Sports Burst – Moan-inho in Miami
Mou’s misery, Madrid youthful complexion and Milan’s facelift
The Grinch who stole Man United's preseason
It’s not even the end of July, the English Premier League season has yet to get underway – a good two weeks to go - and Jose Mourinho is already looking like he has lost the will to get out of bed and face another day as the boss of Manchester United.
Despite being in the wonderful US of A – and now Miami – Mourinho has been working through a long list of complaints akin to a coworker reporting three years of problems with their internet service to anyone in the canteen who will listen: players on vacation still, players coming back from vacation out of shape, players going home to see their child being born, fans paying too much money to see what he views as worthless ICC matches, and the AC too low in the various hotel rooms the United camp is staying in.
One of those ICC matches is on Tuesday against Real Madrid – where Mourinho first started to lose the will to get up in the morning it seems – and Mourinho will be speaking exclusively ahead of that clash along with his cheerier counterpart Julen Lopetegui as Real Madrid’s past and present collide, while the bookies put Mourinho as the favorite to be the first coaching departure in England this season.
Tune into the Transfer Tracker show on the beIN SPORTS USA Facebook page at 12PM ET / 9AM PT where former United player, Gary Bailey, looks at what is going on at Old Trafford these days.
Miami-Nice for youth teamers for Madrid
And all that talk about Manchester United brings us nicely to Real Madrid, also in Miami for the club's first preseason match of the season on Tuesday. Being the summer, transfers are also the main talk of the town.
Fullback Theo Hernandez is expected to make a swift return across the Atlantic and join up with Real Sociedad after just the single season with Madrid. A player reportedly wanting to depart - according to AS - but seeing the exit door blocked is Mateo Kovavic.
However, Dani Ceballos might well be a 'new signing' with Madrid with Julen Lopetgui looking to give a former charge from Spain's youth system another ride on the Real Madrid horse. Another wee youngster who is set to get a run out against Manchester United is Vinicius Jr.
Tune into the XTRA at 7PM ET / 4PM PT for all the latest news from Real Madrid and Barcelona, with both Spanish teams currently on a USA road trip.
Milan Conte-down begins in new boss search
Out of European competition, in European competition, Chinese owner, hedge fund owner, anyone's guess as owner.
Leonardo Bonucci staying, Leonardo Bonucci returning to Juventus. Gonzalo Higuain possibly joining, Alvaro Morata possibly joining.
Once again, it's been quite the summer for AC Milan, more than enough to rival the drama of last year's $250 million spend which eventually did not have too much to show for it aside from a sixth-place finish.
In 2018, it's more about the palace intrigue with a rumor in Monday's media that the club is considering jettisoning Genaro Gattuso as coach on the grounds that he is not Antonio Conte who is currently footloose and fancy free (all be it with a legal battle with Chelsea over the Italian's severance).
Also relevant to the case is Milan's new sporting director, Leonardo, who was a former feud partner to Gattuso back in the playing days.
Milan may not get the player changes desired but switching out the man at the top could be a lot simpler for a club currently in the USA and taking on Tottenham Hotspur in Minnesota on Tuesday.
Neymar continues World Cup rebrand
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid have shown remarkable multi-tasking skills by playing both PSG in an ICC clash in Singapore and presenting French midfielder, Thomas Lemar in Madrid. The former Monaco man said that Antoine Griezmann’s influence was key in him making the move – half an hour of his ‘Decision’ video would almost certainly do the trick.
And Neymar has used the medium of a TV commercial and the chance to make a stack of cash to claim that after his chastening World Cup experience that he was ‘a new man’. "You may think I exaggerate. And sometimes I do exaggerate. But the truth is I suffer on the pitch," said the confessional PSG man who called for everyone to just leave him alone. "You can keep casting stones -- or throw these stones away and help me stand. When I stand, all of Brazil stands with me". World, you’ve been told.
WHAT IS SPORTS BURST?
The life philosophy of Sports Burst is that if you are not upsetting someone, then you are not trying hard enough. Sports Burst is a daily trawl and troll through the morning's sports news to bring you fact-nuggets to make you both smile and swear. Hopefully at the same time.