Barcelona: Madrid trying to sign Neymar hurt our stability

One of the Catalans' vice-presidents says signing the Brazilian starlet for €87.2 million a year earlier than planned affected the club's bank balance negatively

Barcelona were financially rocked because Real Madrid forced them to sign Neymar a year earlier than planned, according to vice-president Carles Vilarrubi.

The Spanish giants locked horns in a lengthy transfer saga which lead to the Catalans confirming the signing of the Brazilian starlet from Santos a year before he made the move for €57 million officially - although later revelations showed that the actual payments rose to an estimated €87m.

Vilarrubi admits that Barca's urgency in beating their arch-rivals to securing Neymar left them in a bad position economically, but suggested their hand was forced by the Blancos.

"The club signed a pre-agreement for Neymar to join the following season [2014-15]," the Barca chief told reporters. "Pressure from another club led us to sign him a year earlier. This fact has affected the club's financial stability."

He added that such “surrounding pressure” can sometimes force a club to make a move which is motivated by “not necessarily sporting” circumstances.

Luiz, Pogba, Pirlo and Pedro head Motta's PSG wishlist

The midfielder has named a number of Europe's top players - including Giorgio Chiellini and Miralem Pjanic - whom he hopes to see at Parc des Princes next season

Thiago Motta has named Paul Pogba, Andrea Pirlo and Pedro at the top of a list of stars he would welcome to Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
The Ligue 1 leaders have long been linked with a potential swoop for Juventus midfielder Pogba, while Roma star Miralem Pjanic has also reportedly caught their attention this season.

Motta believes both players - along with a host of others - would be significant boosts to Laurent Blanc's side next season, particularly in the Champions League, where the Italy international believes they suffered from a lack of mental strength after their away-goals defeat to Chelsea.

"I'd like to see David Luiz, [Giorgio] Chiellini, Pirlo, Pogba, Pjanic and Pedro join PSG to strengthen us both mentally and technically," the 31-year-old told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"We could do better in the Champions League [if we sign these players]. Chelsea seemed more prepared, both physically and mentally."

Motta, who was born in Brazil, believes he made the right decision by choosing to represent Italy at international level as he prepares for the World Cup this summer.

"In the end I moved away from Brazil 16 years ago and have always played in Europe," the midfielder added.

"I have no regrets about chosing Italy because I am going to Brazil with the likes of Pirlo and [Gianluigi] Buffon who have already won the World Cup.

"At the World Cup Italy must impose their own personality. We must work together.

"[Mario] Balotelli should not take unnecessary risks. Neither can [Lionel] Messi, for example, win a World Cup alone. The most important factor is the team, the whole 23-man squad."

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Barcelona president Bartomeu meets with Blatter

The 51-year-old touched on "general issues relating to the protection of minors" in a conversation between a club delegation and the Fifa chief

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu discussed "the protection of minors" in a meeting with Fifa chief Sepp Blatter on Tuesday.
The reigning Spanish champions were hit with an initial 14-month transfer ban earlier this year after being charged with breaking rules over the signing of young players from overseas, although the sanction was temporarily lifted after a successful appeal.
Bartomeu - who replaced Sandro Rosell at the Camp Nou helm after the latter stepped down following the controversy surrounding Neymar's move to the club - led a Barca delegation which met with Blatter in Zurich as part of a "courtesy visit".
Barca confirmed that topics concerning minors were covered in the meeting, but stressed that no specifics were discussed as Blatter is not involved in the decision-making process of the Fifa Disciplinary Commission.
"A delegation from FC Barcelona, headed by club president Josep Maria Bartomeu today paid a courtesy visit on Fifa President Joseph Blatter at the organisation’s HQ in Zurich," a media release from the club read.
"This was the first meeting between the two presidents since Sr Bartomeu took over the reins at FC Barcelona. During their meeting, both men agreed that at all levels, football authorities must work
together for the benefit of the game and its global development.
"The meeting also dealt with general issues relating to the protection of minors, without touching on specifics given that president Blatter does not take any part in Fifa’s Disciplinary Commission’s decision making, or in FC Barcelona’s current appeal process."

Title meltdown at Selhurst: Liverpool simply have no defence

The Merseysiders' title hopes are left in tatters after a calamitous passage of defending at Crystal Palace ruined another outstanding attacking display

COMMENT
By Wayne Veysey at Selhurst Park

One of the most remarkable Premier League matches of all ended with an inconsolable double-winning player of the year hiding his face from the world only 15 minutes after he was trying to extend Liverpool’s advantage to four goals.

Liverpool’s meltdown was so sudden, and Palace’s comeback so extraordinary, that all the emotions football can offer seemed to be squeezed into one bite-sized segment.

At the final whistle, the visiting players slumped to their knees en masse. A distraught Steven Gerrard, with tears gently rolling down his face, ushered the television cameras away, while Luis Suarez was bawling his eyes out so uncontrollably that he covered his face with his shirt and was led to the dressing room by unused substitute Kolo Toure.

Match Stats — Team Stats

CRYSTAL PALACEV.LIVERPOOL

• Attack
• General Play
• Distribution
• Defence & Discipline

• Attack

  Goals

  Crystal Palace	Comparison	Liverpool
  3	50%50%	3

  Total Shots

  Crystal Palace	Comparison	Liverpool
  10	27.8%72.2%	26

  Shots On Target

  Crystal Palace	Comparison	Liverpool
  6	40%60%	9

  Blocked Shots

  Crystal Palace	Comparison	Liverpool
  1	11.1%88.9%	8

  Shots from outside the box

  Crystal Palace	Comparison	Liverpool
  6	37.5%62.5%	10

  Shots from inside the box

  Crystal Palace	Comparison	Liverpool
  4	20%80%	16

  Shot Accuracy (excluding blocked shots)

  Crystal Palace	Comparison	Liverpool
  66.7%	57.2%42.8%	50%

It was raw and brutal. Liverpool supporters looked on from the away end in utter disbelief. Some were in tears, but most stood motionless and virtually expressionless, unable to take in what they had just seen.

By contrast, Palace’s raucous support celebrated with the unrestrained fervour that has been their trademark in a stunning turnaround under Tony Pulis’ wily leadership.

Selhurst Park bounced and rocked. Liverpool, who had penetrated, dominated and then crumbled, were in a state of shock.

The images provided a riveting footnote to what had been a loopy, bonkers and completely intoxicating chapter of play.

Cold analysis of this 3-3 classic will show that Liverpool’s dodgy defence let them down after their effervescent attack had laid the foundation for what should have been a convincing victory that kept the pressure on title favourites Manchester City.

"Man City will go on and win it now," declared Brendan Rodgers at full-time. "For 75 minutes we were outstanding," he explained in a typically logical post-match assessment. "We scored three goals, we created many chances, then we conceded with 12 minutes to go and we have to see the game out better than that. You cannot come here against a very good side, be the threat that we were and then defend as we did. It is criminal really."

The frailties of Liverpool’s back five, evident even when they were destroying teams during a remarkable 11-match winning run, were laid bare just when it seemed that they would once again be masked by more attacking brilliance.

Replays showed that the positioning and decision-making of the visitors for all three of Palace’s goals were calamitous. The consequences were horrific, with substitute Dwight Gayle writing himself into Palace folklore with his deadly pair of side-footed finishes within a few pulsating minutes of one another.

Glen Johnson, a buccaneering asset to the Liverpool attack as they romped into a three-goal lead, was made to look a novice as he showed a startling lack of awareness and resilience for each of the Palace goals. Martin Skrtel, who veers between the very good and the very bad with alarming regularity, and Mamadou Sakho looked like ham actors playing the fool in a 1920s silent movie.

Few could blame Gerrard, who had delivered a midfield masterclass for three-quarters of the match, or Suarez, who pilfered his 31st goal of the season, for their bitter disappointment. Both have expended so much emotional, as well as physical, energy in the bid to end Liverpool’s 24-year title drought.

Only hours earlier, Suarez had learned that he had added the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year award to his PFA gong. The man he beat in second place in the journalists’ poll was his team-mate and club captain.

The individual accolades will be a source of great pride but provide scant consolation as the events of the last nine days sink in.

Liverpool, who are one short of a remarkable century of league goals, have used their attacking strengths to compensate for sloppy defending all season. It has been a delicate balancing act, but one they looked capable of winning. Yet, at the penultimate hurdle, they have fallen short.

PALACE COMEBACK STUNS LIVERPOOL ALL OF GOAL'S CONTENT

REPORT: PALACE 3-3 LIVERPOOL

RATINGS: GAYLE THE HERO

POLL: TITLE RACE OVER?

GALLAGHER MOCKS TEARFUL SUAREZ

RODGERS CONCEDES TITLE

PULIS MUST WIN MANAGER AWARD

"It is 99 goals we have scored, which is a phenomenal achievement by the team - but you have to defend," said Rodgers. "It is no good scoring all those goals if you defend as we did [last] night.

"There is no doubt. Manchester City will go on and win it. We needed to win to keep the pressure on going into the last game and we did not do that. You have to have that maturity to see it through and we did not do that. It was bitterly disappointing and I would expect Manchester City to go on and win their two home games."

In this rollercoaster season, a victory for Aston Villa at City on Wednesday night is certainly not out of the question. Paul Lambert’s youthful counter-attacking team are better on the road and have some big scalps to show for it.

Whether or not Liverpool get the kind of assistance Palace gave City to open up the title race again, a more solid base is required at Anfield next season, when Champions League commitments will test a squad that needs considerable beefing up.

Daniel Agger should be sold if Rodgers feels he is too static and leisurely to play a major role, and at least two centre-backs and a full-back recruited to challenge Skrtel, Sakho and Johnson for a regular starting place.

Liverpool’s army of recruitment specialists need to have a better window than last summer, and prove they are as good at spotting defensive talent as they are at finding under-valued strikers and attacking midfielders.

There is a great deal to admire about this Liverpool team. They have provided some wonderful entertainment this season. But every title-winning side needs to have a solid foundation.

Mourinho: Chelsea need a 'killer' striker

The Portuguese has reiterated that the Blues will be in the market for a top-class goalscorer this summer as they bid to avoid another trophyless season next term

Jose Mourinho says Chelsea need to sign a striker with "killer instinct" this summer in order to avoid the kind of slip-ups which have derailed their Premier League title challenge.

The Blues were held to a goalless draw by struggling Norwich City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday to all but end their hopes of catching Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the table.

	CHELSEA LATEST
6/1	Cardiff City are 6/1 with William Hill to beat Chelsea on Sunday

Mourinho has made no secret of his disdain for the array of strikers at his disposal, with none of Samuel Eto'o, Fernando Torres or Demba Ba reaching double figures for Premier League goals.

Goal revealed on Friday that Atletico Madrid talisman Diego Costa has agreed a £35 million move to Stamford Bridge this summer, and after the Norwich result Mourinho again underlined the need to bolster his attacking options.

"We have good players, but we don't have the kind of striker able to, in a short space, to make an action, to score a goal, to open the gate," the Portuguese toldChelsea TV.

"In these kind of matches you just need to open the gate. When you open the gate, the gate is open and you go on to win much more. We weren't able to do that.

"We have to try to win as a team, to improve as a team, but also add the attacking player with that killer instinct and the number of goals that push teams to different levels.

"It's something our club is going to try [to do], respecting obviously that we have good strikers."

Barca will want to beat Atletico - Ancelotti

The Italian is expecting all three teams in the Liga title race to keep fighting and is hoping the Catalans do his side a favour

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that Barcelona will go out to beat Atletico Madrid on the final day of the season.

All three sides are still in the Liga title race, with Diego Simeone's side needing four points from their final two games to win the Primera Division.

Real Madrid need to win their final three games and will be hoping that Barcelona do them a favour when they tackle Atleti at Camp Nou and Ancelotti is certain that the Catalans will not take it easy.

"I'm sure that Barcelona will want to win," he said at a press conference.

"Barca will give their all against Atletico. They have always played like this and will continue to do so.

"It was an amazing end to the season because Levante had a very good match against Atletico despite playing for nothing as did Valencia, who were in the same sitution, against us.

"This is good for the league. We will all fight until the final minute. These three games are in our hands and we must win.

"[Wednesday's game against Valladolid] will be crucial because losing means not winning the league.

"Winning is the only option we have. The advantage is with Atletico because they need four points to become champions. We'll see what happens."

Ancelotti also ruled Gareth Bale out of the trip to Valladolid, but expects Cristiano Ronaldo to feature.

"Cristiano is fine, just a little tired. He just took part in training and is available at Valladolid. Carvajal, with slight discomfort, and Bale, who took a knock, are out."

Barca need a coach with character like Luis Enrique - Soriano

The former Blaugrana striker says his old boss would be an ideal candidate to succeed Tata Martino due to his philosophy and mentality

Former Barcelona B attacker Jonathan Soriano believes Luis Enrique has all the characteristics to be a success at the Camp Nou.

The Celta Vigo boss is the favourite to take over at Barca should the club decide to dispense with the services of Gerardo Martino at the end of the season.

Reports in Catalonia suggest Enrique met with Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizaretta over the weekend and, should Barca opt to turn to the former Spain midfielder, who played for the Blaugrana and Real Madrid in a distinguished playing career, it would be a move endorsed by Soriano.

"Barca now need a coach with character and clear ideas," the Red Bull Salzburg striker told SER.

"And everyone knows that Luis Enrique does not lack them. Enrique knows how to deal with big players. At first when he was at Roma, he clashed with [Francesco] Totti, but then impressed him.

"He wants possession but, in the end, the goal is what matters. This is what we are seeing at Celta: control of the ball but attacking."

Enrique started his coaching career with Barca B before moving on to Roma and then Celta.