Roque's agent launches attack on Xavi, hints at Barca exit (2024)

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Vitor Roque's agent has launched a stinging attack on Xavi and Barcelona over the Brazilian's lack of game time and hinted he could look to leave the club this summer.

The 19-year-old, who joined from Atletico Paranaense in a deal worth €30million plus as much again in potential add-ons in January, has had a difficult start to life at the Spanish club.

He has been limited to just 13 appearances in all competitions with just two of them starts and was again an unused substitute in the defeat at Girona on Saturday night.

Barca are planning to loan Roque out next season with the ideal scenario being for him to get regular minutes at another top-flight Spanish side to help him get to know the language and the style of football.

Agent Andre Cury, however, insists he and the player do not want a loan and would prefer to leave permanently if a "solution" cannot be found.

"Everyone thinks Vitor Roque should play more minutes but no one understands why the manager does not let him," he told RAC1.

"Xavi has never spoken to the player. I don’t understand this situation and I don’t think it’s good for any side here. I told the kid that what he needs to do right now is to work more than ever and wait for his chance, but I also think there have been enough games and moments to give him minutes to avoid this situation.

"I spoke with (sporting director) Deco. The kid is under contract here, and in fact we chose Barcelona over other clubs where offers doubled the player’s salary. I am sure Vitor Roque will be a big player, but if Barcelona does not let him, either the club or the manager because I don’t know whose fault it is here, we’ll look for another path.

"We don’t want a loan. If the club does not want to keep Roque, he will have to be sold. There’s plenty of clubs interested in Vitor Roque. If the club does not make room for him, we’ll look for a solution."

Emma Hayes insisted the Women's Super League title race is "not f****** over" after Chelsea roared back into contention on Sunday.

After watching Arsenal stun leaders Manchester City earlier in the day, Hayes's reigning champions beat already-relegated Bristol City 8-0 at Kingsmeadow to swing the goal difference battle — and momentum — back in their favour.

Hayes had said after defeat at Liverpool on Wednesday that the title defence was "done" but with two games remaining Chelsea are back in the hunt for a fifth-straight title in what will be her final season at the club.

"Let me be clear, it’s not f****** over," Hayes told the crowd after her final home game. "There is no time for sentimentality. All work drinks are cancelled. There’s a title to be won.

"That group of players, I’ve been here 12 years, no matter what, with a group of people driving standards, this group taught me something so special this week that you never, ever give up. This is Chelsea."

Stina Blackstenius scored twice in the final moments to earn Arsenal a shock 2-1 comeback win over City earlier on Sunday to open the door for Chelsea to rally back into the race.

Chelsea now face Tottenham Hotspur in their game in hand before what looks to be a final-day shootout for the title with City facing Aston Villa and her side travelling to Manchester United.

"If you told me at the beginning of the day Arsenal would beat City in the last five minutes and we would win 8-0, what are the odds of that?," Hayes told Sky Sports.

"That shows when you have belief. I said to the players if Man City slip up we have to be ready. Today was another opportunity to get closer to something that was slipping out of our grasp.

"I’m super proud. Everything Chelsea represents are days like today."

Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin says his England ambitions remain as strong as ever following a return to form and fitness.

Calvert-Lewin, capped 11 times by England, has four goals in his last five appearances, having gone five months without a Premier League goal between November and April.

Asked about his aims of returning to the England squad, the 27-year-old replied: "Of course. That’s always my main goal, to play for my country: it’s the best feeling in the world. For now, I’m fit and healthy and scoring goals and I’ll see where that takes me. I believe that on my day, I belong there."

Calvert-Lewin's 2022-23 campaign was disrupted by injury, before he went 18 Premier League games without a goal.

"I always reflect on my own performances and I know when I’m not quite there," he continued. "Nobody puts more pressure on me than myself. It’s a good group and they supported me through it. I always knew that I was going to score eventually, I was just a matter of time."

Guro Reiten say Chelsea are capable of achieving "anything" after bridging the goal difference gap at the top of the Women's Super League with an 8-0 win over Bristol City.

Emma Hayes appeared to concede the WSL title race was all but over for her side after Wednesday's loss to Liverpool, but leaders Manchester City's late defeat to Arsenal on Sunday coupled with Chelsea'a emphatic win left proceedings finely poised at the league summit.

Chelsea trail City by three points but have a game in hand and now boast a marginally superior goal difference (+46 vs +45) after Sunday's win.

Winger Reiten scored four goals, Aggie Beaver-Jones was on the scoresheet twice, and Sjoeke Nusken and Niamh Charles each netted once.

"Today’s been a good day for us with the result before we started," Reiten told Sky Sports. "We fought for every goal. Two games to go, it’s going to be fun.

"We’ve been in so many situations this is a new one for us, we have to chase goals. But we can do anything."

David Moyes pointed to the loss of “best midfield player in the country” Declan Rice after another heavy away defeat for West Ham United, this time at Chelsea.

England international Rice left West Ham for Arsenal in a £105million transfer last summer and has gone on to play a key role in Mikel Arteta’s side’s title charge.

In the 25-year-old’s absence West Ham have often been vulnerable defensively, particularly on the road where they have lost nine of their 18 games, conceding 43 goals in the process.

That includes a 4-1 reverse at Aston Villa, a 5-0 defeat to Fulham and the 5-2 loss at Crystal Palace a fortnight ago.

Moyes' side lost 5-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday leaving their under-pressure manager to field more questions on how he can turn their form around.

Asked to explain the poor results away from home, Moyes said: "Declan Rice.

"When you’ve got the best midfield player in the country protecting, probably limiting 50 per cent of their attacks it makes you much a better defensive team.

"We’ve lacked protection in front of the back four, lacked good enough defending, not been good enough at those things in many games.”

Harry Maguire is expected to miss the remainder of the Premier League season after being ruled out for around three weeks with a muscle injury sustained in training.

The England international, 31, has a chance of returning for the FA Cup final against Manchester City and is expected to fully recover in time for this summer’s European Championship, which begins in Germany on June 14.

He is set to miss Manchester United’s final four matches of the Premier League season against Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Brighton. United conclude the season with the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 25, facing rivals City in a repeat of last season’s final.

Maguire's absence adds to United's defensive injury list, with Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, Willy Kambwala, Jonny Evans and Tyrell Malacia all sidelined. Evans is in contention to return against Palace on Monday after a month out, having returned to training this week.

United's extensive injury list has forced defensive midfielder Casemiro to deputise at centre-back alongside Maguire in recent weeks.

Sunday served up a busy day of Premier League action...

• Chelsea 5-0 West Ham United
• Brighton 1-0 Aston Villa
• Liverpool 4-2 Tottenham

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