European Leagues

Juventus nearly sacked Allegri after Italian Cup row

Massimiliano Allegri was close to being sacked by Juventus after exploding with anger during his team’s midweek Italian Cup triumph, according to widespread reports in local media.

Juventus won their 15th Italian Cup on Wednesday night but Allegri burst into a rage, first being sent off in the final minutes after ranting at match officials and then waving away sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli during the post-match celebrations.

And Juve are now set to fire Allegri, who was already widely rumoured to be replaced by Bologna coach Thiago Motta in the summer, with two matches of the season remaining.

Juventus sit fourth in Serie A after collecting just 15 points in their last 15 league matches. They are at Bologna on Monday night. The two are teams level on 67 points and both have already qualified for next season’s revamped Champions League.

Italian media reported that Juve are evaluating whether to dismiss Allegri with just cause for his behaviour on Wednesday night, when he is also alleged to have manhandled and threatened the chief editor of newspaper Tuttosport before the post-match press conference.

Such a move would potentially save the club from paying Allegri the remaining year of his contract, which is worth around seven million euros before bonuses.

The Italian Football Federation’s disciplinary tribunal has launched an investigation into Allegri, who on Wednesday almost accidentally confirmed that this season would be his last at the Turin giants.

Allegri was on Thursday given an automatic two-match ban in the cup for his straight red card but could receive further punishment.

Premier League

Mikel Obi Names Thierry Henry the Best Premier League Player of All Time

Former Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi has declared ex-Arsenal striker Thierry Henry as the greatest player in Premier League history.

The English top flight has seen numerous iconic players, leading to ongoing debates about who deserves the title of the league’s all-time best.

Some point to Alan Shearer, who holds the record for the most Premier League goals (260). Others highlight Cristiano Ronaldo’s brilliance during his six-year spell with Manchester United. Chelsea fans often advocate for the influence of club legends like Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, and John Terry.

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, with 178 goals and 82 assists, has also entered the conversation. However, Mikel believes Salah falls short in the “complete player” category despite acknowledging his impressive numbers and evolution since their days together at Chelsea.

“Numbers-wise, you can put Salah in the conversation, but when you want to talk about a complete player, you can’t put him in the conversation,” Mikel stated on the Obi One Podcast.

He added: “The best player to have played in the Premier League is Thierry Henry. There was a period when he dominated the league for two to three years. He had everything—he was so good on the ball; he had everything.”

Henry, who played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s success, including their historic “Invincibles” season, remains a defining figure in Premier League history

LaLiga

Flick confirms Szczesny as Barcelona’s first-choice goalkeeper

Barcelona Coach Flick Cries Out VAR Decision In Loss

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has officially confirmed that Wojciech Szczesny is the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Szczesny has been the preferred option in recent weeks, surpassing Inaki Pena, who had been Barcelona’s regular starter after Marc-André ter Stegen’s season-ending knee injury last September.

Speaking ahead of Barcelona’s Copa del Rey quarter-final against Valencia, Flick emphasized that Szczesny’s position as the number-one keeper is now clear.

“Szczesny is our first goalkeeper now, it’s confirmed,” Flick said. “It’s not just about Iñaki or Szczesny, but about the whole team, and we always make decisions that are in the best interest of the team, and that is the approach I want to follow.”

Szczesny made his La Liga debut on January 26 in Barcelona’s dominant 7-1 victory over Valencia. The 34-year-old joined the club last year after leaving Juventus.