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Amir Rrahmani clarifies that Napoli didn’t pressure the Kosovo national team to rest him and insists he’s ‘always ready’ for his club and country.
Rrahmani had made headlines after Kosovo’s 2-1 win over Iceland in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday as he appeared to suggest Napoli didn’t want him to take part in the game.
The Kosovo international had sustained a minor injury in Napoli’s latest Serie A game against Venezia.
“I had a lot of doubts about whether to play or not because I left the last match four days ago, and I also had some pressure from the club not to play, but I decided to step onto the field, and it was worth it,” the defender told local media after the match last night, as quoted by TMW.
The 31-year-old is a regular starter under Antonio Conte, having already accumulated over 2,600 minutes of football across all competitions at a club level.
Rrahmani clarifies claims about Napoli ‘pressure’ on Kosovo international duty
The Partenopei defender clarified his claims with an Instagram story on Friday, insisting that his words were misinterpreted.
“The word ‘pressure’ depends on how you say it and in which language,” he wrote.
“In Italian, it would mean worry. Worry, because four days ago, I left the field. After deciding together with the doctors from both sides, we agreed that I would play, and it was worth it because we won. Always ready for Napoli and Kosovo.”
Rrahmani has scored one goal and provided two assists across all competitions this season.
He’s been a Napoli player since the summer of 2020 when he completed a €14m transfer from Hellas Verona.
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PSG vs Tottenham: When Oil Money Meets Perpetual Heartbreak in the UEFA Super Cup
Well, well, well. Here we are again, folks. Another year, another UEFA Super Cup that most people will forget about by September. But hey, at least this time we get to watch Paris Saint-Germain’s oil-funded juggernaut square off against Tottenham’s eternal quest to not bottle it when silverware is on the line. What could possibly go wrong? PSG’s UEFA Champions League Glory Meets Spurs’ Europa League Breakthrough Let’s be honest here – PSG finally won the Champions League for the first time, and they’re acting like they’ve just discovered fire. After years of spectacular European failures that would make even the most seasoned Tottenham fan blush, the Parisians managed to get over the line. Meanwhile, Tottenham ended their 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League, beating Manchester United in the final. I know, I know – pinch yourself, it’s real. The irony is delicious. PSG, with their bottomless pit of Qatari cash, took this long to win Europe’s premier competition, while Spurs – yes, the same Spurs who specialize in finding new ways to disappoint their fans – actually went out and won something meaningful. Thomas Frank’s appointment as manager seems to be working out, though let’s see if he can avoid the inevitable “Spursy” moments that have defined this club for decades. What Makes This UEFA Super Cup Different This isn’t your typical UEFA Super Cup snoozefest. Sure, it’s still the annual curtain-raiser that everyone pretends to care about for exactly 90 minutes, but there’s genuine intrigue here. PSG are coming off their treble-winning season, but immediately stumbled in the FIFA Club World Cup final against Chelsea. Nothing says “we’ve arrived” like losing when it really counts, right? The French giants are still nursing wounded egos from that defeat, and you can bet they’re desperate to start this season with some actual silverware rather than moral victories. For a team that’s spent the GDP of a small country on transfers, losing to Chelsea in a final must sting more than accidentally stepping on a Lego barefoot. UEFA’s Timing Couldn’t Be More Perfect The scheduling gods have smiled upon us with this UEFA matchup. PSG’s players are just returning from their extended Club World Cup campaign, which means they’re about as match-sharp as a butter knife. Meanwhile, Tottenham have been busy playing actual competitive football, including friendlies against Arsenal and Bayern Munich. It’s almost poetic – the team with unlimited resources struggling with fitness while the perennial underachievers are actually prepared. If that’s not peak football irony, I don’t know what is. Key Players to Watch in This UEFA Showdown PSG will be without some key pieces, but let’s be real – they could probably field their reserve team and still be favorites. Desire Doue has been looking sharp in training, and Joao Neves is eager to make his mark in what could be his first major final with the club. For Tottenham, the absence of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski due to injury hurts, but it’s not like Spurs haven’t overcome adversity before. Oh wait, that’s exactly what they struggle with. The recent sale of Son Heung-min to LFC adds another layer of complexity to their attacking options. Thomas Frank will need Mathys Tel to step up, and honestly, if there’s one thing Tottenham fans have learned, it’s to expect the unexpected. Whether that’s unexpectedly brilliant or unexpectedly disappointing remains to be seen. UEFA Super Cup History and What It Means This marks Tottenham’s first-ever UEFA Super Cup appearance, which somehow feels both surprising and completely predictable. A club of their supposed stature reaching a European final for the first time in this competition? Classic Spurs, really. PSG, on the other hand, appeared once before in 1996, losing to Juventus on aggregate. Because of course they did. Even back then, they had a knack for falling short when it mattered most. The UEFA Pressure Cooker What makes this UEFA Super Cup fascinating isn’t just the football – it’s the pressure. PSG desperately need to prove they can win when expectations are high, while Tottenham need to show they can actually close out a final without finding some creative way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The venue, Stadio Friuli in Udine, provides a neutral setting where neither team can rely on home advantage. It’s just 90 minutes of football between a team with infinite resources and a team with infinite potential for heartbreak. At the end of the day, someone’s going to lift a trophy, and honestly, that alone makes this UEFA Super Cup more interesting than most. Whether it’s PSG adding to their collection or Tottenham continuing their surprising trophy renaissance, Wednesday’s match in Italy promises to deliver the kind of drama that makes football worth watching – even when it’s a competition most people forget exists.
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Vikings WR gets brutal injury news for second straight season
A Minnesota Vikings wide receiver's season is already over. The Minnesota Vikings announced on Tuesday that wide receiver Rondale Moore is being placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a leg injury that he suffered in the team's first preseason game against the Houston Texans this past weekend. It is a devastating blow for Moore, who is now being sidelined for an entire season, before it even begins, for the second year in a row. Moore signed a one-year, $2 million contract in free agency with the Vikings this offseason in the hopes he could return from a different injury that cost him the entirety of the 2024 season. Moore was a member of the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 after being acquired in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals for backup quarterback Desmond Ridder. This is now two different teams that Moore has been a part of, but will never play a game for them due to injuries. Moore was injured while returning a punt. He began his career with the Arizona Cardinals, catching 135 passes for 1,201 yards over three seasons before being traded. He was never going to be counted on to be a key contributor for the Vikings offense this season, especially given the superstars they already have at wide receiver in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but he still had a chance to be an interesting depth player. Now it is fair to wonder what the rest of his career might even look like. Missing two full seasons due to two different leg injuries is going to be a brutal thing to try to come back from. Missing two seasons for any reason is difficult, but when you add the leg injuries to the equation, it makes the obstacle even steeper.
Jordan Love's thumb surgery comes at inopportune time for Packers
The Green Bay Packers have a cause for concern with Jordan Love in the preseason. The quarterback suffered a thumb injury during the Packers' 30-10 loss to the New York Jets on Saturday. Love went 1-of-5 passing for seven yards and took a sack for -3 yards in the defeat. Both of his drives ended in punts. Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, Love is set to have surgery on his thumb after seeing how it held up at practice on Monday. General manager Brian Gutekunst believes Love will be ready for Week 1 against the Detroit Lions. "Gutekunst sounded adamant that Love will be ready for Week 1 against the Lions," Schneidman wrote. "Hit his left hand on a helmet on that half-scramble vs. Jets. Wanted to see how it felt at practice yesterday and decided to get it fixed to avoid future issues. Will be with team in Indianapolis. "Brian Gutekunst says Jordan Love is having a procedure done on his left thumb. It’s a 'ligament thing.' Hurt it in the preseason opener. Gutekunst hopes he returns to practice next week." The injury comes at an inopportune time for the Packers. Love and the majority of his receivers have not been in sync during training camp and in the preseason game. Like last season, Packers' receivers have dropped passes during practices and did so in the preseason opener against the Jets. Green Bay needs Love on the field, gaining chemistry with his pass-catching targets, including first-round pick Matthew Golden, before it plays the Lions.
Oklahoma QB denies sports gambling allegations after suspicious screenshots emerge
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer has faced questions about some alleged screenshots from his Venmo account, and the school is reportedly investigating the situation. Screenshots and videos that were widely circulated on social media Monday claimed to show multiple Venmo transactions linked to Mateer that contained the phrase “sports gambling.” The two main transactions in question were on Nov. 20, 2022, which was when Mateer was a freshman at Washington State. The alleged transactions that referenced “sports gambling” were between Mateer and a Venmo account for Richard Roaten, who is believed to be one of Mateer’s former Washington State teammates. While some have questioned whether the screenshots could have been altered, there were also videos that appeared to show people actively scrolling through the account that is believed to belong to Mateer. According to a Tuesday report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Mateer has denied to Oklahoma officials that he has ever been involved with gambling. The school is still planning to investigate further, however. Mateer issued a statement on his X account denying being involved in sports gambling, explaining that the descriptions seen on his Venmo account are "inside jokes" with his friends. "The allegations that I once participated in sports gambling are false," Mateer wrote. "My previous Venmo descriptions did not accurately portray the transactions in question but were instead inside jokes between me and my friends. "I have never bet on sports. I understand the seriousness of the matter but recognize that, taken out of context, those Venmo descriptions suggest otherwise. I can assure my teammates, coaches, and officials at the NCAA that I have not engaged in any sports gambling." Oklahoma also issued a statement saying it has “no reason to believe” there is going to be an NCAA investigation. Rules prohibit student athletes or team staff from betting on any sports that have NCAA championships. One of the alleged screenshots connected to Mateer had a reference to “UCLA vs. USC” in addition to “sports gambling.” Penalties for an athlete who has been found to have gambled on prohibited sports can include a loss of eligibility. Mateer had his first full season as a starter last year at Washington State. He completed 64.6% of his passes for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also rushed for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns. Mateer entered the transfer portal after last season as one of the top players available, and he had a disrespectful gesture when announcing his commitment to the Sooners.
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