Sports
Arsene Wenger admits there have been no new contract talks to keep Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere at Arsenal
ARSENE WENGER admits there has been no progress in contract talks with Mesut Ozil or Jack Wilshere.
The Arsenal boss wants their futures sorted out before the transfer window opens on New Year’s Day.
But he is still no closer to knowing whether his midfield stars will leave as free agents in the summer, despite having a small army of negotiators and heads of recruitment at the Emirates.
Wenger denied reports that the club have made a new, improved offer to top earner Ozil, 29, whose current contract expires at the end of the season, and admitted that there have still been no talks with 25-year-old Wilshere.
The Frenchman said: “We are in December today, so now it is time to talk to Jack. But it has not happened yet.”
But Wenger’s most immediate concern is getting Arsenal’s top-four challenge back on track following last week’s 3-1 home defeat by Manchester United.
And he claims his team are being unfairly handicapped by the Premier League’s schedulers.
The Gunners chief is seriously unimpressed that Arsenal travel to Southampton for a midday kick-off tomorrow after playing in the Europa League on Thursday night, while United, Liverpool and Manchester City all kick off later the same day.
He complained: “The Premier League must respect the fairness of the competition and I believe that many teams don’t fight on an equal front in terms of recovery.
“I understand that we have to play all the games — but what I’d like is that the teams who have tight schedules are all faced with the same problems. That was not the case last week and it won’t be the same next week, either.
“I don’t mind if we have to play every day, as long as our opponents play every day, too.
“There is a massive difference on the recovery side between three and four days.
“Against United last week, I felt it took my players time to get into the game because we had played on the Wednesday night against Huddersfield and United had played 24 hours earlier.
“It took us a while to adjust to the pace of the game and they surprised us with their pace and power up front.
“After that first 15 minutes we played remarkably well. We had a very strong, creative performance with a high amount of expected goals. But we had a poor defensive performance.”
Wenger abandoned his customary defensive formation midway through that United defeat and he also switched to a back four for Thursday’s 6-0 Europa League thrashing of BATE Borisov.
He admitted: “The back four is my preferred system but I have to adjust to what suits the quality of the players I have available and the balance of the team.
“We analysed the United defeat with the players straightaway to allow us to get the disappointment out of our system and focus on what is in front of us.”
Arsenal are now a massive 15 points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City.
But Wenger does not buy into the theory that Pep Guardiola has somehow reinvented the managerial wheel this season.
He said: “City won the title before Pep, so we will see what happens at the end of the season.
“At the moment it is not realistic for us to speak about the title because we are too far away. Let’s just fight to win our next game and see in the longer distance if we can come back.”
Real Madrid produced a spectacular comeback against Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League final with Joselu striking twice late on, earning them a 2-1 win on Wednesday to progress 4-3 on aggregate.
Alphonso Davies smashed the visiting German giants ahead in the second half but record 14-time winners Madrid produced a sensational comeback with Joselu netting in the 88th and 91st minutes.
Bayern Munich’s Canadian midfielder #19 Alphonso Davies scores his team’s first goal in spite of Real Madrid’s Ukrainian goalkeeper #13 Andriy Lunin during the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 8, 2024. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)
Spanish champions Real Madrid face another German side, Borussia Dortmund, in the Wembley final on June 1, after they stunned the team they call their “black beast”.
Squad player Joselu, on as a late substitute, wrote his name in Madrid’s history books with his last-gasp brace.
Bayern Munich’s English forward #09 Harry Kane reacts to their defeat after the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 8, 2024. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)
“There have been a lot of times we have looked dead and buried, but we have that mentality of never say die,” said Real midfielder Jude Bellingham.
“Joselu deserves it all, he has been an amazing squad member this season.”
Madrid had enjoyed the better of the match but it seemed Davies’ superb strike had set up a repeat of the 2013 all-German final in London.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel made three changes from the first leg, benching veteran Thomas Mueller and Leon Goretzka.
Dani Carvajal started for Madrid after missing the first leg suspended and was heavily involved as the hosts dominated the opening stages.
Real Madrid players celebrate their second goal scored by Real Madrid’s Spanish forward #14 Joselu during the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 8, 2024. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)
Rodrygo Goes was inches away from converting Carvajal’s low cross and the Spain defender then cleverly set up Vinicius Junior with a pass nutmegging a defender, and Manuel Neuer tipped the Brazilian’s shot against the post.
The rebound fell to Rodrygo but his effort was weak and with a desperate arm Neuer was able to claw it out to complete a fine double save.
Bayern’s Serge Gnabry limped off injured with Davies replacing him before Harry Kane’s first flash of danger.
Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin was alert to push the England captain’s vicious long-range volley around the post.
Neuer palmed away a Vinicius free-kick as the teams ended a high-intensity, relentlessly frantic first half level.
The second period was just as fraught, with Davies’ cross deflecting onto the roof of Lunin’s goal.
Vinicius was unplayable down Madrid’s left and Rodrygo prodded his low cross agonisingly wide of the far post.
The 38-year-old Neuer made superb saves to deny both Brazilian forwards again before the hour mark as Madrid controlled the game and ratcheted up the pressure.
However just as in Munich, when Los Blancos were at their strongest, Bayern pounced.
Kane fed Davies and the Canada international cut inside from the left and smashed a shot beyond Lunin into the far top corner after 68 minutes.
Madrid thought they had levelled moments later through Nacho but after a VAR review the strike was ruled out as the defender had grabbed Joshua Kimmich’s face before shooting.
Tuchel took off Kane in the final stages to try and hold on to victory but it slipped through his fingers as Madrid produced more indelible European memories.
Neuer, who had been sublime to this point, fumbled what appeared a simple Vinicius strike and Joselu gratefully bundled home from close range.
With Bayern reeling Madrid struck again, decisively. It was Joselu once more, the striker on loan from second division side Espanyol, turning home after Antonio Rudiger cut the ball back to him.
The goal was ruled offside but officials overturned the decision after review, and after nearly 15 minutes of stoppage time, Madrid earned the chance to go for their 15th Champions League trophy.
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