Sports news

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane insists Eden Hazard has the full support of everyone at the club following his latest injury setback, and is confident the Belgian will ‘come back stronger’.

The former Chelsea man has endured a turbulent time since his move to the Spanish capital in 2019, featuring in just 16 La Liga matches in his maiden campaign with Los Blancos and failing to record more than four consecutive league appearances.

The 29-year-old has continued to struggle this season and yet again finds himself sidelined having picked up a thigh injury in Saturday’s defeat to Alaves. How long Hazard will be out for remains unclear, though Zidane has confirmed he has the support of everyone at the club.

“Sometimes injuries happen and we have to endure,” Zidane said as reported by Goal. “He is strong, I have no doubt. He is having a hard time lately. We are going to help him to get better soon.

“It is a complicated situation for Eden. He has never been injured in his career and now has more misfortunes. He will surely come back stronger. We look forward to seeing him with us again.”

A timescale has yet to be put on Hazard’s return, though he will definitely play no part in the club’s Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday evening.

Despite not being at their free-flowing best in this season’s Champions League, Real can secure their passage into the next round of Europe’s premier competition with a win over the Ukrainian champions.

Zidane is keen to avoid his side’s Champions League destiny still being in the balance come the final matchday of Group B and has emphasised the importance of a win.

“It is up to us to get through,” he added. “Tomorrow [Tuesday] is another final, there are two left. It is surely the most important game because it can take us to another phase.”

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Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani still faces a possible FA ban over a controversial social media post that could be interpreted as racist.

Cavani posted the message, which included the Spanish word ‘negrito’, to thank a friend who was congratulating him on scoring twice in United’s comeback win over Southampton on Sunday.

The term can be used in an affectionate context between friends in South America, but has racist connotations when translated in English. Cavani deleted the post when he was made aware that it could be interpreted in that way and later apologised, seeking to clarify his actions.

“The message I posted after the match on Sunday was intended as an affectionate greeting to a friend, thanking him for his congratulations after the game,” Cavani explained in a statement.

“The last thing I wanted to do was cause offence to anyone. I am completely opposed to racism and deleted the message as soon as it was explained that it can be interpreted differently. I would like to sincerely apologise for this.”

United are supporting Cavani and issued a statement that read: “It is clear to us that there was absolutely no malicious intent behind Edinson’s message and he deleted it as soon as he was informed that it could be misconstrued. Edinson has issued an apology for any unintentional offence caused. Manchester United and all of our players are fully committed to the fight against racism.”

pic.twitter.com/speZ5HmMfG

— Edi Cavani Official (@ECavaniOfficial) November 30, 2020

But Cavani still faces potential sanctions from the FA and The Times reports that the 33-year-old will be asked to explain his use of the word, before it is decided whether to issue a misconduct charge. It is expected he will offer the same defence he has shared in his public apology.

If the FA believes that he used racist language, Cavani could be banned for at least three games, with FA rules on racist behaviour firmer than last season when Manchester City winger Bernardo Silva was banned for one game after his social media post about teammate Benjamin Mendy.

Although intended in jest, Silva had likened his friend and colleague to a black character with big lips featured on a brand of chocolate in Spain and Portugal. Despite the intended nature of it and the strong relationship between the two players, there were obvious racial connotations.

The Times notes that United also view Cavani’s situation as ‘completely different’ to that of ex-Liverpool forward Luis Suarez, who was banned for eight games during the 2011/12 season for calling Patrice Evra ‘negro’ during a clash at Anfield.

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Former Barcelona manager Quique Setien has admitted he has been forced to take the club to court because they are yet to offer him compensation for his dismissal.

Setien was sacked back in August after a poor run of form culminated in a humiliating 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final, with Ronald Koeman arriving at Camp Nou to replace him soon after.

He still had a year remaining on his contract and is therefore entitled to compensation, and it was revealed back in September that Setien was prepared to take Barcelona to court if they refused to pay up.

Sitting down with El Partizado de COPE, Setien confessed he has no other choice but to sue his former employers because they are yet to even make him an offer.

“Barcelona haven’t compensated me, nor have they offered me anything,” Setien revealed. “They have not even called me to tell me that I have been sacked yet.”

Setien’s backroom staff, Eder Sarabia, Fran Soto and Jon Pascua, have all reached agreements with the club over compensation, although all three remained on Barcelona’s payroll until November 6.

“It is evident that the club is going through a worrying moment, something that when you arrive is obvious and which directly affects sports performance,” Sarabia added. “You always believe that from within you may be able to help solve it, but to us, despite putting everything on the table, it was impossible for us.”

Setien’s lawsuit comes at a tricky time for Barcelona, who are in the midst of a transitional period which will see a new president elected on January 24.

ℹ️ Barça’s presidential election will be held on January 2️⃣4️⃣th

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 30, 2020

Unless current officials at the club can reach an agreement in the coming weeks, the trial could be delayed because of the new arrival at Camp Nou, which will complicate matters even further.

Life hasn’t been perfect for Barcelona since Setien’s dismissal. La Blaugrana currently sit seventh in La Liga, ten points behind leaders Real Sociedad with two games in hand, and they have won just four of their nine league matches so far.

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Chelsea are readying an offer to sign Bayern Munich defender David Alaba next summer and the Blues are believed to be confident that they can force their way to the front of the queue for his signature.

Alaba has just six months left on his contract and talks over a new deal at the Allianz Arena have failed to yield any positive results, and now the Bayern defender is expected to walk away from the club at the end of the season.

Alaba’s agent, Pini Zahavi, recently confirmed that he plans to open talks with Chelsea over a free transfer in January, and AS add that the Blues are confident that they will be able to make the most enticing offer to the Austrian.

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is understood to be the driving force behind the team’s interest in Alaba. He sees the 28-year-old as an elite option at centre back, left back and even in midfield and has made it clear to the club’s hierarchy that players of his calibre don’t often hit the market.

Director Marina Granovskaia will lodge an ‘important’ offer for Alaba, with the Blues ‘not bluffing’ with their interest in the defender.

Any move for Alaba is likely to hinge on whether Chelsea can offload current left-backs Marcos Alonso and Emerson, but the Blues are expected to try and part ways with the pair even if Alaba is off the table.

Shaking up the left-back ranks appears high on Lampard’s agenda as the Daily Telegraph add that RB Leipzig youngster Matthew Bondswell is also on the Blues’ radar.

The former Nottingham Forest youngster, who is being tracked by West Ham and Sporting CP as well, has impressed while out on loan at Dutch side Dordrecht and is now being earmarked for a possible return to England in January.

Bondswell would be more of a long-term project, whereas Lampard wants Alaba to come in and make an immediate impact on his squad as they seek to establish themselves as Premier League title contenders.

Lampard also hopes to extend the contract of veteran Brazilian Thiago Silva, who has impressed in his debut season at Stamford Bridge.

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Rennes are considering selling wonderkid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga next summer, with talks over a new deal for the Real Madrid target currently on hold.

The 18-year-old Frenchman enjoyed a breakout season last year, and before the COVID-19 outbreak crippled football’s finances, he was tipped to seal a move to Real which could have been worth close to £80m.

That move quickly broke down before it had even begun, leading to talk that Camavinga would actually sign a contract extension on his 18th birthday in November. However, AS note that contract talks are on hold after Rennes sporting director Florian Maurice revealed that Camavinga’s father was considering firing his agent, Moussa Sissoko.

Such a revelation has sparked a flurry of interest from some of football’s biggest agents, with the likes of Jonathan Barnett, Jorge Mendes, Pini Zahavi and Mino Raiola all pleading their case to the teenager’s entourage, Most are promising to secure a blockbuster move away from Rennes for Camavinga.

Alongside Real, Manchester United, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are all said to have expressed an interest in the 18-year-old. Current agent Sissoko is pushing to take Camavinga to Madrid, but it appears as though he may not have much of a say in things for long.

The combination of this speculation, postponed contract talks and a dip in form which many have attributed to all the rumours has left Rennes considering cashing in on Camavinga next summer, with a £45m fee now expected to be enough to get a deal over the line.

While that may seem like a good deal, it might prove a little problematic for Real, who couldn’t afford to make any signings during the summer as they are saving up for blockbuster spends on PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland, who could cost the best part of £300m combined.

Splashing out an extra £45m on Camavinga may be out of the question unless Real work their magic by selling a few players, but their current financial situation may have opened the door to another of the teenager’s suitors.

United have been heavily linked with a move for Camavinga for some time now, and should they sell Paul Pogba next summer as he enters the final year of his contract, they may well have the space and funds to land Camavinga.

For more from ​Tom Gott, follow him on ​Twitter!

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