Newcastle United Takeover Talk Returns; Barcelona Set to Appoint Ronald Koeman, Confirm Messi to Stay Put and More (Football Round-Up)

Newcastle United’s takeover speculation has been reignited after a new potential buyer -- the  Paris based Bellagraph Nova Group -- have expressed interest in buying the club. 

BNG, founded by Singapore-based investors, confirmed that their discussions of acquiring the club were at an advanced stage with the group prepared to make a hefty contribution of £280 million ($366 million) for the development of the club.  

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"Bellagraph Nova Group's founders (have) already provided a LOI (Letter of Intent) as well as proof of funds on August 10,” the statement from BNG said. "In addition to the engagement to the Newcastle Football Club and community, Bellagraph Nova Group enlisted the help of England captain Alan Shearer and former player Michael Chopra."

“BN (Bellagraph Nova) Group’s founders have declared their willingness to massively contribute to the development of the club through their solid and international structure and a combined business/sport devoting mindset,” it added. 

The group indicated that the talks with the present owner, Mike Ashley were held recently and are currently in progress. 

Barca Set to Appoint Koeman

In an emergency meeting at Camp Nou on Monday, Barcelona confirmed that they have not received any information from Lionel Messi regarding his desire to leave the club. 

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This comes after Sunday reports that suggested Messi had enough of Barcelona and had conveyed to the club that he prefers to leave with one year remaining on his contract. The news came after Barcelona’s 8-2 humiliation against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter finals last Friday. 

The club however has stated that there has been no communication that suggested that Messi wanted to exit the club brushing off the claims. 

Quique Setien was scaled by the club late yesterday, having lasted just six months in the job. “The board of directors have agreed that Quique Setién is no longer the first-team coach,” an official statement said. “This is the first decision within a wider restructuring of the first team which will be agreed between the current technical secretary and the new coach, who will be announced in the coming days.”

Ronald Koeman, currently in charge of the Netherlands team, is set to be announced as Barcelona coach next week. 

Rebels FC Academy for Girls

Rebels FC launched a girls residential football facility, the first in India, called RFC Girls Football Academy in Bengaluru located at New Age World School in Yelahanka. 

"With the FIFA U -17 Women's World Cup being hosted in India in 2021 and also the progress that our women's national team is making, we at RFC Football Academy are delighted to launch India's first full-fledged girls residential football academy,” Preetham Chandra,fFounder and CEO of RFC Football Academy said.

“We believe the residential academy will help female athletes who aspire to become professional footballers. Athletes who join the academy will be provided quality football training and education that is provided globally in countries which are football power houses," he added. 

The academy will aim at "scientific training for young, talented and passionate female footballers to achieve their dream of becoming a professional football player and also help them pursue a career in the sport."

Lyon Shares Surge

Olympique Lyonnais shares rose in price after the French club’s unexpected victory over Manchester City in the Champions League. In the early trading session of the day, Lyon’s shares were up by 6.9%.

The share opened at €2.36 and the lowest was at €2.25. The share’s year high was at €3.40 and low was at €2.05.

Lyon’s superb 3-1 victory against pre tournament favourites Manchester City came as a surprise to many, with the club having finished seventh in Ligue 1 last season -- and therefore not qualifying for next season’s Champions League. 

Lyon’s victory makes this the first time no clubs from England or Spain have reached the semi finals of the European competition since 1995-96. It is also the first time since 1955-56 that two French clubs have reached the semifinals of the top tier of European competition. Lyon play Bayern Munich in the semi final, while PSG play RB Leipzig. 

It is also the first time since 2013 that only two nations are represented at this stage of the Champions League. 

French League 'Studying' Marseille Covid-19 Cases

The governing body of the French League, Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said the committee it made for coronavirus’ impacts has been "studying" Marseille's home game at St Etienne after three new cases of Covid-19 have been suspected to have been recorded at the fixture.

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"The Covid-19 committee is studying the Marseille-St Etienne match, along with the Marseille doctor," a league spokesman told AFP. New suspected cases of Covid-19 have been found in Marseille, with just five days remaining for the Ligue 1 season to start.

The possible cases have been suspected in "workforce", a statement said, and if confirmed the cases in the club would reach four in the last four days.

Marseille said that the three people infected have gone through tests and the results will be known either later in the day or Tuesday.

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