NGK SPORTS UPDATES

Hakim Ziyech relieved that a move to Arsenal or Barcelona collapsed in 2017

Hakim Ziyech says he is glad a proposed move away from Ajax in 2018 collapsed because it allowed him to improve before joining Chelsea two years later.

The Morocco forward made his Blues debut in last week’s 3-3 draw with Southampton following a £38million move back in February.

Ziyech has previously admitted Barcelona and Arsenal were his two ‘ultimate’ dreams but back in 2018 he was set to join Roma.

Fortunately for Frank Lampard’s side, the transfer fell through and Ziyech remained in Amsterdam for two more years.

‘Two years ago I almost moved somewhere else but it didn’t happen. For myself, looking backwards now, I’m happy I didn’t because from that moment I had an incredible journey with Ajax as well,’ the 27-year-old said.

‘An amazing time, I improved a lot on the highest stage in Europe and this summer was the time to move on, to step up and I’m really happy I had the last two years at Ajax and I think the last two years

The Morocco forward made his Blues debut in last week’s 3-3 draw with Southampton following a £38million move back in February.

Ziyech has previously admitted Barcelona and Arsenal were his two ‘ultimate’ dreams but back in 2018 he was set to join Roma.

Fortunately for Frank Lampard’s side, the transfer fell through and Ziyech remained in Amsterdam for two more years.

Florentino Perez’s three-minute visit to the Real Madrid dressing room

There were long faces and there was tension in the Real Madrid dressing room following Real Madrid’s 3-2 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday night. Club president Florentino Perez saw that first hand, as he stopped by to see the players following their second defeat in a row.

It’s normal for Perez to visit the dressing room following a match, but this time his visit was much briefer. As such, he was only there for three minutes as this wasn’t a night for casual conversations.

It was perhaps a positive for Real Madrid that there were no fans present, as such a defeat in front of a full Estadio Santiago Bernabeu could have heightened the tension further. Instead, they were at a near-empty Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano as they fell to defeat because of a dreadful first half performance.

They also lost there to Cadiz on Saturday and the Real Madrid directors can’t understand how another similar loss followed so soon. The blame is shared by the players and by Zinedine Zidane, who admitted he has work to do in his post-match press conference.

Up next are two difficult away matches as Real Madrid will face Barcelona in El Clasico on Saturda

Up next are two difficult away matches as Real Madrid will face Barcelona in El Clasico on Saturday and then Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany on Tuesday in the next matchday of this Champions League group that is already complicated for Los Blancos.

Real Madrid have overcome crises like these before, though. Just last season they started their Champions League campaign with one point from the first two matches and they also followed that October international break with a LaLiga Santander loss, that time falling at Real Mallorca. They managed to stay alive in Europe and went on to win the Supercopa de Espana and the LaLiga Santander title. They’ll aim to turn things around this season in a similar way.

Martinez Munuera will referee saturday’s Clasico between Barca and Real Madrid

The Spanish football federation (RFEF) have announced their refereeing appointments for this weekend’s Matchday Seven fixtures and Juan Martinez Munuera will be the man in the middle for El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou. In the VAR room for the game will be Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez.

Martinez Munuera has refereed Real Madrid on 24 occasions over his career and their record with him is 15 wins, eight draws and four defeats. He has already overseen a Real Madrid game this term as he took charge of their goalless draw with Real Sociedad to start their 2020/21 campaign.

He has overseen 21 Barcelona matches, meanwhile. It’s a similar record of 15 wins, three draws and three defeats. His last time refereeing the Catalan club came in the final games of last season when he was at the Camp Nou for their 2-0 victory over Leganes.

Fifty Real Madrid players have been booked by Martinez Munuera and Jesus Vallejo was once shown a red card, while 49 Barcelona players have been shown the yellow card by this weekend’s referee. Each of the two teams have been awarded five penalties by the 38-year-old official.

This match will be his first ever Clasico, recognition for the hard work and good officiating he has displayed in recent seasons.

The match kicks off at 16:00 CEST on Saturday at the Camp Nou.

Healthy Weeknight Meals

Cooking can sometimes feel like a chore at the end of a busy day. It’s often tempting to throw a ready meal in the oven or call for take out. But preparing a simple and healthy family meal doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming. Here are some quick wholesome dishes that you and your family will love. They can even be prepared in advance.

Better than Poutine

I know, what could be better that a steaming plate of fries, gravy and cheese curd? Fries, gravy, cheese curd and bacon, that’s what! Throw in some fresh shallots, chilli, and a splash of roasted bone marrow and duck gravy, and we turn this popular French-Canadian dish into a something sublime.

Breakfast at my House

During the week we’re often walking out the door with a coffee in one hand and slice of toast in the other, but on weekends breakfast is never rushed. It’s a late affair, sometimes spilling over to lunch, with lots of reading and chatter in between courses of fruits, poached eggs, honey and toast. One of our favorite things we like to serve when friends are visiting are buckwheat blueberry pancakes.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

There’s nothing better than a warm bowl of pumpkin soup on a cold autumn day. Combine your roasted pumpkin with some onion, garlic, vegetable broth, and a few spices, and give it some time to simmer away. Pair it with a few slices of fresh bread to turn it into something sublime.