Sport

PSG’s Donnarumma, Girlfriend Attacked, Tied Up In Their Home

Published

3 years ago

July 21, 2023

Spread the love

PSG goalkepeer Gianluigi Donnarumma and his girlfriend have been attacked and robbed at their home in Paris, according to reports in France.

Several men targeted the couple overnight between Thursday July 20 and Friday July 21, according to Actu17, with the victims tied up before having €500,000 (£432,153) worth of jewellery and other items stolen.

The door to their home in the VIIIth arrondissement of Paris was broken during the raid, before the violent attack took place.

Donnarumma, 24, and his interior designer girlfriend Alessia Elefante, took refuge in a luxury hotel close to their home at around 3.20am.

Staff at the establishment treated the couple, before they were taken to hospital to receive care for shock. Hotel workers also informed the police about the incident, who are now working to track down the assailants.

A spokesperson for the Paris prosecutor’s office told the BBC: ‘An investigation has been opened on charges of armed robbery in an organised gang and aggravated violence following the events that took place overnight at Mr Donnarumma’s place.’

They also said the country’s special BRB police unit – targeting armed robbery and burglaries – had started to investigate.

Donnarumma and Elefante have been dating for over four years, and have shared images of themselves together on holiday on their respective Instagram pages.

Donnarumma, a Euro 2020 winner with Italy, joined PSG in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer after the end of his time at AC Milan. The goalkeeper has won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles with the Parisian side.

However, he has also faced criticism for his roles on the national stage as Italy were eliminated from World Cup contention by North Macedonia, and at PSG, where their Champions League dreams for the 2022-23 season were ended by Bayern Munich.

The goalkepeer has recently returned to training at PSG’s campus in Poissy after his summer break.

Last January, two men were jailed for a robbery in March 2021 at the home of Marquinhos in Yvelines, which lies to the west of the French capital.

Team-mate Angel Di Maria was also burgled on the same day.

Sport

Transfer News: Chelsea Sets Price Tag For Argentina Star

Published

2 weeks ago

July 12, 2026

thecolumnng

Spread the love

Chelsea are prepared to sell their Argentine star and they have set a price tag.

Chelsea have placed a €50 million valuation on Alejandro Garnacho, with the Argentina international winger linked with a departure from Stamford Bridge ahead of the 2026/27 Premier League campaign.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the West London club have established a dual-pricing structure for the 22-year-old. If a Premier League rival expresses interest, Chelsea will demand a £45 million fee. However, the club are willing to accept a slightly lower figure of around €50 million (£42.6 million) from foreign clubs.

Garnacho is not in the plans of newly appointed manager Xabi Alonso. The winger failed to report for the first day of pre-season training, staying away to actively explore an exit strategy alongside his representatives.

The impending transfer concludes a 12-month tenure in West London. Garnacho originally joined Chelsea from Manchester United in the summer of 2025 for a reported €46.2 million (£39.4 million) fee. He signed a long-term contract tying him to the club until June 30, 2032.

Despite the financial investment, he never established himself in the starting lineup. During the 2025/26 season, he registered eight goals and four assists across 43 appearances in all competitions. His domestic output was poor, starting just 14 Premier League matches and three in the UEFA Champions League and scoring only one league goal throughout the campaign

International News

Iran squad travel to Turkey for friendlies, US visas

Published

2 months ago

May 18, 2026

thecolumnng

Spread the love

Iran’s national football team was headed to Turkey on Monday to play a final friendly match and apply for visas to fly to the United States for the 2026 World Cup, Iranian media reported.

The team plan to participate in the tournament despite co-host Washington having launched a war against Iran with a massive wave of attacks alongside ally Israel on February 28.

The fighting has been on hold for weeks thanks to a ceasefire, but peace talks have failed to make a breakthrough and new drone attacks against Gulf countries at the weekend combined with threats from US President Donald Trump raising fears of a return to fighting.

The team “departed this morning for Antalya, Turkey to play its final friendly match before flying to the United States for the 2026 World Cup,” the Tasnim news agency reported.

It said the squad consisted of 22 domestic-based players alongside their coaching staff.

On Saturday, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said they would also be completing visa applications for the US while in Turkey.

– ‘Let ’em play’ –

Iran secured their spot at the World Cup in March 2025, but since then the United States has twice launched attacks on the country.

US officials have insisted that Iran is welcome at the tournament, while organiser FIFA has said it will go ahead as planned and rejected Iranian suggestions that their games be moved to co-hosts Mexico or Canada.

“I think let ’em play,” Trump said in late April.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any problem would not be with Iranian players but “some of the other people (they) would want to bring with them”, suggesting they may have ties to the Revolutionary Guards, which Washington has branded a terrorist organisation.

Last month, officials from Iran’s football federation abandoned a trip to the FIFA congress in Canada, saying they had been “insulted” by Canadian immigration officers.

One of their delegation, Mehdi Taj, is a former member of the Revolutionary Guards, which Canada has also designated a terror group.

The Iranian football team hope to play two friendlies in Antalya.

They have already confirmed one match, against The Gambia, on May 29, said Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who heads a company that sets up friendlies for the team.

“No visas have been issued yet,” Taj, the head of Iran’s football federation, told Iranian media on Thursday.

On Saturday, FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom held a meeting in Turkey with the federation, describing it as constructive, as did Taj.

When the squad reaches the United States, Iran will set up their base camp in Tucson, Arizona.

The team, who are in Group G, are due to kick off their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June, before facing Belgium in the same city and then Egypt in Seattle.

AFP

International News

Man U In Three Players Swap Deal As Club Forfeits Financial Boost

Published

3 months ago

April 30, 2026

thecolumnng

Spread the love

AC Milan will consider three Manchester United players as part of a swap deal for Rafael Leao, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. The outlet claim that United have already made contact with agents over a potential deal for Leao this summer, but their first choice target is Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.

However, Leao could be an easier deal to do, with Milan now ready to listen to offers for the winger. The Italian side are reportedly asking for around €50 million (£43.3m) but their interest in three United players could possibly lead to a swap deal.

Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte and Marcus Rashford are all mentioned. All three players are expected to leave Old Trafford this summer.

Zirkzee has struggled to make an impact since his move from Bologna, while Rashford has spent the season on loan with Barcelona. The Spanish side have the option to make the move permanent for £26 million but they are looking less and less likely to trigger it.

United could therefore be looking for sale in the summer. Using him as part of a swap for Leao could be seen as a solution.

United have forfeited a financial boost from a friendly against RB Leipzig. Sky Germany report that as part of the agreement between the two sides over striker Benjamin Sesko, a friendly match must be played.

But instead of United financially benefitting from the game, Leipzig will instead receive all of the revenue. It’s reported that the game must be played within the ‘next few years’.

United completed a deal for Sesko last summer, paying a fee of around £66.3million. However, Sky Germany report that it is now set to rise to £74 million with add-ons.

It’s claimed that there will be around £3.5 million in bonuses for things such as appearances, goals and Champions League qualification.

In his first season with the club, Sesko has scored 11 times, in 31 appearances in all competitions. He scored what turned out to be the winning goal in Monday night’s win over Brentford.