Barcelona fans have been called ‘shameful’ after booing one of their players ahead of their pre-season friendly against Egyptian side Al Ahly.

The two sides clashed at Camp Nou in Barca’s traditional Joan Gamper Cup match ahead of the La Liga campaign. Hansi Flick’s men prevailed with a 2-1 win courtesy of goals from Hamza Abdelkarim (29′) and Raphinha (45′ Pen), while Zico (51′) pulled one back for the visitors.

There was plenty for fans to be excited about, including the unveiling of new signing Rodri, while England’s Anthony Gordon impressed on the left wing. Flick’s Blaugrana head into the new season with a new-look team, but some supporters appear dissatisfied to see one of his players remain in the squad.

Barcelona Fans Boo De Jong Amid ‘Tension’

Via Reuters

While Rodri received a huge ovation from supporters following his £65 million arrival from Manchester City, his new teammate Frenkie de Jong was instead greeted with jeers. The Dutch midfielder has been embroiled in a controversial saga following reports from Spanish journalist Gerardo Romero.

Romero claimed last season that De Jong had refused to play against Atletico Madrid and that he held a difficult relationship with Flick. The former Ajax midfielder has since refuted those claims while speaking to the club’s official channel:

”Gerard Romero reported, and he himself set all of this in motion, that I refused to play against Atlético in the Champions League last year. That is not true. It is simply not correct.”

De Jong also dismissed Romero’s suggestion that he and Flick are on bad terms, insisting ‘none of that is true’ and that their relationship was ‘actually very good’. But there have been questions asked about the Dutchman’s fitness and how he managed a knee injury during the World Cup with the Netherlands.

A report from The Athletic claims that Flick is frustrated that De Jong played through the pain barrier during the international tournament. He is expected to be back fit around November, depending on the recovery progress, meaning he’ll miss the start of Barca’s La Liga title defence.

De Jong reported that he was still in pain after returning from the World Cup in July, and further examination revealed that his injury was more serious than initially thought. This is the latest tension to arise between the player and the club following a failed move to Manchester United back in 2023 when the Blaugrana pushed for him to leave and join the Premier League giants.

Fans Hit Out at De Jong Treatment

De Jong didn’t play in the win over Al Ahly due to his knee injury, but he appeared before fans at Camp Nou as part of a squad announcement. While he smiled and waved to fans, it was clear many are still taking issue with the Dutch midfielder, and his recent interview failed to quash rumors of behind-the-scenes issues.

After a clip of the incident surfaced on X, some fans, including Barca supporters, hit back at the boo boys. One fan wrote:

Another supporter added:

Another called the boos:

While one wrote:

Another replied:

De Jong has been with Barca since January 2019 when he arrived from Ajax in a €75 million (£64.3m) deal, and he’s since made over 295 appearances, winning the La Liga title three times. He has endured recurring injury issues and a hot-and-cold relationship with fans during his seven years at Camp Nou.

Newcastle United have emerged as a potential destination for versatile AC Milan forward Christopher Nkunku this summer, with the Magpies said to be one of the clubs ‘ahead’ in the race for his signature.

The Magpies kick off their upcoming Premier League campaign with the visit of Liverpool to St James’ Park on Sunday afternoon.

That, of course, means the return of a certain Alexander Isak. The Magpies will hope that the Sweden international does not come back to haunt them, the way his exit still does.

Newcastle United spent heavily on recruiting Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa to replace Isak last summer, but those investments have not yet proved fruitful. The Magpies lack a 20-goal-a-season talisman and perhaps a new arrival could provide that.

Newcastle Are ‘Serious Option’ for Christopher Nkunku

Foot Mercato report the latest on the future of Nkunku. The Frenchman only arrived at AC Milan from Chelsea last summer, the Italian giants paying £35 million for the forward.

The 28-year-old has managed seven Serie A goals and three assists but never cemented a place in the starting XI. Nkunku had been expected to be handed a prominent role under Ruben Amorim but a difficult pre-season has left the player once again facing being moved on.

It’s claimed that Newcastle United are a very ‘serious option’ for Nkunku, while Borussia Dortmund and former club RB Leipzig are also touted as potential suitors.

Jaissle expressed his concern about his side’s strength in depth following the friendly defeat to Everton last week. He said: “We handle these things internally, we are aware of what we need and there is still some time.

The report of interest aligns with Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie. In a transfer update on YouTube on Tuesday, the reporter said: “Nkunku has been offered to Newcastle who haven’t made a decision yet. He’s also been offered to a couple of other clubs. I think Jaissle would be interested in him if there was an opportunity.”

Nkunku is a player who could tempt Magpies head coach Matthias Jaissle. The incoming Newcastle United boss favours a 4-2-3-1 formation and the ex Chelsea man thrives in the number 10 role – the forward plundered 16 goals and six assists over the 2022/23 Bundesliga season in that role. Could he be the long-awaited answer to the departure of Isak?

What does Matthias Jaissle want from a number 10?

• Jaissle wants a number 10 who not only operates between the midfield and striker, but capable of making runs behind the defence.
• Creativity and ability to find a final pass to set up a goal.
• A dynamism and flexibility to shift across the pitch, rather than remaining fixed in formation.
• Aggression without the ball and capable of closing down quickly.

The outlet claims that Nkunku is very keen to leave AC Milan and is longing for a head coach who believes in the impact he can have on a team. The striker is not likely to make the move to Saudi Arabia or Turkey and still harbours Champions League ambitions.

AC Milan would look to recoup at least £30 million of the money paid to Chelsea for Nkunku just one year ago. Recruiting a player to specialise in that number 10 role is a priority for the Magpies.

An English athletics coach and former gold medalist who was thought to be missing is reportedly in prison after sexually assaulting a minor.

Three months ago, Leon Baptiste vanished, and UK Athletics and the sprinters he had been coaching had lost contact with him. This came after he sent a group of athletes a short message saying he wouldn’t be training them ‘for a while,’ and there had been no further communication since.

A brief email was sent to those individuals on behalf of Baptiste on Tuesday informing them that he had resigned from his position due to an unspecified health issue. This came after the media reported he was ‘missing’ and had disappeared in Morocco.

Leon Baptiste Jailed in Morocco as Details Emerge

Action Images / John Sibley

An update on Baptiste has since emerged, and BBC Sport have revealed that the consultant sprinting coach is serving jail time in Morocco. They claim that a source at the Moroccan Ministry of Justice has confirmed that he was arrested in Marrakech back in May.

Baptiste was convicted and has been serving a custodial sentence in Al-Oudaya prison. He was originally sentenced to 10 months, but this was later reduced to eight months on appeal.

The source is quoted as saying: “In relation to the reports concerning the alleged ‘disappearance of Leon Baptiste’ – an English athletics coach reportedly missing in Morocco for more than two months under questionable circumstances – please note that the information published in this regard is inaccurate and does not reflect the facts of the case.”

“The foreign national concerned had not lost contact with his surroundings and was not subject to any disappearance or unexplained absence. He is currently being held at the local prison in Marrakech, where he is serving a custodial sentence following his conviction by the competent judicial authorities in connection with a misdemeanour case.”

In response to concerns over his health following his email, they claimed that the 41-year-old is “in good health.” Delving further into the reasoning behind his arrest and prison sentence, a spokesperson for the Morocco Public Prosecution Office explained:

“The British national is currently being held at the local prison in Marrakech, where he is serving a custodial sentence following a court judgment against him in connection with his involvement in a criminal case.”

In Morocco, misdemeanors are classified as medium-level offenses and carry sentences of around one to five years. A minor is deemed to be 18 in the northwest African country in which Baptiste is alleged to have carried out his crime.

At the height of his career, Baptiste won two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Olympian Beth Dobbin is among the list of sprinters he has coached since retiring at the age of 28 due to a long-term knee injury.

UK Foreign Office on Baptiste Imprisonment

Action Images / Steven Paston

The UK Foreign Office have since responded to the confirmation of Baptiste’s whereabouts and a spokesperson has stated: “We are supporting a British national who is detained in Morocco and are in contact with the authorities.”

Baptiste is believed to have traveled to Maarkech with three former British athletes, and they have since returned to the UK. None of them have replied to the BBC for comment on the situation while his family are aware of his imprisonment.

Olympic bronze medalist Charlie Dobson and Paralympic silver medalist Zac Shaw were left without a designated coach before the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow earlier this summer and the European Championships in Birmingham, which concluded just three days ago.

Baptiste had been coaching the pair, but his absence meant that Adam Gemili and Martyn Rooney provided support to the affected athletes. His abrupt departure caused huge disruption for sprinters, with many ‘ill-prepared’ and ‘frustrated.’

BBC Sport claims that after speaking with individuals from British athletics, Baptiste’s confidants, the UK Foreign Office, and Moroccan authorities, they learned his whereabouts were known but being withheld. It was when they spoke to the Moroccan Public Prosecution Office that they were given details of the case.