Page 92 - Soccer360 - Issue 103

90TH MINUTE
WHO SAID WHAT
“We have to win. That’s the mentality here and this FC Bayern mentality will make me better as a player. I wanted this experience, to fight for titles, for the Champions League, playing for Bayern is an insane challenge. I was thinking less about the league and more about FC Bayern: How can I get better? Bayern is the perfect club for me.” – Harry Kane has opened up on his move to Germany and explained how the former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel swayed him to Bavaria.
“It’s a pleasure to play with Kylian, it’s fantastic. Will he stay? Yes, yes, for sure, for sure.”
– PSG and Italian goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma believes Kylian MBappe will stay in the French capital beyond next summer.
“True Pogba? Only playing minutes are missing. I’m fine physically and I want to get back on top. How much does Paul want from Juventus? I’m hungry, like in my early days here. I’m only thirty. I want to give these fans trophies and the desire to come here to the stadium.”
– Paul Pogba has expressed his desire to help Juventus win trophies after
Ian Waterhouse
putting his injury nightmare behind him.
KANE GIVEN THE BOOT
Harry Kane will not only be the face of Bayern Munich this season but shoe company Skechers as well. The England captain announced his new deal to much fanfare on social media, with the American brand signing up the 30-year-
old for their foray into football. Revealing that their first boot will be ‘ground-breaking with innovative technology’ Kane moves over from Nike, having worn an unbranded white pair of boots for his Bayern debut - a 3-0 German Super Cup defeat to Leipzig.
KISSY KISSY PEP PEP
Jack Grealish and Pep Guardiola were spotted sharing heartwarming moments with a visually impaired girl at the Super Cup trophy presentation. City players then lined up to collect their medals from UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and other dignitaries before captain Kyle Walker lifted the trophy. However, the medal queue was briefly stopped by Grealish, who took time out to speak to a visually impaired girl, who stood next to Ceferin in a heartwarming moment. City boss Pep Guardiola also made some time for the girl, giving her a kiss on the cheek before making his way to the stage where the trophy lift happened.
WATCH HIM GO
Former Liverpool star Fabinho was presented with a Rolex following his stand-out performance for Al Ittihad. The Brazilian left Anfield in a £40million switch which has seen him link up with Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante at the reigning Saudi Pro League champions. And the midfielder impressed on the opening weekend of the season,
so much so that his efforts were appreciated by a Saudi Arabian journalist. Footage emerged of the Brazilian leaving the stadium shortly after his side’s 3-0 win at Al Raed when he was stopped by Ibrahim Al-Faryan. Al-Faryan then gifted the 29-year-old the Rolex watch, which was received with a warm smile.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Taiwo Awoniyi has scored in eight Premier League games this season and has put Nottingham Forest 1-0 up in each match. The last player to open the scoring more times in a single season for a newly promoted club was Andrew Johnson with Crystal Palace in 2004-05 (9).
• Since his Premier League debut for Arsenal in January, Leandro Trossard (right) has more assists than any other player in the competition (9).
• No side has lost more points from leading positions in the Premier League this season than Leeds (25, level with Nottingham Forest). Indeed, the Whites have won just two of the last nine league matches in which they have opened the scoring (D4 L3).
A REFRESHING SENTIMENT
Former Arsenal star Santi Cazorla has taken the lowest possible wage after sealing a dream return to boyhood club Real Oviedo. The ex- Spain international played for Oviedo when he was a youngster over two decades ago but had to leave their academy for Villarreal in 2003 as a 17-year-old following financial difficulties. According to AS, the minimum wage in the second tier was € 77,500 per year - meaning Cazorla looks set to be earning just over € 1,000 per week. In addition, the midfielder completely waived all image rights on the premise that 10 percent of the funds from his shirt sales go towards the youth academy.
3
Rafael Benítez has lost on his debut with a team in Europe’s big five leagues for the third time in his career (W3 D5): 0-2 with Valladolid against Barcelona in 1995, 0-1 for Newcastle against Leicester in 2016 and 0-2 with Celta against Osasuna in 2023.
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