Champions League final buildup and World Cup transfer news
The Story
This live blog covers Champions League final buildup between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest, World Cup updates including a potential allegiance switch for Sassuolo player Volpato from Italy to Australia, and transfer news regarding Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté. The article also reports conflicting signals about the Iran-US World Cup match in Los Angeles following the February 28 attack, though the game appears on track.
Key Facts
- Sassuolo’s 22-year-old Cristian Volpato is expected to switch international allegiance from Italy to Australia, four years after turning down Italy for the Qatar World Cup; Football Australia awaits FIFA confirmation before Socceroos coach Tony Popovic names his 26-player World Cup squad by 1 June.
- Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said he was disappointed with Christian Pulisic for missing the Gold Cup and that Pulisic was disappointed with his exclusion from friendly games against Switzerland and Turkey.
- Kai Havertz, looking ahead to Arsenal’s Champions League final against PSG in Budapest on Saturday, recalled being underdogs when Chelsea beat Manchester City in 2021.
- If Ibrahima Konaté leaves Liverpool out of contract, it would be the second consecutive year after Trent Alexander-Arnold departed to Real Madrid for £10m; Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes faces a blow with new defenders Jacquet and Leoni injured and speculation over Joe Gomez’s future.
- The World Cup fixture between Iran and the US in Los Angeles has faced uncertainty after the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February; conflicting signals existed about travel and welcome, but the game is expected to go ahead with potential protests by the local Iranian population.
- A tactical preview notes PSG scored eight non-penalty set-play goals to Arsenal’s five in the Champions League; Arsenal’s biggest danger is counterattack, especially from PSG’s Desiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia; Arsenal full-backs Ben White (knee) and Jurriën Timber (groin, doubtful) are issues.
- Opta Analyst preview states PSG’s key players have been heavily rotated in Ligue 1; Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé started only 11 of 34 league games, others like Neves, Mendes, and Fabián Ruiz started 13 each.
Conflicting Reports
The article notes conflicting signals regarding whether Iran would allow its national team to travel to the US for the World Cup match and whether the US would welcome them, though the game now appears set to proceed.
Still Unclear
- Whether FIFA will confirm Volpato’s allegiance change before the 1 June squad deadline.
- The full extent of Arsenal’s full-back availability for the final, with Timber doubtful.
- Whether Konaté will actually leave Liverpool out of contract.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Cristian Volpato, Sassuolo player (22)
- Tony Popovic, Socceroos coach
- Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea manager
- Christian Pulisic, Chelsea/USMNT player
- Kai Havertz, Arsenal player
- Ibrahima Konaté, Liverpool defender
- Richard Hughes, Liverpool sporting director
- Desiré Doué, PSG player
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, PSG player
- Ben White, Arsenal defender (injured)
- Jurriën Timber, Arsenal defender (doubtful)
- Ousmane Dembélé, PSG player (Ballon d’Or winner)
Sources: The Guardian
