Vietnam national team's defensive pillar makes coach Kim Sang-sik breathe a sigh of relief; Defender Doan Van Hau still hasn't recovered from injury

The mainstay of Vietnam's defense makes coach Kim Sang-sik breathe a sigh of relief

September 26, Hanoi Police Clubwill host Lion City Sailors at home in the 2024-2025 ASEAN Club Championship.

Speaking at the press conference, Coach Polking said that the match with Lion City Sailors is very important for the Hanoi Police Club.

“Tomorrow’s game is very important for us. Our goal is to get three points to gain an advantage in the race for the semi-finals,” said Mr. Polking.

Notably, in the interview, the German-Brazilian coach also revealed the injury status of central defender Bui Hoang Viet Anh.

“Basically, Viet Anh is ready to practice again. He is currently practicing with the team's fitness coach. As for Tran Dinh Trong, he is not really ready yet," said coach Polking.

The fact that Bui Hoang Viet Anh can practice and is ready to return to competition is good news for the police team. At the same time, this also makes coach Kim Sang-sik relieve his worries about the defense of the Vietnamese team.

In the September 2024 meeting,Coach Kim Sang-sikBui Hoang Viet Anh's name was included in the call-up list. But in the end, the central defender born in 1999 could not join the national team due to injury.

Man City find Rodri's replacement

AS said that Man City's board of directors wants to add more personnel to the midfield in the January 2025 transfer window. Man City's executive team is considering alternatives to Rodri and Zubimendi is the most considered name.

Zubimendi was Liverpool's number one target last summer. The Kop even reached an agreement worth more than £50 million with Real Sociedad to have the Spanish midfielder's services. However, at the last minute, Zubimendi decided to stay with the Basque team.

Zubimendi's transfer fee will not be an issue forMan CityThe Euro 2024 winner has a £51m release clause in his contract with Real Sociedad, a figure Man City can easily meet.

The Etihad Stadium team has a large budget after selling Julian Alvarez to Atletico for more than 90 million Euros. The remaining problem for Pep Guardiola is to successfully convince Zubimendi to play in England. Last summer, Liverpool failed to convince Zubimendi to leave his home country.

With a playing style similar to Rodri, the 25-year-old player successfully replaced his senior in the Euro 2024 final against England. Therefore, it is understandable that Man City wants to recruit Zubimendi.

Center back Raphael Varane officially announced his retirement

French, Italian and Spanish media have reported that Varane is considering retiring from football after suffering a serious knee injury late last month. His recovery has not gone as expected, causing the French centre-back to decide to terminate his contract with Como and retire earlier than expected.

Not long after, Raphael Varane officially confirmed his decision on his personal page. He shared: “All good things must come to an end. I am extremely proud and happy with the moments I have experienced in my career. Now it is time for me to say goodbye to the game we all love.”

Raphael Varane started his career at Lens before joining Real Madrid in the summer of 2011, at the age of 18. Here, he quickly made a name for himself and became an important part of the Los Blancos squad.

During 10 years wearing the shirtReal Madrid, Varane has won a total of 18 major and minor titles, including 4 Champions League titles and 3 La Liga titles.

After leaving Real Madrid in 2021, Varane joined Man Utd, where he won two more trophies, including the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. However, his time at Man Utd was not as successful as expected due to constant injuries. This summer, Varane moved to Italian club Como, but suffered an injury after only 20 minutes of his first match, forcing him to decide to retire.

Defender Doan Van Hau has not yet recovered from injury

Not long ago, Doan Van Hauwent to Korea to continue treatment for his injury. It is known that the place Van Hau went to was a famous hospital in Korea introduced by coach Kim Sang-sik.

Coach Kim Sang-sik and Park Hang-seo's representative company is also the connecting unit for this trip. At this time, there are many questions being raised, whether the defender born in 1999 is ready to return to competition. But according to the investigation, Van Hau has not fully recovered and cannot play.

With the current situation, the Thai Binh player may find it difficult to join the Vietnamese team at the AFF Cup 2024.

Returning to the Vietnam team, according to a source, coach Kim Sang-sik and his colleagues are looking for a series of new players. It is likely that 3-4 new players will be called up by Mr. Kim. In October 2024, the red team will have 2 friendly matches with Lebanon and India. These are 2 important matches for the Vietnam team to aim for the AFF Cup 2024./.