UEFA’s general secretary, Gianni Infantio, made the announcement today that the Olympiastadion in Berlin will host Germany’s first Champions League final in 2015. The Europa League final was awarded to Warsaw’s National Stadium in Poland.

The timing could not have been better for Germany as we are on the brink of seeing an all-German Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

Olympiastadion, Berlin – 2015 Champions League final venue

The Olympiastadion – home to Hertha Berlin since 1963 – will be hosting its first European final. However, it has hosted international events in that past – namely, the 1936 Olympic Games and the 1974 and 2006 World Cup final.

Olympiastadion, Berlin

Every year since 1985, it has hosted the DFB-Pokal final (the German Cup) and from next season, it will also stage Bundesliga football as Hertha won the second-tier this season.

Germany has hosted the UEFA Cup final before when Dortmund hosted the 2001 final between Liverpool and Spanish side Deportivo Alaves and the 2010 final between Atletico Madrid and Fulham.

National Stadium, Warsaw – 2015 Europa League final venue

The venue for the Europa League final in Warsaw has never staged a major European final before but five matches were played in this newly-refurbished ground in Euro 2012 – including the opening fixture between Poland and Greece.

National Stadium in Warsaw,

The National Stadium also hosted the quarter final between Czech Republic and Portugal and the semi final between Germany and Italy in Euro 2012 as well.

This stadium is basically a football stadium but it has hosted athletics and cycling in the past as well. In 1983, Pope John Paul II gave mass to a congregation of nearly a 100,000 people. After being home to a bazaar for years, it was renovated and reopened in January 2012.

The venue for the 2014 Champions League final was awarded to Benfica’s Estadio da Luz in Lisbon and the 2014 Europa League final was awarded to the Juventus Stadium in Turin.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The predicted lull to wash over the footballing world come the close season has altogether failed to materialise. Instead of drab, end of season reminiscing, the airwaves have been flooded with the current managerial runaround, one that threatens to trump the entire summer transfer market.

Six of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world are on the conveyor belt; a few of them have already found their new boss, and are in the first stages of assimilation; the rest are still rudderless, floating in a sea of unfamiliarity, waiting for the right man to rear his head.

Bayern Munich fall into the former category. After their Champions League final against fellow Germans, Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, current manager Jupp Heynckes will step down to make way for Pep Guardiola.

Although known for his almost unique paradigm of football, and his trophy-laden adventures with Barcelona, it has not all been plain sailing for the ‘Golden Boy’ of managers. Fallings out with players and rival coaches were features of his tenure at the Catalan club, with his chief irritation being one Jose Mourinho.

The often malevolently perceived ‘Special One’ had quite the relationship with the former Barcelona manager. Squaring off in multiple ‘El Clasicos’, and during the Portuguese’ time with Inter Milan, Mourinho and Pep forged one of the great modern day rivalries.

With 7 wins, 5 draws, and 3 loses after 15 games played, stats show that Guardiola has so far got the better of his arch-enemy. But that rivalry may be set to continue, and very soon if the fates would have it.

With a limited dash of conjecture, Jose Mourinho will be taking back the Chelsea hot seat this summer. This idea was aided by the confirmation on Monday that he would be exiting Real Madrid. With this in mind, our attention is now drawn to the impending Champions League Final between Bayern and Dortmund.

If the tie goes the way of Munich, then they will take their place in next season’s Super Cup final. With Chelsea already a confirmed feature, due to their Europa League final win against Benfica last week, then we would have a repeat of the 2012 Champions League final in the season’s opener on August 30th.

The ‘Charity Shield’ of European encounters could well have a little less of a friendly atmosphere this time around, as a Jose Mourinho-led Chelsea vs. Guardiola’s inherited Bayern Munich would certainly bring things to the boil.

Guardiola at Bayern

There can be no doubt that this current Bayern side could vanquish Dortmund in the Deutschland dominated Champions League final, let alone come out on top in a Super Cup encounter, without the specific aid of Pep.

They have been omnipotent this year, storming their way to a second successive Champions League final in two years, and trouncing the domestic opposition on their way to the Bundesliga title and a DFB Pokal final against VfB Stuttgart on June 1st.

When Guardiola rides into Munich, his real task will be to continue the rise of the German giants as the world’s returning superpower. Like when he took the reins at Barcelona, the talent is certainly within the Bayern ranks already.

With the likes of Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Franck Ribery, Pep will once again, have the most solid of foundations on which to make his mark. Inheriting the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi and Carles Puyol, Guardiola took Frank Rijkaard’s original blueprint at Barcelona to the next level, to the tune of 14 trophies in four years.

Already with the impending arrival of Mario Gotze, Pep will have outlined key areas of the pitch in which he will want to strengthen. His sides are units, and always play for the group, rarely for the individual; which was cited as a reason for Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s failure to cement a place in Pep’s Barca outfit.

This also might mean the end of the flamboyant Arjen Robben, who, although a terrific winger, is not a player suited for the direction Guardiola is looking to take the Bavarians. Youth will again be a main focus, and with so many German internationals currently residing in the Bayern starting eleven, you can be sure that Pep will want to continue this emphasis.

Mourinho at Chelsea

Mourinho will have his own job to do at Chelsea, if he does indeed pitch up there next season. He will most certainly want to oust his nemesis, Pep, thereby setting a precedent for himself and for the club.

Chelsea folded completely when they came up against Atletico Madrid in last season’s showpiece, but they have another chance at the prize. The Portuguese certainly has the tools at the West London club, albeit without a few much needed enhancements.

With team spirit, coupled with core strength a favourite direction of Mourinho, he will most likely look to quickly identify his leaders on the pitch. With John Terry and Frank Lampard the wrong side of 30, a new batch of trailblazers could be rooted out of the current group, and/or brought in by the ‘new’ boss.

Petr Cech should continue to be a piece of the furniture at Stamford Bridge, although upcoming star between the sticks, Thibaut Courtois will be pushing for early acknowledgement of his talents. Branislav Ivanovic remains a firm favourite at the club, but Mourinho could look to identify a new, young defender to mould, as he did with Raphael Varane at Real Madrid.

Mourinho could look to young Nathaniel Chalobah as a potential superstar of the future. The striker situation at the Bridge is arguably the most interesting going into the new regime. With Fernando Torres and Demba Ba the only recognised frontmen on the books, it is anyone’s guess to how ‘the Special One’ will wish to move forward.

With Didier Drogba no longer king of the Bridge, Mourinho may look to bring in a similar front-man to spearhead his new-look side.

But before the restructuring can really begin, the Super Cup beckons. What is certain is that Mourinho vs. Pep, under entirely different circumstances, would be a fascinating affair so early on in the new campaign. Gone would be the safety nets of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and tactics would take even more of a front-seat. Relish the thought.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The chance to see Manchester United and Real Madrid legends from yesteryears is one that does not come along very often. However, a clash between two of the biggest clubs in world football is set for June 2nd, with legendary figures from each side’s history set to don their boots once more.

Watch the video:

The charity game will be played at Old Trafford in aid of the Manchester United Foundation – a local organisation that works in disadvantaged areas to educate – motivate and inspire young people. The game will have a certain grudge match feel, after the Spaniards won the corresponding fixture last summer 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Recognisable Manchester United faces on show will be the ever-dependable Denis Irwin and the deadly attacking duo of Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole. Real Madrid will field the likes of Emilio Butragueno, Amancio Amaro and Manolo Sanchis.

A music concert will be played on the Old Trafford pitch beforehand, again with the aim of raising funds for the foundation.

For your chance to see top players from the past play or for more information visit the official Manchester United website at http://www.manutd.com/en/legendsareBack.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

In what has to be one of the most colossal evil empire mergers in major modern sports history, Manchester City and the New York Yankees have joined super-villainous forces to create the MLS’ 20th franchise: New York City Football Club.

Okay, so that’s probably not a team name that garners consideration for a Creativity and Innovation Excellence Award, but with Man City being majority owners in the freshly launched MLS venture, you just knew “City” had to be in there somewhere.

Much more importantly though, by spending the reported $100 million to officially bring New York City FC into existence, the Manchester City ownership group has taken an extremely significant step towards truly growing and globalizing their football brand.

While we’ve seen many other Premier League and La Liga giants make the ocean-hop trek to the United States for whirlwind preseason tours, those brief European occupancies in the American sports consciousness have failed to fully unlock the massive financial and fanatical potential of the US’ numerous media markets. They whetted the American soccer fan’s appetite in other words, but ultimately provided no lingering product to satiate it.

Manchester City hopes this move has started the momentum necessary to change that. When NYC FC actually kicks off in 2015, they will of course still be subject to the numerous financial regulating, draft pick orienting and league-first prioritizing rules of the MLS, but they will also be holders of the Premier League’s first permanent presence in America’s top soccer league… sort of.

Manchester City’s CEO, Ferran Soriano, who earned a large degree of respect for his previous shaping of Barcelona FC’s current course, has made it clear that NYC FC will in no way serve as a feeder or out-to-pasture club for their bigger Manchester soccer sibling.

Instead, Soriano’s vision for New York’s newest footballing franchise relies on strategies already pretty commonplace in Major League Soccer. Building the team with promising youth players, scouting across the Americas and Europe for value-based talent, and just generally proving to the league that they will always continue to strive for a sustainable on-field/off-field product in the city of New York is all securely part of the plan.

Obviously marketing campaigns will likely align NYC FC and Man City FC when promotionally convenient, but the MLS’ built-in regulations really force City and its owners to build this team in a mostly responsible way, and that’s a great thing for both parties, when you consider the struggles the ill-fated New York Cosmos experienced.

While many things are unclear about New York’s newest professional team, like where they will even play their first home matches for example (Queens? Brooklyn? A state of the art floating stadium on the Hudson River?), the move to finally capture a MLS franchise in the US’ top media market (as opposed to the “New Jersey” Red Bulls) shows both optimism in Manchester City’s vision of what the MLS could eventually be and validation for American soccer fans that US soccer is still moving towards a more commercially successful future.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The Champions League final is arguably the biggest game in world football, and this Saturday will see the first ever all-German encounter between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. A huge number of German fans, and neutrals from all over Europe, will descend on London towards the end of the week, with the spectacle at Wembley in huge demand.

For those lucky enough to get a ticket for the game, it will prove to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, the cost of flights, accommodation and getting around the English capital city will be considerable for all those in attendance.

Getting affordable accommodation close to the stadium will be all but impossible with hotel room prices skyrocketing according to a survey from cheaprooms.co.uk. For those travelling to London to watch the game live or just in the surrounding area, it promises to be an expensive outing.

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund both have groups of ardent fans, with the German powerhouses selling out the Allianz Arena and Signal Iduna Park on a regular basis.

Expect a sea of red and white scarves as Die Roten fans engulf the London streets, as they hope to make amends for defeat at the final hurdle last year. Similarly, Dortmund fans will be there en masse, praying that their side can repeat the heroics of the 1997 final and lift the trophy.

A Champions League survey on London hotels indicates that the price of accommodation for these football-mad fans has skyrocketed. Hotel owners will look to cash in on the surge of football fans that will travel to London for the game, and as such those that want to be there for the spectacle have very little choice – they will have to pay whatever is asked of them.

85% of hotels are already thought to be booked out, while the remainder will know that they can charge a premium and still sell their rooms.

However, for football fans the Champions League final is something of beauty and the most important game there is – especially if your team is playing in it. For the victors of Saturday’s encounter, an expensive weekend trip will be thoroughly worthwhile.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Brazilian newspaper O Globo has reported that after much resistance, Neymar will indeed be moving to Barcelona after the 2013 Confederations Cup. The tournament is expected to be held from 15th to 30th June in Brazil – which means Neymar will be heading to the Catalan club in July.

In Spain, daily newspaper El Mundo Deportivo are also reported that Barcelona has bid for the Brazilian prodigy. Although it seems they might have picked up the story from O Globo.

A source close to the attacker, as claimed by the Brazilian newspaper, Neymar has already signed a ‘statement of commitment’ with Barcelona. Now Neymar will have to sign for Barcelona in July, after the Confederations Cup.

Neymar will be a great signing for Barcelona and he will fill in one of the holes that were exposed in their 2012-13 campaign. Although Barca marched to a comfortable La Liga win but their escapades in Europe were barely a shadow of the Pep Guardiola era.

Brazil national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was present in Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Real Valladolid at Nou Camp this Sunday. He watched the game seated next to Carlos Alberto Parreira, Dani Alves and Adriano. Neither of the teams featured a Brazilian player in the game.

Santos and Neymar have not been subtle in denying the rumours of his move. Club president, Rodrigues Odilio has already admitted that the market is stronger than the will of the club. Coach Muricy Ramalho was even more direct:

“It will be a big thud. It seems that this time, the thing is strong. The club will feel much but that’s life.”

Muricy Ramalho declared in March that Neymar’s future destination will be Barcelona. He thought that Neymar should follow the footsteps of the greatest of the Brazilian forwards who donned the Barca colours – Romario, Rivaldo and Ronaldo.

According to O Globo, Barca representatives made an offer of €14 million two weeks ago but now they have raised their offer to €17.5 million. Santos want to keep Neymar until 2014 but if they know that if they let these offers pass, Neymar will be available for free in 2014.

Santos only owns 55% of the rights to Neymar. DIS owns 45% and Teisa owns 5% of the rights and they are trying to raise the value of the transaction further.

Santos knows that Neymar may be their rarest gem but he is definitely leaving in 2014 – his contract ends in Summer 2014 but clubs will be allowed to sign a pre-contract with him from January, which would allow them to leave the club for free in the summer.

Santos understands that they must part ways with Neymar now and get a good deal for their gem while they still have the chance. Barcelona will buy 100% of the rights of the player; buying out DIS and Teisa as well.

When asked to comment on the Neymar saga, Lionel Messi seemed delighted with this move. He said:

“I don’t know if in the end he [Neymar] will sign with Barca, only he knows that.

“I know this is a player who presents very different individual solutions. It is clear that for Barcelona, it would be a wonderful signing.”

According to Mundo Deportivo, the ‘statement of commitment’ signed between Neymar and Barcelona, includes a clause that if Neymar goes to any other club than Barca, Santos will have to pay a €40 million penalty to the Catalans.

It is also evident that even Neymar, himself, is also in good understanding of the circumstances. He told the press:

“When I renewed until 2014, no one said anything, no one complained. I want to fulfill my contract, but also look the best for all parties.”

The directors of Santos have planned to hold a meeting today and it promises to be a decisive meeting in deciding the future of Neymar.

Amidst all this, Mundo Deportivo also reported that Real Madrid have sent a middleman to Brazil who is actually a former AS journalist.

Is there a twist in the tale or Neymar to Barcelona is all set and done? Let us know with a comment below.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Nike have unveiled the new 2013-14 Barcelona kits and it turns out that the images leaked in April were indeed of the final Barcelona kit.

As the leaked images suggested, the home kit is striped and it carries four red and three blue stripes. The shirt has a yellow collar and blue sleeves that descend into red. The Nike Swoosh is in yellow while the new sponsor is in white.

The away 2013-14 Barcelona kits are a big improvement on the current Barca away kit – although it is still a combination of yellow and red. This time the two colours combine to form the red and yellow stripes of the Catalan flag.

The away shirt has four red and five yellow stripes. The collar and sleeves are also yellow but the sleeves descend to turn into red. The sponsor logo and the Nike logo are in black.

There is no official news on the colour or design of the third 2013-14 Barcelona kit but the leaked images suggested another black third kit this season.

The Catalan giants reclaimed the La Liga trophy this season but the manner by which their march towards Champions League glory ended, Barcelona will surely been looking to regroup and find reinforcements for their current team.

If the reports in the press are to be believed, David Villa and Victor Valdes are set to leave the club this summer and both could very well end up in England. Barca are said to be interested in the young prodigy of Neymar and his Brazil national teammate Thiago Silva who won Ligue 1 with PSG this season.

Also on the club’s books, is the Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen – a 21-year-old Germany international who is touted to be as good as, if not better than, Bayern Munich shot-stopper Manuel Neuer.

How do you think the 2013-14 Barcelona kits compare with their current kits? Which of the above players do you think will be donning the 2013-14 Barcelona kits next summer? Let us know with a comment below.

Follow this link for more news on 2013/14 kits or head over to the Soccerlens Store to purchase the latest kits of any of the biggest clubs in Europe or international teams.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Nike have unveiled their first England kit after the Football Association announced a new partnership with the American apparel manufacturer last year in September.

The first official sighting of this shirt was a tweet by Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere of a pupil at his former school wearing the jersey. Through the picture, Nike aims to demonstrate that the kit belongs to the nation and not just the players who represent England.

Like this kid, my England dream began here, so he was first in #theshirt – England’s new kit from @nikefootball twitter.com/JackWilshere/s…

— Jack Wilshere (@JackWilshere) May 20, 2013

Wilshere watched a training session at The Priory School in Hertfordshire, before picking out lucky student Jason Kelly to wear and reveal the shirt for the first time. Wilshere said:

“This is where my dream of playing for England started and it’s great to be back here to see a new generation playing with the same passion.

“I gave Jason the shirt because his commitment and work-rate really impressed me today, he showed that it’s what you do on the pitch that matters – from your first match as a nine year-old all the way up to the international stage.”

Nike have gone for a basic yet distinctive design that take the kit back to its roots with its traditional colors of white and dark blue to celebrate the FA’s 150th anniversary. Because of the fact that the shirt is so simple, the Three Lions’ crest looks prominently featured.

Moreover, the crest now has a gold-border, a gold star above it signifying England’s 1966 World Cup win, and a gold ribbon graphic below inscribed with ’150 years’ and the years 1863 and 2013, marking FA’s anniversary.

The Nike logo and the collar of the shirt are in dark blue – the same colour as the crest. The inside of the shirt’s collar features a red strip. The two side vents on the hem of the shirt subtly feature the St. George’s cross. The shorts are entirely dark blue and the socks are white with a thin dark blue band at the top.

The kit embodies Nike’s belief in style, craft and pride while aiding the performance of players with key technological features. The England kit is made from recycled polyester. In the pioneering process, used plastic bottles are chopped and melted reducing energy consumption by up to 30%.

The kit weighs just 150 grams and boasts a 20% stronger knit structure and significantly improved stretch. The fabric uses Nike Dri-FIT technology to draw sweat away from the body to keep players cool and dry. Tint laser-cut holes under the arms on both sides serve as ventilation zones. A mesh panel across the back increases air circulation.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The Champions League final will be a German grudge match, with Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund set to go head-to-head at the Wembley Stadium on Saturday, May 25th. Both sides have been good value for their place in the final, with each overcoming top European sides on their way to the last hurdle.

The two teams have been embroiled in a domestic power struggle over the last number of seasons, with Bayern wrestling back the Bundesliga title this year after back-to-back Dortmund successes. The sides are contrasting; Bayern with their big names and established players, against the youthful and free-spirited Dortmund.

Both teams are very attacking however, and you can place a bet now in the ‘both teams to score’ market – Bayern are still favourites to win the Champions League with the odds of 5/2 with William Hill. Dortmund can also be backed in this market at the odds of 6/1.

Bayern have looked unstoppable this term, winning 27 of their 32 Bundesliga games so far. Impressive performances in Europe have seen them overcome Arsenal and destroy Barcelona – Jupp Heynckes’ men go into the game as favourites. With Pep Guardiola set to take over in the Allianz Arena hot-seat next year and Mario Gotze moving from Dortmund, Bayern will hope this will be the first of many successes in years to come.

Bayern will be cautious of the chance of an upset however, as they were favourites against Chelsea this time last year and ended up in second place. That said, this Bayern side looks markedly more aggressive, focused and talented than the one that was beaten on penalties in the Champions League final by the English side.

Dortmund may well have relinquished their Bundesliga title, but Jurgen Klopp’s men have been outstanding in Europe. Cast in the group of death alongside Real Madrid, Manchester City and Ajax, the German side topped the pool. A 4-1 victory over Madrid in the first leg of the semi-finals was their most impressive showing of this year’s Champions League.

With Gotze, sharpshooter Robert Lewandowski and prodigious talent Marco Reus in their ranks, Dortmund will know they have the ability to score against Bayern’s usually miserly defence. However, it is whether Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic can block out their opponents’ vast attacking threat at the other end that may well decide the game.

The sides met recently in the Bundesliga, with the game ending in a 1-1 draw at the Signal Iduna Park. That game may not be a true reflection of what the final holds as both teams rested players, however the Champions League match-up at Wembley will be full of personal battles and should be a very close contest.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Paolo Di Canio has revealed that he has been shocked at the amount of indiscipline in the Sunderland squad that he has adopted, with a complete revamp of the side’s mentality needed. The latest incident to anger the Italian trainer saw Phil Bardsley lying prone on the floor of a casino in the early hours of Wednesday morning, covered in £50 notes.

The Black Cats were deep in the relegation mire when Di Canio replaced Martin O’Neill at the Stadium of Light, but the side lifted themselves to 17th place and survived the drop by three points. However, given Di Canio’s revelations, big changes on Wearside are on the agenda.

Paolo Di Canio’s revelations include the fact that seven players from the club were fined last week for a number of reasons. Bardsley, who was accompanied in the casino by soon-to-be free agent Matthew Kilgallon, is very likely to leave the Stadium of Light this summer. Di Canio stated that the former Manchester United defender was not setting a good example for the club’s young players.

“I will think really carefully about what happens. I always give people a second chance, but we are talking about someone who is 31 years of age with a family at home.

“I am not here to be a priest that has to convince people to behave differently, but I am talking about my club and my team.

“We have a fantastic academy. The young players have a changing room next to the adults, and if we do not punish this kind of behaviour, how can we have a fantastic academy?

“If we do not punish this, they will grow up and laugh about what they saw in the website picture.”

Paolo Di Canio joined Sunderland from Swindon Town, and stated that he felt that his new crop of players were less professional than his former charges.

“At the beginning, I thought it would be difficult. Week by week, day by day, I have discovered we have more problems than I expected. What we discovered this week is only one aspect of the problems we have.

“I thought at Swindon in League Two they were ignorant, arrogant footballers who did not have a chance at the top level.

“I have to tell you, I have found a worse environment in terms of discipline at this club. This is what I have found in the last few weeks, so we have to change it completely.”

The picture that Di Canio paints is certainly not reminiscent of a Premier League club, and it is true that the new boss will have a job on his hands this summer to get his playing squad in shape.

However, thinking back to Paolo Di Canio’s playing career, the Italian forward was hardly the perfect role model himself. The self-proclaimed fascist was guilty of making a racist salute to the Lazio fans when he played with Roma.

After moving to England, he was never too far from controversy either. Pushing referee Paul Alcock to the ground and receiving an 11-match ban was the most high profile of his misdemeanours.

Whether Di Canio himself was a role model or not as a player however, his current squad must now abide by his rules. Regardless of the controversies he was involved with as a player, the Sunderland squad must give their new manager the respect that any Premier League boss deserves.

Should Paolo Di Canio manage to instil discipline into the Black Cats squad, Sunderland will most likely not be involved in a relegation battle next season.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Freddie Ljungberg in 2001/02; Petr Cech in 2011/12; Eric Cantona in 1995/96. Sometimes a player will have an inspired run of form at a crucial point in a season, dragging their team through tough games when it really matters. That certainly applies to Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny this time around.

The Frenchman has been superb in Arsenal’s final ten games of the season, with Arsene Wenger’s side winning eight and drawing their other two matches.

The Gunners last defeat was in early March away to Tottenham in the North London derby, and on a day where the Arsenal defence looked horrendously insecure it’s worth pointing out that Koscielny had not been selected.

Captain Thomas Vermaelen was first-choice at the time, alongside Per Mertesacker, and Wenger’s decision to alter things after that miserable afternoon have proved to be great decision by the 63-year-old Frenchman.

That defeat left Arsenal seven points adrift of their rivals, but in the ten weeks since Koscielny has grabbed his side by the scruff of the neck and led by example. There has been an authority, passion and class about him that he has not always shown in his three years at the club.

Many see him as a very good player but one who also makes a few too many errors to be thought of alongside the best defenders in the Premier League. In these last few months, however, he has been immaculate.

Obviously the 27-year-old made this morning’s headlines because he scored the only goal of the game at Newcastle United, and while his poachers strike was a pivotal moment in Arsenal’s season, it’s been at the back where Koscielny really deserves to dominate the back pages.

While the likes of Wojciech Szczesny, Mertesacker, Bacary Sagna and Kieran Gibbs also deserve credit for their part in their side’s defensive effort, but there can be no denying that Koscielny has been the main man.

From vital clearances, lung-busting runs up field, great pace and the Newcastle goal, the France international has been magnificent.

In those ten games since the Tottenham game, Arsenal have conceded just five goals and if Manchester United had finished the season with so many 1-0 wins and clean sheets they would have been lauded far more because of their ability to ‘win ugly’. Arsenal deserve great credit for their grit and team spirit in recent weeks.

Seeing Arsenal celebrate fourth place in the way they did on Sunday highlighted how much they have declined since the mid 00s. If you had told Arsenal fans back in 2004 that they’d be delighted at coming fourth they would’ve brushed aside such remarks. For them to get back to the summit of English football again Wenger simply has to spend big this summer.

If Laurent Koscielny can bring his current level of consistency and influence with him into the new campaign then his manager certainly won’t have to worry about adding new names to the heart of his defence. New Arsenal captain, perhaps?

Follow me on twitter: @henryjackson87 and go to www.onfootball.co.uk to read more of my work.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Images of a shirt that seems to be Manchester United’s home shirt for the 2013-14 season have been leaked on the internet. The three-buttoned shirt is plain red with black trim and features a black buttoned-down collar.

According to Todo Sobre Camisetas, these images come from the Nike servers and they are the “fully confirmed” final design.

The design of the collar is the most unique aspect of this shirt. Instead of a regular polo-shirt collar, the Manchester United shirt features a shorter collar.

The overall look of the new home shirt seems to indicate towards the fresh beginning at Old Trafford is going to take next season after the era of Sir Alex Ferguson has come to an end. What better way to symbolise this fresh start than a simple, plain red shirt made look neat with a tidy collar.

If this is indeed the final design, as the people at Todo Sobre Camisetas suggest, it is going to be an iconic shirt in the history books of the club regardless of how David Moyes performs at Manchester United.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

After a gap of ten years, Fulham have brought adidas back on board as the official technical kit supplier of the club. The club announced on Friday and a long-term partnership deal with adidas has been signed.

Since the end of a six-year partnership with adidas in 2003, Fulham have had four kit suppliers – Puma, Airness, Nike and Kappa. All of these deals were short term with the longest running for just three years.

It has been a trait that has featured in Fulham history dating back to 1974. Fulham have not been able to establish a long-term kit supplier deal and only adidas have come forth and offered Fulham deals longer than three years.

Their first partnership began in 1977 when they took over from Umbro and it ran for four years, till 1981. Then it was not until 1997 that adidas returned as the official kit supplier. After a number of two to three year deals in the years, Fulham sticked with adidas for six years until Puma took over in 2003.

Fulham join an exclusive list of clubs who benefit from a partnership with adidas. Clubs like Real Madrid, AC Mila, Bayern Munich, as well as other Premier League teams like Chelsea, Liverpool, etc.

CEO of Fulham, Alistair Mackintosh, commented on the deal:

“adidas has a fantastic football heritage and tradition and I know that we will work well together.

“The synergy between the two organisations has led to a partnership that promises both brands a platform on which to achieve success.”

adidas’ senior Manager Commercial Clubs, Steve Holland, said:

“Fulham is a very welcome partner to adidas’ strong portfolio of football clubs both globally and in the UK.

“We share a successful history together and look forward to an exciting, long and rewarding future partnership.”

There is no official word on the financial value of this deal but with the top-four of the Premier League striking huge commercial deals recently, Fulham would not have settled for anything less than a decent sum.

Also joining team adidas from next year are West Ham who signed a deal that will see adidas as their kit supplier until 2015. The following year, adidas will manufacture kits for Arsenal as well.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Newcastle United have unveiled their new away shirt for the 2013-14 season. The shirt is manufactured by Puma and the Magpies have adopted denim blue for the away strip.

The club badge is embroidered to the left chest, a printed sponsor to the middle and the Puma logo to the right shoulder and sleeves. The shirt provides a comfortable fit thanks to a lightweight breathable polyester construction with DryCell moisture wicking technology and perforated side panels to the body for ventilation.

The kit is available for purchase from the Soccerlens Store.

The shirt designs of Newcastle United’s home, away and third kits were leaked earlier and as the leak suggested, the away shirt is denim blue with ocean blue trim.

The shorts and socks also follow the same theme as the shirt – denim blue with ocean blue trim. The away shirt for the goalkeepers is ocean blue with a dark gray chest bearing the Newcastle crest and the Puma logo while the sponsor is printed across the centre. The shorts are also ocean blue with dark gray trim on the back.

On the launch of the new away kit, Head of Retail at Newcastle United FC, Stuart Middlemiss, said:

“The new away kit has a very distinctive look and the initial feedback we have had about the design and feel from players has been very positive.”

Roger Harrison, the Marketing Director at Puma UK, said:

“Newcastle United have one of the most iconic home shirts in British football.

“Our challenge was to deliver an away shirt that both enhanced player performance and inspired fans to wear it with pride.

“We’re proud to achieve both requirements with the integration of Dry Cell technology and our Spirit graphic.”

Also present to comment on the launch was Darryl Bowman, the Marketing Director at Wonga.com. He said:

“It’s great to finally see our brand on a Newcastle United shirt and we’re looking forward to our sponsorship officially starting on Monday, 20th May.”

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Read part one here.

When the current Wigan manager, Roberto Martinez, took over Swansea City in 2007, they were plying their trade in League One. He planted a seed in the Swansea-system which was then taken over by former Queens Park Rangers manager and Portugal midfielder Paulo Sousa.

Then in 2010, Brendan Rodgers took the helm and helped them earn a place and a win in the English Championship play-off which secured their promotion to the Premier League.

In June 2012, Rodgers was replaced by the former Denmark midfielder, Michael Laudrup. Under Laudrup’s management, Swansea went on to not only win the 2013 League Cup but also finish in the top-ten of the Premier League – which in itself is quite a feat, keeping in mind how QPR are finishing bottom of the table.

These are amazing achievements for a club that was promoted to the Premier League in the 2011. This season’s journey recorded wins over Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United at the Liberty Stadium.

Speaking to Yahoo! as part of their deal with the League Managers Association, Michael Laudrup talked about the best players of the Premier League in his opinion, his favourite manager, English clubs in the Champions League and how he thinks La Liga compares to the English game.

Read the second part of the complete transcript of the Michael Laudrup interview below. You can find the first part of this interview here.

Michael Laudrup interview

Question: Who do you think has been the Barclays Premier League’s best player of the season? Outside Swansea of course.

Michael Laudrup: It’s always very difficult because it depends how you judge it. Do you look at the player who has had an influence on the team winning a title, or do you look at a player who has been outstanding individually even if his club hasn’t won anything?

You can take Robin van Persie, you can take Gareth Bale, you can take Luis Suarez, you can take Michu from our team and they are all valuable and they have all had great seasons. I think Gareth Bale has been outstanding but Van Persie has also been fantastic and very important for Manchester United’s title win.

Q: Earlier this season Michu was voted the most impressive signing for the first part of the season by Premier League managers. Were you surprised that he wasn’t a contender for the PFA Player of the Year Award?

ML: Yes, I was, because we won something. Domestically there are three titles: the Barclays Premier League; the FA Cup and the League Cup. We won one of them so a lot of the other players who were nominated were individuals who didn’t win anything, Suarez and Bale for example. We can agree that they are two outstanding players but they didn’t win anything, so, again I’m not saying that Michu is better than those two, but I am questioning what the criteria is when we nominate someone for an award like that.

Q: Were there any players in English football in general who have particularly impressed you with their quality this season?

ML: There have been a lot of players who have impressed me. Every weekend you come up against excellent players so it’s impossible for me to pick out just two or three. There are a lot of very good players for their teams and that’s what I am looking at when I watch teams. It varies from team to team, but in this division there are quality players in every position – sometimes the star player can be a forward, sometimes a goalkeeper, sometimes a left back.

Q: Which manager has impressed you from playing against their teams?

ML: Similarly, there are a lot of good managers and some managing teams that have beaten us so I could say them. However, if I had to pick one I would have to go for Sir Alex Ferguson. I think there were three teams that could win the title this season, Manchester City, United and Chelsea and Manchester United won it by a comfortable margin.

I always maintain that the players are the most important factor but I think in this case the manager is very, very important as well. Sir Alex Ferguson has done it year after year so a lot of credit must go to him.

Q: It wasn’t a successful season for English Premier League clubs in the Champions League. Do you see this as a blip or evidence as the start of a trend?

ML: One season can never be a trend, so it could just be a blip, I’m sure it will just be like that for one campaign – we will have to see what happens next year, though. It is similar to the debate everybody is having over whether German football is now better than Spanish football. Again, let’s see what happens next season.

Sometimes it depends on the draw as well. We saw a fantastic game between Manchester United and Real Madrid in the quarters so it’s difficult to say. Anyway, let’s see if in 12 months time we are sat here discussing why all the English sides have been knocked out of the Champions League before the semi finals.

Q: Having managed in Spain and now in England, how do they compare and where do their respective strengths lie?

ML: They’re two very different leagues, I believe they’re the two best leagues, I know the Germans won’t agree right now but that’s what I think. I think what you can say is that more teams in Spain are trying to play using the same passing philosophy where as here there are more contrasting styles, but that is all part of the challenge.

For more insight from Michael Laudrup and other leading managers plus exclusive Premier League highlights go to www.yahoo.co.uk/sport

From Soccerlens.com - Football News