Dribble Diaries

FIFA has warned players that if nothing is done to alleviate the mounting strain on their workload, they will "take matters into their own hands," with players' union FIFPro indicating that strike action is not out of the question. In the midst of an increasingly congested fixture calendar, FIFPro Europe president David Terrier declared "an emergency" due to players' mounting mental and physical exhaustion. Terrier advocated for regulations to limit the number of games after the FIFPro player workload and recovery season review revealed some concerning figures. As part of the investigation, a player poll revealed that more than half of respondents had been forced to play while already injured, and 82% of managers had fielded a player they knew needed to rest. "We are dealing with one of our sport's most pressing issues, which has arisen as a result of a government failure," Terrier stated at the FIFPro event in London. "It has caused serio...

The countries who will compete in this summer's European Championships in Germany have begun to name their initial training teams. These squads will be further pared down, with only 26 players allowed for each country in the competition, but some high-profile players have already been left out of the larger group for their respective countries' warm-up matches. Here are some of the most high-profile absences from countries competing in the Euros.  England: Marcus Rashford, Ben White, Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, and Jordan Henderson. Rashford has been a constant presence in the England squad under Gareth Southgate, but after a disappointing season in which he scored only seven Premier League goals, the forward has been left out this time around. Despite England's lack of full-backs, White misses out after a strong season at Arsenal, with Southgate claiming he is still unavailable for selection since White refused to be called up during the previous internatio...

The Netherlands has announced their final 26-man roster for the European Championships. The three unlucky players who dropped out of Ronald Koeman's provisional squad are Ian Maatsen (who will most certainly start Saturday's Champions League final), Nick Olij, and Quinten Timber. His final squad is filled with current and former Premier League talents, led by Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk. The Netherlands' final 26-man team for Euro 2024:   Goalkeepers: Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord), Mark Flekken (Brentford), and Bart Verbruggen (Brighton). Defenders: Nathan Ake (Manchester City), Daley Blind (Girona), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), Lutsharel Geertruida (Feyenoord), Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham), Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan). Midfielders: Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta), Tijjani Reijnders (AC Milan), Jerdy Schouten (PSV), ...

Barcelona has confirmed the selection of Hansi Flick as their new head coach on a two-year contract, only days after parting ways with club legend Xavi. Xavi reneged on his plan to retire at the end of the season, which he announced in January, following an improvement in form in the later stages of the campaign. However, in a surprise move, Barcelona opted to fire him despite. During the early part of the spring, when it appeared that Xavi would depart on his own, Barcelona was extensively connected with a transfer for Flick, and the club has now announced his arrival. Flick has been out of employment since September 2023, when he was fired by Germany after a poor run of results leading into Euro 2024 on home soil. They were likewise eliminated in the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with Flick winning only 12 of his 25 matches as manager. Prior to taking over the German national team, Flick was a tremendously successful manager at Bayern Munich. Between November 2019 and June ...

Sonia Bompastor, the first woman to win the Women's Champions League as a player and manager with Lyon, has been named Chelsea's new head coach on a four-year contract. The club also stated that Chelsea Women would become a separate entity, no longer sitting beneath but alongside the men's team. The club's ownership group will remain the controlling stakeholder of Chelsea Women and is dedicated to significant investment in the squad and sharing footballing resources, but the women's team will be constituted as a separate business. This is intended to attract fresh investment, and a bank has been contacted to investigate potential minority ownership of Chelsea Women. Bompastor's arrival comes after she led Lyon to this season's Champions League final, when the eight-time champions lost 2-0 to Barcelona on Saturday, their first loss to the Catalan club. The French manager was seen as the standout contender from a shortlist of four assembled by Chelsea's ge...

Former Italy and Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci has ended his glittering 19-year career. The 37-year-old won Euro 2020 as a member of Roberto Mancini's squad, scoring in the final at Wembley Stadium, and won eight Serie A titles, four Coppa Italia crowns, and five Italian Super Cups in two periods with Juventus. Bonucci, who formerly played for Inter Milan and AC Milan, ended his career with Turkish club Fenerbahce. He announced his retirement on social media, writing, "As a boy, I dreamed of this story I'd tell, promising myself successes to embrace against the greatest, rejoicing, and having faith through hardships with fortitude. "A father, teammate, spouse, and player. Beyond. Beyond history, I am myself." Bonucci made 502 appearances for Juventus, coming from Bari in 2010 and rejoining in 2018 after a season with AC Milan. A Juventus statement read: "A player who has played an important role in our recent history has decided to leave football."...

Bayern Munich has announced that Vincent Kompany will become their new head coach after signing a contract until 2027. Kompany, who has long been rumored to be at the top of Bayern's wishlist, joins the German club after parting company with former manager Thomas Tuchel following a disappointing season in which they finished third in the Bundesliga, ending an 11-year league winning streak. A statement on the club's website read: "FC Bayern has hired Vincent Kompany as its new coach. The 38-year-old Belgian has signed with the German record holders until June 30, 2027. He most recently worked for FC Burnley, an English Premier League club. The 38-year-old began his management career as a player-coach for Anderlecht before joining Burnley for the 2022/23 season. Kompany was promoted to the Premier League on his first attempt and introduced a more free-flowing offensive style of football to the Clarets. Burnley finished 19th in the top tier this season, winning only five of t...

Luciano Spalletti revealed that Italy are not regarded favourites for the forthcoming European Championship, which is a blessing in disguise for the reigning champions. The Azzurri coach recently spoke with Sky Sports Italia, when he stated that there are teams that 'are on a higher level' than his squad, most likely referring to France, England, and Spain, which have superior odds of winning at the bookies. For several Italy fans, this was a discouraging comment, as many believed in the team's possibilities following their unexpected success in the previous edition in 2021 and the skill of Spalletti's management. Italy at Euro 2024  For the Azzurri, not being considered favourites for Euro 2024 is a blessing in disguise, as it relieves some of the burden on this youthful squad and allows them to focus on the task at hand. It's also nothing new for the Italy national team; they weren't favored to win Euro 2020, nor were they widely predicted to win the 2006 Worl...

Last summer's transfer window saw the Saudi Pro League emerge as a credible destination for some of the world's best players. While Saudi spending was more restrained in the January window, the league appears to be making another push to increase its appeal by attracting more big-name players this summer. Several Premier League players have been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia this summer. Ederson   Ederson, the Manchester City goalkeeper, is reportedly getting interest from Al-Ittihad this summer. According to Mail Sport, City could make an initial £25 million bid for the Brazilian, who has been plagued by injuries this season but remains the club's number one and recently won his sixth Premier League title. Mo Salah  The Liverpool forward was the subject of a stunning £150 million bid from Al-Ittihad last summer, and the Guardian reports that he is once again on the radar of Saudi Pro League clubs. According to David Ornstein of the Athletic, Salah is expected to stay ...

On Saturday, Wembley Stadium will have the largest stewarding operation in its history to guarantee that the Champions League final does not replicate the disastrous events of previous years. The past two Champions League finals in Paris and Istanbul both caused problems for fans, while the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium three years ago was also marred by major chaos. The circumstances during the Euro 2020 final triggered an investigation by Baroness Casey, and the Football Association claims lessons have been learned. The FA and UEFA have collaborated to guarantee that such incidents do not occur again this Saturday, when Borussia Dortmund face Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium. More than 2,500 stewards will be on duty, the most ever at Wembley Stadium, and there will be a huge policing operation both inside and outside. Since the Euro 2020 final, £5 million has been committed to upgrade Wembley Stadium's safety and security infrastructure. These improvements include stronger doo...

Chelsea has reached an agreement to hire Leicester manager Enzo Maresca as the club's new head coach. Maresca has signed to a five-year contract with the West Londoners, which includes the option for an additional season. Fabrizio Romano has stated that Chelsea would trigger the compensation sum in Maresca's Leicester contract, which is expected to be in the region of €10 million, once personal terms are agreed. Chelsea have made Maresca their top choice after Mauricio Pochettino decided to leave the club following an end-of-season evaluation, having been impressed by the Italian's work at the King Power Stadium. The 44-year-old was hired Leicester's head coach last summer after previously working as Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City, and he guided the Foxes to the Championship title. After a surprising relegation the previous season, Maresca led Leicester back into the Premier League at the first try and has gained fans for his attractive and possession-...

 As he said his goodbyes to Barcelona, Xavi Hernandez fired a final blow at the club's hierarchy. Barcelona finished second in La Liga after winning the title the previous season under Xavi, and he ended the season with a 2-1 victory over Sevilla. Xavi's demotion from the Barcelona bench has sparked widespread outrage in recent days, with his own future unknown. After first being persuaded to reverse his intention to step down last month, club president Joan Laporta chose to fire him following remarks about the club's financial problems. The call irritated Xavi as he prepared to shape his youthful group into title contenders again in 2024/25, and he responded with a direct jab at Laporta. "It's not a sense of liberation because I intended to remain here. These choices are made by the club. "I understand and respect them, but I thought this wasn't over," according to Diario AS. "It is not my place to discuss the reasons for my departure. "I b...

Following Manchester City's FA Cup final loss to Manchester United, Pep Guardiola confessed he was unaware of the club's summer transfer plans. With Saturday's defeat at Wembley, City fell short of being the first side in English football history to win back-to-back league and cup titles. After being pushed to the final day of the Premier League season by Arsenal and losing in the Champions League quarter-finals to Real Madrid, the manager was asked if there would be any changes to the squad after failing to retain two of the three trophies won in their historic treble season a year earlier. "Right now I don't know what's going to happen," he stated. "I don't know if the players will stay with us or depart. "Players come in and out. Right now, I'm quite delighted with how the squad performed throughout the season. I couldn't say otherwise." Guardiola's squad has had several players involved in each of City's record four s...

For the second year in a straight, it was an all-Manchester FA Cup final, with Pep Guardiola's side hoping to repeat their 2023 success over Erik ten Hag's men. This is what occurred. United's teen dream. Despite Manchester City's late surge, Manchester United won the FA Cup final with a 2-1 victory at Wembley. Manchester City had a penalty claim within seconds, but Haaland's protests were denied following an apparent push by Lisandro Martinez. United had their own penalty appeal on 20 minutes when Bruno Fernandes went down inside the area, but the referee waved play on. Ten Hag's team broke the stalemate after half an hour when Alejandro Garnacho tapped in following a massive mix-up in the City defence. United believed they had increased their lead just a few minutes later, but Marcus Rashford's strike was ruled out for offside. The second goal came on 39 minutes, when Kobbie Mainoo capped off a superb team play. Into the second half, United remained ahead ...

Milan will announce Stefano Pioli's departure soon, most likely before the season's last game against Salernitana. The Rossoneri are likely to finish in the Champions League spots this season, but Pioli's tenure at the club has now concluded, as expected. According to Antonio Vitiello of MilanNews, the Italian's departure will most likely be announced before the start of the game against Salernitana, and he will say goodbye to the fans at the end of the match. Talks between the manager's entourage and Milan have been ongoing for weeks, and Pioli has known he will go for a few days already. The discussions between the two parties are about reaching an agreement on Pioli's exit, as he has another year on his contract. A voluntary termination will be found, and terms will be agreed upon. Along with Pioli, Simon Kjaer and Olivier Giroud will bid the fans farewell at the end of the match.

Chelsea has compiled a shortlist of managers to succeed Mauricio Pochettino as they begin their search for a third permanent manager in two years. The primary candidates are Ruben Amorim, Kieran McKenna, and Sebastian Hoeness, with Michel and Enzo Maresca also showing interest. Amorim has been connected with many Premier League opportunities, while Ipswich's McKenna is also being pursued by previous club Manchester United, while Hoeness is seen as the next great thing in German coaching. The last two have connections to Manchester City and Pep Guardiola. Ruben Amorim The Sporting manager was formerly considered a front-runner for the Liverpool job, but he was passed over in favour of Arne Slot. Following talks with West Ham, one of Europe's most highly regarded young managers vowed to stay and oversee the club's pursuit of a third consecutive Portuguese title. An offer from Chelsea might derail that strategy, although there are concerns that his ideology does not fit the ma...

We now know the provisional England squad for Euro 2024, which takes place this summer. Gareth Southgate has named a large 33-man squad, which will be reduced to 26 players before the plane leaves for Germany. The Three Lions will have one of the most skilled football teams in the tournament, making them a strong contender to win the Henri Delaunay trophy for the first time. That means that many big-name players have missed out on a spot in the team, and some of them may consider themselves unlucky not to be included in the manager's plans. Others have simply not performed well enough. Southgate's major absences from the England squad for Euro 2024: Marcus Rashford Marcus Rashford's form has plummeted this season after scoring 30 goals for Manchester United the previous season. He has only scored eight goals and has battled injuries. Once regarded as a key member of the England team, there is simply too much quality in the wide spaces to accommodate him now.  Jordan Henders...

Toni Kroos, a Real Madrid midfielder, has declared his decision to retire from football at the end of the season, effective immediately following the conclusion of this summer's Euro 2024 competition. The German international has over a century of caps and, after retiring from national team activity in mid-2021, returned at Julian Nagelsmann's request early this year. He is expected to play a key role for Germany as they host the European Championship. Before that, he has one notable club final left: the Champions League final, in which he will attempt to add an astonishing sixth European Cup to his personal collection, having already won four with this year's LaLiga champions and another with Bayern Munich in 2013. Kroos, 34, confirmed his impending retirement on Instagram, saying his last intention was to "go for No.15," referring to Real Madrid's quest to win their 15th European Cup. After a decade at Madrid, during which he won four league titles and five ...

According to the cover story of the Spanish daily SPORT, Barcelona has put together a shortlist of five potential candidates to replace Xavi as head coach for the upcoming season. This list contains Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Tuchel, Hansi Flick, Rafa Marquez, and Thiago Motta. The decision to look for new managers comes as Xavi faces criticism from the club's management for statements he made concerning Barcelona's financial situation. Joan Laporta, the club's president, has opted to take a week off to deliberate on the issue, adding to the team's uncertainties. The players are eager to learn what the plan for the coming season will be, and they desire consistency in the club's direction. Marquez and Flick's favourites?  Despite the financial issues, Barcelona's administration is considering its options. Marquez and Flick appear to be the strongest of the five prospects. The Mexican has impressed with his efforts in the youth team, and Flick is presently avai...

Brazil has chosen its lineup for the 2018 Copa América in the United States. The Seleçao heads to the United States after finishing second to Argentina in the 2021 edition. This time around, the South American powers have been assigned to Group D alongside Paraguay, Colombia, and Costa Rica. Some prominent names have been left at home for the tournament, including Manchester United's Casemiro and Tottenham attacker Richarlison. Speaking to Globo Esporte, the Brazil manager stated (via Manchester Evening News): "Casemiro deserves our respect. I spoke with him in Manchester three months ago and described what I was thinking at the time, about his and his team's circumstances, and what I need. Although he was not called up this time, he is still eligible for future call-ups.He knows exactly what I think of him, and that is what matters. Tomorrow, I will speak with him again and discuss what I believe will happen in the future, because he is a player who deserves regard, affec...

Argentina have named their squad for the upcoming Copa América. The victors of the World Cup 2022 will travel to the United States next month after winning the last edition of the tournament in 2021. Lionel Messi was the hero on both occasions, and coach Lionel Scaloni has picked the Inter Miami man among the forwards. Despite recent injury concerns, Manchester United prospect Alejandro Garnacho and his domestic teammate Lisandro Martínez are both selected. However, there was one conspicuous absence: Roma forward Paulo Dybala. Gonzalo Montiel, who scored the winning penalty against France in the 2022 final, has also been named. Argentina has been placed in Group A with Peru, Chile, and Canada. 

Juventus has parted ways with coach Massimiliano Allegri with immediate effect, just days after winning the Coppa Italia. The Bianconeri still have two league games left this season and could overtake Monday's opponents Bologna for third place in Serie A. However, they will try to do it without Allegri, who was sent off in the dying moments of Wednesday's Coppa Italia triumph against Atalanta and looked to make a contemptuous gesture toward sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli during the post-match celebrations. A statement issued by the club on Friday read: "The dismissal follows certain behaviours during and after the Coppa Italia final which the club deemed incompatible with the values ​​of Juventus and with the behaviour that those who represent it must adopt." It concludes the 56-year-old's second term in charge of the Old Lady, which lasted nearly three seasons and saw him win only this season's Coppa Italia. Allegri's previous tenure in Turin was fa...

FIFA created a new challenge mechanism for trials. The Football Video Support (VS) concept is already being tested in youth football, with good results. That's according to FIFA's chief of referees, Pierluigi Collina, who praised the system at this week's FIFA Congress in Bangkok. Managers are able to dispute two refereeing decisions every game, with successful appeals resulting in the challenge being saved for future use. The first experiment was held last week at the Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup, but there are no plans to use it in the Premier League or other elite levels of the game at this time, according to ESPN. "The outcome was very, very positive," Collina explained. "Our goal is to continue testing this new system, particularly in our youth competitions." "We hope to be able to give all of you who have indicated an interest in the possibility to implement this system in your competitions." VAR has come under intense scrutiny in recent yea...

 The Netherlands have chosen a 30-man preliminary roster for the European Championships this summer. What are your thoughts on the selection? Any snubs? 

Didier Deschamps has given N'Golo Kante a surprise recall to the France squad for Euro 2024. Les Bleus are among the favourites to win the title in Germany, but they lack a number of big names in central midfield, and they are also hampered by the injury absence of Aston Villa's Boubacar Kamara. Kante, 33, last played for his country in the summer of 2022, but he will have the opportunity to add to his 56 caps after joining Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad last year. France has left out Chelsea attacker Christopher Nkunku after his injury-plagued debut season in west London, as well as Michael Olise, a London-born Crystal Palace winger who has previously represented the country at the juvenile level. Axel Disasi and Malo Gusto, Nkunku's Chelsea colleagues, did not make the cut, but Premier League trio Alphonse Areola, William Saliba, and Ibrahima Konate did. Bayern Munich defender Lucas Hernandez would have made the roster, but he is out due to injury. For the first time, Pari...