by Tim Stannard

Liverpool and Rangers announce Klopp / Gerrard deals to 2024 within minutes of each other to set up five-year succession plan

A refreshing change in the Premier League on Friday with news of a coach who is staying at a club rather than being fired. Not as much fun though, to be fair.

That manager is Jurgen Klopp with Liverpool announcing happily that the German has signed a deal with the EPL club that lasts up to 2024, two years past the current agreement.

In a bit of synergy, a little bit north of the border and Glasgow Rangers also made an announcement on Friday, declaring that former Liverpool defender and their current coach Steven Gerrard, had signed a deal until...2024. Curiouser and curiouser. Despite being a novice to the role, Gerrard has managed to drag Rangers to a position where the team is actually a challenge to Celtic rather than being 20 points behind.

Naturally, this all means that Gerrard will be taking over from Klopp in 2024.

Meanwhile, there are reports in the English press that Pep Guardiola has a break clause that could see the Spanish coach leaving Manchester City at the end of the season and go to…Barcelona anybody?

The Sports Burst live show on the beIN SPORTS USA Facebook page is going to poke around all this and much, much more at 12PM ET.

Ronaldinho: Messi better than Ronaldo. But not the GOAT

Speaking of Barcelona, Ronaldinho has dipped his Brazilian twinkle toes into the Messi the GOAT / Ronaldo / Maradona / Pele debate and declared that Messi may not be the GOAT citing the likes of Diego Maradona, Pele, Jamie Vardy, and Ronaldo the First as other candidates for that particular theoretical crown.

However, the Brazilian did opine that Messi was the best of his era. Therefore, better than Ronaldo. Got you!

Leo Messi and Barcelona have a very spicy game on Saturday with a clash at Real Sociedad that is live, live, live on beIN SPORTS from 10AM ET, however it is the match that comes next that has tongues a waggin’ in Spain

That game happens to be el Clasico next Wednesday. And there was some good news with the protest group that is planning demonstrations on the day of the game in the vicinity of the Camp Nou announcing that it has no plans to either block or suspend the game,” but will use it “in the stands and on the pitch” to push the message to a global audience of their wishes for a self-determination referendum in Catalunya.

El Clasico is live, live, live on beIN SPORTS on Wednesday December 18^th with coverage getting underway from 1PM ET.

However, the latest round of La Liga gets underway on Friday on beIN SPORTS ESPANYOL at 3PM ET with Alaves hosting a Leganes team that is hoping to dig itself out of a relegation hole with Javier Aguirre at the helm.

Neymar opts to sue the club he wants to join in bold negotiating approach

Wednesday produced a truly bombshell declaration from Neymar that he was happy with his sporting lot no matter where in the world as long as he has some goal posts, a ball, teammates, excellent wifi for social media posting, and a fortnight off each year to celebrate his sister's birthday. 

On Friday, there is even more indication that this combination of desires being in Paris will keep Neymar at PSG. Neymar's Dad - his official name - has either gone for a completely out-there negotiation tactic or has given up on his client-son ever returning to Barcelona. 

Neymar's Dad has opted to continue the pursuit of a lawsuit against Barcelona for the alleged non-payment of a truly dichotomous 'loyalty bonus' that was due on Neymar leaving the Camp Nou. 

The sum of money that Neymar's Dad says is due to him - sorry, his son - is a fairly hefty $3.8m. "We want to reach agreement with Barcelona," said Neymar's Dad to Spanish radio who also noted that "we don't know if we will be back at Barcelona, but currently there is a contract with PSG."

PSG are in action on Sunday in Ligue Un in an away clash against Saint Etienne however the latest match day gets underway live, live, live on beIN SPORTS at 2:45PM ET with Lille looking for a fourth win on the bounce against Montpellier.