25, July 2019
Former Cameroon Assistant Coach Kluivert is Barcelona Director of Youth Football 0
Former Cameroon assistant coach Patrick Kluivert has returned to Barcelona after agreeing to become their Director of Youth Football until June 2021.
The agreement was formalized in the presence of two directors who are responsible for youth football at Barcelona, Silvio Elias, and Xavier Vilajoana.
The Dutchman played for the club from 1998 to 2004, scoring 145 goals in 308 games, making him one the highest goalscorers of all time in a Barcelona shirt.
A LaLiga Santander winner in 1998/99, Kluivert has gone to work in several roles as a coach and technical secretary, most recently as assistant to Clarence Seedorfat the helm of the Cameroon national team.
“I am very happy to be back home and looking forward to this new era, with the challenge of keeping Barcelona among the top teams in the world,” said Kluivert.
“I grew up at the Ajax academy, which is very similar to La Masia, and I think I can do a lot for the development of Barcelona’s young players.”
Source: Brila.com
3, August 2019
Messi banned for 3 months 0
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has been banned from playing for his national team for 3 months and fined 50,000 dollars after heavily criticizing CONMEBOL during the 2019 Copa America.
Messi had accused the South American football governing body of “corruption” for 2 incidents during the June-July Copa America, which was hosted by bitter rivals Brazil.
Argentina were denied 2 penalty claims in their 2-0 semi-final defeat to the hosts. Then, the 32-year-old striker was sent off, during the third-place play-off match against Chile in Brazil.
The statement by CONMEBOL didn’t specify why Messi was being punished, but said it was related to its disciplinary regulations.
The ban means Messi will miss Argentina’s upcoming friendlies against Chile, Mexico and Germany in September and October. However, he will be with his team in the South American qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, which will begin in March next year.