Paris Saint-Germain mainstays Edinson Cavani and Thiago Silva will leave the club when their contracts expire this summer, director Leonardo said Saturday.
“Yes, we’re coming to the end. It was a very difficult decision to make,” Leonardo said, according to Goal’s Robin Bairner. “Maybe we’re wrong … there’s never a perfect moment.”
Cavani, the club’s all-time leading scorer with 200 goals, was on the verge of joining Atletico Madrid in January. A deal fell apart when PSG reportedly demanded €20 million for the pending free agent.
Silva, who joined PSG in 2012 from AC Milan, has been linked with a return to the Rossoneri.
Cavani and Silva are expected to stick around until the end of PSG’s Champions League campaign, which is expected to resume sometime in August. The French government ordered the end to the Ligue 1 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, leaving PSG as champions.
Cavani fell down the pecking order after the arrival of Mauro Icardi on loan from Inter Milan. PSG have since made Icardi’s move permanent for a reported €60-million fee.
The Uruguayan striker has made just 12 starts across all competitions this term.
Silva has served as club captain for several seasons. He’s won seven Ligue 1 titles, four French Cups, and five French League Cups.
Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh voiced his frustrations Thursday over the guidelines sent to the 32 NFL teams outlining procedures for the full reopening of their practice facilities, which were closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’ve seen all the memos on that, and to be quite honest with you, it’s impossible what they’re asking us to do. Humanly impossible,” Harbaugh said in an interview with 105.7 The Fan. “So, we’re going to do everything we can do. We’re going to space, we’re going to have masks. But, you know, it’s a communication sport. We have to be able to communicate with each other in person. We have to practice.”
The protocol requires physical distancing in the locker, meeting and weight rooms as well as cafeterias. Harbaugh said he is unsure how those standards can be realistically applied everywhere.
“I’m pretty sure the huddle is not going to be 6-feet spaced,” Harbaugh said. “Are guys going to shower one at a time all day? Are guys going to lift weights one at a time all day? These are things the league and the [players’ association] needs to get a handle on and needs to get agreed with some common sense so we can operate in a 13-hour day in training camp that they’re giving us and get our work done. That’s the one thing, you can tell by my voice, I’m a little frustrated with what I’m hearing there. And I think they need to get that pinned down a little better.”
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Unlike the top-four and top-six races, which come with spots in Europe, there’s no actual reward for finishing in the top half of the table.
Still, a top-10 finish serves as a point of pride for clubs, and while it’s not one of the more popular markets, there’s certainly value to be found in it for bettors.
Here’s how the middle of the Premier League table looked when the season was suspended.
And here are the odds for clubs to secure a top-10 finish.
CLUB
ODDS
Wolverhampton
-3500
Tottenham
-2000
Arsenal
-1500
Sheffield United
-1200
Everton
-140
Burnley
+190
Crystal Palace
+200
Southampton
+700
Newcastle
+1500
I’m of the belief that the top-nine teams will remain in the top nine through the end of the season. Wolves and Sheffield United are backed by excellent managers in Nuno Espirito Santo and Chris Wilder, and that will keep them competing for a spot in Europe next season. Tottenham will receive a massive boost by the return of Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son, and Moussa Sissoko, aiding in their top-four push, while Arsenal have a game in hand over all the clubs below them and still have four matches remaining against the bottom-six teams.
That leaves one spot up for grabs, currently shared by Burnley and Crystal Palace. The prices on these two clubs are about the same, with the Clarets sitting at +190 and the Eagles at +200, but they have contrasting outlooks.
Burnley are excellently managed by Sean Dyche, who’s a terrific motivator and tactician. There’s cohesion in the team with little turnover in personnel, and that familiarity will aid in the club’s form upon the restart. Where Burnley have typically struggled is against the “big six” sides. The Clarets are 1-2-7 in games against the “big six” this season but have just two such matches remaining, while four of their final nine fixtures are against the bottom-six sides, with whom they are 5-2-1 against this season. Expect a strong finish from Dyche’s side, as the club provides excellent value to keep its place in the top half of the table at +190.
Should the Clarets falter, don’t expect Palace to take advantage. Roy Hodgson’s side has overachieved considerably this season. Jordan Ayew has been serviceable up top, but there simply aren’t enough goals on their side. The Eagles have been the beneficiaries of some timely scoring, but with a lack of goalscorers on their side, that’s not something they can keep relying on.
Palace also have a daunting fixture list ahead of them, with seven of their last nine matches coming against top-10 sides, including Liverpool (away), Leicester (away), Chelsea, Manchester United, Wolves (away), and Tottenham. The Eagles are likelier to drop to 14th by season’s end than they are to break into the top half of the table.
Everton are strong candidates to leapfrog both Burnley and Palace and finish inside the top 10, with oddsmakers pegging them as favorites to do so at -140. The Toffees have experienced something of a resurgence since Carlo Ancelotti took over, posting a 5-3-3 record in the league under the Italian. That being said, their remaining schedule poses a number of hurdles with three of their next four matches coming against Liverpool, Leicester, and Tottenham. If they can get through those relatively unscathed, there’s a clear path to a top-10 finish, but I’m not comfortable backing the Toffees at such a short price.
Sitting a bit further down the table are Southampton, who are especially interesting at +700. The Saints have bounced back impressively following a miserable start to the campaign in which they lost eight of their first 12 matches, and there’s a lot to like about this side under Ralph Hasenhuttl.
Southampton had the league’s worst home record when the season was suspended and will be one of the clubs least effected by playing in an empty stadium. Their toughest remaining fixtures are against Arsenal, Everton, and the two Manchesters, but there’s nothing especially daunting about those matches. If they can claim even six points from those four fixtures, the rest of their schedule maps out well for them to break into the top 10.
Best bets: Burnley +190, Southampton +700
Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.
INDIANAPOLIS — New Colts starting quarterback Philip Rivers knew about the criticism from his struggles at times during the 2019 season while with the Los Angeles Chargers. He didn’t go seek out everything that was said about him because he knows negativity comes with the job at times.
But as he points out, “at the same time, we’re all human.”
“At times what may have aggravated me a little bit last year was [critics saying] that I couldn’t play anymore,” Rivers said Wednesday. “When you heard that, it bothered me because I wanted to go, ‘Shoot, let’s go turn on the tape and watch all the good things.’ There were some bad plays. Certainly some throws I want back and certainly some very costly mistakes. I own up to all those. There was so much good and I had some throws last year that were probably as good as I’ve had my whole career. I knew. So I didn’t feel like I had to sell that to anyone. But at the same time, it did aggravate you little bit. I think it’s OK to be aware. I’m one of those guys that likes to be aware.”
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Part of the reason the Chargers decided to part ways this past winter with Rivers after 16 seasons was because he turned the ball over 23 times, including 20 interceptions, which were the third most in the NFL in 2019.
The Colts, however, don’t see a 38-year-old quarterback who is regressing. They see one who can still make the necessary throws and help lead them back to the playoffs next season for just the second time since 2014. That’s why the Colts gave Rivers a one-year, $25 million deal to replace Jacoby Brissett as their starting quarterback back in March. Rivers, who has started 224 straight games, has thrown for 59,271 yards and 397 touchdowns, earning eight Pro Bowl invitations in his career.
“I can just tell you this and I know we still have to play games and all that stuff, and that’s the exciting part, but the further we get into this process with Philip, the more I’m convinced that was the right move for us,” coach Frank Reich said earlier this spring. “This guy is an elite quarterback and I think (he) went with this roster. We have to stay healthy and we have to get some breaks. We all know that. It’s hard.”
The Colts return the only offensive line that started all 16 games last season, their top receiver T.Y. Hilton, and top tight end Jack Doyle to go with running back Marlon Mack. The team used its first two draft picks on receiver Michael Pittman Jr. out of USC and running back Jonathan Taylor from Wisconsin to help an offense that finished 30th in the league in passing last season.
“Something I can confirm is the guys up front and the way we run the football is pretty awesome,” Rivers said. “I’m pretty fired up about that. That’s where it starts and usually good things come from that. It’s going to be very multiple and very dynamic.”
Rivers, like just about every other player who switched teams during the offseason, will be playing catch-up in developing relationships with his teammates. Facilities were shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Teams spent the spring having virtual meeting sessions instead of taking part in on-field drills.
What the Colts and Rivers hope will help the quarterback is that he’s been running Reich’s offensive system since 2013. Rivers went into the spring meeting sessions knowing more than 85 percent of his coach’s system. Reich and Rivers were together for three seasons with the Chargers. Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni and tight ends coach Jason Michael also were on the Chargers’ staff.
“I do know the scheme, but there’s always tweaks when you haven’t been with guys,” Rivers said. “It’s been longer with Frank than Nick. Different terminology. I remember calling things this, now we’re calling that. I feel like that’s been good for me. As far as studying playbook stuff, I haven’t had to do that in a long, long time. That’s been fun to do. Kind of a challenge.”
Being in the “classroom” and doing the actual work on the field are two different things, though. Rivers has worked on cadence calls with center Ryan Kelly and gone over route running with his skill position players, but it wasn’t until this week that Rivers had two throwing sessions with some of his teammates, including Doyle and receiver Parris Campbell.
Rivers recently moved his family, which includes nine children, to Indianapolis. He’ll remain here until the start of training camp, which is scheduled for July 28 barring any setback due to the coronavirus, where he’ll continue to work out with teammates.
“Certainly it is important to all of us, to all our guys, that we get together and get some work done,” Rivers said. “Haven’t met many of these guys in person, much less thrown them a pass or had a person-to-person conversation.”
