Connect with us

Uncategorized

How Champions League could decide £100m Alvarez’s future

​By. Guillem Balague. BBC Sport Columnist. 26 minutes ago. 9 Comments. Julian Alvarez’s phone kept ringing, every day.. It was Rodrigo de Paul, then Antoine Griezmann, then Giuliano Simeone, the Atletico Madrid’s manager’s son.. And behind every call, pulling the strings, was Diego Simeone himself, firing messages into Alvarez’s phone during the Copa America and the Paris Olympics of the summer of 2024.. In the end, the World Cup-winning Argentina striker, who had just clinched the Premier League with Manchester City, had to beg for it to stop.. “Tell your dad to stop calling,” Alvarez finally told Giuliano. He was coming, so could they all back off?. The story shows the first time Alvarez encountered the intensity of Diego Simeone, and also why he chose Atletico Madrid over Paris St-Germain, who were reportedly offering up to £8.7m a season in wages.. Image source, Getty Images. ‘The Little Spider’. Alvarez grew up in Calchin, a town of 3,000 people in the province of Cordoba, Argentina.. His brother Rafael started calling him ‘La Aranita’ – the Little Spider. When he played on the neighbourhood pitch, 50 metres from his front door, no-one could get the ball off him. He seemed to have too many legs.. Opponents from other villages would show up asking: “Is La Aranita playing today?” The name stuck and his teachers were the only people who ever called him Julian.. Aged 11, he impressed in a trial with Real Madrid, but returned home anyway, a decision he calls one of the most formative of his life.. At 15, a River Plate scout named Juanjo Borrelli needed only one training session to decide that this kid from a tiny Cordoban town had to come to Buenos Aires. Borrelli told him he would start on the bench but he did not stay there for long.. River Plate made Alvarez. In one extraordinary Copa Libertadores performance against Alianza Lima, he scored six goals in a 8-1 win, which announced him to the world.. Playing for one of South America’s giants, where winning every game is an obligation, forged the competitive instinct that now defines him. “Once you’re at River,” he said, “you can never lose a game without it hurting you.”. From River Plate, he went to Manchester City in January 2022. There he won the Champions League in his debut season, becoming part of Pep Guardiola’s machine and thriving within it. He was 23. It was all happening very fast. Then came the calls.. Image source, Getty Images. ‘The chance to be my best’. What Atletico manager Simeone sold him was a football project that had the striker at the centre of it. Alvarez wanted to feel wanted.. “He told me I could give the club something huge,” he recalls. “That I’d have the space and the opportunity to be my best version.”. The Argentines already at the club helped too – De Paul, Griezmann’s warmth, the Spanish language, a culture that felt closer to home than Paris or Manchester ever could.. In August 2024, Atletico Madrid confirmed the deal – 95m euros (£81.5m), a club record receive  

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Uncategorized

Illegal immigrant driver charged with DUI after car veers off road, kills two children on bikes: police

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. An illegal immigrant, allegedly so intoxicated he could not stand, is accused of driving off a roadway and killing two children riding bikes on a sidewalk, officials said.. Eri Otoniel Roblero-Perez was denied bond Monday on two counts of felony DUI resulting in death. He also faces charges of driving without a license and open container. He is currently being held at the Spartanburg County Detention Facility.. The crash happened around 12:20 p.m. Sunday along Asheville Highway at Brock Street, about three miles west of Spartanburg.. According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, Roblero-Perez was driving a 2016 Honda Accord eastbound when the vehicle veered off the road and struck two boys who were riding bicycles on the sidewalk.. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO FLED US AFTER KILLING SARAH ROOT SENTENCED TO 20+ YEARS BEHIND BARS. The victims were identified as 12-year-old Dereon James Robins and 9-year-old Mikhail-Lee Smith, both of Spartanburg.. Both boys later died from their injuries.. Details from Monday’s bond hearing, first reported by WYFF News 4, described the emotional testimony and the defendant’s condition at the scene.. ICE ARRESTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HIT-AND-RUN SUSPECT IN DEATH OF VETERAN TEXAS DEPUTY WHO DIED HELPING OTHERS. Dereon’s mother, Megan, said she was walking behind the children when the car veered toward them.. “I watched him almost hit me, and I then ran to my son while he bled to death,” she said.. Family members pleaded with the judge to keep Roblero-Perez behind bars.. “Now I have to bury my own brother… on his own birthday,” one of Dereon’s brothers said.. GOT A TIP?. Prosecutors said Roblero-Perez showed clear signs of intoxication — including slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and a strong odor of alcohol — and was unable to complete a field sobriety test or hold himself upright.. Authorities say the vehicle left the roadway at a high rate of speed before striking the children.. FOLLOW US ON X. Another passenger was inside the car but fled the scene and has not been located.. The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Roblero-Perez is in the United States illegally. A judge also noted in court that an immigration detainer has been placed on him.. GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL. The case has sparked outrage online and in the community, with many questioning the circumstances of the crash and calling for accountability.. “Our hearts are heavy as we lift up the families of the two young boys whose lives were tragically taken in South Carolina,” Sen. Tim Scott said in a statement. “We are praying for God’s comfort to surround them, and for justice to be swiftly and fully served.”. Family and friends said Dereon, who was just days away from his 13th birthday, “brought joy to all those around him,” according to a GoFundMe message.. CLICK HERE FOR MORE US NEWS. Family members are urging others to think twice before drinking and driving.. “If you decide to drink, stay a  

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Texas teacher charged after alleged student assault ‘hoax’ causes lockdown

​A Texas high school teacher who triggered a campus lockdown with a reported stabbing by a student was arrested after investigators determined the incident was a hoax. More than 100 officers rushed to Splendora High School on Thursday after a teacher reported an emergency around 8:45 a.m., the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said, and authorities locked down the campus as school resource officers moved to secure students and staff.

Investigators, however, said they quickly determined there was no such assault. Detectives discovered that the injury sustained by the teacher was self-inflicted and the evidence supports that the entire incident was a hoax.

The school had told parents that police were investigating a report of a “physical altercation” between a student and a staff member, according to local coverage. Detectives with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation within minutes, reviewing surveillance footage, interviewing witnesses, and collecting evidence before concluding no assault had occurred.

The teacher, identified as Truelove, was arrested and charged with felony tampering with evidence and false report/false alarm. She has been booked into the Montgomery County Jail. A judge set Truelove’s bond at $20,000 on Friday. If released on bond, she will be required to submit to GPS monitoring and stay away from all schools and Splendora school district properties, according to local reporting.

Truelove had worked at the school for about a year, the sheriff’s office said. Officials said the incident was isolated and there is no ongoing threat to students or the public.  

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Omaha police shoot and kill woman after alleged Walmart kidnapping attempt

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. Officers from the Omaha Police Department (OPD) shot and killed a woman in the parking lot of an Omaha, Nebraska Walmart after she cut a 3-year-old boy with a knife on Tuesday, police told Fox News Digital.. “When officers arrived, they encountered a woman who cut an approximately 3-year-old boy with large knife. Officers shot the woman, who died at the scene. The boy was taken to the hospital,” the OPD said in a statement on X.. Police stressed that it was an isolated incident and that there was no threat to the public at the time.. MACHETE-WIELDING SUSPECT CLAIMING TO BE ‘LUCIFER’ SHOT BY POLICE AFTER ALLEGEDLY STABBING 3 AT TRANSIT HUB. Police arrived to the Walmart, located at 72nd St. between Pacific and Mercy Road, at approximately 9:20 a.m., according to local media reports.. The woman had taken the child from his caretaker and made him walk outside, OPD Deputy Chief Scott Gray reportedly told reporters at the scene, according to WOWT.. When police began to give the woman commands, she started “swiping” at the child, giving the child lacerations to the hands and face, Gray said. The child was taken to a local hospital for the injuries but is expected to survive.. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP. A spokesperson for Walmart condemned the incident in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Violence like this is unacceptable. We’re working with police and supporting them in their investigation,” the statement read.. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.  

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

New Jersey nurse gunned down at work by estranged husband in murder-suicide: police

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. A New Jersey nurse was shot and killed inside her workplace in an apparent murder-suicide, after her estranged husband allegedly ambushed her outside and chased her into the building, authorities said.. Brandon Alexander, 35, targeted his wife, Victoria Alexander, 38, a nurse at the Excelcare Rehabilitation Facility in Egg Harbor Township, around 6 a.m. Monday morning, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release.. Brandon Alexander blocked his wife’s car in the parking lot as she arrived for work, got inside her vehicle and left two suicide notes on the dashboard, investigators said.. Prosecutors said that when a food delivery driver asked him to move his car, Victoria Alexander seized the chance to escape and ran into the building.. ARIZONA WOMAN CHARGED WITH KILLING NEWBORN CHILD 45 YEARS AFTER BODY WAS FOUND. Her husband, however, followed her inside and shot her multiple times before turning the gun on himself, according to authorities.. ANNA KEPNER’S STEPBROTHER CHARGED AS ADULT WITH MURDER, SEXUAL ABUSE IN FLORIDA TEEN’S CRUISE SHIP DEATH. Victoria Alexander was pronounced dead at the scene. Brandon Alexander was rushed to a hospital but later died from his injuries, officials said.. Authorities described the shooting as an isolated incident. There were no reports of other injuries.. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP. Investigators did not immediately share the contents of the two apparent suicide notes.  

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Anna Kepner’s dad wants accused stepbrother in ‘orange jumpsuit and handcuffs’ after alleged cruise murder

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. The father of an 18-year-old allegedly murdered and sexually assaulted in her cruise ship cabin says her accused stepbrother is a “danger” who belongs in “an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs.”. Christopher Kepner told the Daily Mail that he is outraged that the accused murderer, 16-year-old T.H., is still allowed to live with a relative despite being federally charged as an adult.. “We’re upset that he’s still out. We’re six months in, and he should already have been arrested, and yet he’s free to do whatever he wants right now,” Christopher Kepner told the outlet. “That’s our problem. He’s been able to do whatever he wants and go where he wants, but the family’s been sitting here unable to do anything.”. T.H. was initially charged as a juvenile on Feb. 2. He is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted, the teen faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.. ANNA KEPNER’S STEPBROTHER CHARGED AS ADULT WITH MURDER, SEXUAL ABUSE IN FLORIDA TEEN’S CRUISE SHIP DEATH. The charges come months after the teen, affectionately called “Anna banana,” was found dead onboard the cruise ship during a family vacation with her father, stepmother, grandparents and several siblings.. FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X. “I want to see him in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs. He does not need to be free. He does not need to be in the general public, around any kids or women in general,” Christopher Kepner said.. “He’s a danger to himself and a danger to others.”. SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER. Kepner said that the 16-year-old has shown no remorse since the alleged murder, the Daily Mail reported.. SEND US A TIP HERE. “He’s still saying that he can’t remember and that’s about it. He hasn’t apologized. He hasn’t shown any remorse for anything,” he added.. On Monday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida announced that Anna’s stepbrother would be charged as an adult.. LISTEN TO THE NEW ‘CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO’ PODCAST. The teen is facing possible life in prison if convicted, records showed. Fox News Digital has reached out to T.H.’s attorneys for comment.. “Our hearts go out to the victim’s family during this unimaginable loss,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida said. “A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging serious offenses that allegedly occurred aboard a vessel in international waters. We will present the evidence in court and pursue this case with professionalism and care. As in every case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”. LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB. Anna Kepner was discovered dead around 11:15 a.m. on Nov. 7 inside her cabin aboard the cruise ship. Authorities later ruled her death a homicide caused by “mechanical asphyxiation,” according to documents previously reviewed by Fox News D  

Continue Reading

Latest News

Uncategorized53 minutes ago

Illegal immigrant driver charged with DUI after car veers off road, kills two children on bikes: police

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. An illegal immigrant, allegedly so intoxicated he could not stand, is accused...

Uncategorized2 hours ago

Texas teacher charged after alleged student assault ‘hoax’ causes lockdown

​A Texas high school teacher who triggered a campus lockdown with a reported stabbing by a student was arrested after...

Uncategorized2 hours ago

Omaha police shoot and kill woman after alleged Walmart kidnapping attempt

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. Officers from the Omaha Police Department (OPD) shot and killed a woman...

Video2 hours ago

The government has shown "corrosive complacency" towards defence, George Robertson said. #BBCNews

Video2 hours ago

Kalekye is one of many women around the world who have been filmed without their consent. #BBCNews

Uncategorized2 hours ago

New Jersey nurse gunned down at work by estranged husband in murder-suicide: police

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. A New Jersey nurse was shot and killed inside her workplace in...

Uncategorized2 hours ago

Anna Kepner’s dad wants accused stepbrother in ‘orange jumpsuit and handcuffs’ after alleged cruise murder

​NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!. The father of an 18-year-old allegedly murdered and sexually assaulted in her...

Video2 hours ago

Rep. Ro Khanna speaks about Epstein files, Bondi deposition

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) speaks at the National Press Club about former Attorney General Pam Bondi’s subpoena to testify before...

Video3 hours ago

This year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees are…

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced this year’s new inductees, including late R&B singer Luther Vandross, hip-hop group...

Video3 hours ago

Students flee shooting at high school in Turkey

A former student opened fire at a high school in southeast Turkey wounding at least 16 people before killing himself.

Trending News

Join Our Newsletter

Stay updated with breaking news and exclusive content.