Felix a 'special player'
Benfica manager Bruno Lage has described Chelsea's Joao Felix as a "special player" amid links of a move back to his boyhood club for the forward.The Portugal international was not selected by manager Enzo Maresca to play in the Club World Cup and is expected to be sold this summer.Felix, who spent last season on loan at AC Milan, has struggled since leaving Benfica for Atletico Madrid at the age of 18 for £113m - the fourth-most expensive transfer at the time.The 25-year-old attended one of Benfica's group games in Miami last week and when asked about the prospect of Felix returning, Lage said: "We have talked about Joao Felix [coming back] since he left Benfica."He is a special player for Benfica, for me, and he is on his holidays. He is maybe asleep now because he is on the other side of the world. It's important to be focused on the players who are going to play against Chelsea."Lage also said the player workload issues of competing in the Club World Cup are "very hard" and praised Pedro Neto, who he managed when in charge of Wolves and has two goals in two matches at the tournament."For me, he is one of the best wingers in the world. They are very good, but they also know that we are a good team. I expect an excellent game."When I look to my players, they give me the reasons to believe that it's 50-50. So, we go with that ambition [to win]."
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Times
10 minutes ago
- Times
‘It's a joke' — Enzo Maresca fumes after Chelsea's two-hour weather delay
A furious Enzo Maresca appeared to question the suitability of the United States to host the Club World Cup after Chelsea's 4-1 victory over Benfica became the sixth match of the tournament to be interrupted by severe storms. Chelsea's match was delayed nearly two hours due to a thunderstorm near the Bank of America stadium in Charlotte. The match was suspended in the 86th minute with Chelsea looking comfortable and leading 1-0, however after the break, Benfica managed to take the game to extra-time courtesy of a penalty from Ángel Di María. Chelsea went on to win 4-1 in extra time, helped by a strong response and a red card for Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni, but Maresca was unhappy with the length of the delay, calling it a 'joke' and insisting that it changed the game and made it difficult to coach. 'After the break, the game changed completely,' Maresca said. 'I think for me personally it's not football. It's already [six] games that they suspended. I think it's a joke to be honest, it's not football. It's not for us. You cannot be inside. It's completely something new, but I struggle to understand. I can understand that for security reasons, you are to suspend the game. But if you suspend [six] games, that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition.' The thunderstorm meant that FIFA had to implement a 'seek cover' protocol as players left the field and supporters moved inside and onto the concourses. The protocol meant that the match was delayed by 30 minutes but if a lightning strike was detected to have struck the ground within a ten-mile radius of the stadium, the 30-minute clock was reset. Ultimately the delay lasted for one hour and 56 minutes. This was the second longest delay of the tournament due to weather, with Benfica participants in the longest delay, a two-hour break during their 6-0 win over Auckland City in Orlando. There have been four other delays at the tournament so far due to storms, including Ulsan vs Mamelodi Sundowns in Orlando, Red Bull Salzburg against Pachuca in Cincinnati, Boca Juniors against Auckland City in Nashville and Palmeiras v Al Ahly in New Jersey. Other matches have taken place in high heat. The match in Charlotte, though, would become the longest match of the tournament so far, where a 4pm kick off ended at 8.38pm local time. Asked whether he was referring to the stadium in Charlotte specifically regarding suitability to host the tournament, Maresca said: 'No, no, no. I'm saying that. I ask you, if in this competition, they already suspended six, seven, eight games, probably there is something that is not working well. Because in a football game, it's not normal to suspend a game.' Pushed on whether the delays are bad for a new competition like the Club World Cup, Maresca said: 'Please, don't misunderstand me. I said it's a fantastic competition. It's a Club World Cup. It's top. We are happy to be in the last eight. We are happy to win all these kind of things. But something happens, [six] games suspended. 'In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Zero, probably. In Europe, how many games? Zero. We are here, two weeks, they're already suspended [six] games. There is some problem for me personally. But I'm talking as a manager. Because when you are two hours inside and you try to keep them in the game, but for two hours, they are speaking with the family outside for safety reasons. They are eating something, they are playing, they are laughing. How can you keep them two hours inside, focused? It's a joke. That's why I said it. Then we are happy. We are happy to be here. We are happy to be in this competition. But it's something that it's not normal for.' Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Chelsea players kept themselves warm during the break by using exercise bikes in the dressing room. 'Two hours inside; people speak with the family outside, if they were good, the security, people eating, people laughing, people talking on the mobile, It's two hours,' Maresca said. 'That's why I said it's not football. 'It's something that you struggle to understand. But we tried to go out, continue in the same way, knowing that it was difficult. It's not random that for 85 minutes, we didn't concede. nothing. And then for five minutes, we conceded a few chances. Why? It's because it started a completely different game. It's not normal. It's not football.' Benfica managed to equalise from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time after Malo Gusto was adjudged to have handled Nicolás Otamendi's header. By the letter of the law it is a penalty, due to his arm's outstretched position, but the French defender could not see the direction of play having leapt to deal with the initial cross and it felt like an extremely harsh decision. VAR sent the referee, Slavko Vincic, to the monitor and he awarded the penalty. Moises Caicedo said the players were upset about the decision. 'We thought it wasn't a penalty because he didn't look at the ball,' he said. 'He couldn't do anything.' Chelsea will face Palmeiras in the quarter-final of the Club World Cup next Friday, in Philadelphia.
The Guardian
12 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Sunderland in talks to sign Atlético Madrid defender Reinildo Mandava for free
Sunderland are working on a deal to sign Reinildo Mandava on a free transfer upon the expiration of his Atlético Madrid contract, as they prepare for life back in the Premier League. It is understood Sunderland have offered him a two-year deal worth £65,000 per week. The 31-year-old left-back, who recently played in the Club World Cup for Atlético, has spent the past three-and-a-half years with the La Liga side but did not renew his contract beyond the conclusion of the tournament America. While in the Spanish capital, Reinildo was often the second choice left-back, making 74 league appearances during his time after joining in 2022 from Lille. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion The Black Cats are making strides with their recruitment. On Saturday they agreed a club-record £30m fee for Habib Diarra from Strasbourg. The Senegal midfielder is expected to complete his medical next week and is seen as a coup for the Premier League newcomers, beating Milan and Leeds to his signature. Sassuolo's French winger Armand Laurienté is also of interest to the club, who have also explored re-signing Jordan Henderson from Ajax. Sunderland are also interested in Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka but is thought he has agreed a deal to join Saudi Arabian side Neom.
Daily Mail
18 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Bayern Munich's Harry Kane to score a brace against Flamengo tonight BOOSTED to 8/1 with Sky Bet
In addition to the Winner of Tie market outlined a previous article - Sky Bet are offering four Price Boosts for tonight's Club World Cup tie between Flamengo and Bayern Munich. The first two boosts are for there to be 10+ match shots on target in 90 minutes, and Joshua Kimmich to commit 2+ fouls in 90 minutes. The odds for those two bets have been enhanced to 1/1 and 6/1 respectively according to Sky Bet. Kimmich committed 20 fouls across the Bundesliga and Champions League in 2024-25, while Bayern had 25 shots on target across their three group games. The other two boosts - which are priced at 8/1 and 16/1 respectively - require Harry Kane to score 2+ goals in 90 minutes, and Michael Olise to score from outside the area in 90 minutes. Kane had another fantastic season in front of goal this season - with the striker scoring 37 goals across Bundesliga and Champions League fixtures. Sky Bet Price Boosts for Flamengo vs Bayern Munich: 10+ match shots on target in 90 minutes WAS 4/6 NOW 1/1 Joshua Kimmich to commit 2+ fouls in 90 minutes WAS 4/1 NOW 6/1 Harry Kane to score 2+ goals in 90 minutes WAS 13/2 NOW 8/1 Michael Olise to score from outside the area in 90 minutes WAS 11/1 NOW 16/1
