Sunday, 7 September 2014
Sunday, 20 April 2014
Gerardo Martino is "not optimistic" that Neymar will play again for Barcelona this season.
The Brazilian damaged the fourth metatarsal in his left foot during Wednesday's Copa del Rey final defeat to Real Madrid, with the club confirming he could be out for up to four weeks.
With Barca's last game of the season - a potential La Liga title-decider at Atletico Madrid - in four weeks' time, the Argentinian is not convinced that Neymar will be able to return, while Carles Puyol will not face Athletic Bilbao on Sunday as he continues to struggle with a knee injury.
"It will be difficult to see him (Neymar) get a game," said the Barca coach.
"It will take about four weeks so I'm not optimistic that he'll play again this season for us."
The Catalan giants have lost all of their three previous matches - in three separate competitions - to dash Barca's hopes of a treble, with the spotlight heavily on Martino and his future at the club.
But Martino is reluctant to talk about what will happen at the end of the season, preferring to concentrate on the job in hand.
"I think all my focus has to be on this season," he said. "It's almost betraying the group thinking of being in charge next season when we're still not finished this season.
"We have to use all the strength that we've got to finish this season, then next season we'll see."
After Atletico's 2-0 win over Elche on Friday, Barca go into Sunday's game seven points behind the leaders and Martino concedes his side are relying heavily on results elsewhere.
"We have to understand that we still have a chance of winning the league and we have to hope teams above us slip up," he said.
"We can't depend on what we do so now it's a different situation. If the other teams do slip up it will be a great incentive for us."
Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has voiced his hope that Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is fit to play against his side in the Champions League semifinals in midweek.
Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has voiced his hope that Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is fit to play against his side in the Champions League semifinals in midweek.
The 29-year-old picked up a muscular injury during his side's 3-0 quarter-final win over Borussia Dortmund and has not played since, most notably missing the Copa del Rey final Clasico win against Barcelona.
However, Rummenigge is hoping that the former Manchester United man lines up against his side to underline the tie's status as the better last-four clash.
"I always want to ensure that the best players are on the pitch because the semi-finals are a great spectacle shown all over the world," he told TZ.
"The other game [Atletico Madrid-Chelsea] is also good but if Real Madrid play Bayern Munich, then it is the game the whole world will be watching.
"I always wish for the best players to be on the pitch, but whether Ronaldo will be fit, I cannot say now."
MESSI
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Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has ruled out selling Lionel Messi, revealing that the Catalans plan to offer the attacker an "improved" contract - on the proviso that the he maintains his incredibly high level of performance.
There have been reports that the Blaugrana could consider selling their most prized asset as they bid to overhaul the club following a week in which they were eliminated from the Champions League, slipped back to third in the race for La Liga and beaten by Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final.
However, Bartomeu has reassured Barca fans that the club will not cash in on Messi, explaining that they instead intend to give him a better deal.
"It’s not a question of offering a new contract," the Blaugrana supremo told 'Gol a Gol'. "We have proposed a modification of his existing contract, which will run until 2018. We want to offer him improved terms in line with the current climate in football. All we ask of him is that he continues to play as he has done until now."
However, while Messi's form, and indeed his motivation, have been the subject of much debate this season, Bartomeu insists that he has never lost confidence in the four-time Ballon d'Or winner.
"We’ve been unfair to him," he mused. "He had led the team for a number of years, he’s done an excellent job and we are sure that he will continue to be our standard bearer – and that is what he wants too. He’s still young, he’s the best player in the world and we have complete faith in him."
However, Bartomeu refused to confirm whether under-fire Barca boss Tata Martino will still be at Camp Nou next season.
"We respect the coach and we have to look towards the future as there are five league games left and we are in touch with the league leaders, who may slip up between now and the final day," he stated.
"We will deal with other issues when the time is right. Right now, we are focused on the league. We are behind him and will support him in these last few matches of the campaign."
c.Ronaldo
Real Madrid have been boosted by the return of Cristiano Ronaldo to training ahead of their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.
The 29-year-old missed Wednesday's Copa del Rey final win over Barcelona with a knee injury and looked set to be absent for the first-leg of his side's last four European tie on Wednesday.
However, he could now be available for the clash with Pep Guardiola's side after coming through the first part of Sunday's training session.
Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti will also be encouraged by the participation of Marcelo, who emerged unscathed from the practice having been sidelined with a hamstring problem.
Copa del Rey hero Gareth Bale was also present following his match-winning heroics in midweek, while defender Sergio Ramos worked alone inside the club's training facility.
The news that Ronaldo will be back for the crunch clash will not only come as a relief to Madrid, with Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge admitting that he was eager to see the Portuguese face his side.
"When Real Madrid play Bayern Munich, then the whole world will be watching. I always want the best players to be on the pitch," he told TZ.
grig
Wednesday, 9 April 2014
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