at taking shots at the Argentine in an effort to get him off of his rhythm.

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Felipe Melo has revealed that Brazil used to tactically kick out at Lionel Messi to disturb the Argentina star’s rhythm as it was the only way they knew how to stop a player so “incredible”.

Melo’s career has taken him all over the world, with the veteran midfielder having played with the likes of Juventus, Galatasaray and Inter among others.

Internationally, the 36-year-old earned 22 caps for Brazil over a two-year span, starring for the Selecao across 2009-10.

During that time, he featured for Brazil’s 2009 Confederations Cup team before heading to South Africa in 2010 as part of his country’s World Cup squad.

And the midfielder, who now plies his trade for Palmeiras, admitted that his side had a plan to stop Messi when Brazil and Argentina collided, even if it wasn’t necessarily one that would be commended as fair play.

“He’s a unique player,” Felipe Melo said to Clarin.

“When Brazil played against him we used to say ‘we have to kick him once each, we have to rotate’.

“If we didn’t, it was too difficult to mark him. We didn’t want to break him, just to cut his rhythm and to disturb him – it was tactical.”

He added: “Messi is incredible, more so than Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Cristiano can score five goals for you, but Messi can score those five and then make his team-mates score as well. He’s more complete.”

Melo has long been known for his physicality, having been sent off in Brazil’s quarter-final loss to the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup for a violent stamp on Arjen Robben.

The hard-nosed midfielder says that he has found differences in how matches are refereed in Europe and South America, with the game’s physicality varying based on what country you’re playing in.

“Referees break your balls everywhere, but they’re different,” he said.

“In England, if you kick someone the fans say ‘ooooh’ but the referee doesn’t change his mind. But the same kick in Spain gets you sent off.

“In Brazil, some leave you and some send you off and that’s why I love the Copa Libertadores.

“If you get a Brazilian referee, you can get sent off but with an Argentinian, not necessarily.”

Source – Goal.com

Football schedules the world over have been affected by Covid-19 and amendments may have to be made for certain players to see out campaigns.

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FIFA has set up a working group to look at the potential impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the transfer of players, with there a real possibility that contracts could run out before the season is eventually concluded.

With the majority of leagues across the globe suspended due to the proliferation of Covid-19, UEFA decided to postpone Euro 2020 by a year and CONMEBOL pushed back the Copa America until 2021.

The 2019-20 season could consequently continue into the opening of the transfer window, which for most European countries will be in June, and see players required beyond the expiration of their contracts.

Following a conference call on Wednesday, the bureau of the FIFA council announced amendments to its regulations on transfers will be looked into.

The FIFA-Confederations working group will be responsible for “assessing the need for amendments or temporary dispensations to the FIFA regulations on the status and transfer of players to protect contracts for both players and clubs and adjusting player registration periods”. It will also look at issues relating to the competition calendar and whether a potential support fund should be established.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: “This exceptional situation requires exceptional measures and decisions. This crisis impacts the entire world and that is why solutions need to take into account the interests of all stakeholders around the world.

“We have shown again today a spirit of co-operation, solidarity and unity. These must be our key drivers moving forward and I would like to thank all the confederations’ presidents for their positive contributions and efforts.

“FIFA will keep in close contact with all stakeholders to assess and take the necessary steps to deal with the variety of issues we are facing. I count on the support of the whole football community moving forward.”

It was also announced that the European Championship and Copa America were granted slots from June 11 until July 11 in the 2021 international match calendar, with a new date for the revamped Club World Cup to be selected at a later stage.

In addition, FIFA ratified a $10 million donation to the World Health Organization Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Source – Goal.com

Football is facing its first economic crisis for decades with the prospect of mass layoffs of players if nothing is done to bail out clubs left without matches by the coronavirus pandemic, the global players’ union FIFPRO said on Tuesday.

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Professional football has been wiped off the map for weeks, maybe months, after all the major leagues, cups and international competitions were suspended, culminating in the postponement of Euro 2020 and Copa America on Tuesday.

“There is no doubt that the health of everybody is the primary concern but the concerns of players are shifting very quickly towards their livelihoods,” FIFPRO general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann told reporters in a conference call.

“For the vast majority, a loss of income for two or three months is as threatening as for any other worker.

“The consequences for our industry will potentially turn ugly very quickly, so any co-ordinated action is very, very important.”

Baer-Hoffmann said that football had continued to grow during the 2008 financial crisis but the omens were not so favourable this time.

“For the first time in decades, we are facing a real economic crisis in football,” he added.

“There are simply not a lot of reserves that we can bank on. We know how club budgets are managed, they are always on the line of liquidity.

“If we don’t respond very quickly to stabilise the cash flow we could see mass layoffs of players and staff members within weeks.”

He added that while clubs in the big leagues should make it through the crisis, it was a different story in smaller markets.

Gianni Infantino has proposed global assistance to help fund those affected/Getty Images

He also welcomed a statement from FIFA president Gianni Infantino to propose a global assistance fund to help “members of the community” affected by the crisis.

UEFA, meanwhile, has set up a working group to propose measures to mitigate the financial effects of the pandemic.

“This is what we were hoping they would be doing,” he said.

He added that players would need time to get into shape once football was able to re-start again.

“The players will not be able to just walk out of their apartments and back on the pitch,” he said. “If they are in home quarantine for two months, they will need time to get back on their feet.”

Source – Eurosport.com