Mbappé y Neymar costarán un 20% menos la próxima temporada

El valor del jugador del Paris Saint-Germain Kylian Mbappé será un 20% inferior al actual en la próxima temporada debido al impacto del coronavirus, que también provocará un 'nuevo orden' en el fútbol mundial, donde la "la formación" ganará importancia y los grandes fichajes quedarán a un lado por la crisis económica.

"La crisis del coronavirus seguramente tendrá un impacto en el valor de los jugadores [...] Las restricciones financieras probablemente conducirán a una caída tanto en el número de transacciones como en la cantidad de fichajes, en favor de las cesiones o el intercambio de jugadores", explicó el equipo de 'Football Benchmark' de KPMG.

El caso más descriptivo y cuyo valor caería de forma más pronunciada (-21,5%) es el de Kylian Mbappé, uno de los futbolistas más deseados por el Real Madrid. El francés de 21 años, que fichó por el PSG hace casi tres años, tiene un valor de 225 millones de euros, muy por encima de los 180 que costó en 2017. Sin embargo, la COVID-19 podría cambiarlo todo a partir de julio y su valor caería a los 177 millones de euros.

Otro de los ejemplos es Neymar Junior, del mismo club, cuyo valor de mercado bajaría todavía más que el de Mbappé. En total, un 21,7% si no se reanudase la temporada tampoco en Europa tras la cancelación en Francia. Es decir, el brasileño ex del Barça pasaría a costar 137 millones de euros, una cifra muy alejada a los 222 que recibieron los culés por su traspaso, además de la edad del jugador, que acaba ya tiene 28 años.

En la misma línea también aparecen Lionel Messi, que pasaría a costar 127 millones en relación a los 175 que valía en febrero de 2020. En el caso de que pueda continuarse con LaLiga y la Champions, el delantero argentino no perdería tanto valor. En esta situación, Messi valdría unos 134 'kilos', una pérdida similar a la de Antoine Griezmann (de 119 a 89).

Por su parte, el Real Madrid también se vería afectado si quisiese vender a Eden Hazard, al cual compró por 100 millones. El belga, que se disparó hasta los 136, según el estudio de KPMG, ahora costaría 96 y en el caso de que volviese a jugar lo que queda de temporada recuperaría el coste que tuvo el club blanco el verano pasado.

NUEVO ORDEN DEL FÚTBOL MUNDIAL

En compensación a las pérdidas económicas que tendrán los clubes, el estudio considera que será el tiempo de jugadores libres, sin necesidad de hacer traspasos. Además, desvela el importante papel de la "cantera o el fútbol juvenil". "Pueden ofrecer alternativas en circunstancias tan singulares y después, con la experiencia del juego, también podrían venderse a un precio superior", añaden.

En otros aspectos, KPMG asegura que también existirá el deseo de "salarios más bajos" una vez que el "virus esté desaparecido" y el "fútbol haya vuelto a la normalidad". "Por lo tanto, apuntamos a una disminución general de los sueldos (...) y también de las bonificaciones" (primas) logradas por objetivos. Sin embargo, una de las consecuencias de este estudio es el "efecto positivo" que podría tener la nueva situación para la industria del fútbol dada la depreciación de contratos y fichajes. "Las negociaciones seguramente sean más prudentes en el futuro. Los clubes prestarán más atención a las cláusulas y las respectivas condiciones salariales".

Jugador	Febrero 2020	Mayo 2020 (Sí vuelve)	Mayo 2020 (No vuelve)
Kylian Mbappé	225 mill.	177	188
Neymar Jr.	175	137	149
Lionel Messi	175	127	134
Eden Hazard	136	96	101
Antoine Griezmann	119	89	95
Frenkie De Jong	109	79	94
Timo Werner	94	79	83

Maguire laments Man Utd's inconsistency this season

Harry Maguire believes Manchester United's inconsistency has been one of their biggest problems this season.

When the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic in March, United were fifth in the Premier League but still alive in the Europa League and FA Cup.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men beat Manchester City and Chelsea twice in the league, as well as Tottenham, but dropped points against the likes of Aston Villa, Watford, Bournemouth and West Ham.

United captain Maguire said his team had been their own worst enemies during the campaign.

"As a Red, our toughest opponent, probably, is ourselves. I would say that at times this year, as a team, we have probably let ourselves down by being a bit too inconsistent, not just for a full game but during games," he said in a Q&A with fans, published by the club's website.

"There have been times when we've been so good in games and then we've come off it a bit and been punished. So I'd say our toughest opponent is ourselves. We need to be mentally strong.

"We are a young group but we don't really want to use that as an excuse. We want to be young but play mature. That is where we have really picked up in recent weeks."

The Premier League is reportedly looking to restart its season in June as it tries to finish the campaign behind closed doors.

Maguire hopes his team-mates return to training in good condition ahead of the campaign resuming.

"Well, I think all that you can do is look after your own fitness. Obviously, we speak in group chats and I'm sure all of the players are doing that," he said.

"I think you have got to get a base fitness so that when we start back training, we are at a level of fitness where we can go straight into high-intensity training with footballs.

"To get match fit, you need to be training with the lads and playing competitive games. We need to look after our own base fitness, do our gym work, keep our muscles strong, and I feel like we'll be fine.

"As a group of lads, we are all so dedicated and hopefully we can start the season again like we ended it."

Merkel-Go! 1. Bundesliga und 2. Liga dürfen am 15. oder 22. Mai starten

ANGELA MERKEL HAT DAS "GO" GEGEBEN. FOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Durchatmen im Profifußball! Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel (CDU) hat in der Coronavirus-Pandemie grünes Licht für die Wiederaufnahme des Spielbetriebs in Form von Geisterspielen in der 1. Bundesliga und 2. Liga gegeben.

Der Ball darf ab 15. oder 22. Mai wieder durch die Stadien der 1. Bundesliga und 2. Liga rollen. Die Entscheidung darüber obliegt der DFL und ihren Mitgliedern. Die seit 13. März unterbrochenen Profiligen haben grünes Licht für die Wiederaufnahme des Spielbetriebs von der Politik erhalten. Dies hat Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel nach der Video-Bund-Länder-Konferenz mit den Ministerpräsidentinnen und Ministerpräsidenten der Bundesländer am Mittwochnachmittag auf einer Pressekonferenz bestätigt.

Merkel gibt grünes Licht

Die Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) hatte ein geeignetes Gesundheitskonzept vorgelegt. Klar aber ist: Große Fehler dürfen sich Spieler und Vereine inmitten der Coronavirus-Pandemie nicht erlauben. „Dem Beginn des Spielbetriebs muss, wie in dem geprüften Konzept vorgesehen, eine Quarantänemaßnahme, gegebenenfalls in Form eines Trainingslagers, vorweggehen“, lautet ein Punkt der Beschlussvorlage.

Dybala gets all-clear but Torino player tests positive

Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire

Juventus star Paulo Dybala revealed Wednesday that he has been given the all-clear six weeks after contracting coronavirus, but Serie A rivals Torino confirmed that one of their players had tested positive.

"Many people talked in the past weeks ... but I can finally confirm that I am healed. Thank you once again for your support and my thoughts on all who are still suffering from it. Take care," tweeted the 26-year-old Argentina forward.

But city rivals Torino revealed that an unnamed player had been diagnosed with COVID-19 during testing of players and staff as Serie A teams return to individual training this week.

"During the first medical tests carried out on the Torino FC players, a positivity to COVID-19 emerged," the northern club said in a statement.

"The football player, currently asymptomatic, was immediately placed in quarantine and will be constantly monitored."

Torino have been one of the clubs to express concerns about a return to competition as Italy grapples with a pandemic which has killed nearly 30,000 people in the country.

Torino president Urbano Cairo this week conceded there were "divergent opinions" even if officially all 20 Serie A teams have backed completing the season suspended since March 10.

Dybala was one of three Juventus players to test positive along with Italy defender Daniele Rugani and France's Blaise Matuidi.

Rugani was the first Italian top-flight footballer diagnosed with the virus on March 11. Both he and World Cup winner Matuidi recovered mid-April.

Dybala was diagnosed on March 22, along with his girlfriend Oriana, who recovered sooner from the disease.

Dybala on Wednesday also posted a picture of himself on Instagram with his arms outstretched looking at the sky: "My face says it all, I'm finally cured from Covid-19."

Italian champions Juventus also confirmed that their Argentine star had recovered.

"Dybala performed, as per protocol, a double check with diagnostic tests (swabs) for Coronavirus-Covid 19, which came back with negative results," Juventus said in a statement.

"The player has, therefore, recovered and will no longer be subjected to the home isolation regime."

On Thursday, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) will meet the government's Technical Scientific Committee to discuss the medical protocol for group training scheduled on May 18.

But sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora warned that it was "impossible to set a date" for a return to Serie A action before seeing how the contagion evolves over the coming weeks.

Merkel gives go-ahead for Bundesliga to resume

Mika Volkmann via www.imago-images.de

The Bundesliga will resume on May 15, the German league confirmed Wednesday, after Chancellor Angela Merkel and state leaders gave the green light to restart behind closed doors following weeks of shutdown imposed to control the spread of the coronavirus.

The German Football League (DFL) confirmed the restart date to AFP subsidiary SID on Wednesday night.

"After weighing up all the arguments, the DFL Executive Committee decided today... to resume play in the Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga from 15 May 2020," the DFL said in a statement to magazine Kicker.

Germany's top-flight will become the first of Europe's major leagues to return to the field.

"Matches will be allowed under the approved rules," said Merkel at a press conference in Berlin.

Germany's top politicians approved a plan for the Bundesliga to resume in stadiums without spectators and with players regularly tested.

Permission was granted on condition that strict guidelines are followed -- with a hygiene officer appointed to each team -- to prevent contagion of the virus.

Bayern Munich and Germany captain Manuel Neuer said the players now had an "enormous responsibility" to be role models and follow the hygiene guidelines.

Representatives from the 36 clubs in the country's top two divisions will finalise details in a videoconference on Thursday.

"Today's decision is good news for the Bundesliga," said the league's CEO Christian Seifert.

"It's a great responsibility for the clubs to implement the medical and organisational guidelines in a disciplined manner."

Bayern Munich, seeking their eighth consecutive Geman title, were four points clear at the top of the table when play was halted in mid-March.

"It's a good feeling. We are now looking forward to being able to resume playing," said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, adding the decision was "an important and wonderful signal for the Bundesliga".

His opposite number at Borussia Dortmund -- the club second in the table behind Bayern -- also welcomed the news.

"We are very pleased that people in Germany have behaved so magnificently that the spread of the pandemic has at least been contained," said Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.

"Only because the population has been incredibly disciplined can we now gradually move on to another form of normality."

Germany has about 165,000 coronavirus cases and 7,000 deaths, meaning it has so far prevented its hospitals becoming as overburdened as other European countries.

Economic reasons are also driving the decision to allow football to resume.

With 13 of the 36 teams in Germany's top two divisions reportedly on the brink of bankruptcy, the league desperately needs to claim around 300 million euros ($325 million) from TV contracts if the season is completed.

The league has long urged restarting play, which it says is vital for a sector that employs 56,000 people in Germany.

Teams returned to training on April 6 although sessions have followed stringent social distancing rules.

The league says its intensive testing plan allows matches to be relaunched with low risk to health.

So far, clubs in the top two divisions have returned 10 positive results for coronavirus from 1,724 tests since training resumed.

Three are from the Cologne club and two from Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Health Minister Jens Spahn has argued that the testing regime "makes sense and can serve as an example for other forms of professional sport," although he warned "it has to be lived up to".

The league and politicians reacted with consternation when Hertha Berlin player Salomon Kalou filmed himself shaking hands with teammates this week, flaunting the social distancing rules that clubs have put in place.

"The video has done the German league and professional football a disservice," Anja Stahmann, who chairs Germany's regional sports ministers, told RBB radio on Wednesday.

Hertha have suspended Kalou, and the 34-year-old former Chelsea player has apologised.

Leagues across Europe are taking different approaches to the unprecedented crisis.

The French league announced last week it will not resume the season, with Paris Saint-Germain awarded the top-flight title.

The Netherlands abandoned its season a week earlier.

The English Premier League, Europe's richest league, aims to restart in June, but differences have emerged over plans to use neutral stadiums.

Players in Italy's Serie A returned to training this week and in Spain, Barcelona say players underwent coronavirus tests on Wednesday as La Liga clubs began restricted training ahead of a proposed resumption of the season next month.

The Serbian, Croatian and Turkish leagues have also announced plans for matches to restart.

German football has 'enormous responsibility' says Neuer

LakoPress via www.imago-images.de

Germany captain Manuel Neuer says Bundesliga footballers have an "enormous responsibility" after the league announced Wednesday it will restart from May 15, having been granted permission to resume from Angela Merkel's government.

The German Football League (DFL) confirmed the restart date for the top two divisions, with the clubs to finalise details in a video conference on Thursday.

Earlier, German Chancellor Merkel gave permission for the Bundesliga to resume behind closed doors, amid strict hygiene measures and regular testing of players.

It will be the first of Europe's top leagues to restart since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

"People will be looking at us from other European countries, indeed all over the world," Bayern Munich goalkeeper Neuer told Frankfurt-based newspaper FAZ.

"This is an enormous responsibility for us, which we must be aware of with every fibre. It is now up to us."

He said the players must ensure the league returns successfully.

"Now it is up to each individual at each club to bring this concept to life in a disciplined manner," added Neuer.

"We are particularly responsible for tens of thousands of jobs in diverse industries that live with, and through, football.

"And we are responsible for all those fans for whom football is a big part of their lives."

Bayern, chasing an eighth straight league title, were four points clear when the Bundesliga was halted on March 13.

However, there remains fierce debate in Germany whether football should return.

The virus has claimed over 7,000 lives in the country.

Hertha Berlin striker Salomon Kalou was suspended by his club on Monday and slammed by politicians for shaking hands with team-mates in a video, flaunting social distancing guidelines.

Neuer said the Kalou incident should be a "warning sign" to all players, who he urged to become "social role models".

"We were the darlings of an entire nation when we became world champions at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on 13 July 2014," said Neuer.

"Now we're wearing a different jersey -- that of our social role models."

War of words as South Africa ponder football league restart

via www.imago-images.de

A war of words has broken out among rival South African football organisations ahead of a meeting Thursday to discuss the future of the 2019/2020 league season.

The novel coronavirus pandemic forced the suspension during March of the richest African national championship with a 15 million rand ($800,000/740,000 euros) first prize.

The meeting will involve league officials, who are keen to complete a season in which the 16 clubs have between six and nine fixtures to fulfil.

Premiership boss Irvin Khoza says they hope to complete the season by July 31, provided they get the go-ahead from government health officials.

"There are two conditions we have to meet before considering restarting the league -- first and foremost saving lives, then preserving livelihoods by playing football," he said.

Asked if he had contacted the South African Football Association (Safa), the supreme football body in the republic regarding a restart, Khoza replied: "No, not as yet."

There is a history of disagreements between the wealthy, efficiently run PSL and the cash-strapped Safa, whose officials regularly create negative headlines.

Among options the Premiership are reportedly considering is playing several matches on the same day behind closed doors at neutral venues.

However, the Danny Jordaan-led Safa say medical experts believe football should resume only when the national lockdown reaches stage one.

The five-stage lockdown is currently at level four (the second highest) and it could take many months to drop to the lowest level given the virus peak is expected only in September.

"Playing football requires travelling, including from one province to another, and that cannot be achieved under level four," a Safa statement said.

"Another issue is the social distancing factor -- football is a contact sport where we cannot social distance."

Sport minister Nathi Mthethwa has requested the PSL and Safa to present him with a plan that health officials can consider.

"We will be dependent on Safa, as the mother body of football in the country, and the PSL to guide government," he said.

"I have been in contact with Danny Jordaan and Irvin Khoza and said to them that I need their wise counsel regarding a possible reopening of the league."

Football followers hope the Premiership can resume soon as the stage is set for thrilling finishes to the season both at the top and bottom of the table.

Kaizer Chiefs, who have gone a record four seasons without winning a trophy, lead defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns by four points, but have played one match more.

Among the remaining fixtures is a clash between the clubs at Chiefs' ground, the 90,000-capacity Soccer City stadium on the border between Johannesburg and Soweto.

Only eight points separate the lowest eight clubs with the team finishing last automatically relegated and the second-last side going into play-offs with two second-tier outfits.