VERMAELEN HIGHLIGHTS THREE OUTCAST STARS WHO COULD BE CRUCIAL FOR BARCA

Before the international break commenced yesterday, Barcelona were in wonderland. The team was scoring goals for fun, the defence looked impeachable, and most importantly, all players looked fit and ready to go ahead of a hectic season. In fact, Sergi Roberto was the only Barcelona player who had picked up an injury this season pre-break. He was subbed off at half-time against Viktoria Plzen, and missed the subsequent matches even though Xavi downplayed it as a knock.


On the first day of the scheduled matches, Jules Kounde picked up a hamstring injury, and has been ruled out for a month. Ousmane Dembele seemed to have developed some muscle fatigue, too, but has been deemed fit as of now. Meanwhile, Poland may have lost 0-2 against the Netherlands, but Barcelona went two down themselves. At half-time, Frenkie de Jong was subbed off as a precaution, and has already returned to the club to nurse a minor injury. Continue reading

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           VERMAELEN WANTS SERGIO BUSQUETS TO STAY AT BARCELONA BEYOND 2023

According to Mundo Deportivo, Sergio Busquets has his sights set on an exit from Barcelona in the summer of 2023, with MLS outfit Inter Miami emerging as a feasible destination for the 34-year-old midfielder. Busquets is a product of the Barcelona youth academy and has been a permanent fixture in the first-team setup for over a decade after his breakthrough under Pep Guardiola. One of the club captains at Camp Nou, the veteran Spaniard has enjoyed an illustrious career with the Blaugrana, making 676 appearances and winning a host of titles and trophies.

Busquets, though, has entered the final year of his contract with Barcelona and has recently been approached by MLS clubs over a possible transfer next summer. And, as per the aforementioned report, the Spanish international is keen on securing a move away from Camp Nou when his contract expires, with Inter Miami being touted as a possible destination for the midfielder. Continue reading

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VERMAELEN: CLUB CAREER IN FOCUS

Thomas Vermaelen played youth team football for Germinal Ekeren and Germinal Beerschot in his native Belgium before he joined the Ajax Amsterdam youth team. He spent three years in the Ajax academy before making his first-team debut for the first team at the Dutch club in 2003. Thomas Vermaelen won the league title in his first season with the Ajax Amsterdam senior team. He spent some loan at RKC Waalwijk before returning to Ajax Amsterdam to win the Dutch Cup twice and the Dutch Super Cup twice.


Vermaelen was made the Ajax captain when Klaas-Jan Huntelaar left the club in 2009. He was the Ajax skipper for the second half of the 2008/09 season before Arsenal signed him. Continue reading

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VERMAELEN: AJAX AMSTERDAM CAREER EXAMINED

Thomas Vermaelen began his football career at Germinal Ekeren in his native Belgium and he was in the youth team at the club before a merger changed the name of the club to Germinal Beerschot. Ajax Amsterdam signed Thomas Vermaelen from Germinal Beerschot in 2000 and he was in their youth team for over three years before his elevation to the first team during the second half of the 2003/04 season.


Vermaelen made his debut for Ajax Amsterdam first team during the 2-0 away win over FC Volendam on February 15, 2004. The centre back became a regular in the Ajax Amsterdam team upon his return from a loan spell as he was part of the squad that won the Dutch Cup in 2006 thus leading to a call-up to the Belgium senior national team. Thomas Vermaelen was part of the Ajax Amsterdam squad that won the 2006 Dutch Super Cup also known as the Johann Cryuff Shield and the Dutch Cup for a second successive season. Just like what was obtainable with the Dutch Cup, Vermaelen and Ajax Amsterdam won the Dutch Super Cup for the second successive season in 2007. Continue reading

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VERMAELEN RETIRES FROM FOOTBALL, BECOMES COACH

Thomas Vermaelen has retired from football and will take up a coaching role with the Belgium national team. His decision to retire from football was made known by the soccer federation in Belgium last week Friday.

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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DhIIauVXUAMEtco.jpg

36-year-old Thomas Vermaelen was a free agent before the announcement on his retirement after his contract at VisselKogbe in the Japanese top flight ended. The Belgian international spent two-and-a-half years with Vissel Kobe where he played with Spanish football icon Andres Iniesta. Vermaelen and Iniesta were also teammates at Barcelona. Utility defender Vermaelenjoined Vissel Kobe as a free agent on the back of his Barcelona exit. Thomas Vermaelenis a versatile defender who can play either as a centre back or as a left-back and he left Barcelona at the end of his contract with the Spanish La Liga club.
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VERMAELEN: BARCELONA TROPHY HAUL DISCLOSED

Thomas Vermaelen won a lot of trophies during his time at Barcelona though he was not always fit. The Belgian international had a lot of injuries at the Nou Camp on the back of his transfer from North London club Arsenal. On August 10, 2014, Thomas Vermaelen moved from Arsenal to Barcelona in a £15m deal. He signed a five-year deal at Barcelona until the summer of 2019.

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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EASsbL1W4AE1VO7.jpg

Vermaelen didn’t feature for Barcelona for several months after his transfer from the Premier League due to injuries. He had been pencilled down for a debut against APOEL Nicosia of Cyprus in the Champions League, before injury struck and he was taken out of the squad for the game. The Belgian had to undergo surgery to correct a recurring hamstring problem thereby ruling him out for four months at least.
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VERMAELEN: 2014 FA CUP FINAL REVIEW

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Belgian international Thomas Vermaelen had one FA Cup title to show for his time in the Premier League with Arsenal and that came during the 2013/14 season. The utility defender was part of the Arsenal squad that saw off stubborn Hull City in the final to win the FA Cup title at the end of that season.


Thomas Vermaelen was the Arsenal skipper but he was not in the starting XI for the Hull City. Gunners bossleft his captain out of the starting line-up for the biggest game of the season. One could argue that it was the biggest game at Arsenal for almost a decade as they had not won any major trophy for nine years with some almost-wins along the way. Continue reading

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BELGIUM: EURO 2020 TOURNAMENT REVIEW

Belgium went into the Euro 2020 tournament as the number one ranked team in the world and were seen as one of the favourites to win the tournament.

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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EE0nkOtXUAAcExT.jpg

The Red Devils were drawn in Group B at the tournament alongside Russia, Denmark and Finland who were making an appearance at the tournament for the first time. Belgium started the tournament with a comprehensive victory over hosts Russia. New Chelsea striker RomeluLukaku scored a brace in addition to the strike from substitute Thomas Meunier to propel Belgium to a 3-0 win over the Russians.Thomas Vermaelen started the Russia game on the bench before coming on as a substitute for fellow defender Jan Vertoghen in the second half.
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VERMAELEN TO RETAIN SPOT FOR ITALY

Vissel Kobe FC of Japan defender Thomas Vermaelen is set to retain his spot at the heart of defence for Belgium as they take on Italy in one of the quarterfinal games scheduled for Friday at Euro 2020. The quarterfinal encounter between Belgium and Italy is the most eagerly anticipated out of all the four last eight ties at the tournament with the two teams considered as football superpowers at the moment.

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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E46nwWnVUAEoFca.jpg

Thomas Vermaelen started the impressive round of 16 win over European champions Portugal at the centre of the back three employed by manager Roberto Martinez and he’s expected to maintain the same position when the Red Devils face the Italians at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Friday night. Belgium needed a moment of brilliance from Borussia Dortmund winger Thorgan Hazard to decide the game against Portugal.
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VERMAELEN: BARCELONA CAREER REVEALED

Spanish giants Barcelona stunned a lot of football stakeholders when they decided to sign Belgian international Thomas Vermaelen from Premier League giants Arsenal in the summer of 2014. Thomas Vermaelen had endured an injury-hit last few years at the Emirates Stadium and it was a little bit surprising when the Catalan giants splashed the cash to sign him.

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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DpO1K7_WkAAfCKw.jpg

Barcelona paid £15m to sign Vermaelen from Arsenal and he was given a five-year deal. He was plagued with injuries at the start of his career at the Nou Camp.
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