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DeutschWhy Fabian Hurzeler's brutal Arsenal takedown has stoked the fire for every Gunners game on their title run in, writes ISAAN KHAN - Premier League rivals will now be desperate to derail them
ISAAN KHAN: His comments on Arsenal time-wasting around corners had sparked further tensions amid the debate around their reliance on set-pieces.
Ex-Juventus player: Boos against Bastoni are ‘ridiculous’
Former Juventus winger Massimo Mauro feels that boos against Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni are ‘ridiculous’ as even if the Italian centre-back made a mistake, he ‘can’t pay for the rest of his life.’
Inter defender Bastoni remains a target of fans across Italy after an incident in February that led to a red card for Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu.
Bastoni not only deceived the referee by going down too easily to earn his opponent a red card, but also celebrated when the referee gave Kalulu his marching orders.
Bastoni ‘can’t pay for the rest of his life’ after Inter vs. Juventus
Bastoni was greeted with boos at the following away games at Lecce and Como, but ex-Juventus winger Mauro feels the reactions have been excessive, especially since the incident happened almost a month ago.
“The fact that Bastoni gets booed everywhere is a bit ridiculous. At this point, you’d have to boo 60-70% of footballers,” Mauro told Gazzetta.
“Right now, I can’t take the boos against him seriously.”
Mauro concedes that Bastoni made a mistake, but this doesn’t justify the angry reaction from fans in Italy.
“The issue got blown out of proportion because Kalulu was sent off. Then Bastoni celebrated, and you shouldn’t do that, of course, but you can’t pay for it for the rest of your life either. That’s ridiculous,” insisted Mauro.
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 14: Pierre Kalulu of Juventus reacts as he walks off after being sent off by Referee Federico La Penna (not pictured) for a second yellow card offence during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
“I still maintain that the real mistake was not immediately admitting that a serious error had been made. I’m referring to Chivu’s words in the post-match interview. I used to admire Chivu as a coach and communicator because, from the beginning, he tried to take a different approach to what happens on the pitch. He tried to be sporting even when the refereeing decisions went against him, but in the Bastoni incident, he didn’t manage to do so. I was disappointed when I heard him say that the problem was Kalulu putting his hands on his player.”
The problem, according to Mauro, is not solely with Bastoni’s simulation against Juventus, but with the attitude of the majority of Serie A players, as the ex-winger sees more divers than in the past.
“Much more than before. In the past, it was done to try to win a penalty,” he concluded.
“Now players simulate for everything. And because any contact can look like a foul on video review. Players know this, so it almost becomes instinctive for them to try it. Of course, it’d be condemnable, but when you play, your thinking isn’t clear.”
Deco has preferred option for Barcelona centre-back hunt
Barcelona have two priorities for the summer transfer window, and one of them is a central defender. Despite Director of Football Deco declaring that they had one too many at the position last summer, it seems they will look to make an addition at the position this summer to cover the loss of Inigo Martinez.
It seems Andreas Christensen will be offered a new deal to extend his contract for next season, despite having played just 23 matches in the last two seasons. Meanwhile Ronald Araujo has started just once since November following his mental health break, and Gerard Martin has been required to cover in central defence, leaving a very different picture to the one Barcelona started the season with.
Nathan Ake is preferred option for Deco
In the January transfer window, Barcelona were also linked with a move for a central defender, which was believed to be the priority before the arrival of Joao Cancelo. One the names that featured prominently in those links is Manchester City defender Nathan Ake. The Dutch international was in search of more game time, but after an injury crisis for Pep Guardiola, has started to feature more often. Catalunya Radio say that Deco is most keen on signing Ake in the summer though, as things stand.
Image via Fichajes
Motives behind Ake interest
With a centre-forward the other priority on the agenda, that is expected to absorb most of Barcelona’s resources in terms of what they can spend this summer. As such, preferred options such as Josko Gvardiol and Alessandro Bastoni are financially out of reach. Ake has one year remaining on his deal this summer, and could be available for a cheaper deal as a result.
The 31-year-old is experienced at the top level, and can also play at left-back, factors that make him Deco’s preferred option.
Opener Bean extends Yorkshire stay until 2028
Yorkshire opener Finlay Bean has signed a two-year extension to stay at Headingley until 2028.
The 23-year-old made his first team debut in 2022 after breaking the second XI record with a score of 441.
Bean has since scored six centuries across his 43 first-class matches, including 224 against Nottinghamshire in June.
In August, the left-hander broke the club record for scoring the fastest ever List A century in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Scarborough.
"I'm naturally delighted to be signing this new deal," Bean told the club website.
"My journey into professional cricket hasn't always been straightforward, but the belief shown in me by Yorkshire and the coaches has played a huge role in helping me reach this point.
"The next couple of years are exciting – not just for me personally but for the team as a whole. We're clear on what we want to achieve together and I'm really looking forward to seeing how far this group can go."