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Javier PASTORE on PSG future: “We’ll see…”

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Following PSG’s 7-1 win in Ligue 1 against Monaco, Javier PASTORE took to the media to discuss his future at the club.

After rumors that the former Palermo man would leave Paris during the last January transfer market, PASTORE’s recent comments did nothing to calm those rumors. Speaking to Premium Sports, here’s what he had to say:

“This season is more beautiful because we lost the title last time out. This season we’ve had a great campaign. We beat Monaco 7-1 and this win gives us strength to end the season well. We knew that we’d have been crowned champions if we won. We needed to make it happen and we had a great match.

“The result is what it is, but Monaco are still a great team. What I’ll do this summer? I still don’t know. I want to end the season well. We have another cup to win and we’ll give it our all. As for after that, we’ll see…”

In a separate interview following PSG’s 7-1 win, PASTORE said the following:

“It is true that I have won a lot of titles since I arrived here but each is just as wonderful as the last. It is two times more wonderful because we faced Monaco tonight, the previous champion. We were very focused, we knew that if we won tonight, we would win the title… it is never easy to win a title.”

“Does it make me want to stay? Of course, each time we win, we ask ourselves what we need to do. Since I arrived in Paris, the club has changed a lot. Now, I have one year’s contract remaining and I have not yet spoken with the club’s representatives. We will wait for the right moment to have discussions. Right now, we have no clear idea yet.”

As PASTORE himself mentioned, we will see what the future holds for him.

Esteban CAMBIASSO: “Lautaro is between HIGUAIN and ICARDI”

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Inter Milan legend Esteban CAMBIASSO came out and stated that Lautaro MARTIEZ is a in between Gonzalo HIGUAIN and Mauro ICARDI.

Esteban CAMBIASSO knows a thing or two about top strikers. Playing alongside the likes of Hernan CRESPO, Adriano and Diego MILITO just to name a few, the now retired former treble winner spoke to Sky Sport Italia about Racing Club’s Lautaro MARTINEZ as well as Mauro ICARDI. Here’s what he had to say:

“ICARDI? In Argentina, there’s always talk about the abundance of quality that the coach SAMPAOLI has in attack. I think that’ll lead to HIGUAIN, AGUERO and Lautaro MARTINEZ being taken to the World Cup, which is very good.

“Can he play with ICARDI? Good players can always play together. As for his quality, he’s more similar to HIGUAIN, although Pipita is stronger outside the box.

“He’s in between [HIGUAIN] and ICARDI. As for ICARDI, I think the fault lies with the way [Inter] play. They’re not supporting him enough.”

Speaking about the World Cup, it’s never a bad time to post this video of CAMBIASSO’s greatest ever goal. The second in Argentina’s 6-0 win against Serbia and Montenegro at the 2006 World Cup.

Gio LO CELSO and DI MARIA score as PSG win Ligue 1, more goal scorers

Giovani LO CELSO and Angel DI MARIA both scored (twice) in PSG’s impressive 7-1 win over Monaco which won them the league title. Last year saw PSG dethroned of the Ligue 1 crown and they came back with a vengeance. Giovani LO CELSO scored the opening goal of the match after Dani ALVES slid in the ball and LO CELSO passed it into the net.

Angel DI MARIA’s first goal was very reminiscent of the gold medal winning goal he scored for Argentina vs. Nigeria at the 2008 Olympics. One on one with the goalkeeper, DI MARIA chipped the ball over the goalkeeper to make it 3-0 for PSG.

LO CELSO made it 4-0 with a fantastic outside of the foot cross by Javier PASTORE as the former Rosario Central man headed the ball in. Goal number five came from another Javier PASTORE assist, this time a slide ball in to DI MARIA to make it 5-1 and seal the league title.

Congratulations to the Argentinians (Giovani LO CELSO, Angel DI MARIA and Javier PASTORE) on winning Ligue 1 with PSG.

Moving over to Spain, Angel CORREA (who was recently called-up to the Argentina squad) scored for Atletico Madrid in their 3-0 win against Levante. While a second place finish in La Liga is still on the table for CORREA and Diego SIMEONE’s men as well as a Europa League semi-final spot, CORREA’s spot in the Argentina team is far from secured. Now on nine goals for the season, CORREA is far from having a guaranteed spot for Argentina’s World Cup squad.

Over to Russia, former River Plate man Sebastian DRIUSSI scored the only goal for Zenit St. Petersburg in their 1-0 win vs. Anzhi Makachkala.

Giovani LO CELSO and Angel DI MARIA score for PSG

Angel CORREA scores for Atletico Madrid

Sebastian DRIUSSI scored for Zenit St. Petersburg

Poll: Who should be Argentina’s starting goalkeeper for the World Cup?

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There are a few options, some more popular than others but who would you put as Argentina’s starting goalkeeper for the World Cup?

If rumors are to be believed, Argentina National Team coach Jorge SAMPAOLI has five goalkeeper names on his preliminary list of 35 players. Those names are Sergio ROMERO of Manchester United, uncapped Franco ARMANI of River Plate, recently capped Willy CABALLERO of Chelsea and Mexican based duo Nahuel GUZMAN (Tigres) and Agustin MARCHESIN (Club America). No place for youngster Geronimo RULLI who seems to be completely out of the picture.

Sergio ROMERO has been Argentina’s starting goalkeeper for the past five tournaments. Runners up in the 2014 FIFA World Cup as well as the 2015 and 2016 Copa’s America. He was also the first choice in South Africa in 2010 and the 2011 Copa America. While not a regular for his club, he has stepped it up and saved his country when they needed him the most in the past three tournaments.

For the longest time, there were rumors that Franco ARMANI would get capped for Colombia. Having spent seven years at Atletico Nacional, Los Cafeteros were reportedly interested for the longest time in getting him to play for them. His impressive performances have carried over to his now new club, River Plate. While never being selected for an Argentina squad, there are strong rumors that the the 31 year old goalkeeper could make the World Cup team.

Some might say four years too late but Willy CABALLERO finally received his first cap(s) for his country. Part of the 2001 U20 World Cup winning team, CABALLERO really made a name for himself at Malaga in the season leading up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. With Sergio ROMERO not a first choice starter for his club at the time (oddly enough, still not a first choice starter), many were asking for CABALLERO to be start in Brazil. It wasn’t to be and while he’s now second choice at Chelsea, he finally received his first two caps. The first in the 2-0 win against Italy and the second, one he would probably like to forget, the 6-0 loss to Spain.

A starter for his club Club America, Nahuel GUZMAN has six caps for his country. Four wins, two draws and a defeat, all of them in friendly matches. He’s let in a total of three goals (two versus Mexico and one in the 1-0 defeat to Portugal). He was part of Argentina’s runner-up teams in the 2015 and 2016 Copa’s America.

Another Mexican based shot stopper, Agustin MARCHESIN has represented his country two names, the latest being the 4-2 loss to Nigeria. MARCHESIN, who was not part of the recent squad, stated that the match versus Nigeria should not be used to keep him out of the team.

Those are the main candidates, vote in our poll below and let us know which three goalkeepers you would take for the World Cup!

[poll id=”10″]

Pep GUARDIOLA casts doubt on Sergio AGUERO’s World Cup fitness

Manchester City boss Pep GUARDIOLA has casted a doubt over Sergio AGUERO’s fitness for the World Cup.

The former Independiente man’s fitness has been an issue more often than not for his country in recent years. And now, with what is likely the last World Cup of Sergio AGUERO’s career, he might not be fully fit. AGUERO returned after being out for more than a month when he came on as a substitute in the Manchester derby and while he did also play a few days later in the Champions League, it might be a while until we see Kun back in action this season.

It appears as though Ashley YOUNG’s challenge on Sergio has hindered his recovery. Here’s what GUARDIOLA had to say:

“He’s not ready. I don’t know [how long he will be out]. We cannot forget he was one month injured, he made a huge effort because after the action from Ashley YOUNG against United. With the problem with the knee he could not train, he played the last 20 minutes [against Liverpool] and after the game he said, ‘I cannot run, I have a lot of pain, I cannot run’. I don’t know about Swansea [on Sunday week] if he’ll be ready but hopefully for the last games if we need him and especially for the World Cup.”

As we reported on Friday, Argentina National Team coach Jorge SAMPAOLI is banking on Manchester City’s all time top scorer with him to Russia. But with a not fully fit AGUERO and a Gonzalo HIGUAIN who has not had the best of matches lately for his country, will SAMPAOLI change his mind on his starting striker?

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