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regular-article-logo Sunday, 05 May 2024

Football Round-Up: Karim Benzema predicts Zidane’s future, Germany get new coach

The Blancos striker is confident Zizou won’t leave. Hansi Flick to replace Joachim Low after Euro 2020

Our Bureau Published 25.05.21, 06:18 PM
Rumours suggest Zinedine Zidane will join Juventus as manager

Rumours suggest Zinedine Zidane will join Juventus as manager Twitter/@gwfootball_

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane’s future has been a hot topic for over two weeks now. And it refuses to die down.

Rumours suggest the Blancos boss is expected to join Juventus, but Karim Benzema believes Zizou won’t leave. Benzema, in an interview with L'Equipe, said, “I don't see him leaving. He will not leave, you will see.”

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Zidane’s 2020-21 season hasn’t been great with the Blancos. This is the first time in ten years that Real haven’t won a single silverware.

Real ended their La Liga season at number two on the points table, despite winning 2-1 versus Villareal. Atletico Madrid clinched their 11th Spanish league crown after beating Valladolid 2-1 in their final clash of the season.

Recently, after a 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao, Zizou had slammed media reports that claimed he had informed his team about his exit. In an interview with Marca, he had said, “How am I going to tell the players that I am leaving now, if we ‘risk our lives’ and I say I am leaving? You can tell the stories that you want, I will never say this to my players. At the end of the season we will see, but now I’m with them for the last game.”

Germany get new national coach

After Euro 2020, Germany will have a new coach.

Joachim Low is all set to be replaced by the outgoing Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick, the German Football Association said in a statement on Tuesday. Flick, who was the assistant coach of Germany in their 2014 World Cup triumph, has signed a three-year deal. “It's all gone surprisingly quickly, but I am very happy to be Germany coach from the autumn. I am hugely excited, because I see the class of players, and especially young players, which we have in Germany," Flick told AFP.

Flick is considered a top-flight coach, as he recently led Bayern Munich to their ninth successive Bundesliga title.

Germany recently announced their Euro 2020 squad, and Mats Hummels and Thomas Muller have been recalled to the squad after a two-year hiatus.

Here is their squad:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Bernd Leno, Kevin Trapp

Defenders: Matthias Ginter, Antonio Rudiger, Robin Gosens, Christian Gunter , Marcel Halstenberg, Mats Hummels, Lukas Klostermann, Robin Koch, Niklas Sule

Midfielders: Ilkay Gundogan, Toni Kroos, Emre Can, Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Muller, Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabry , Leon Goretzka , Kai Havertz , Jonas Hofmann, Leroy Sane, Florian Neuhaus

Forwards: Timo Werner, Kevin Volland

Guardiola bags best manager award

After winning the Premier League with Manchester City, there's some icing on the cake for Pep Guardiola. The City manager has now bagged the League Managers Association (LMA) manager of the year award.

Guardiola’s contribution to City’s title tally has been outstanding. He won three league titles in four years, and is itching to lay his hands on his first-ever Champions League title with the Cityzens.

“I am delighted to win the LMA Manager of the year award for the second time. It is, for me, such a special trophy to win because it is voted for by my fellow managers. An award like this is only possible though if a manager is surrounded by top professionals. My players have been fantastic - their dedication and professionalism never wavered, even in a season that has been the most challenging we have ever faced. And my staff are also deserving of the highest praise. I am so lucky to have a team of people who give everything they have every single day to make sure Manchester City are the best we can be. This award is dedicated to and shared with them,” Guardiola said after receiving the award.

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