Liverpool Monday round-up: Zidane reads about Coutinho in Gazzetta, Sakho knows how to text and Balotelli think French fans are hot

 

It’s been an absolute belter of the day for Liverpool news, and most of it involves either Philippe Coutinho or Mamadou Sakho.

Team of the week and Real Madrid interest

Every Monday, we tend to cover the Gazzetta dello Sport team of the week section, as, unlike most newspapers, they also have a look at what went on around Europe.

Setting up as a 3-4-3 with Victor Valdes in goal, Philippe Coutinho’s inclusion on the right of midfield could be excused if Gareth Bale, who plays on the right, wasn’t put on the left.

Either way, the Brazilian midfielder is included, and given the second highest grade of the week, tied with Chelsea’s Eden Hazard.

Have a look at it here.

Such a performance on Sunday was bound to provide some excitement in the transfer world, and Diario Gol have jumped on the bandwagon, claiming Real Madrid want Coutinho, probably after seeing Zidane read Gazzetta dello Sport’s Team of the Week section (but most likely not).

The reason behind this is he’s not happy with James Rodriguez, and he wants someone new in the position, with the Brazilian top of his list.

James Rodriguez + cash? That would be a bold move from Jürgen Klopp.

More detail here.

Sakho’s texting habits revealed

Chatting to girls? Nope. Having a group WhatsApp with his Liverpool teammates? Probably. Complaining to his national team manager about his time on Merseyside? You bet.

Speaking to Téléfoot on Sunday, Didier Deschamps let slip that he’d been talking to Mamadou Sakho recently, with the France defender being frozen out by Klopp and all.

His advice? You can read all about it here.

Balotelli has a nice chat with French TV 

The last time the former Liverpool striker was interviewed by someone in France, he was getting a massage after a game.

This time, Balotelli was fully clothed and sat down with Téléfoot in France to discuss his time in the south of France with Nice so far.

Among other things, he discussed how his transfer came about, and you won’t believe who was the one who made everything happen!!!!

You probably will, and you can find out who exactly by clicking here.

Then, talking how someone in Nice buys a shirt with his name on it every 6 (SIX) minutes, the player gave the rather controversial (in Liverpool fans’ eyes, no doubt) opinion that Nice fans were ‘hotter’ than those from Merseyside.

By that he meant in atmosphere creating, not looks. Although he might have meant that too. Who knows?