Gareth Bale is a great player and he must learn to deal with the criticism at Real Madrid, warns Barca rival Neymar

Gareth Bale has endured a torrid second season at Real Madrid

The £86m forward came under fire after Tuesday's defeat by Juventus

 Neymar says situation comes with the territory of being a top class talent

Under-fire Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale has been told he must live with the criticism coming his way by Barcelona counterpart Neymar.

The record £86million signing has endured a torrid second season at the Bernabeu, with Tuesday night's anonymous showing at Juventus a new nadir in the opinion of fans and Madrid media.

But Neymar, who netted the third in Barcelona's thrilling triumph over Bayern Munich on Wednesday, admits Bale's current situation comes with the territory of being a top class talent.

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Neymar (right) has told Gareth Bale he must learn to live with the pressure and criticism in Spain

Asked about Bale, the Brazilian said: 'Criticism and pressure is something very usual in football.

'We all face it from time to time. You have to learn live with it.

'What isn't in doubt is that Gareth Bale is a great player.'

Bale's drop in form and popularity at the Bernabeu has seen him linked with a return to the Premier League with Chelsea or Manchester United.

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Bale, the club's record signing, has struggled to reproduce his best form at Real Madrid this season

Both clubs, as well as Manchester City, also retain an interest in Juventus' former United youngster Paul Pogba.

But the Premier League trio face a fight for the Frenchman's signature from Real and Barcelona. And Neymar says the Catalan giants would roll out the red carpet for the dynamic midfielder.

'We would open the gates for him. 

'He’s a fantastic player, he’s younger than me and he’s already reached the top level. He’d do well at Barcelona,' he said.

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Bale is sent flying by the Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci during Tuesday's Champions League defeat

Neymar, too, was touted as a future superstar of the English game before signing for Barcelona but the Brazilian says he still keeps his eye on the Premier League.

'It's a league I love to watch,' he said.'There are great teams and great players but I'm very comfortable at Barcelona and I love watching the Spanish league too.'

The 23-year-old is understandably confident about reaching the Champions League final ahead of former Barca boss Pep Guardiola's Bayern.

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Lionel Messi was with the rest of the Barcelona squad for training on Thursday afternoon

Lionel Messi's terrific double was topped off by Neymar in a 3-0 win that puts the Catalan giants in touching distance of the Champions League final in Berlin.

'It was a great game for football lovers,' Neymar said.

'To reach the final is our dream. We are one step ahead thanks to the first leg but we must be humble.

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The 23-year-old Brazil star is used to handling the pressure in both Spain and his homeland

'It is a very difficult place to go and we will do everything we can to be in Berlin.

'It's been our goal since the start of the season - there's only 90 minutes to go.'

Messi’s masterclass wowed fans across the world and Neymar considers it a privilege to play alongside the Argentine master.

He said: ‘I idolised him when I was younger watching football, and now I’m playing with him I idolise him even more.’

Barcelona forward Neymar is the latest sports star to sign with online poker giant PokerStars

And Messi stepped aside in Barca’s last league game to let Neymar slot home a penalty in the 8-0 romp over Cordoba.

‘It was very welcome,’ Neymar said. 

‘He’s a guy who’s the best in the world – he was about to score a hat-trick.

‘It left me speechless. I’m very grateful to him for his gesture. What he’s doing for football history is great for the game.'

The Brazil captain was speaking at his unveiling as an ambassador for PokerStars, being a big fan of the card game he says helps him relax.

He said: ‘Growing up and playing football everyday has made me a competitive person. When I'm not playing football, playing poker and competing against my team-mates on the road or in home games with friends is one of my favourite things to do.’

Manchester United's summer revolution: With £25m Depay already signed up, Van Gaal will step up pursuit of Hummels, Clyne and Gundogan... so, is this how Reds Devils will line up next season?

Manchester United have agreed to sign PSV forward Memphis Depay

He could form a front three with Wayne Rooney and Angel di Maria

Mats Hummels, targeted from Borussia Dortmund, could lead defence

Chris Smalling's speed will be important if they land the slower German

Nathaniel Clyne's arrival could see him join Luke Shaw and give United a speedy left and right combination from Southampton

With Memphis Depay locked in to add some speed and flair to their push for Premier League glory next season, Manchester United are already forming a new look for 2015-16, and it's expected Louis van Gaal will not stop there.

Borussia Dortmund's Mats Hummels is tipped to be brought in to shore things up at the back and his team-mate Ilkay Gundogan is also fancied for the Red Devils midfield, although there is competition from Arsenal and Bayern Munich for his services.

With Southampton's Nathaniel Clyne also strongly linked with Old Trafford, here is how Van Gaal's starting XI could look... provided they can retain the services of superb keeper David de Gea.

MANCHESTER UNITED'S POSSIBLE LINE-UP FOR 2015-16 

(3-4-1-2)

DAVID DE GEA

United are hopeful he will agree a £200,000-a-week contract to remain their No 1 come August. Has been pivotal to their season and will only get better. The lure of Real Madrid will not go away though and trophies will be key to keeping him at Old Trafford.

CHRIS SMALLING

Has improved this season and is beginning to resemble the centre-half many predicted he would become. Has been assured and confident in possession and deserved his new contract. His pace will be important alongside the slower Mats Hummels.

MATS HUMMELS

Borussia Dortmund anticipate United firming up interest in the Germany international with a formal offer over the coming days. Hummels has not had the best season but his experience and physical presence should make United more solid in defence.

MARCOS ROJO

Adds the balance to the left side of United's defence that Louis van Gaal likes and can bring the ball out to link up with midfield and the left hand flanks. Has the accustomed nasty streak of Argentine defenders and can add goals from set-pieces.

NATHANIEL CLYNE

United will add a new right back and have considered Seamus Coleman at Everton. Clyne though has shown more willingness to move to Old Trafford. He is due to make a decision on his future next week and has more defensive know-how than winger Antonio Valencia.

MICHAEL CARRICK

Absolute key to Louis van Gaal's formation and philosophy. Keeps the ball moving and provides the defence with a regular outlet. United will need to find a replacement as grows older with the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Marco Verratti and Kevin Strootman all possibles.

ILKAY GUNDOGAN

Borussia Dortmund midfielder is fancied by United although they have concerns about his fitness following a succession of injuries. He is a good all-rounder, has good vision and passing ability; He wants to leave but Bayern Munich and Arsenal also have an interest.

LUKE SHAW

His performance against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge gave Van Gaal an exciting glimpse of what he had been missing. Shaw needs to work on his fitness to play a full season but has great ability to beat a man and cross like United full backs of old.

ANGEL DI MARIA

United's huge investment means the Argentine will get another chance to shine at the start of next season and could find himself in a free role at the head of United's midfield allowing him to drift out wide and alternate with United's wing-backs and Depay.

WAYNE ROONEY

The talisman. Has grown again this season in terms of shouldering responsibility and leadership while Van Gaal has been forced to recognise his importance as a striker. United will add more competition but Rooney will lead from the front once again.

Arsenal targeted for takeover by Africa's richest man with Aliko Dangote keen to purchase Gunners one day

Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote has an estimated fortune of £10.4billion 

The Nigerian was reportedly interested in buying Arsenal in 2010

Dangote: 'I still hope, one day at the right price, that I will buy the team.

Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote claims he still harbours hopes of one day buying Arsenal.

The Nigerian has an estimated fortune of 15billion US dollars (£10.4billion) and is reported to have wanted to buy into the Gunners when former director Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith was selling her shares in 2010.

Arsenal's current majority shareholder is American tycoon Stan Kroenke, who remains committed to the Barclays Premier League club for the long-term. Uzbek magnate Alisher Usmanov controls around 30 per cent and has also expressed no desire to offload any of his stock.

Nevertheless Dangote, whose business interests include sugar, flour and oil, remains keen to become part of the Emirates Stadium club sometime in the future.

Speaking to Bloomberg, he said: 'I still hope, one day at the right price, that I will buy the team.

'I might buy it, not at a ridiculous price but a price that the owners won't want to resist. I know my strategy.'

Dangote, though, added no imminent bid was in the pipeline. 

'We have 16billion dollars-worth of INVESTMENTS in the next few years. Right now I want to take my own business to a certain level. Once I finish on that trajectory, then maybe,' he said.

Arsenal beat Hull 3-1 on Monday night to give themselves a good chance to finish second behind Premier League champions Chelsea, and will face Aston Villa in the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 30.

Dangote, however, suggested Arsene Wenger's side should be achieving more.

He added: '(Wenger) needs to change his style a bit. They need new direction.'

Gareth Bale fails to deliver AGAIN... here are the damning stats that shame the Real Madrid forward after defeat by Juventus

Real Madrid were beaten 2-1 by Juventus in Champions League semi-final

Garath Bale failed to deliver as he remained anonymous throughout 

Bale did not have a single shot during the match in Turin on Tuesday

He attempted fewer passes than any of his team-mates that started

What a difference 12 months can make. A little under a year ago Gareth Bale scored a crucial goal in the Champions League final and grabbed the goal that won Real Madrid the Copa del Rey to cap a dream first season following his world record transfer from Tottenham.

On Tuesday night he was singled out for yet more criticism after a woeful display as the holders were beaten in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Juventus in Turin.

The Old Lady recorded a slender 2-1 win to bring to the Bernabeu and £86million Bale was an anonymous figure throughout.

BY NUMBERS

Minutes played - 86 

Shots - 0 

Chances created - 0 

Tackles - 0

Goals - 0 

Assists - 0 

Passes - 18 

Touches - 32

Bale was making his first start for five games after he went off injured against Malaga last month and the Wales international's return has coincided with Real's failure to win for the first time in six matches. 

The 25-year-old's heat map illustrated how difficult he found it to get himself in the game - one of the brightest spots was on the centre-circle as he kicked off. 

Bale, who has now scored just three goals in his last 16 appearances for the club, had only 14 touches in the first half - less than any other player, including goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Bale failed to register a single shot at goal, either on or off target, and attempted fewer passes - just 18 - than any other Real Madrid player that started the match. 

Not only did he not threaten the Juventus goal himself, he could not create a single chance for any of his team-mates either.

The former Tottenham star has been the fall guy for fans throughout the season being regularly booed and even had his car attacked in March after a defeat by Barcelona. 

He was also heavily criticised after passing up a glorious chance to score in the first leg of the quarter-final against rivals Atletico last month - a game that they drew 0-0 at Vicente Calderon. 

Twitter was quick to join in the criticism of Bale with a series of virals and memes. 

Mario Balotelli enjoys joke with Liverpool team-mates during gym session

Liverpool beat QPR 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon 

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli missed their win due to a foot injury

The 24-year-old has scored four goals in 28 appearances this season

He's endured a difficult season at the club but Mario Balotelli was all smiles at the gym with his Liverpool team-mates on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old showed off his physical capabilities via a leg press machine, much to the amusement of some of Brendan Rodgers' squad.

Filmed by defender Dejan Lovren, Balotelli appears to struggle with the weight at first - sparking laughter from those watching as he blames the equipment.

However, the Italy international soon redeems himself by achieving the one repetition before light-heartedly praising himself as 'powerful'.

Soon after the gym session, the maverick forward took to Instagram to post a selfie of himself accompanied with the caption: 'Life is great.'

Despite his impressive showing, the striker has struggled to muscle his way into Rodgers' first-team plans since his £16million summer switch from AC Milan.

Liverpool's No 45 has scored just four goals in 28 appearances in all competitions for the Anfield outfit this season.

Balotelli missed the Reds' narrow 2-1 win over QPR at the weekend due to a foot injury but is expected to return for Sunday's trip to newly-crowned Premier League champions Chelsea.

Andy Murray confident ahead of Madrid Open after claiming maiden clay title in Munich

• Andy Murray took to the practice court in Madrid on Tuesday
• The British No 1 won his first clay-court tour title in Munich on Monday
• Murray is in Madrid with coaches Amelie Mauresmo and Jonas Bjorkman
• The 27-year-old opens his Madrid campaign on Wednesday evening 
• 
  

Andy Murray hit the practice court in Madrid on Tuesday as the British No 1 adjusted to the fast conditions ahead of his opening match on Wednesday.

Murray won his first ever clay-court tour title on Monday with a hard-fought three-set victory in more than three hours against Philipp Kohlschreiber at the BMW Open in Munich.

Twenty-four hours later, Murray was already on the court in Madrid as he worked on the adjustment from the slow and heavy conditions in Munich to the fast clay at high-altitude in the Spanish capital.

Murray said: 'Conditions last week were very different to what they are here. Obviously I think a little bit more altitude here. But it's been very warm. Last week it was very cold a lot of the days and raining.

'It's going to be a tricky turnaround. I practice this afternoon, and will just make the best of the time that I've got before my match tomorrow (Wednesday).'

Murray will take much confidence from ending his clay-court drought on Monday, which was one of his goals that he set out at the start of this year.

Jordan Henderson 'over the moon' after signing new long-term Liverpool contract worth over £100,000 a week

 

Jordan Henderson has committed his future to Liverpool with new deal
The England international has agreed terms worth over £100,000 a week
New contract will keep Henderson at Liverpool until the summer of 2020
Henderson 'over the moon' after agreeing to stay on Merseyside 
 

Jordan Henderson insists he couldn’t be happier after completing the formalities of signing his new long-term contract.

The 24-year-old Liverpool midfielder put pen to paper on Thursday morning on a deal worth more than £100,000 per week that will keep him at Anfield until the summer of 2020. Henderson’s current terms had 12 months to run but leaving Merseyside was never an option.

Henderson is the latest big name in Brendan Rodgers’ squad to commit his future to the club – deals for Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge were completed earlier in the campaign.

Liverpool, who are expected to confirm that Jordon Ibe has signed a similar long-term extension before the end of the week, have been in negotiations since the start of the season with Henderson’s advisers.

He has not let the talks distract his focus and has been one of Liverpool’s most consistent players, producing 13 assists and seven goals from midfield and, significantly, being promoted to the role of vice captain.

 

Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez's first season has been outstanding... but how does it compare to Cristiano Ronaldo, Jurgen Klinsmann and others' debut years?

Not all foreign players adapt to English football immediately. For some, it takes years. For others, it takes months. For Alexis Sanchez, it has taken no time at all.

The Arsenal forward's two goals against Hull City was another reminder that Sanchez has been outstanding for the club since joining for £35million in July from Barcelona. 

Yet where does Sanchez's debut season rank among the best ever? Scroll down to find out as SportsNetwork News compare Sanchez to Premier League greats from Thierry Henry to Jurgen Klinsmann.

Robin van Persie 

KEY PREMIER LEAGUE STATS 

Appearances: 26 (988 minutes)

Goals: 5

Assists: 0

Arsenal finished second

Feyenoord to Arsenal, 2004 (£2.75m)

Arsene Wenger knows a deal when he sees one. The manager bought Van Persie for just £2.75m – a little more than half the asking price.

Yet the striker struggled to escape the bench in his debut season, and was sent off for the first time in February against Southampton.

That red card saw Wenger criticise his purchase in the post-match press conference, slamming the soon-to-be Holland international for his lunge.

Not a debut season to remember for Van Persie with just five goals and zero assists in 26 games.

Premier League debut season rating: 5.5/10

Dennis Bergkamp 

Inter Milan to Arsenal, 1995 (£7.5m)                                         

KEY PREMIER LEAGUE STATS 

Appearances: 33 (2925 minutes)

Goals: 11

Assists: 8

Arsenal finished fifth 

Bergkamp's Premier League introduction came against Middlesbrough, but he struggled to adapt to the English game initially, failing to score in Arsenal's opening six matches.

He was ridiculed by the press, and eventually ended on 11 goals in 33 appearances. His final goal was crucial, however, scoring the winner against Bolton on the final day of the season to help Arsenal secure fifth and a place in the UEFA Cup. Without those points, they would have missed out.

Premier League debut season rating: 6/10 

Luis Suarez 

KEY PREMIER LEAGUE STATS 

Appearances: 13 (1102 minutes)

Goals: 4

Assists: 3 

Liverpool finished sixth

Ajax to Liverpool, 2011 (£22.8m)

Liverpool signed Suarez for £22.8m the same day they got Andy Carroll for £35m in January. 

The Uruguay international made his debut against Stoke City, coming on as a substitute and scoring in front of the Kop.

Despite only being there for half a season, Suarez helped Liverpool jump from 12th - when he arrived - to sixth. His four goals in 13 appearances were a taster of more to come. Good start.

Premier League debut season rating: 6.5/10

Cristiano Ronaldo 

KEY PREMIER LEAGUE STATS 

Appearances: 29 (1548 minutes)

Goals: 4

Assists: 4 

Manchester United finished third 

Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United, 2003 (£12.24m)

Ronaldo became the club's first-ever Portuguese player in 2003, and was handed the iconic No 7 shirt by Sir Alex Ferguson.

His debut came as a substitute against Bolton in a 4-0 win, but he couldn't score before the turn of the year.

He ended the season with four goals and as many assists in 29 appearances in the Premier League, but showed glimpses of what he could become once taught by Sir Alex.

Premier League debut season rating: 7/10

Thierry Henry 

KEY PREMIER LEAGUE STATS 

Appearances: 31 (2251 minutes)

Goals: 17

Assists: 8 

Arsenal finished second 

Juventus to Arsenal, 1999 (£11m)

Henry was unsettled in Italy, and joined Arsenal as a replacement for Nicolas Anelka in 1999, reuniting him with Arsene Wenger.

Critics and supporters doubted he would ever adapt to the English game after failing to score in his opening eight games. How wrong they were.

After making 31 appearances in the Premier League in his first season, he scored 17 goals. Arsenal finished second behind Manchester United.

Premier League debut season rating: 7/10

Gianfranco Zola 

KEY PREMIER LEAGUE STATS 

Appearances: 23 (1971 minutes)

Goals: 8 

Assists: 9

Chelsea finished sixth

Parma to Chelsea, 1996 (£4.5m)

Described by Sir Alex as a 'clever little so-and-so' after scoring past Peter Schmeichel, Zola became a key player for Ruud Gullit's Chelsea after signing in November 1996.

He was voted FWA Player of the Year – the only player to ever win it without playing a full season in the English league. He also became the first Chelsea player to claim the prize.

He scored eight goals and made nine assists in just 23 appearances, and Chelsea finished sixth.

Premier League debut season rating: 7.5/10

Didier Drogba 

KEY PREMIER LEAGUE STATS 

Appearances: 26 (1631 minutes)

Goals: 10

Assists: 5 

Chelsea finished first

Marseille to Chelsea, 2004 (£24m)

Drogba joined from Marseille, scoring in his third game for the club against Crystal Palace.

He was sidelined for two months after pulling a stomach muscle against Liverpool, but came back to help Chelsea win the title.

He scored 10 goals and made five assists in 26 appearances, and is now a club legend, having secured his fourth title with Chelsea recently at the age of 37.

Premier League debut season rating: 8/10

Jurgen Klinsmann 

KEY PREMIER LEAGUE STATS 

Appearances: 41 (3626 minutes)

Goals: 20

Assists: 10

Tottenham Hotspur finished seventh 

Monaco to Tottenham Hotspur, 1994 (£2m)

A surprising signing, who did not receive a warm welcome from fans and media due to his participation in the 1990 West Germany team that knocked England out of the World Cup.

He had a reputation as a diver. Then, on his debut against Sheffield Wednesday, he scored a header and dived to the ground in celebration. 

Welcome to England, Jurgen.

He went on to win the 1995 Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year, and 150,000 of his shirts were sold that season. He ended with 20 goals from 41 appearances in the Premier League.

Premier League debut season rating: 8/10

Ruud van Nistelrooy 

KEY PREMIER LEAGUE STATS

Appearances: 32 (2555 minutes) 

Goals: 23

Assists: 4

Manchester United finished third

PSV Eindhoven to Manchester United, 2001 (£18.5m)

The striker had scored 62 goals in 67 games for PSV Eindhoven in Holland, and his £19m switch to Manchester United was a club record. 

His Premier League debut was against Fulham, scoring twice in a 3-2 win at Old Trafford.

Van Nistelrooy ended the season with 23 goals and four assists in 32 appearances, breaking the record he shared with Mark Stein, Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry by scoring in eight consecutive games. He was named PFA Players' Player of the Year, and stayed at Old Trafford until 2006.

Premier League debut season rating: 8.5/10 

Fernando Torres 

Atletico Madrid to Liverpool, 2007 (£20.2m)                               

Torres's first goal in the Premier League arrived at Anfield in August, scoring in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea. He became the first player since Robbie Fowler in 1996 to score 20 in a season.

Torres made the six-man shortlist for PFA Players' Player of the Year, which was eventually won by Ronaldo. He was also nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year, won by Cesc Fabregas, and named in the PFA Team of the Year.

Torres broke the record for a foreign goalscorer in a debut season in England, previously held by Van Nistelrooy's 23 in 2001. He ended joint-second for the Premier League's Golden Boot.

Premier League debut season rating: 9/10

KEY PREMIER LEAGUE STATS 

Appearances: 33 (2542 minutes)

Goals: 24

Assists: 4 

Liverpool finished fourth 

Sergio Aguero 

KEY PREMIER LEAGUE STATS 

Appearances: 34 (2600 minutes)

Goals: 23

Assists: 8 

Manchester City finished first 

Atletico Madrid to Manchester City, 2011 (£38m)

Aguero scored twice and assisted once on his debut in the Premier League after coming on as a substitute against Swansea City. 

Some suggested it was the greatest introduction by a player to ever join the top tier in England.

Yet there is no doubt which of his 23 goals in 34 appearances was the most important. 

Manchester City needed to beat Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the season to be crowned champions for the first time in 44 years. Aguero scored the winner in the 95th minute, meaning their rivals Manchester United finished second, and the title was theirs. Beat that.

Premier League debut season rating: 9.5/10 

Qatar launch stunning Al Rayyan stadium design for World Cup 2022... with air conditioning provided to keep players cool

Qatar's Supreme Committee unveil new 40,000-seat stadium for World CupThe Al Rayyan Stadium is fifth 2022 venue and will be completed in 2019

Stadium features 'cooling technology' for fans and players comfort 

Qatar have unveiled the design for their fifth World Cup stadium, a 40,000-seater ground built in 'the gateway to the desert' and featuring air conditioning for the comfort of players and fans.

The Al Rayyan Stadium is inspired by sand dunes and its design has been produced by UK-based architecture firms Ramboll and Pattern.

Fans in the stands will sit in a comfortable 24-28 degrees Celsius, while paths and walkways leading to the stadium will also be cooled.

Al Rayyan will hold matches up to the quarter-final stage of the 2022 tournament and after the World Cup its capacity will be almost halved to 21,000 seats, with the removable upper tier sent to developing nations.

The new stadium, set to be completed in the early months of 2019, now has a more traditional look than the previously-mooted design which featured a huge screen referred to as a 'digital skin'.

 

Sitting on the site of a now-deconstructed ground, Al Rayyan's facade includes seven patterns representing different aspects of Qatari culture which designers say 'blend together to tell the story of a nation'.

A mosque, aquatics centre, athletics track, cricket pitch, tennis courts and a hockey pitch are being built nearby, along with a new medical centre and the already-planned Mall of Qatar. 

 

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A mosque, aquatics centre, athletics track, cricket pitch, tennis courts and hockey pitch are being built nearby

 

At the unveiling of the new stadium in Qatar, viewers look over the site of the new stadium and the plans

 

Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee, said: 'Unveiling the design of Al Rayyan stadium is another important step forward in our preparations to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

'We will continue to work tirelessly as our vision for the tournament takes shape on the ground.

 

'As one of the most successful and widely-supported clubs in Qatar, Al Rayyan has always played an important part in our hosting plans.

 

'We are very confident that this impressively designed stadium and precinct will become a landmark for the Al Rayyan area and benefit the entire community.'

Qatar's original World Cup bid featured 12 stadiums, but that figure is expected to be dropped to the minimum requirement of eight with a final decision to be made by FIFA this year.

 

Plans for four other stadiums have been revealed so far: in Al Khor, Al Wakrah, the Aspire Zone and Qatar Foundation.