By Tim Stannard

Arsene Wenger to step down after 22 years with the Gunners

There is a perfectly good time and place for name-calling and Scrooge-like mean-spiritedness. That time is ‘every day’ and the place is ‘the internet’. But for Friday’s lead story, a line has been drawn in the virtual sand – no-one is allowed to be mean about Arsene Wenger today. Not on Sports Burst’s watch.

Arsenal have announced that manager, Arsene Wenger, will be leaving the club at the end of the season after 22 years in charge, a year ahead of the expiration of his current contract. To give some kind of perspective to that incredible figure, had Wenger being managing more trigger-happy clubs such as Chelsea or Real Madrid, it’s the equivalent of being on the bench since the reign of Henry VIII.

Although the first ten years of Wenger’s spell at Highbury and then the Emirates were trophy-stuffed with 11 out of the eventual 17 titles won in that period, recent years have been leaner with the feel that the Frenchman was holding the club back rather than pushing it forward – hence the viral ‘Wenger Out’ campaign which kept social media happy for a while.

But all that can be forgotten on Friday with tributes from clubs, fellow managers and players pouring in including one from former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder, Cesc Fabregas who wrote that “he was a father figure” who “pushed me to be the best.”

Wenger has one last chance to win a title with the Gunners in the Europa League but will need to maneuver past Atletico Madrid in a double-headed semi-final starting next Friday. Tune into the Locker Room at 7:30PM ET / 4:30PM PT for a full tribute to the manager who said he “did not ze the incident” more times that you’ve had your AC breakdown.

Everyone on planet linked with new Arsenal job

Right, it’s been a good 25 of sitting and contemplating the past and present of Arsene Wenger. Time to look at who will be succeeding the Frenchman in one of the most comfortable jobs in world football – decent budget, patient owners, soporific fans and no real need to win things.

Pretty much every name of anyone who has ever coached and is currently managing a football club has been bandied about along with some others. Scouring the internet produces Antonio Conte, Carlo Ancelotti, Joachim Low, General Michael Flynn, Manuel Pellegrini, Thomas Tuchel, Massimo Allegri, Leonardo Jardim, Diego Simeone, Brendan Rogers, Miley Cyrus, Luis Enrique, the unknown one from Black-Eyed-Peas, Rafa Benitez, Patrick Viera, Mikel Arteta, and the Strokes.

PSG spooked by Neymar’s Brazil exile

Neymar has been off the Sports Burst pages for at least a whole day, so time to haul the Brazilian back, something that PSG have not been able to achieve funnily enough.

Apparently, the recuperating waters and airs of Brazil are the only ones that could ensure the complete recovery of the footballer’s broken foot, which is why the hopes of the player returning to France any time soon appear to be dwindling, according to Marca.

Indeed, Unai Emery shrugged during the week that they had no idea of a return date, after there was harsh criticism from former French international Christophe Dugarry that the player was metaphorically spitting on the club by failing to make it to Paris to watch the club defeat Monaco and win the league title.

This has all reportedly spooked PSG that there might be something fishy going on with the footballer, causing rumors of a summer move to Real Madrid to resurface for no good reason, really.

Funday Friday for flying high Lyon

A peculiar bunch of midweek of matches is officially over with Friday starting off another weekend that includes the Copa del Rey final in Spain and the English FA Cup semi-finals.

But beIN SPORTS is getting the show running with Lyon relishing a spicy trip to Dijon looking for win that would propel them to just one point off Monaco, currently in second place. That gets underway live on beIN SPORTS at 3PM ET / 12AM PT.

Over in La Liga, one relegation spot was sealed on Thursday with Malaga heading down to the second division. Deportivo are in danger of following them if Clarence Seedorf’s men do not get something out of Friday’s trip to face Leganes. That clash is live on beIN SPORTS CONNECT from 2:50PM ET / 11:50AM PT.

Istanbul Basaksahir can move to the top of the Turkish Superlig with a victory against Kayserispor while Wolfsburg can pull away from the drop zone in the Bundesliga by defeating Borussia Munchengladbach. Tune into the XTRA at 7PM ET / 4PM PT to catch the best of the day’s action.

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.