Thanh Hoa FC's goalkeeper hopes to have the opportunity to play as a striker; Barcelona closes in on Real Madrid's throne.

Thanh Hoa FC loses foreign player, Vietnam national team goalkeeper could play as a striker.

Goalkeeper Trinh Xuan Hoang hopes to have the opportunity to play as a striker, even though he is primarily a goalkeeper for Thanh Hoa FC.

"Trinh Xuan Hoang trained as a striker for a while when Thanh Hoa team was severely short of players. He wanted to play as a striker," goalkeeper coach Truong Manh Ha shared about his student's aspirations.

During the recent period, there were times when Dong A Thanh Hoa only registered 17 players, with two or three players injured and unable to play. At that time, head coach Mai Xuan Hop had Xuan Hoang wear a yellow jersey like a normal player and warm up in the forward position. Unfortunately, he didn't get a chance to play.

Trinh Xuan Hoang once scored 6 goals in an internal training match of Dong A Thanh Hoa. He scored with both feet, including headers and a spectacular goal. His teammates even jokingly called him "the Haaland of Thanh Hoa".

Trinh Xuan Hoang still has a chance to play as a striker for Thanh Hoa. On April 18th, striker Gordon Rimario announced he would no longer play for Dong A Thanh Hoa. The striker was unhappy with the team's difficulties and chose to return home to rest instead of continuing to play.

Increasing foreign players and the long-term challenge.

The proposal to allow each V-League club to register up to five foreign players, and permitting four foreign players to appear on the field at the same time, is causing debate as it directly impacts the league and the development of Vietnamese football.

From a positive perspective, increasing the number of foreign players allowed in V-League clubs will give them more options to improve squad depth. Teams participating in continental competitions will also have more control over their squad planning. According to football expert Phan Anh Tú, Vice President and General Secretary of the Hanoi Football Federation, to achieve the goal of increasing foreign players, the financial capacity of the clubs must be considered first. If only a few teams have the financial resources to compete, while others struggle to cover expenses like Đông Á Thanh Hóa currently, such a change will create a huge disparity.

Besides finances, the issue of domestic players also needs careful consideration. If foreign players become more prevalent and occupy more key positions, Vietnamese players will naturally have less playing time domestically. The overseas stints of Vietnamese players haven't been very successful, and opportunities to showcase their skills have been limited, as seen with players like Cong Vinh, Quang Hai, Van Hau, Xuan Truong, and Cong Phuong. For these players, there's no clearer path to development than playing, gaining experience, and facing challenges.

Palmer poured cold water on MU.

Cole Palmer has dismissed rumors of joining Manchester United, while also asserting that he has no plans to leave Chelsea in the near future.

Cole Palmer has spoken out to quell speculation surrounding his future after being linked with Manchester United. The English midfielder said he could only laugh when he read reports suggesting he wanted to leave Chelsea because he missed home.

Palmer came through the Manchester City academy, but has repeatedly admitted to being a Manchester United fan since childhood. This detail has fueled rumors of a move to Old Trafford in recent times.

However, the 23-year-old star denied everything. “People just talk. When I see those reports, I just laugh,” Palmer shared.Guardian.

He added: “Manchester is my hometown. My family is there, but I don’t miss it. Maybe if I don’t go back for three months, I’ll see things differently. But every time I return, I think there’s nothing left for me there anymore.”

Palmer joined Chelsea in 2023 for a fee of £42.5 million and quickly became a key player. After his first two seasons scoring 43 goals in 97 games, the midfielder has only managed 10 goals this season.

Barcelona closes in on Real Madrid's throne.

Hansi Flick's team has the opportunity to equal El Clasico history and close the title gap with Real Madrid.

Despite being eliminated from the Champions League, Barcelona still have a chance to end the season impressively. The Catalan team is close to winning La Liga and also has the potential to close the historic gap with Real Madrid.

Real Madrid currently have a slight advantage in El Clasico record. If Barcelona win their next match, they will increase their total number of wins to 106, equaling their arch-rivals. The two teams have also had 52 draws.

Besides La Liga, Barcelona also has a strong motivation in terms of total titles. If they win this season, they will have 104 official titles in their history, just one title behind Real Madrid.

In domestic competitions, Real Madrid still leads with 36 La Liga titles. Barcelona will have their 29th title if they finish first this season. In the Champions League, the gap remains very large, with Real Madrid having won 15 times compared to Barcelona's 5.

However, the Catalan team has a clear advantage in the Copa del Rey with 32 titles, 12 more than Real Madrid. Barcelona also leads 18-14 in the Spanish Super Cup.

With the current statistics, Barcelona cannot yet surpass Real Madrid in terms of overall achievements. However, if they maintain their form, they will create the greatest pressure on the Royal team in many years.