Tottenham Hotspur are in a “tough period” due to their new stadium project, manager Mauricio Pochettino said, citing the experience of rival team Arsenal, who also suffered after the switch to the Emirates Stadium in 2006.
Tottenham intend to move into their new stadium, which will be built close to their current ground, White Hart Lane site, in time for the 2018-19 season.
“I have read a lot about Arsene Wenger saying the toughest period for Arsenal was in the period that they built their stadium,” Pochettino told British media.
“I think you need to know, and the people need to know, that this is a very tough period for us.”
Di Maria fancies PSG’s Euro chances
Paris St Germain have what it takes to reach the Champions League final this season after three consecutive quarter-final exits, Argentine winner Angel Di Maria said yesterday.
“With the way we play, the fame of the players in the team, I think we have everything to go to the final,” Di Maria told L’Equipe.
“Then, it’s always the same story. With Real (Madrid), we were so close to the final several times (2011, 2012, 2013) but every time we were knocked out.
“And the time we made it to the final we almost lost but managed to win after all,” he added, referring to Real’s 10th European Cup triumph with a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid after extra time.
Teixeira in big-money move to China
Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Alex Teixeira has agreed to join Chinese side Jiangsu Suning for a fee of €50 million, the Ukrainian club said in a statement yesterday.
“Shakhtar Donetsk and Jiangsu Suning FC have agreed on all the necessary formalities for the transfer of Alex Teixeira to the Chinese club. The transfer fee for the Brazilian is 50 million euros,” Shakhtar said on its website.
“It happened so fast that I still need time to fully comprehend it all. My agent called when I was at the airport on my way to a club training camp,” Teixeira said from Spain.
Liverpool fans plan walkout protest
Liverpool could suffer the embarrassment of a mass exodus today with supporters’ groups calling on fans to leave their seats during the Premier League match against Sunderland at Anfield to protest a rise in ticket prices.
Two prominent groups have urged spectators to walk out in the 77th minute to express discontent at the club’s decision to charge £77 for the most expensive ticket in Anfield’s redeveloped main stand next season, up from £59.
Liverpool also announced this week that some season tickets for the 2016-17 campaign would be priced at more than £1,000 for the first time.
Koeman, Aguero win monthly awards
Southampton’s Ronald Koeman has been named Premier League manager of the month for January, becoming the first Saints manager to receive the award on three separate occasions, while Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero won the players’ award.
Koeman steered the Saints to three Premier League wins out of a possible four in January, beating Watford, West Bromwich Albion and Manchester United.
Their only defeat came against Norwich City on Jan. 2.
“I’m very pleased because it’s always nice to win awards,” said Koeman.
Aguero also wins the award for the third time in his career, after scoring five of City’s eight Premier League goals in January.
Juve’s Caceres out for rest of the season
Juventus defender Martin Caceres is unlikely to play again this season after picking up an Achilles tendon injury during the 1-0 win over Genoa on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old Uruguay international is expected to be out of action for five months, the Italian club said on their website.
The Italian champions will also be without injured midfielder Sami Khedira for two to three weeks.
They are second in the standings, two points behind Napoli, and play Frosinone tomorrow.
Judge throws out Neymar tax case
A Brazilian judge has thrown out a tax evasion case against Barcelona forward Neymar because Brazil’s inland revenue has yet to finish its own deliberations in the case.
The Brazil international, his father and two ex-presidents of the Spanish club, were accused of tax irregularities and providing false documentation in cases a prosecutor said involved contractual frauds surrounding Neymar’s image rights.
But Judge Mateus Castelo Branco Firmino da Silva would not consider the case because the inland revenue had still to rule.
“It is the understanding of the Federal Supreme Court that the accusation is not possible in tax cases before a final decision in the administrative realm,” the judge said.