Sports

Corona outbreak at Liverpool turns out to be not too bad | Football

Published

4 months ago

January 10, 2022

Trainer Jürgen Klopp has, according to the BBC said that there were a number of so-called ‘false positives’. The only person who was really infected with the virus turns out to have been defender Trent Alexander-Arnold. Head coach Jürgen Klopp and his Dutch assistant Pepijn Lijnders, among others, were out of circulation due to alleged positive corona tests.

Due to the presumed outbreak, Liverpool’s League Cup semi-final against Arsenal was postponed earlier. The club played last weekend in the FA Cup against Shrewsbury Town (4-1), where several players were also missing. Klopp even drafted several teenagers in that game.

English media have since reported that several clubs have asked the League Cup umbrella organization to conduct further investigations. One wonders if Liverpool knew about the ‘false positives’ before the scheduled meeting with Arsenal and the game could have gone on after all. There are clubs that also asked for a postponement during the tournament, but did not receive this because they had enough players left.

Due to the alleged outbreak, Liverpool even closed the training complex for a few days.

Sports

Marc Overmars wants to bring Mark van Bommel to Antwerp | Football

Published

51 mins ago

May 16, 2022

Dutch News

Overmars would like to bring Van Bommel to Belgium. The former coach of PSV and VfL Wolfsburg has already been spotted several times in Antwerp and a two-year contract is ready for him. Van Bommel was also a top candidate to become a trainer of Racing Genk, but his preference seems to be for the adventure at Antwerp. Overmars is charmed by him as a trainer and with his presence, Van Bommel knows that he will receive the necessary support from the management.

Antwerp qualified for the Belgian championship round in the play-offs this season, in which it will finish fourth and last. The ambitions of the oldest professional club in the country are sky-high. Antwerp is owned by Paul Gheysens, one of the richest Belgians. The Belgian cup was won in 2020, but the club wants to participate for the national title. To reinforce those ambitions, Overmars was brought in as technical person with final responsibility, after he resigned from Ajax at the beginning of February due to cross-border behaviour.

The financial possibilities are there in Antwerp, which is expected to say goodbye to current coach Brian Priske soon. Coming Sunday, the season will end with an away game at Union. Antwerp will play in the second heat of the Conference League next season.

For Van Bommel (45), it must be his third trainer job. He started at PSV in 2018 and eventually just missed the national title that season. A sporting dramatic streak in his second year proved fatal for him in December. At VfL Wolfsburg, Van Bommel was fired at the end of October this season, despite an excellent start in the competition. His successor Florian Kohfeld has now also been fired.

Sports

Chelsea takeover by American consortium may not go ahead after all | NOW

Published

1 hour ago

May 16, 2022

Dutch News

Chelsea’s takeover by an American consortium led by businessman Todd Boehly may not go ahead. According to the BBC the British government is not reassured that sufficient concrete agreements can be made with the current owner of the top club from the Premier League, Roman Abramovich.

Government sources say there are “serious concerns” about the plans going ahead. Abramovich is reportedly refusing to agree “to a sales structure that gives ministers confidence that the proceeds will go to charity”. The Russian businessman had promised this at an earlier stage.

The consortium wants to pay 2.5 billion pounds (almost 3 billion euros) to take over Chelsea from Abramovich. In addition, the Americans plan to invest 1.75 billion pounds, converted almost 2 billion euros, in the club. The intention is that the acquisition amount will go to charities.

Chelsea was put up for sale by Abramovich in March after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He is on a British government sanctions list because he is believed to have close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Chelsea therefore has to deal with all kinds of restrictions.

Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 for around £60 million. Thanks to his investments, the Londoners have grown into one of the largest clubs in the world. Last season Chelsea won the Champions League.

Chelsea has been owned by Roman Abramovich since 2003.

Sports

“Willem II and PEC Zwolle will also notice that you really cannot buy success”

Published

2 hours ago

May 16, 2022

Dutch News

Willem II, PEC Zwolle and perhaps Heracles will play in the Kitchen Champion Division next season. The mission, no doubt: to get a PhD in 2023. But how do you do that as a renowned Eredivisie club? And: is such a rapid return realistic?