Bono, with one foot in Arabia, before a very special final

Bono is a quiet guy. So much so that before the official training session prior to the European Super Cup final against Manchester City, he told his coach, Jose Luis Mendilibar, that his mind was only focused on the duel against the Champions League champion. . One more demonstration of a goalkeeper who has a great offer on the table from Al-Hilal, a Saudi Arabian team that has just signed Neymar for 90 million euros. The Saudis want Bono. They will pay 20 million fixed euros to Sevilla plus five in possible variables. Figures that Sevilla is willing to accept after rejecting those of Madrid and Bayern as insufficient. The first was decided by Kepa and the second has not come to offer more than 15 million. Bono, 32, was named as the third best goalkeeper in the world of the year 2022 by FIFA after Dibu Martinez and Courtois.

The goalkeeper, a World Cup hero with Morocco, where he reached the semifinals, had to face some challenges on his return to Sevilla. He himself recognized that he was not prepared for success with his team, a detail that made him lower his performance with Sevilla. In addition, the arrival of Mendilibar at the Andalusian club made Dmitrovic, whom he knew from his time at Eibar, take ownership in the League. Bono became a fixture in the Europa League and his interventions were decisive in the qualifiers against United and Juventus, as well as in the final against Roma.

In Budapest, a save for Belotti in the final stretch kept Sevilla alive, who won on penalties, where he saved two shots. The goalkeeper’s mental strength sustained him through the most difficult moments in the World Cup itself and later in a tough season with his club.

While Bono could play his last game against Sevilla in this very special final, the situation of his goalkeeper altered Mendilibar’s own spirits somewhat. “If Bono leaves us, then another will come. But it is a problem that a player can be with us today and tomorrow with another team. Bono wants to play this game. What happens tomorrow is another thing”, warned the Sevilla coach, who regretted that the competition began with the market open until September 1.

“When there are offers, we analyze and study them. If it is an interesting amount, we see the possibility of a transfer. At the moment, Bono is still with us,” said Jose Castro, president of Sevilla, regarding a possible departure of Sevilla’s most decisive player in recent years.

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