La Liga
Suarez denies Koeman’s jab in phone gesture goal celebration
Luis Suarez has declared that his phone call gesture after scoring for Atletico Madrid in the 2-0 defeat of his former club, Barcelona was not aimed at Ronald Koeman.
It will be recalled that the now under-fire Barcelona coach made a phone call to Suarez last year that the Uruguayan’s services were no longer required in Barcelona.
The Uruguayan assisted Thomas Lemar’s opener at the Wanda Metropolitano before turning scorer in a similar move to inflict a first La Liga defeat of the season on the out-of-sorts Catalan giants.
The 34-year-old refused to celebrate after netting against his former club but did appear to send a message to Koeman by forming a phone with his right hand and putting it to his ear before play restarted.
Last year’s phone call by Koeman triggered Suarez’s exit.The phone call gesture was believed to be directed at his former boss. But speaking after the game, Suarez said he had agreed on the gesture with his three children and was not a dig at Koeman.
‘(The celebration) was for the people who know I have the same number, so they know I’m still on my phone,’ Suarez told Movistar. ‘It was something I had agreed on with my kids. It was not for Koeman, not at all.’
In an interview with Spanish radio station, Onda Cero in February, Suarez said: ‘When Barcelona told me that they did not count on me it was hard, I did not expect it.
‘They were very difficult moments because of the manner [in which it happened].
‘Koeman called me and told me that I was not in his plans. When Barcelona made it official that they did not count on me, conversations began with Atleti, with Cholo [manager Diego Simeone], with [CEO] Miguel Angel.’
But accompanying the gesture barely a couple of seconds after scoring was a Mohamed Salah-esque action of clasping his hands together in prayer with his eyes closed.
Suarez insists he had also decided before the game he would not celebrate if he netted against the club for whom he scored 198 goals and with whom he won four LaLiga titles along with a Champions League crown.
‘I also did not celebrate fully out of respect for Barcelona. I knew if I scored I wasn’t going to celebrate,’ he added.
The result nevertheless heaps the pressure on under-fire Barcelona boss Koeman, after following up their Champions League defeat by Benfica in midweek with a league reverse in the capital.
The ex-Everton and Southampton boss was assured of his future by president Joan Laporta just hours before the defeat by Simeone’s men, and insists there is now clarity between them.
When asked about Laporta’s comment earlier in the day that the Dutch coach deserved to be given time, Koeman said: ‘We spoke last night and this morning. We have spoken about the squad and there is clarity.’
But asked if the vote of confidence could have come sooner he added: ‘Yes that could be. But I’m grateful that it’s been said. It’s never too late.’
Regarding his long-term future Koeman suggested he had urged Laporta to back him publicly.
He said: ‘I thought that it would be good to have clarity. But I know results always decide. We have to win our three home games after the international break.
‘I believe that I can improve the situation. We are missing important players. All I have been able to do is get the best of the players we have had available.’
Sunday’s LaLiga derby between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid was temporarily suspended in the 69th minute due to fans hurling objects onto the pitch after defender Eder Militao scored the opener for the visitors.
While Real players celebrated the goal in the 64th minute, Atletico ultras Fondo Sur, who are located in the south lower stands, threw objects towards visiting keeper Thibaut Courtois, who alerted the referee and he decided to halt the match.
Atletico captain Koke and defender Jose Maria Gimenez went to the south stand to calm the fans down but the referee ordered the players to go to the dressing rooms as the announcer warned that if the behaviour continued the game would be abandoned.
After a delay of over 20 minutes the players returned to the pitch and the game resumed.
-Reuters
Mounir Nasraoui, the father of Barcelona and Spain star winger Lamine Yamal, was stabbed late on Wednesday at a parking lot in the northeastern Spanish town of Mataro, La Vanguardia newspaper reported, citing official sources familiar with the matter.
Reuters was not able to independently confirm the report. The regional Mossos d’Esquadra police force and a spokesperson for the Mataro local government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
According to La Vanguardia report, Nasraoui was taken to the Can Ruti hospital in the nearby city of Badalona and his diagnosis was “serious”. It added that local and regional police had located several witnesses of the incident.
However, a later report by sports website Relevo, also citing official sources, said Nasraoui had been released from hospital and was back at his home.
Yamal, a soccer wonderkid who grew up in coastal Mataro – a working-class, multi-ethnic suburb of Barcelona – became the breakout star of the recent Euro 2024 held in Germany.
Spain won the tournament, helped in part by the 17-year-old scoring against France in the semifinal on July 9.
-Reuters
Real Madrid and Brazil forward Vinicius Jr is open to an offer of more than one billion euros from Saudi Arabia, sources close to the player told Reuters on Monday.
Vinicius, 24, was approached by Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) officials to inquire about his interest of moving to the Saudi Pro League (SPL) on a five-year contract worth around 200 million euros per season fixed, plus bonuses.
The package would also include a separate 10-year contract to become an ambassador for the 2034 World Cup, which is set to be held in the country, but those terms and financial numbers are yet to be discussed.
Although an official, formal offer has yet to be presented, Vinicius has not dismissed the move and gave permission to PIF to approach Real Madrid.
Despite being “happy and motivated” in the Spanish capital, Vinicius and his representatives believe that a lucrative offer like this needs to be studied carefully.
Another source close to the player said that Real have shown no interest in negotiating a transfer, highlighting the player’s one billion euro buy-out clause.
Real Madrid and PIF did not respond to requests for comment.
Obsessed to be taken seriously as a soccer force, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced a Sports Clubs Investment and Privatisation Project, with PIF taking ownership of 75% of the capital of the country’s four main clubs: Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal and Al Nassr.
The biggest Saudi transfer came from the country’s most successful club, Al Hilal, who spent 90 million euros to buy forward Neymar from Paris St Germain.
With Karim Benzema at Al Ittihad and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, PIF tried to persuade France captain Kylian Mbappe to be the big name Al Ahli is still missing last year.
The forward, however, turned down Saudi’s lucrative offer and joined Real Madrid in June.
The proposal for Vinicius is understood to be similar to the Mbappe offer. The Brazilian would join Al Ahli, linking up with former Premier League players Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino.
Vinicius, who is under contract until 2027 after signing an extension in 2022, is a contender to win the Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world after helping Real to a Champions League and LaLiga double last season.
-Reuters
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