Former Leeds United player Noel Whelan believes that this will be Gaetano Berardi’s last season at Elland Road.

Berardi to depart

One-time Switzerland international Berardi has been with Leeds since 2014, helping them return to the Premier League from League One.

However, speaking to Football Insider, Whelan has suggested that this will be his last term at the club as Marcelo Bielsa moves a number of players on this summer. He said:

 “No. Let’s be honest now, with the injury that he got, if he wasn’t injured he probably would have found another club and be playing week in, week out, because he can still play at Championship level or abroad.

“I think the club did the right thing, we stuck by him and he stayed, he’s got fit, he’s recovered and given the opportunity, he might have a little bit of game time this season.

“Once we’re safe, I can only see younger players getting a chance, your Berardis getting a chance and, the way things have gone this season with injuries and strains and people in and out the side, you need players now.

“We can’t afford to let anyone go and I’m sure he will be used at some point in the season but I do believe that this will be his last season at Leeds United and I do believe it’s going to be a lot of people’s last season at Leeds United.”

Makes sense

While Berardi has been a loyal servant for Leeds over the past seven years, it looks clear he is no longer a part of Bielsa’s plans. This campaign, he has not played a single minute in all competitions due to injury (Transfermarkt), but he’s now back in training. However, given Leeds’ recent success, it’s hard to see a player who wasn’t a regular in the Championship getting much game time in the Premier League.

With 32 points from 22 matches (Sky Sports), Leeds are safe in the Premier League. In the upcoming summer, therefore, they will be in a strong position to strengthen their squad across the board.

Players like Berardi will be moved on to free up not only space but also wages – Whelan could well be right.

In other news, this Leeds target has made a big call.

Speaking exclusively with Football FanCast, former Newcastle United midfielder Rob Lee slammed the club’s “laughable” decision to bar journalists from quizzing Steve Bruce.

The St. James’ Park outfit cut short Bruce’s pre-game press conference ahead of their 2-1 midweek defeat to Leeds United, which saw the Toon endure a sixth loss on the bounce as part of an 11-game winless run across all competitions that came to an end with a 2-0 win at Everton on Saturday.

Reporters were informed there would be no separate section for the written media as normal, with broadcast rights holders – Sky Sports, Premier League Productions, BBC Sport and BBC Look North – the only outlets allowed to ask questions.

The Daily Mail’s football correspondent Craig Hope noted on Twitter that the decision was a shared move by the Newcastle hierarchy and manager, Bruce, who has been faced with increasing calls from supporters to be fired as the Toon creep closer to the relegation zone.

Newcastle have previously barred journalists from asking questions of the club’s manager, after Alan Pardew banned local reporters from quizzing him following a 2-1 defeat at rivals Sunderland in October 2013.

Lee, who played 331 games for the Magpies, believes the issue stems from the top in owner Mike Ashley, and does not expect anything to change until the club is under new ownership.

Asked about the development involving the journalists, Lee told FFC:

“Well, nothing surprises me at Newcastle. It’s farcical now, it’s laughable, and I think even their own fans are laughing at the club.

“It’s happened before. Mike Ashley’s the instigator. People blame Steve Bruce and people want Steve Bruce out, but the bottom line is until Newcastle, until we get a better owner, nothing is going to change.

“I don’t care who they bring in. I don’t care if they bring in the best manager in the world. He is still going to have to work under Mike Ashley. And that’s the problem.”

Newcastle banned journalists of quizzing Pardew in 2013 during an ongoing standoff with local media, after blocking the Journal, Evening Chronicle and Sunday Sun in response to their coverage of protests by supporters against Ashley that saw around 500 fans attend.

The Magpies were said to have been furious with the papers offering publicity to the fan-led movement, and stepped in to prevent questions being directed at Pardew after the former United head coach attended his post-match media duties, which the journalists were not banned from, at the Stadium of Light.

Bruce is now the focus of supporters’ angst following a dire run of form that saw the Magpies eliminated from the Carabao and FA Cups in the space of 18 days, while a ‘Bruce out’ banner was recently unveiled outside St. James’ Park.

AND in other news, Newcastle could part with a £30k-p/w dynamo before the end of the month…

Glasgow Rangers fans are far from happy after it was confirmed Willie Collum will be the referee for the Old Firm derby next weekend.

The Gers’ status as Premiership champions was confirmed after Celtic drew 0-0 with Dundee United last Sunday. As such, the derby next weekend is something of a dead rubber – the Ibrox outfit obviously can’t be caught and Celtic are all but guaranteed to finish a distant second.

However, the 55-time Scottish champions have a chance of going the campaign unbeaten (Sky Sports), and every Old Firm clash is a tense affair. As such, the decision to appoint Willie Collum as the referee for the clash has not gone down too well with the fans. The Gers have had issues with the official in the past (The Daily Record).

The news was shared on Twitter by Clyde 1 Superscoreboard, and the fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Collum news below

“Definitely a red for Alfie”

Credit: @jamesreid77

“Good thing 55 is in the bag already then”

Credit: @PhilipMansfiel2

“Collum, Clancy and Connor? Who’s the other linesman Lennon??”

Credit: @GrantRfc89

“Looks like they are pulling out all the stops to stop the invincibles”

Credit: @MrBigBertie1

“The 4 officials are just like letting 4 home supporters in to the game……”

Credit: @KelmanPeter

“Along with Kevin clancy fourth official. Morelos sent off for turning up Rangers asked to play another keeper as the rumours Allan McGreggor has wands for fingers are true. Gerrard sent off for winning 55”

Credit: @NOTELINYI

In other news, Rangers fans react to this Sky Sports news.

هاجم نجم النادي الأهلي ومنتخب مصر المعتزل محمد أبو تريكة والمحلل الفني الحالي، الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، مؤكدًا أن الاتحاد الإفريقي للعبة “كاف” يتم معاملته بأسلوب أدنى من الجميع.

طالع | أبو تريكة يهاجم مسؤولي كرة القدم: ارحموا اللاعبين ولا تحجروا عليهم

وفال أبو تريكة في تصريحات تلفزيونية غبر فضائية “بي إن سبورتس”: “لا يوجد معاملة بالمثل في فيفا مع جميع البطولات القارية”.

وأضاف أبو تريكة: “يعاملون قارة إفريقيا باحتقار، هناك تعارض في المواعيد بين كأس العالم للأندية وكأس أمم افريقيا”.

وواصل: “الأهلي لديه 6 أو 7 لاعبين في منتخب مصر ويشارك في كأس العالم للأندية، أين الاحترام للبطولات الإفريقية؟”.

وأتم: “كيف يكون هناك تعارض في التوقيت بين البطولتين؟”.

واختتم: “جياني إنفانتينو يدير الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم، هو الذي عين السكرتير العام ونصف موظفي كاف”. تصريحات محمد أبو تريكة عن فيفا

MatériaMais Notícias

Em caso de empate, Flamengo e Atlético-PR decidem a vaga na final da Primeira Liga, nesta quarta-feira, às 21h30, em Juiz de Fora, nas penalidades. E, quando se fala nesse assunto, a pressão se vira imediatamente para os prováveis cobradores e, evidentemente, para goleiros. Titular do Flamengo, Paulo Victor mostrou sinceridade ao afirmar que não se considera um exímio pegador de pênalti. No entanto, o que não falta para ele é trabalho e estudo.

– Chegou a me incomodar um pouco em certo momento porque tomei uma sequência de quatro gols de pênalti, o que não é bom para goleiro de nível de Brasileirão. Procuro ver muito e estudar muito, mas não me considero um grande pegador de pênalti que faça a diferença para um clube, como o Victor (Atlético-MG), por exemplo. Mas trabalho sempre para fazer o melhor – disse.

Para o goleiro, o objetivo é sempre evoluir, seja qual for a idade. Ele usou até o exemplo do pedido de Muricy Ramalho para que ele treinasse mais a saída com os pés, algo bastante utilizado pelo Rubro-Negro nesta temporada em busca do controle de posse de bola. Segundo Paulo Victor, a evolução é sempre a meta.

– Nas minhas entrevistas falo que quando o goleiro para de evoluir, talvez com 33 anos, você vai me ver parando de jogar. Sou um cara confiante porque me cobro para isso. Não penso em bater falta ou pênalti. Mas, como o Muricy pediu, uso mais a o pé agora, algo que não usava tanto antes. Tenho que estar evoluindo sempre e o que o Muricy pedir vou trabalhar para crescer – explicou.

TREINO FECHADO E MISTÉRIO
​Assim como na véspera do clássico de domingo, contra o Fluminense, pelo Campeonato Carioca, o técnico Muricy Ramalho fechou praticamente todo o treino desta terça-feira e não deu indícios do time que começa a semifinal da Primeira Liga. A imprensa só foi liberada após 1h17 de atividade, quando os jogadores treinavam cobranças de pênalti. Ainda assim, a tendência é que o Flamengo viaje com força máxima. Assim, o time deve começar com Paulo Victor; Rodinei, Wallace, Juan e Jorge; Márcio Araújo; Willian Arão, Ederson, Marcelo Cirino e Emerson Sheik; Felipe Vizeu. O volante Cuéllar e o atacante Guerrero foram convocados para as seleções colombiana e peruana.

Southampton fans may be surprised to hear that Jamal Musiala was once on trial with the South Coast club as a youngster, before being snatched up by Chelsea, and with the 18-year-old now an established first-team player at Bayern Munich, the Saints will desperately rue not being able to keep hold of him.

Hampshire Live journalist Tom Leach revealed in a recent article that the youngster spent a short time at Southampton’s academy, reportedly scoring double figures in one game, before moving to Chelsea as his family relocated to London.

Although his time at Staplewood was brief, Southampton will definitely regret not being able to keep hold of him for the long-term, as after eight years with Chelsea he would move back to Germany – where he was born – to join Bayern Munich.

Musiala has gone on to establish himself as a first-team regular with the current Champions League holders, despite only turning 18 in late February.

The winger has made 27 appearances in total for Hans-Dieter Flick’s side, in which he has scored four goals.

One of those goals came in the Champions League win against Lazio in February when he became the youngest English scorer in the competition’s history, although he has since pledged his international future to Germany.

Musiala’s former coach Andrew Martin was full of praise for him earlier in the season, saying:

“Technically outstanding, very skilful, and a player who can score all types of goals, inside and outside the box.”

Therefore, it is a big shame that Southampton were not able to keep hold of Musiala for longer, as he is now valued at £21.6 million by Transfermarkt, and he looks destined for a big future with Bayern Munich.

And, in other news… Ralph suffers a huge blow with “outstanding” Saints beast; it could define the season

Glasgow Rangers winger Brandon Barker may well have played his last game for Steven Gerrard’s side, according to ex-Ger Alan Hutton.

What’s the word?

Despite his best efforts, Barker has found himself playing very little football this season and started just four times for the 54-time Scottish champions before being shipped out on loan to Oxford United for the rest of the season.

Hutton recently said that the 24-year-old has been given “more than enough chances” ahead of some of the club’s youngsters and doesn’t expect him to play for Rangers ever again.

Indeed, Oxford boss Karl Robinson struggled to contain his delight after landing his top target, and the U’s could therefore emerge as a legitimate contender to acquire his services for good when the transfer market reopens in the summer.

End of the road

It looks like Rangers could finally rid themselves of a player who has caused more problems than what he is worth.

His lack of physicality, work rate and technique has been a major source of criticism from supporters, whilst Gerrard has preferred the likes of Joe Aribo, Ryan Kent and Ianis Hagi on the left wing, per Transfermarkt.

When Barker arrived on the scene on the Govan side of Glasgow after his arrival from Manchester City in 2019, the Ibrox boss billed him as “the type of player we’ve been looking for” following a successful loan spell with Preston North End.

However, despite scoring his first goal for the club in his league debut at Ibrox against Livingston, he has struggled to make much of an impression. In 26 games for the Gers, he’s managed a measly total of three goals, and hasn’t even provided a single assist – a woeful return for someone who plays in an attacking role.

Barker was named the Academy Players’ Player of the Year in the 2013–14 season and later signed his first professional contract with Manchester City that same year. But it’s been quite a dramatic fall from grace for the English left-winger, who currently earns around £8,500-per-week at Ibrox.

If Rangers can get him off the wage bill for good, that would free up funds for Gerrard to reinvest into other areas of his squad. Ross Wilson must be ruthless with the 24-year-old come the summer, and try and salvage some sense of pride from the disaster of his signing.

The fact Barker already finds himself out on loan after the Gers boss’ lofty praise that he was what they were looking for, just speaks volumes of how badly his move has gone. His time is up, and this summer should be his last as a Rangers player.

AND in other news, Steven Gerrard should unleash Rangers defender Calvin Bassey against Hamilton Academical…