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Barca presidential candidate condemns PSG's 'disrespectful' Messi pursuit

Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta wants FIFA to intervene on Paris Saint-Germain’s “disrespectful” public pursuit of Lionel Messi.

Laporta, who previously served as the club’s president between 2003 and 2010, said in a news conference that Messi’s contract situation “requires urgency” while he’s free to discuss a pre-contract agreement with other teams, according to ESPN’s Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens. Manchester City and PSG have been strongly linked to the Argentine superstar, but Laporta only condemned the latter’s interest.

“It is disrespectful to Barca that clubs like PSG publicly say they are going to sign Messi,” Laporta said on Wednesday. “This coming from a club-state that have bypassed the rules. We cannot allow clubs and states the luxury of destabilizing another club.

“In that sense, we will have to speak with UEFA and FIFA to avoid such actions. PSG must abstain from (talking about Messi). It is out of place for another club to speak about him. And, at the moment, there is no president in place to respond to this lack of respect.”

PSG forward Neymar and the French side’s sporting director, Leonardo, have both been on record talking about the prospect of bringing Messi to the Parc des Princes.

Messi said in December that he intends to make a decision on his future at the end of the 2020-21 season. The 33-year-old is expected to feature in Barcelona’s Copa del Rey skirmish with Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday after serving a two-match suspension.

Barcelona’s next president is set to be elected on March 7. Laporta, Victor Font, Toni Freixa, and Emili Rousaud are the four candidates.

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Thomas Tuchel takes over as Chelsea manager

Thomas Tuchel has succeeded Frank Lampard at Chelsea.

The German tactician signed an initial 18-month contract to become the Blues’ new manager on Tuesday. Tuchel is tasked with reviving a Premier League title challenge that is in poor shape following a run of five defeats in eight matches.

Chelsea are positioned ninth in England’s top flight after spending over £200 million on transfers last summer. Lampard was sacked Monday having won only 49% of his Premier League matches over his 18-month spell, the worst rate for a manager during Roman Abramovich’s 18 seasons as Chelsea owner.

Tuchel has been out of work since Paris Saint-Germain dismissed him in December. Last season, he led the club to the Champions League final and won Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Coupe de la Ligue. He also collected a Ligue 1 title in the 2018-19 campaign.

The 47-year-old was in charge of Borussia Dortmund before his PSG stint, where he enjoyed DFB-Pokal success in the 2016-17 term. He was widely credited for his thorough tactics and improving a number of young players.

“We all have the greatest respect for Frank Lampard’s work and the legacy he created at Chelsea,” Tuchel said. “At the same time, I cannot wait to meet my new team and compete in the most exciting league in football. I am grateful to now be part of the Chelsea family – it feels amazing!”

Tuchel worked with Chelsea stars Christian Pulisic and Thiago Silva at Dortmund and PSG, respectively.

The new boss will begin his Chelsea tenure with a visit from Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday.

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Chelsea fire Lampard, will reportedly hire Tuchel as replacement

Chelsea fired manager Frank Lampard on Monday amid a poor run of form that has seen the club drop to ninth in the Premier League table.

The Blues are finalizing a deal to appoint former Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel as Lampard’s replacement, a source told James Olley of ESPN.

“This was a very difficult decision for the club, not least because I have an excellent personal relationship with Frank and I have the utmost respect for him,” owner Roman Abramovich said. “He is a man of great integrity and has the highest of work ethics.

“He is an important icon of this great club and his status here remains undiminished. He will always be warmly welcomed back at Stamford Bridge.”

Lampard, who starred in Chelsea’s midfield before being appointed manager in July 2019, leaves with one-and-a-half years remaining on his contract.

The club won just 49% of its Premier League matches with him in charge.

Chelsea spent more than £200 million last summer to improve the squad, making a big splash in the market after serving a transfer embargo in 2019.

The west London side offered early evidence of a potential title challenge, going 14 matches unbeaten in all competitions. But Chelsea’s form unraveled in December. Losses to Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Arsenal compelled Lampard to criticize his players for an apparent lack of effort.

He took another shot at his team after the defeat to Leicester at the King Power Stadium.

“The bare minimums are to run, to sprint, to cover ground, and too many of our players didn’t do it,” he said.

Timo Werner, one of Chelsea’s marquee summer signings, endured a particularly troubling spell under Lampard’s supervision. The German striker last scored in the Premier League on Nov. 4, recording a brace in a 4-1 win over Sheffield United.

The form of Kai Havertz, Chelsea’s club-record signing, has raised similar concerns. The 21-year-old failed to settle into Lampard’s 4-3-3 formation while struggling at multiple positions, and he suffered from the effects of COVID-19.

Tuchel, whom PSG fired in December, was reportedly planning to wait until the end of the season before deciding on his next move. But after discussions with Chelsea’s brass and former PSG captain Thiago Silva – who’s now at Stamford Bridge – the German bench boss was convinced to take over the struggling English side, according to Olley.

Soccer

Manchester City star De Bruyne ruled out for 4-6 weeks

Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne will be sidelined for up to six weeks due to an injury he picked up against Aston Villa on Wednesday, manager Pep Guardiola announced Friday.

“The doctor had to review the scan this morning, and he will be out between four and six weeks,” Guardiola said.

“It is a big blow. But we have to move forward. I am not saying that nobody doesn’t know about how important he is.

“Unfortunately for him and for us, he will be out for an important part of the season, and we have to find a solution because everyone is struggling in this situation, and we have to adapt.”

De Bruyne was forced to leave in the second half of City’s 2-0 win over Villa after picking up a hamstring injury, according to BBC Sport.

The injury forces De Bruyne to miss crucial matches against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and could prevent the Belgian from featuring in City’s Champions League clash against Borussia Monchengladbach on Feb. 24.

City sit second in the Premier League, two points behind rival Manchester United with a game in hand.

News of De Bruyne’s injury comes a day after forward Sergio Aguero announced he tested positive for COVID-19. The Argentine star is expected to miss more than a week while self-isolating.

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