Sports

Mbappe wanted to know if I would join PSG, says Tchouameni

AFP

Real Madrid’s new signing Aurelien Tchouameni said Kylian Mbappe asked if he would sign for Paris Saint-Germain, as the 22-year-old was unveiled at Madrid’s training ground on Tuesday.

Madrid won the race to sign Tchouameni, one of the world’s most highly-rated midfielders, from Monaco in a deal worth around 100 million euros.

His arrival comes after Mbappe rejected Real Madrid to sign a three-year contract at PSG. Madrid have also signed Antonio Rudiger this summer, the defender joining from Chelsea on a free transfer.

“Kylian decided to stay at PSG and he already knew I was going to leave Monaco at the end of the season,” Tchouameni said in a press conference, after being introduced by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.

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“He wanted to know if I would go to PSG but I told him Real Madrid was my first choice and he understood that completely, he was very happy for me.”

Tchouameni has signed a six-year contract at Real Madrid after being linked with several of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Liverpool and Chelsea in the Premier League.

“As soon as Madrid arrived, I didn’t hesitate,” he said.

“I want to leave my mark on football and the best club for this is Real Madrid. It’s the best decision for me.”

He said Real Madrid’s sensational comebacks in the Champions League against PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City helped him make up his mind.

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Madrid beat Liverpool in the final to win the club’s 14th European Cup.

“It’s true that when I watched those games I wrote to my agent and told him, ‘please do everything possible to get me to Real Madrid’,” Tchouameni said.

After breaking into the first team at Bordeaux, Tchouameni joined Monaco in 2020 and was a key player last season as they finished third in Ligue 1, behind PSG and Marseille. He was also named Young Player of the Season at the end of the 2020/21 season.

With 12 caps for France, Tchouameni will be hoping to secure his place in the starting line-up for the World Cup in Qatar in November and he said former Real Madrid star and coach Zinedine Zidane as one of his idols.

Madrid have long-relied on Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro in midfield but all three are now in their thirties, with Tchouameni viewed as a possible successor to Casemiro.

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“Since I was little I have played with two midfielders and in a 4-3-3 my position would be as a number six, but I can play as an eight as well, I can play in both positions,” he said.

Perez said Tchouameni is “one of the best midfielders in the world”. He added: “At 22 years old you were able to choose your club and you have chosen this one.”

International

Arsenal stun Real Madrid at the Bernabéu to reach Champions League semifinals

Arsenal enjoyed a “historic night” on Wednesday after defeating Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu, knocking them out of the Champions League quarterfinals, midfielder Declan Rice said.

“It’s such a special night for this club, a historic night for this club,” said Rice, who scored twice in the first leg in London, speaking to TNT Sports.

The English international was named Man of the Match in both legs — the 3-0 win in London and the second leg in Madrid.

“It’s amazing. I knew we were on an upward trajectory and we’ve done incredibly well in this competition. We deserve it and we have full confidence in our coach. Reaching the semifinals is unbelievable,” Rice added.

International

Two fans killed in gate collapse outside Chile’s Estadio Monumental

Two people lost their lives near the Estadio Monumental in Santiago, Chile, following a chaotic incident that occurred before the Copa Libertadores match between Colo Colo and Brazil’s Fortaleza on April 10. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the victims were crushed after a fence on the stadium perimeter collapsed, though authorities are investigating whether a police armored vehicle may have played a role.

It was a black Thursday at Chile’s Estadio Monumental. Two local fans died outside the stadium after a yet-unclarified incident caused a metal gate to fall on them, leading to fatal asphyxiation.

Local media reports indicate that a group of fans attempted to force their way into the stadium before kickoff. In response, local police allegedly deployed armored vehicles to block the breach.

Preliminary reports cited by local newspapers and news agencies like EFE identify the victims as two young individuals—one 18 years old and the other just 13.

Sports

Neymar Returns to Santos Training After Month-Long Injury Layoff

Neymar returned to full training on Tuesday with the Santos squad after spending a month recovering from a left thigh injury, the Brazilian club reported.

The number 10 joined warm-up activities with the team and later took part in a ball control and passing drill. According to the sports outlet Ge, he “did not show any discomfort from the injury” during the 30-minute session that was open to the press.

The Brazilian star had spent the past month undergoing physiotherapy, recovery work, and muscle strengthening due to the injury that had kept him out of Santos matches and even from the Brazilian national team. He had initially been called up, but was later withdrawn from the squad ahead of the World Cup qualifying matches against Colombia and Argentina.

Santos will continue daily training sessions this week ahead of their upcoming match against Fluminense on Sunday in the Brazilian Championship.