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Real Madrid chairman says Manchester United bosses ‘lack experience’
And he’s right -- Ed Woodward just recently got into football dealings.
Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
Florentino Perez won’t stop trying to spin the David De Gea story in his favor. While Ed Woodward has PR people and stays out of the spotlight, Perez decided to do a major radio interview where he trashed Manchester United.
“The same thing happened to us last year with [Fábio] Coentrão and to Athletic Club with Ander Herrera,” said Perez.”
He continued, on the Coentrão transfer that never came off, “That was exactly the same as with De Gea. The same, the same day and everything happened just as it did with De Gea. They have a new team and perhaps they lack experience.”
But it’s pretty clear that both teams screwed up, and the only real losers are the players.
Goal of the day
Gareth Bale’s header to all but clinch Wales’ place in Euro 2016. (r/soccer)
In the news
Kevin Davies has retired from soccer after a 22-year career. (Guardian)
New Mexico boss “Tuca” Ricardo Ferretti says he did not omit the dos Santos brothers from his team because they supported the old coach. (ESPN FC)
Andrea Bertolacci has left the Italy squad with an injury. (Football Italia)
Serie B will introduce a green card for good behavior. It will have no rewards. (Eurosport)
You should be reading
Matt Gault on Sebastian Diesler, a wonderkid who couldn’t deal with the pressures of the sport. (These Football Times)
Phil Costa on Slovakia, the most in-form international team in the world. (The Set Pieces)
Jonathan Wilson on Romania and their absurdly high FIFA ranking. (Guardian)
Thursday’s games
What to watch this weekend (click for listings, all times ET)
Euro qualifying: Germany vs. Poland (Friday, 2:45 p.m.) - Germany have slipped up in qualifying, and really need a win against first-placed Poland.
Friendly: USA vs. Peru (Friday, 7:30 p.m.) - Watch as Jurgen Klinsmann flails around and tries random stuff.
Friendly: Mexico vs. T&T (Friday, 10 p.m.) - Tuca Ferretti’s debut as Mexico’s boss.
Euro qualifying: Russia vs. Sweden (Saturday, 12 p.m.) - A loss could eliminate Russia from top two contention in their group.
Euro qualifying: Spain vs. Slovakia (Saturday, 2:45 p.m.) - The clear big match of this international break. Slovakia is strangely the best team on earth right now, though that could end abruptly away to Spain.
Euro qualifying: Turkey vs. Netherlands (Sunday, 12 p.m.) - Now a must-win for the Netherlands after their Iceland loss.
Euro qualifying: Italy vs. Bulgaria (Sunday, 2:45 p.m.) - Italy keep looking like trash, keep scraping results. This game should be similar.
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