Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/513060
56 Sport maltatoday, SUNDAY, 17 MAY 2015 FOOTBALL Van Gaal prepares for De Gea exit Louis van Gaal says Manchester United have drawn up a list of potential replacements in case David de Gea leaves the club for Real Madrid REAL Madrid are reported to be interested in signing De Gea and the United boss re- vealed he has been forced to contemplate his next move if the former Atletico Madrid man decides he wants to head back to the Spanish capital. United opened contract ne- gotiations with De Gea earlier this season, but they are taking "a long time", said Van Gaal, who also confirmed last week that the club had offered the player "a lot of money" to stay. "When we have a very good scouting commission, then we shall already know who shall be the next goalkeeper," Van Gaal said. "We also have a list of goal- keepers who can replace him because we have to be organ- ised always. Not only for that position but for every posi- tion." However, Van Gaal is not re- signed to losing a player who has saved him so many points this season. "We want him to stay and I hope he shall sign," Van Gaal added. "You have three parties (in- volved) and the most important party is always the player. "It's dependable not of Man- chester United, not of me, be- cause we want him to sign. He has to sign, he has to want to stay here at Manchester Unit- ed. I don't know [why he hasn't decided]. I cannot say what he's saying to me." Madrid-based newspaper Marca reported on Friday that personal terms had already been agreed with Madrid and the player, who moved to Old Trafford in 2011. "I don't know [if we can of- fer what Madrid can], I cannot speak for Real Madrid," Van Gaal added. Former Barcelona keeper Vic- tor Valdes is the current back- up goalkeeper at Old Trafford but Tottenham stopper Hugo Lloris has been mentioned as a possible replacement for De Gea along with Stoke's Asmir Begovic. David de Gea: Could be on his way out of Old Trafford Pique urges Barca caution Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has urged his side to keep their feet on the ground as they chase a trophy treble, the first of which could be sealed this weekend after strike action in the Spanish top flight was averted IN the next three weeks Barca will have two opportunities to win the Primera Division as well as facing Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final and Juventus in the final of the Champions League. It is a chance for the Catalan gi- ants to repeat their historic haul from 2009, when they won all six trophies available to them in the calendar year, but Pique knows they cannot afford to get ahead of themselves. Speaking ahead of today's trip to outgoing champions Atletico Madrid, where a victory would guarantee Barca their 23rd Span- ish title, Pique told a press con- ference: "Looking at the teams that have won the treble gives you an appreciation of how dif- ficult it is. "There are other teams v ying too and the way people are talk- ing it's as if we'd already won the treble, and that's not the case. The finals are against two his- toric clubs and we still haven't won anything yet. "We're close but and we have to keep our feet on the ground." In a quirk of fate, Atletico won last season's championship at the Nou Camp after holding title ri- vals Barca to a 1-1 draw on the final day - and now the Catalan club can do likewise on Atleti- co's home ground after strike ac- tion in La Liga was called off on Thursday. Pique insists Barca are not out to avenge last year, though, their thoughts only on sealing the title at the first opportunity and not having to wait until their final match against Deportivo La Co- runa. The Spain international, whose side boast a four-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid, said: "We hope to win the league there because it's as soon as possible, not because we want to take re- venge." Barca will go into the match with confidence sky-high hav- ing taken 34 from a possible 36 points since their last defeat in La Liga, while this week reaching the Champions League final af- ter overcoming Bayern Munich 5-3 on aggregate. Their all-star forward line of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez have played a huge part in that success, and Pique admits he cannot recall an attack like it. "I've never seen a trident like this. We've enjoyed great players, but the quality they have, how they complement each other, the connection they have between them....we're talking about some- thing unique," he said. Whether the three South Americans can line up together a the Vicente Calderon remains to be seen however, with Sua- rez struggling with a hamstring problem. Although they can no longer re- tain their title, Atletico still have something to play for this season as they try to protect their third place from Valencia, who are four points back. Rojiblancos goalkeeper Jan Ob- lak knows it will not be easy to get anything off Barca, but is not throwing in the towel. He said in AS: "There's no fear, but we know that it's not easy to stop them. "I'm sure that we can beat any team in the world. We have to play with a lot of intensity, be very focused and do a lot of run- ning, and in the end we'll see what happens." He added of a top-three finish: "The objective was to be third and we're going to achieve that. If we do get it, the view of the season will be positive." Gerard Pique: Hoping to land a treble