Neymar has Anaemia
Recent tests have shown the attacker has a low red blood cell count, but the club say they are not concerned by the findings. Barca star Neymar has anaemia but it is not a concern for the club, according to the Catalans' sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta.
The Brazilian, who joined the Liga champions from Santos for €57
million this summer, was diagnosed with a low red blood cell count -
which can cause excessive levels of tiredness in players - following
routine blood tests.
But Zubizarreta has insisted the 21-year-old's condition, which comes a month
after the attacker had his tonsils removed, is something the club will manage and is not overly serious.
"We would have liked him to have been in perfect condition, but not
many players arrive perfect for the pre-season," Zubizarreta said.
"We'll help make sure he's in the right condition. It's not a concern.
"There are quite a few days left before the league starts, although
it is unlikely that he'll be 100 per cent adapted [to Barcelona's style]
by then.
"But we can clearly see that he's quickly getting a grasp of our type of football."
Chelsea in good form: 5/5
Five games into his second tenure, Mourinho recognises a real depth
to his squad, but hopes to keep the young group happy by achieving
widespread success. The team have won all their five preseason matches so far and look forward to a great start to the new season.
The manager was quoted saying in the club website 'we have two players for each position and the competition will be
high but we hope Chelsea can go all the way in every competition and we
hope to arrive in the later stages of the cups too,' he explained. So
with 60 matches we need all of them.
Future not certain: Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Real Madrid
remains unclear, after the forward refused to confirm reports from Spain
that he has agreed a new five-year contract with the club.
Marca
has reported that the Portuguese has tied down his future at the
Bernabeu until 2018, increasing his salary to 17million euros
(£14.8million) per year after tax and negotiating a new arrangement over
the sale of his image rights in the process.
Ronaldo has two years to run on his deal at Madrid, who paid a world
record £80million fee to prise him away from Manchester United in 2009,
but has courted speculation over his future by revealing that he misses
English football. United have subsequently been heavily linked with the
player.
Ronaldo said: "I'm not going to confirm anything - I'm just going to do my job like I always do.
"My future - I don't know. At this moment I'm a player of Madrid, the future, I really don't know.
"Let's see what's going to happen - but for the moment, I'm good where I am."
United accepts defeat of Cesc
Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta claims Manchester United have given up hope of signing Cesc Fabregas. United have had two bids rejected for the 26-year-old despite the Spanish side repeatedly stating he is not for sale.
And amid speculation of a third bid for Fabregas, Zubizarreta told
Spanish newspaper Sport that United have ended their pursuit of the
former Arsenal midfielder. Zubizarreta was quoted as saying: "Manchester United are interested
in the player, but it's also true that they understand our position of
not wanting to sell. They have renounced his signing. We aren't going to sell him."
Zubizarreta was also quoted by Barcelona's official website as saying: "He has a contract with us. We count on Cesc. I said that on the day of the presentation of Tito (Vilanova) and also with Tata (new coach Gerardo Martino).
"He's an extraordinary player who creates and finishes chances. We are delighted with him. He's the number four of Barca."
BALE not happy with AVB
It was reported that Tottenham winger Gareth
Bale is "unhappy and disappointed" about comments made by the club's
manager Andre Villas Boas. Real Madrid have made it clear that
they are keen to sign the Welshman and are believed to be willing to pay
what would be a world record transfer fee.
However, Villas-Boas said after Saturday's friendly defeat to Monaco: "These rumours of an imminent transfer are not true.
"The only thing we have communicated with Real Madrid is that he is our player and he is not for sale."
Bale has not made yet made his feelings public by telling sources closed to him "I've been speaking to a source close to Gareth
Bale, who says that Bale is both unhappy and disappointed by the
comments his manager made in that interview. In particular, that he is
not for sale.
Gareth Bale missed the match with Monaco yesterday because of a foot
injury and I've been told it's unlikely he'll take part in training
next week. A lot has been said about how much Madrid would be willing to pay
for Bale. I've simply been told it's a world record fee, so upwards of
£80m.
It's not clear whether Bale will put in a transfer request but the
source is still pretty confident that the player will be moving to Real
Madrid. Nothing is imminent though."
