Mauro Tognacca

Karim Benzema praised Luis Enrique's PSG, but also criticized Real Madrid. Karim Benzema has been away from Real Madrid since 2023, after joining Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad before moving to Al-Hilal this year. Even so, he still remains a reference point for the Spanish club, which made his comments while praising Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain especially interesting. During a live stream on Instagram with rapper Rohff, the striker praised the way this current Paris Saint-Germain team plays. In doing so, he also drew a comparison with Real Madrid in comments reproduced by AS. Benzema said: “Everyone knows what they need to do and what contribution they must make. A starting player knows his role. A substitute knows his role. At the same time, the sub doesn’t pout. At Real Madrid, everything is more difficult because they don’t play as a team.” Benzema praises Luis Enrique The striker has played alongside great teammates and been coached by elite managers such as Carlo Ancelotti, José Mourinho and Zinedine Zidane at club level. His trophy haul with Real Madrid reflects his huge experience. Luis Enrique revolutionized Paris Saint-Germain (Carl Recine/Getty Images) That made his comments even more notable, as he gave most of the credit for Europe’s most dominant team to their manager, while also taking time to put fellow Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé above the rest. Benzema said: “Luis Enrique is the most famous figure at PSG. But it is a team. You can put anyone in attack, they all work together. And the substitutes work just as hard. That is why they are so strong, PSG is not a team of stars, except for Dembele, the Ballon d’Or winner. But forget about that: they press, they defend, they attack, they run.” Benzema’s view on PSG’s bench players A major reason behind Paris Saint-Germain’s success has been their ability to rotate players without losing performance. That was the point Benzema emphasized when explaining why they are so difficult to beat. Benzema said: “When the coach makes a substitution in the 60th or 70th minute, the guys coming onto the pitch contribute even more than those who started the match. And these are supposedly the ‘bench’ players.”

Como president Mirwan Suwarso left the door open for Cesc Fábregas to join Chelsea. Chelsea have not lived up to the level suggested by their spending. Sitting eighth in the Premier League with almost no chance of qualifying for the Champions League has led to a run of poor results that cost Liam Rosenior his job. That could open the door for them to hire Cesc Fábregas, as Como’s president has not ruled out an exit in the summer. Mirwan Suwarso said about a possible Fábregas exit, according to Sport: “If that makes him happy, it depends on him. You want your employees to stay with you for as long as possible, but at the end of the day we do not own him. He is free to go to Chelsea if he wants to.” That came as a major surprise to many given the strong season Como are having. They were expected to be fighting relegation after being promoted, but they have thrived under Fábregas and are sitting fifth in Serie A. Fábregas’ bond with Chelsea Fábregas has only just started his coaching career. Even so, the way his young team is playing has caught the attention of major clubs around the world, especially because he has also shown that he can develop players while getting results. Fábregas played for Chelsea from 2014 to 2019 (Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) In Chelsea’s case, the interest could make even more sense because of his history with the club. Even though he spent the early part of his career with Arsenal, Chelsea is also a place where he left a strong mark. The Spaniard played for Chelsea from 2014 to 2019 with great success. In his 198 matches for the club, the team won trophies, including two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, one League Cup and one UEFA Europa League. Fábregas’ contract with Como Suwarso left the door open to an exit if any club wants to hire Fábregas. What he did not say is how much it would take to get him out of Como. That may require negotiation, since he is under contract for two more years.

Simeone provided an update on Ademola Lookman and Jan Oblak's statuses ahead of the Champions League semifinal with Arsenal. The calendar shows Atletico Madrid have a La Liga match against Athletic on Saturday. But fans are already thinking about next Wednesday’s Champions League semifinal against Arsenal. Diego Simeone gave updates on Ademola Lookman and Jan Oblak ahead of that challenge. Simeone was not ready to confirm whether the forward will be available, saying in the press conference: “Lookman is still not ready for tomorrow’s match. It was good that we substituted him in the Copa del Rey final.” Lookman left the final against Real Sociedad at halftime despite scoring the temporary 1-1 equalizer in a match they lost on penalties. Atletico Madrid appear ready to repeat the cautious approach they used against Elche, when he did not play a single minute. Oblak may not play in the semifinal Atletico Madrid’s most important challenge this season has been the Champions League. From early on, La Liga seemed out of reach because of how far they fell behind Real Madrid and Barcelona. That made Oblak’s injury a major blow to their confidence. Lookman left the Copa del Rey final injured (Eric Alonso/Getty Images) Unlike what some may have expected from the goalkeeper’s absence, Juan Musso stepped up in a big way and became an important part of their recent run. That has raised some doubts about who will start in goal, even with the return of one of the team’s leaders. Simeone said when asked about Oblak being the best goalkeeper in the club’s history: “You defined him perfectly in what he represents to us. He played in Elche in his first match and tomorrow he is going to play again. We will see how he responds and continue as always.” Simeone is not thinking about Arsenal Simeone made it clear that he is focused only on the next match. There are still a few days left before the tough Arsenal test in Madrid. The manager made that clear when he answered “zero” to a question asking him, on a scale of 0 to 100, how much he is thinking about the English side.

Rodri spoke about the calendar that has Manchester City playing continuously. The best teams in the world all have one thing in common: they play the most matches. That also means their top players, who also represent their countries, do not get much rest. That is the case with Manchester City’s most important player, Rodrigo Hernández. The Spaniard has been the most irreplaceable piece in Pep Guardiola’s team. With him on the field, Manchester City went 50 matches without a loss. When he was out injured, they looked vulnerable. The midfielder may be one of those players who always plays, but that comes at a cost. Rodri said in an interview with DAZN: “We stop or I don’t make it to 32. You have to know how to manage the workload because the body has a limit and we all have an expiration date. When the Euro ended, I had a huge level of fatigue after five or six years of reaching every final. More than physically, I did not know how to deal with that mentally in the following years.” Rodri on his injury Rodri had a spectacular year in 2023 when he helped Manchester City finally win the Champions League, scoring the only goal in the final against Inter to complete the treble. Despite that huge team achievement, he followed it up with an even better individual year, which earned him the Ballon d’Or. Rodri is also important for Spain (Alex Grimm/Getty Images) The following year was full of emotions for the Spanish midfielder, as he was part of the Spain team that won the European Championship. However, a knee injury in September forced him to miss almost every match for his club until he returned in May. Speaking about what the torn ACL meant to the 29-year-old midfielder, Rodri said: “I touched the sky, I reached the highest point I could have reached. It was a moment I used to recharge and get some oxygen.” Guardiola’s pressure While Rodri seems like one of the calmest players these days, his arrival at Manchester City in 2019 was not easy. The 62.5 million pounds the English club paid Atletico Madrid for his release clause, along with Guardiola being the manager, put some pressure on him. Rodri said: “I felt pressure because I was at a mega club. The transfer was a big bet. It was a responsibility because of the trust they put in me. The number 6 position in this team under Guardiola was the most important one. Everything revolved around that. It was a position where you had to understand the most concepts, and I had to learn fast.”

Pep Guardiola supported Liam Rosenior after he was fired from Chelsea while also praising Manchester City. This week brought a major Premier League change with the firing of Liam Rosenior at Chelsea. While the results were not what was expected, Pep Guardiola backed the manager and praised Manchester City for sticking with him. Guardiola said: “I’m very sorry. I’m pretty sure Rosenior is a manager for this level. Every time this happens, I always think about how lucky I am once again to be at the club I am in. I chose the right club 10 years ago, with incredible leadership, executives and sporting directors. The trust in the people who work here is amazing. I’m very lucky.” Rosenior had only taken over Chelsea in January. His connection with the club owners was the main reason, as he had been managing French club Strasbourg, which shares the same investment group. The contrast with Guardiola’s spell at Manchester City was huge, as he had only managed 23 matches before the club decided to sack him. Guardiola’s formula to win the Premier League Guardiola was satisfied in the interview with Match of the Day after the win over Burnley that left Manchester City level with Arsenal: “It was such a demanding game on Sunday. It is not easy after three days but in the Premier League you have to adapt. We are used to doing it. We competed really well; we played a really good game but it’s a pity about the chances we had.” Rosenior was hired by Chelsea in January (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) After such a tough match against Arsenal, some consequences were expected. Even though Manchester City won, a 1-0 result against a relegated team also left the goal difference tied. With the race heating up near the end, Guardiola’s formula to win the title is clear, as his team is ahead on goals scored: “Now we have the FA Cup on Saturday and after that we have five games. The only chance is to win all the matches.” The matches left for Manchester City and Arsenal There are five matches left for Manchester City in the Premier League, and they are ahead of Arsenal because they have scored three more goals. Even if they win all of them, the way they do it will be crucial. Manchester City will have to give their best because their schedule does not look easy: Everton (A), Brentford (H), Bournemouth (A), Crystal Palace (H) and Aston Villa (H). Arsenal finish with Newcastle (H), Fulham (H), West Ham (A), Burnley (H) and Crystal Palace (A).

With Antoine Griezmann's departure, Atletico Madrid look at Julian Brandt, who's leaving Borussia Dortmund. Antoine Griezmann’s exit from Atletico Madrid will not go unnoticed by fans. His absence may even be felt more by the team, which is losing a complete player. However, the club appears ready to move for Julian Brandt as the creative midfielder leaves Borussia Dortmund. Atletico Madrid executive Mateu Alemany has made Brandt his top target to replace Griezmann in the next transfer window, according to Marca. Despite the German midfielder’s obvious quality, his contract situation makes him even more appealing. Brandt’s contract expires on June 30, and he will not renew it. Borussia Dortmund sporting director Lars Ricken confirmed that a few weeks ago: “We had conversations and agreed that the expiring contract won’t be extended.” Arsenal could be a rival Replacing Griezmann will not be easy, not just because of his leadership. His style of play makes him very hard to replace, but the idea of signing Brandt could make a lot of sense, as he is also a player who can connect play and improve a team. Brandt leaves Borussia Dortmund for free (Pau Barrena/Getty Images) While Atletico Madrid could be a great step in Brandt’s career, the Spanish club may not be the only major team trying to sign him. His 303 matches for Borussia Dortmund are valuable experience that many clubs would like to have. Arsenal are the other team interested in signing Brandt from July, according to Sport. Even if it may be harder for him to earn a spot in the lineup in England because of the competition in that squad, the injuries these types of clubs usually deal with could give him minutes from the start.

Manchester United former captain Gary Neville blamed Enzo Fernández and Marc Cucurella for their roles in Liam Rosenior's Chelsea exit. Chelsea have had a terrible year despite all the money they have spent. A managerial change on Wednesday saw Liam Rosenior leave his role at the club. Even though the team has not been playing well lately, former Manchester United captain Gary Neville pointed the finger at Enzo Fernández and Marc Cucurella. Neville said on Sky Sports News: “Cucurella and Fernández, experienced players and probably the only two experienced players that Chelsea have got, stitched him up in the last few weeks by calling out the fact that they basically love Enzo Maresca, but they weren’t doing that well under him.” Maresca’s surprising dismissal in the middle of the season left the manager’s spot open. Club executives chose Rosenior, who had been managing Strasbourg, a French club owned by the same group that bought Chelsea. After five straight Premier League losses, the club decided to sack him, which was also unexpected since he had only managed the team for 23 matches. Neville criticized Chelsea’s policy No club has spent more money lately than Chelsea, with their outlay reaching 1.7 billion dollars. However, the results have not matched that spending, even with last year’s Club World Cup title. And beyond the transfer fees, the contract structure has also stood out. Fernández was suspended by the manager (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) The English club has been known for handing out very long contracts. While four years is usually the norm after a major signing, Chelsea has chosen to give out extensions that have gone beyond the norm in some cases to work around financial rules. Neville pointed to that as one reason for their struggles: “These six- and eight-year agreements, you see it is almost laughable from the start, whether it be for a manager or a player. The owners don’t have a clue what they are doing. I’ve made massive mistakes as an owner, but sometimes you’ve got to accept that. I’ve spoken publicly about the challenges we’ve had.” Chelsea’s interim manager The season still has a few matches left for Chelsea, with five Premier League games remaining and an FA Cup semifinal against Leeds next Sunday. That means a permanent manager was not an option for now. For the matches ahead, Calum McFarlane will be in charge as the club waits to appoint its next manager.

Al-Nassr have reportedly open contract negotiations with an important piece in the team to stay alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Al-Nassr are probably enjoying their best spell as a team since Cristiano Ronaldo arrived, with their current position at the top of the league and having just reached the AFC Champions League Two final. A very important part of their success has come from Iñigo Martínez’s arrival. Martínez was a huge addition last year when he joined the team after leaving Barcelona on a free transfer. He only signed for one year, so his contract is about to expire, which means any team can negotiate with him. The good news for Ronaldo is that Martínez may stay for a while longer. According to AS, the club has already begun contract talks, with a renewal as their main goal. What makes this even more likely is that the player has reportedly adapted very well to life in Saudi Arabia. Keeping the experienced leader in the team could be essential to winning more trophies. Martínez’s season with Al-Nassr Al-Nassr are closest to a title in the Saudi Pro League. With one more match played than Al-Hilal, they currently have an eight-point lead. Martínez has been a huge addition to the team, having played 27 of 29 matches in the competition. He has also scored three goals. Al-Nassr look ready to win the league this year (Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images) Their run in the Kings Cup was not as good, with the team losing in their second match, but Martínez proved his reliability by being available for both matches despite the club having more important goals for the year. Martínez has also been a stable presence in defense during their AFC Champions League Two campaign. On their way to the final against Gamba Osaka, the 34-year-old has taken part in seven of the 10 matches the club has played, and they have not lost yet. Martínez’s career summary Martínez had played for only three clubs before arriving in Saudi Arabia last year, but they were three clubs with strong support. The defender played 238 matches for Real Sociedad from 2011 to 2018. He then moved to Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao, where he played 177 matches from 2018 to 2023. His final spell was at Barcelona, where he made 71 appearances in two years to round out a successful career.

Alejandro Grimaldo is headed out of Bayer Leverkusen, but his destination may not be Barcelona. Barcelona need to bring in plenty of quality reinforcements if they want to compete for the Champions League in the future. Alejandro Grimaldo was seen as a possible successor to Alejandro Balde, but he apparently chose a different destination ahead of his Bayer Leverkusen exit. Grimaldo may be headed to Turkey, as Besiktas has reached an agreement with the player, according to Sky Germany. The financial offer was far better than what other clubs could give him, with the left back not willing to wait for a Barcelona approach. The experienced player could have been a strong addition, as he is still performing at a very high level at age 30. However, everything points to Barcelona having to look elsewhere for a player in that position. Barcelona’s main target From the outside, Grimaldo looked like the perfect replacement for Balde. The younger left back was given chances with the first team, but he was never able to be consistent. That has opened the door to a possible vacancy in the squad. Cambiaso could be Barcelona’s left back (Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images) The main obstacle for the player to reach Barcelona was his age, since the club wants a long-term solution. However, there is another option the Spanish club may prefer over Grimaldo. Italian left back Andrea Cambiaso is the top target because he checks all the boxes. He has been in excellent form at a giant club like Juventus, which gives him a certain level of security. His age of just 26 also offers long-term potential. The issue with him could be the price, as he may cost more than 50 million euros. Grimaldo’s price His contract seems to be the main reason why Grimaldo could join Besiktas. However, if Barcelona were still interested, his price would not be high, with a tag of around 15 million euros possibly enough to land the Spaniard. His contract at Bayer Leverkusen was not a major issue, since it expires next year.

Luis Figo surprised with the Champions League winner he wants despite the Real Madrid rivalry. This year will be one of the rare occasions in recent times where Real Madrid doesn’t win the Champions League. The teams still in contention for the prestigious trophy are Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid. In a surprising pick, Luis Figo chose a former rival as the team he would like to see win it. During the Laureus Awards gala, Figo said: “From the teams that are in the semifinals, I’d like Atletico Madrid to win the Champions League after so many years and lost finals, even though I played for Real Madrid.” He later explained that his choice was influenced by friendships with key figures at Atletico Madrid such as CEO Miguel Ángel Gil and club president Enrique Cerezo, helping clarify his unexpected answer. Figo highlights PSG and Bayern Munich A player of Figo’s caliber also offers insight into the players he enjoys watching the most. Among the teams still competing, he singled out Michael Olise, saying “it’s a pleasure watching him play.” Figo hailed Bayern Munich’s player Olise (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images) While his pick of Atletico Madrid reflects more of a personal wish than a firm prediction, he also addressed which team he believes is most likely to win, pointing to a specific semifinal matchup. Figo identified the French and German sides as the favorites to lift the trophy: “Speaking from a soccer perspective, the champion will come from the semifinal between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.” Figo about Real Madrid Real Madrid are set to finish the season without a trophy, something that rarely happens. However, according to the Portuguese legend, the pressure comes more from outside the club than from within. Figo said: “When you don’t win for two years at that club, alarms start to go off.”

Lamine Yamal may have Eduardo Conceição as a teammate at Barcelona, but Manchester United could ruin that plan. Players get transferred earlier nowadays. The precedent started by Vinicius’ move to Real Madrid was followed by other promising players like Endrick and Estevao. Barcelona has had success with very young players like Lamine Yamal, but their plan to replicate it with Brazilian talent Eduardo Conceição is in doubt, as he is also being followed by Manchester United and Manchester City. Despite not yet playing for Palmeiras’ first team, the 16-year-old forward has already attracted strong interest. According to the Spanish outlet Sport, Barcelona is the favorite destination. The club has already contacted the player’s agent through Deco, but several teams are in the race. Manchester United are the latest to join the race for Palmeiras’ talent. With the English club looking much better than in recent years, their chances of landing Conceição may be higher. Even if a club agrees to a fee, the player will not be able to move immediately, as he is only 16 years old. Conceição rejected Manchester City The list of major clubs has grown in recent years with increased financial power. This has put Manchester City in position to pursue almost every top young talent, and they made an offer for Conceição, according to Sport. Deco has contacted the player’s agent (David Ramos/Getty Images) Manchester City reportedly offered around 40 million euros to Palmeiras for Conceição. The response came from the player, who appears willing to wait longer to reach his preferred destination. Despite a momentary rejection from the player, Manchester City remain interested in him and could return with another approach in the future. Other offers that Conceição has turned down include clubs such as Napoli and Newcastle. Conceição’s first transfer out of Brazil Conceição has caught attention with his performances in Brazil’s U-17 South American competition. He had already been called up to Palmeiras’ U-20 team at just 15 years old. However, his first move out of Brazil cannot happen before December 2027, when he turns 18.

Former Real Madrid player Rafael van der Vaart predicted a big transfer for Kees Smit. Real Madrid are likely to finish the season without a trophy unless Barcelona collapse in La Liga. That means the transfer window is already a major topic around the club. One player Rafael van der Vaart has singled out is Kees Smit, a young talent Ronald Koeman has compared with Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. Smit plays for AZ Alkmaar but could soon be set for a move to a bigger club. The 20-year-old Dutch midfielder is already seen as one of the brightest prospects in his country, standing out for his ability to carry the ball forward, link play in advanced areas, and contribute to attacks. Van der Vaart praised him highly in an interview with the TV show Rondo. Van der Vaart said: “Smit is simply an incredibly good player. We often rush to label a player as really good, but in this case, he is. If he keeps progressing like this, he will undoubtedly end up at Real Madrid or one of the biggest clubs in the world.” Koeman compared Smit with Pedri and De Jong Van der Vaart also praised the player for the way he carries himself, which is important when dealing with pressure: “He continues being a person with his feet on the ground. He does not allow himself to be pressured. He gives good interviews, he behaves well.” Van der Vaart played for Real Madrid from 2008-2010 (Jasper Juinen/Getty Images) A strong opinion about the midfielder’s future also came from Netherlands legend Koeman, who compared him with Barcelona stars Pedri and Frenkie de Jong based on his playing style. Koeman said in an interview with Cayo TV a few days ago: “He’s a player for Barça. He can be a mix between Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. If you are a mix of both, you are very good. In the Netherlands, no club can afford him; they are asking for 60 million euros. He will go abroad; hopefully, he will continue getting playing time.” Smit’s season with AZ Alkmaar His importance to AZ Alkmaar does not fully show up in the numbers, since he plays in a role that traditional statistics do not capture, but he has been a key player. His consistency has stood out, with 44 appearances and five goals. The valuation Koeman mentioned was 60 million euros, though that figure would likely come down when negotiations begin.