"I hope the fans blow up the Wanda Metropolitano, that it explodes," said Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone at the news conference following his side's 1-1 Europa League semifinal first-leg draw at Arsenal last week. "There must be positive energy to accompany these kids. I get goosebumps thinking of how next Thursday could be." Simeone was still pumping as he spoke -- having watched from the stands as Atletico's 10 men battled to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates following Sime Vrsaljko's early red card, with the Argentine also sent off for abusing the referee soon afterwards. "Hopefully our fans can help us to go through in the return," Antoine Griezmann said. "We must do it now, we expect a euphoric atmosphere at the Wanda." It seemed, maybe, as if Simeone and Griezmann had momentarily forgotten their team had moved home last season. Atletico's old, crumbling Vicente Calderon stadium was a place that exploded and grew eupho...
Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez joined a Tottenham Hotspur training session on Thursday as part of work towards his professional coaching badges.
Raul, 40, who retired from playing in 2015, was pictured alongside fellow striker Fernando Llorente at Hotspur Way as Spurs prepared for Saturday's home game against West Brom.
Along with other ex-players including former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso and World Cup winner Marcos Senna, he is on a six-week fast-track course for the UEFA A and B licences which would allow him to coach youth teams.
After a year of coaching at youth level, they will be free to obtain a UEFA Pro License and move into senior coaching and management.
The course teaches topics including club management, nutrition, psychology, medicine and team building.
Spurs recently said their former midfielder Ryan Mason, who retired in February, was undertaking his coaching badges at the club.