Source:AFP
Column inches are bursting with football talk during a hectic couple of weeks. Paper Talk: Weekend Wash-Up returns full of the best yarns and videos doing the rounds over the weekend.
Two departures from Manchester, two very different styles.
The Italian, whose team are eight points worse than they were this time last year, was reportedly always destined for the chop regardless of the FA Cup final result - which only added insult to injury.
After the embarrassing Champions League performance, limp title defence, Mario Balotelli debacle, and rampant rumours of player and staff unrest, the decision looks a fait accompli.
How about this support from Pablo Zabaleta: "We’ve got two games left and we will see the chairman and sports director and all the people who have to think about this. If they make some changes, it’s because – I don’t know. We need to let them deal with this."
Well, it seems it wasn't even worth a PR spin because the club wasn't behind him at all.
Much like United, City seem to have their replacement lined up. But, just like Mancini did to Mark Hughes, a deal for Manuel Pellegrini has reportedly been stitched up for some time.
Why is this manager the undisputed choice to re-build City?
The British press is split in two camps. One looks at the guy sacked by Real Madrid to make way for Jose Mourinho, failing to win the league and exiting the UCL at the hands of Lyon, despite fielding an expensively-assembled squad in 2009.
Others point to the fact his 96 points at Santiago Bernabeu was the highest accrued by the club until Mourinho arrived, as well as his feats with Villareal and currently at Malaga.
His Villarreal and Malaga sides are the two most recent teams to make the UCL's quarter-finals on debut, and Villarreal are the last side to split the Barcelona-Madrid duopoly at the top of La Liga.
It appears inevitable the Chilean will depart Malaga - a club backed by Qatari investors, who have been banned by UEFA for having outstanding payments owed (although they will appeal in the off-season) from their European competitions next season.
He is known for a high tempo style, a preference for technique and a faith in youth.
Players have spoken highly of him, particularly in his role placating the playing group during a difficult time at Malaga.
He’ll have a fair bit of mending to do when he arrives in Manchester.
Fergie? Well, he's a lot happier than Roberto ...
MONACO TO TRUMP CHELSEA, PSG
Chelsea target Radamel Falcao could become the first prized signature of ambitious Monaco owner Dmitry Rybolovlev.
The Sunday Times reports the Colombian striker has agreed a £50million deal to join from Atletico Madrid.
The striker will be paid £8.2m a year after tax, according to the report, but the club trying to trump Paris Saint Germain as the French big spenders.
VILLA TO SPURS TALK RE-IGNITES
Age and price are deterring Arsenal and Liverpool, but Tottenham want to see if they can negotiate a good deal for Barcelona's David Villa.
"Spanish giants are now ready to allow him to leave in search of first-team football that could help him secure a place in Spain's squad for the World Cup finals next year," the Daily Mirror reported last week.
Barcelona are demanding £13m for the 31-year-old, but the paper reports Spurs aiming to lure the Spaniard for £8m.
Spurs are also in the mix for Aston Villa gun Christian Benteke, according to the Sunday Mirror.
MANCHESTER UNITED MERRY-GO-ROUND
Lewandowski: David Moyes won't have a dream pairing up front next year, with the Daily Mail reporting that "Bayern had hijacked United’s ambitious plan to pair Lewandowski with Robin Van Persie but were facing stern resistance from Dortmund". The rivals can have the in-demand Poland international if they agree to the "25million euros asking price by next Wednesday".
Rooney: Fergie says he should stay, but admits the England star wants away. Jose Mourinho is reportedly waiting to swoop once he gets appointed Chelsea boss, but the advice from Gary Neville is to calm down:
"He (Rooney) is an emotional lad and he needs to consider what he’s done," Neville said on Sky Sports.
"He’s 27 and there’s nowhere to go. I’ve seen players join Real Madrid and they want to come back. He loves football, the players will look after him. He’s been vacant on the pitch recently and he’s not been himself.
"He’s sat up there in that box watching the game, but he needs to surround himself with friends and family.
"This is a good kid. He’s not rash, just emotional. These players have massive egos. When they don’t play against Real Madrid in the Champions League they get down, but they have to deal with adversity.
"There is an international break coming and that will be an important time for him to enjoy his football again."
Rooney replacement: Karim Benzema is a priority for Moyes, said the Sun on Sunday, with a £30million bid to be fuelled by Rooney's sale.
'I WANT TO PLAY IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE'
Well, there goes Marouane Fellaini ...
"Every player wants to play in the Champions League. That is the big competition," Fellaini said.
"I hope I can do it with Everton. I’m happy here. I’ve been at the club for five years. I’m happy because I know everybody.
"For my future, I want to play in England. The Premier League is the best league. Here there are five, six, seven, eight teams, all of whom think they are good enough to play in the Champions League and want that.
"There isn’t another country in Europe where you get that."
RAFA WANTS TO STAY ... IN ENGLAND
A Chelsea departure looks inevitable, but Rafa Benitez is throwing his CV around reminding everyone he can that he is available, willing and able.
"The Premier League is a fantastic league," he told the People. "My family are still in Liverpool and it would be easy to stay.
"I would go to Italy or France or Spain but this is my No 1 choice."
He added: "I can say that a lot of fans are telling me I am doing a good job. You can't convince everyone but I'm sure a lot will be pleased with the job I have done. It has been a success, 100 per cent.
"I came here and did a professional job from day one."
As for Thursday morning (EST)'s Europa League final, reports over the weekend indicated the Spaniard is set to make the big call and leave out club legends John Terry and Frank Lampard.
The Daily Mirror reports that "Benitez, who has marginalised the two Stamford Bridge legends, is now preparing for the biggest call of all by omitting the pair from the team to face Benfica in Amsterdam next Wednesday night."
Lampard broke Bobby Tambling's club record with a brace against Aston Villa on the weekend.
DISGRACE
AC Milan's Serie A game against Roma had to be temporarily suspended because of racist abuse hurled at Mario Balotelli and other black players by Roma fans.
Referee Gianluca Rocchi halted the game, with the stadium announcer required to call on Roma supporters to stop monkey chants to avoid having the game postponed.
ANOTHER MEDAL FOR BECKS
While his former club was saying farewell his former mentor, David Beckham was off becoming the first Englishman to win a league medal in a fourth country.
After wins with United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy, Beckham's cameo in Paris Saint Germain's first title in 19 years saw him create his own slice of history.
The club celebrated as if they won the league - however, their title cannot be confirmed until a league disciplinary panel meets to consider a points deduction for sporting director Leonardo confronting a referee last weekend. His contract runs out at the end of the season but the club are keen to keep him.
PSG want to keep Becks next season.
GOING BERSERK
Nothing better than a classic bit of commentary.
Imagine calling Sunday night's ridiculous Championship semi-final between Watford and Leicester.
How the hell do you keep your composure on air?
Well, looks like you don't have to! And it only adds to the crazy, crazy 90 seconds of football.
"It was a very soft penalty at the end of a game like that, and in the last two months I have felt so many times we should have had penalties ourselves," said manager Gianfranco Zola.
"But ‘Manu’ did the rest, and as soon as I saw the ball travelling to our strikers I thought of the film of Brentford conceding against Doncaster.
"I didn’t know what I was doing, I felt the ground slip from under me and I’ve probably pulled something, but it’s OK, I can’t feel it now,” smiled the Italian, a little sheepishly. "That’s the passion, that’s why we love this game."
FAREWELL, OWEN!
Fergie and Scholes get a trophy, Michael Owen gets ...
Egged.
ANOTHER TROPHY FOR BARCELONA
Lionel Messi was injured again, but Barcelona got to celebrate sealing their fourth La Liga in five seasons, in Tito Vilanova's debut campaign in charge.
"It has been a good season. The shame has been that we couldn't compete better in the Champions League," he told a press conference on Sunday.
"Next season it will be even more difficult because to be in the semi-finals seven years running is very complicated, but the evaluation of the season is good because in the league we have had a great season.
"In the Champions League we were not fortunate and the referees haven't helped us a lot."
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