Roy Keane on the Conference League final between Aston Villa and Rayo Vallecano: “I think this match finally ended one unnecessary debate about the leagues. People keep comparing La Liga to the Premier League, but the level is completely different. For a team sitting 15th in England like Crystal Palace to comfortably beat a side placed 8th in Spain in a European final tells you everything. That’s why players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi found it easier in Spain. There’s no real competition across the league most seasons, it’s mainly two clubs dominating and rotating trophies, while every week in the Premier League feels like a battZlatan Ibrahimović reacts to Barcelona reportedly spending £80m on Anthony Gordon: 🗣️ “Listen, Anthony Gordon is a very good player. Fast, aggressive, fearless, always running at defenders. I like his mentality. But £80 million? That is pressure before you even touch the ball. At FC Barcelona, people don’t care about potential after that kind of money. They expect magic immediately. Barcelona is not a normal club. One bad game and the whole world talks. Two bad games and they already call you a flop. That’s why I always say: talent is one thing, surviving Barcelona mentally is another thing completely. For me, Gordon has quality, yes. But with that price tag, he must become a star instantly or the noise will destroy him. Football today is crazy. Clubs spend huge money too quickly because the market has lost control. In my era, £80 million was for players who already dominated Europe for years. Now one strong season and suddenly the price becomes superstar level. So I understand the excitement… but honestly, that amount is too muchle.”
