عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Ancelotti: Bellingham is Great, but I'll Stick with Madrid Youngsters

Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti waits for the start of a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and Real Madrid at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia)
Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti waits for the start of a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and Real Madrid at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia)
TT
TT

Ancelotti: Bellingham is Great, but I'll Stick with Madrid Youngsters

Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti waits for the start of a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and Real Madrid at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia)
Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti waits for the start of a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valladolid and Real Madrid at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid, Spain, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia)

Carlo Ancelotti hailed English midfielder Jude Bellingham, who has been linked with a move to his Real Madrid team, but said Friday he has plenty of young talent at his fingertips already.

Los Blancos have three of the most exciting midfield prospects in world football in Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Fede Valverde, AFP said.

Borussia Dortmund's Bellingham played well for England during the World Cup in Qatar until Gareth Southgate's side were knocked out by Tchouameni and Camavinga's France in the quarter-finals.

"Bellingham showed at the World Cup that he is a great midfielder," Ancelotti told reporters on Friday ahead of his team's La Liga clash with Villarreal.

"A lot of youngsters stood out, like Enzo (Fernandez) with Argentina, and the Spaniards Pedri and Gavi had a very nice tournament.

"There are a lot of young midfielders emerging but I'll stick with mine. We have very good ones, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Valverde. We have a lot of youngsters."

French duo Tchouameni and Camavinga finished as runners-up, defeated in the final by Argentina.

Bellingham's deal with Dortmund expires in 2025 and the 19-year-old has been linked with various teams, including Spanish champions Madrid, who sold Casemiro to Manchester United last summer.

Long-serving Madrid midfielders Toni Kroos and 37-year-old Luka Modric have contracts that expire in the summer of 2023.

Los Blancos signed Camavinga, 20, from Rennes in 2021 and then last year brought in Tchouameni, 22, from Monaco.

Valverde, 24, joined Madrid's youth ranks from Penarol in 2016, but has often been deployed on the right flank instead of in central midfield.

They are all establishing themselves at Madrid, who are level on points with league leaders Barcelona ahead of their first match of 2023, a tricky test at Quique Setien's Villarreal on Saturday.

"They have changed a bit, they have a very clear identity, different from (Unai) Emery's Villarreal," added Ancelotti.

"Setien likes attacking football, their players are well positioned on the pitch. To win there, you have to be at your best."

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Flick Hoping Barca’s Yamal Can Face Valencia After Knock

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal during a Spanish La Liga match between Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (AP)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal during a Spanish La Liga match between Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (AP)
TT
TT

Flick Hoping Barca’s Yamal Can Face Valencia After Knock

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal during a Spanish La Liga match between Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (AP)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's fifth goal during a Spanish La Liga match between Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (AP)

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick is hoping teenage star Lamine Yamal is fit to face Valencia in La Liga on Sunday after taking a knock.

The 19-year-old winger did not train with his team-mates on Saturday but instead worked by himself at the training ground.

"For tomorrow we have to wait, I cannot say it today," Flick told reporters Saturday.

"We have to decide if it's better that he rests or he starts from the beginning, I'll speak with him and we'll decide that.

"Lamine is a player who likes to play football."

Flick said Yamal will travel with the team to Mestalla stadium, where Barca are looking to continue their 100 percent start to the season.

"He trained separately and everything was good, he will travel with us tomorrow," said Flick.

"He took a hit and he had some pain so we said it's better that he trains separately," added the coach.

"After the training he said everything was good so he will travel and hopefully he can play tomorrow."

Yamal impressed in the 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano on Monday, netting his first two goals of the season.

Rivals Real Madrid slipped up in a 1-0 defeat at Real Betis on Friday, giving champions Barca the chance to establish themselves as sole league leaders.

"When you see the game yesterday, Real Madrid also played well... they had big, big chances," said Flick.

"This is football, (slipping up) can always happen. For us it's important that we focus on ourselves."

New arrival Gabriel Jesus is likely to begin on the bench with winger Raphinha staying as the starting striker after notching five goals in three games playing out of position.

"In this moment (Raphinha) is doing really great," explained Flick.

"He's the best option for us at the moment in this position."

Sports

Isak Ready to Show World His Quality, Says Van Dijk

Football - Premier League - Ipswich Town v Liverpool - Portman Road, Ipswich, Britain - September 4, 2026 Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Ipswich Town v Liverpool - Portman Road, Ipswich, Britain - September 4, 2026 Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Isak Ready to Show World His Quality, Says Van Dijk

Football - Premier League - Ipswich Town v Liverpool - Portman Road, Ipswich, Britain - September 4, 2026 Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Ipswich Town v Liverpool - Portman Road, Ipswich, Britain - September 4, 2026 Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said Alexander Isak's quality has never been in doubt after the Swede's double delivered a first win for the Reds under Andoni Iraola at Ipswich.

Isak scored both goals of the 2-0 victory on Friday inside the opening 10 minutes to take his tally for the season to three in three games.

After a Premier League record £125 million ($169 million) move from Newcastle 12 months ago, Isak's first season as a Liverpool player was dogged by fitness and injury problems.

He has already matched his Premier League goal tally from last season and Van Dijk is confident Isak will return to the level that made him one of the world's most sought-after strikers.

"I don't think the quality is anything that we doubt," Van Dijk told Sky Sports.

"Last year he had an unfortunate bad injury and it was down to him, the hard work that he put in each and every day to get back as quickly as possible.

"I think he had a very good World Cup, he had a very good pre-season, and he's getting up to speed now.

"We've seen how good he is playing against him and now he's going to show the world with a Liverpool shirt as well."

Isak was sidelined for three months last season after breaking his fibula and is hoping a difficult first year as a Liverpool player is finally behind him.

"It was not easy, obviously. It was a long injury, a difficult season in general," he said.

"I was thinking to have a good World Cup firstly and then to start off this season well, which I feel like I've done now.

"That's kind of behind me, but obviously it wasn't easy."

Both of Isak's goals were set up by Cody Gakpo, who nearly departed Liverpool this week.

A move to Manchester City was reportedly in the pipeline had Liverpool been able to source a replacement in the final days of the window.

But Van Dijk is happy that his Dutch international teammate remained at the club.

"I said it before the transfer window was closed, he's important for us," added Van Dijk.

"He showed it today again with assists and over the last couple of years as well, so let's keep going."

Sports

Winning Start for Zamalek in CAF Champions League

Mohamed Shehata celebrates his goal during the match. (Zamalek club)
Mohamed Shehata celebrates his goal during the match. (Zamalek club)
TT
TT

Winning Start for Zamalek in CAF Champions League

Mohamed Shehata celebrates his goal during the match. (Zamalek club)
Mohamed Shehata celebrates his goal during the match. (Zamalek club)

Egyptian club Zamalek beat Djibouti outfit AS Port 2-1 in Cairo on Friday at the start of a quest to win the CAF Champions League a sixth time.

It took the White Knights just five minutes to move ahead through a close-range shot from Mohamed Shehata and Angolan Chico Banza doubled the lead from a 37th-minute header.

Appearing in the marquee African club competition for the first time, Port halved the deficit through Mahdi Hussein Mahbi with eight minutes of regular time remaining.

There is no international standard stadium in Djibouti, a tiny Horn of Africa nation, so both legs of the first round qualifier will be staged in Cairo. The return match is on September 12.

Zamalek last won the Champions League in 2002, pipping Moroccan club Raja Casablanca 1-0 on aggregate in the two-leg final.

The closest they have come to lifting the trophy since was finishing runners-up to South African side Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016 and to domestic arch rivals Al Ahly four years later.

Meanwhile, Oussama Bentaleb netted just before half-time to give JS Saoura of Algeria a 1-0 home win over Horoya of Guinea.

Another first leg in north Africa also produced a 1-0 home victory. Abdullah Al Arfi struck the 66th-minute winner for debutants Asswehly of Libya over Zanzibari team KVZ.