IQ - Soccer Wiretap

Chelsea Announce Record Revenues And Profit For 2018

Dec 31, 2018 4:48 PM

Chelsea have announced a record revenue of over $565 million and a post-tax profit of just under $80 million for the fiscal year ending in June 2018.

The revenue was helped in part by sales of Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic, as well as broadcast rights and jersey sales.

The 2018 revenue represented a 22.7% increase from last year's figure. 

Liam Twomey/ESPN

Tags: Chelsea, IQ

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Pep Guardiola: Liverpool Are Best Team In Europe

Dec 30, 2018 5:37 PM

Ahead of their Thursday clash, Pep Guardiola hailed Liverpool as the best team on the continent.

"We have a rival who, at the moment, is the best team in Europe or in the top four in the world and that is Liverpool," said Guardiola.

Guardiola added that his strategy is to hang around in the title race as long as possible and set up for a late-season push.

"If we can sustain our position for as long as possible, we can arrive at the end of the season fighting for the title."

 

David Hytner/The Guardian

Tags: Manchester City, IQ

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Maurizio Sarri On England: You Need A Big Engine

Dec 29, 2018 9:03 PM

Maurizio Sarri said that the biggest difference between the Premier League and Serie A was in the number of sprints per match.

Sarri also distinguished between the quality and quantity of running, saying that while Serie A players run more, Premier League players run with more intensity. 

“In Italy, we run more in terms of quantity. But the difference is the quality. Here, there are more accelerations and the number of them is really very important. There are 1.1 accelerations every minute – over 23, 24 kilometres per hour – and it’s difficult because for these accelerations, you need a very big engine. It is more difficult than in Italy. The quantity of running is higher in Italy or at least the quantity of running of Napoli was more than at Chelsea but the quality is different.”

David Hytner/The Observer

Tags: Chelsea, IQ

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D.C. United Exploring New Local Television Options

Dec 29, 2018 6:25 PM

With D.C. United's current TV deal with Sinclair Broadcasting Group in an option year, the club are generating interest from multiple outlets for the first time in club history.

D.C. are also planning to sell their TV rights for the first time in lieu of sharing costs with its broadcast partners.

Focused on finding a streaming partner geared towards younger audiences, there is a chance that some D.C. United matches will be shown only online next season. 

Pablo Maurer/The Athletic

Tags: D.C. United, IQ, Video

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Ownership Group Lead By Haslam Family Agrees To Purchase Crew

Dec 28, 2018 8:01 PM

An ownership group lead by Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam have finalized a deal with MLS to purchase the Columbus Crew.

The new ownership group will keep the team in Columbus with the goal of eventually building a new stadium. 

The Haslam group stepped in to purchase the Crew after previous owner Anthony Precourt of Precourt Sports Ventures threatened to move the team to Austin. Austin are rumored to receive their own MLS team in 2021. 

Natasha Anderson/Fox 8 Cleveland

Tags: Columbus Crew, IQ

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Eden Hazard: My Position Is Winger

Dec 28, 2018 10:21 AM

Despite his move to a false-nine role in recent matches, Eden Hazard reinforced that his most effective position is as a winger. 

"I will score more goals also if I play as a winger...my position is winger," said Hazard.

Hazard also explained the difference between he and Dries Mertens, whom Maurizio Sarri worked with at Napoli. 

"Dries is more of a striker than me. I am more like a playmaker. Since I started [playing] football I like to come and touch the ball. Dries is not like this, he just wants to stay in the box. That's why he scores a lot of goals". 

Liam Twomey/ESPN

Tags: Chelsea, IQ

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Inter To Play Two Matches Behind Closed Doors

Dec 27, 2018 6:33 PM

Inter were ordered to play their next two Serie A matches behind closed doors. The ban was in response to monkey chants directed towards Kalidou Koulibaly.

The two matches are against Sassulo and Bologna in January and February.

Inter released a statement on Instagram and Twitter condemning the abuse, saying "Since 1908, Inter has represented integration, innovation and progressiveness. The history of Milan is a welcoming one and together we are fighting to build a future without discrimination. Those who do not understand this history do not stand with us".

Ben Gladwell/ESPN

Tags: Internazionale, IQ, Suspension

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Juventus Signs $464 Million Jersey Deal With Adidas

Dec 26, 2018 8:43 PM

Juventus signed a new jersey deal with adidas for $464 million beginning next season.

The two originally signed a contract in 2015 lasting through 2021. The new deal begins next season and lasts through 2027.

adidas will field kits for Juventus and their youth teams. Juventus may seen an additional bonus for strong on-field performance or jersey sales. 

Ella Chochrek/Footwear News

Tags: Juventus, IQ

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LA Galaxy Agree To Deal With Guillermo Barros Schelotto

Dec 26, 2018 8:33 PM

Guillermo Barros Schelotto has agreed to take over as Los Angeles Galaxy manager.

Although the contract will not be signed until next week, it is rumored to be over two years.

Schelotto won an MLS Cup as a player with the Columbus Crew in 2008. The 45-year-old most recently lead Boca Juniors to two domestic titles. 

ESPN

Tags: Columbus Crew, IQ, Signing

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Sigi Schmidt, All-Time Winningest Coach In MLS History, Passes Away

Dec 26, 2018 8:23 PM

Sigi Schmidt, the all-time winningest manager in the MLS, passed away at age 65.

Schmidt had a total of 266 regular season and playoff wins in 18 seasons with the LA Galaxy, Columbus Crew, and Seattle Sounders. He won two MLS titles with the Galaxy and the Crew, and was named league manager of the year two times. 

He became the first manager in Sounders' club history, winning four U.S. Open Cup titles. 

ESPN

Tags: Seattle Sounders FC, IQ

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Maurizio Sarri Wants To Hire Sports Psychologist
Sarri expressed concerns for how his team reacted mentally after going down to both Leicester City and Wolves.

Liam Twomey/ESPN

Paul Pogba Thanks Jose Mourinho For Trophies
Pogba was widely ridiculed for a social media post immediately following Mourinho's firing.

Rob Dawson/ESPN

Sean Dyche Calls Out Arsenal For 'Absolute Cheating'
Dyche was frustrated with Arsenal's diving in their 3-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium.

David Hytner/The Guardian

Jamie Vardy Must Adapt To Claude Puel's Style
Vardy admitted that it's up to him to adapt to Puel's possession-based system.

Sky Sports

More Than 3.5 Billion People Watched World Cup
1.12 billion people watched one minute of the World Cup final.

ESPN

Gregg Berhalter Has 'Productive Conversation' With Christian Pulisic
Berhalter has spoken to 25 national team players plying their trade in Europe.

Jeff Carlisle/ESPN

Norway Celebrates Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's United Appointment
A local daily newspaper called Solskjaer's hire 'the biggest Norwegian football news of all time'.

BBC

Alex Sandro Renews Juventus Contract Through 2023
Sandro was previously a rumored target for Manchester United and Chelsea.

Juventus

FC Dallas Hire Academy Director Luchi Gonzalez As New Coach
Gonzalez has coached 15 players who eventually made the transition between the academy and the senior side.

Charles Boehm/MLS Soccer

MLS Restructures Playoff Format With Single Elimination Games
The playoffs will take place between October 19th and November 10th next season.

Jeff Carlisle/ESPN

Eric Dier Out Until 2019, Replaced By 18-Year-Old Oliver Skipp
Skipp is the 13th player to graduate from Tottenham's youth academy into the senior side under Pochettino.

The Guardian

Ronaldo Scores Juventus' 5000th Serie A Goal On Penalty
Juventus now are unbeaten in their opening 16 straight matches in Serie A.

Gianni Verschueren/Bleacher Report

Jose Mourinho Unsure If Manchester United Strengthen Squad Over Winter
Mourinho has frequently expressed his desire to upgrade his center backs.

Jamie Jackson/The Guardian

Real Madrid Booed At Home Again In Win Over Rayo Vallecano
Real Madrid were jeered at home earlier this week in a 3-0 loss against CSKA Moscow.

RealGM Staff Report

Guillermo Barros Schelotto To Leave Boca Juniors
The 45-year-old Argentine has been rumored for a move back to MLS.

Alicia Rodriguez/MLS

Jorge Sampaoli To Be New Santos Manager
Sampaoli hasn't managed since Argentina's failed World Cup campaign.

RealGM Staff Report

Athletic Bilbao Would Rather Get Relegated Than Change Philosophy
Athletic Bilbao have never been relegated in their 120-year history.

Sid Lowe/ESPN

New Galaxy GM Dennis Te Kloese Aims To Tap Into Los Angeles Talent
Te Kloese wants to maintain a balance between developing local talent and signing big-named players.

Luis Bueno/US Soccer Players

Eden Hazard Can Hold Ball Like Target Man, Says Roberto Martinez
Hazard's false nine role helped Chelsea defeat Manchester City 2-0 last weekend.

Premier League

Gregg Berhalter Embarks On 10-Day European Scouting Trip
Berhalter is expected to meet with Christian Pulisic, DeAndre Yedlin, and Tim Weah, among others, on his trip.

Roger Gonzalez/CBS