Football Blog (Page 148)

[ad_1] Barcelona can ensure they progress to the Champions League quarter finals as group winners on Wednesday evening when they welcome Rosengard to Camp Nou. Barca’s safe passage to the knockout stages was assured with their 6-2 victory over Benfica last time out, and they currently sit level on points with Bayern Munich at the Group D summit. The Catalan giants’ superior head-to-head record means they will top the group ahead of Bayern with a win over Rosengard. Rosengard are just playing for pride, sitting rock bottom of the group and currently without a point during their group stage campaign. When is kick off? Wednesday 21Read More →

[ad_1] Manchester United have started working on a deal to sign Cody Gakpo from PSV in January. Sources have indicated to 90min that United’s hierarchy have green-lit the decision to move for the Dutch international, per manager Erik ten Hag’s wishes, with interest in the player dating back to last summer when Ten Hag arrived at Old Trafford. Gakpo’s price tag is likely significantly higher now than it was at the start of the season, with the 23-year-old hitting nine goals and providing 12 assists in 14 Eredivisie games before the World Cup. In Qatar, Gakpo scored in every group game as the Netherlands reachedRead More →

[ad_1] Carlo Ancelotti has given his thoughts on the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate in the aftermath of the former’s World Cup triumph. Both Messi and Ronaldo, considered by many to be the two best players of all-time, headed into this year’s World Cup knowing it would be their last chance to win football’s biggest prize, with both failing to do so in their first four attempts. Messi ultimately prevailed this time around, getting seven goals including two in the final to lead Argentina to glory. Ronaldo’s tournament couldn’t have been anymore different with Portugal being knocked out by Morocco in the quarter-finals andRead More →

[ad_1] FIFA president Gianni Infantino is keen on holding the World Cup every three years in the future and also wants the tournament to take place in winter again. The 2022 World Cup was like no other, with the heat of Qatar’s summer forcing them to host it in winter instead, right in the middle of the European club season. There were concerns that players would be worn out and highly prone to injuries, damaging the quality of football at the tournament, but that didn’t prove to be the case with a number of extremely entertaining matches taking place and some of the sport’s biggestRead More →

[ad_1] AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli has urged Rafael Leao to ignore the chance to leave the club and sign a new contract. Leao, whose deal expires in 2024, has rejected Milan’s opening offer of an extension following significant interest from Chelsea, who have made it abundantly clear to the 23-year-old’s representatives that they are determined to get a deal done. Sources have confirmed to 90min that, as it stands, Leao is not prepared to agree to Milan’s proposed terms and he is keen to explore his options as he approaches the final 18 months of his contract. Chelsea are ready to make a bidRead More →

[ad_1] Nearly 20 million people watched the World Cup final in the UK, although the BBC were the clear winners over ITV. The peak BBC audience was 14.9 million, while ITV topped out at 4.3 million – despite the added pull of Roy Keane and his bold new look. That didn’t set any records in the UK, although it was a significant audience share with people captivated by the battle between Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe that went all the way to penalties. Even those ratings were dwarfed by the figures coming out of France, which saw 29.4 million viewers glued to the contest. ThatRead More →

[ad_1] We did it, folks. The 2022 World Cup is in the books and everything is now retrospective. After a month of dizzying highs, teary lows and the chaos cluttered in between, we have a new world champion, a new case for the greatest player of all time. Here are some of our favourite moments from this World Cup. Enner Valencia would open his account soon after, regardless / Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/GettyImages The tournament kicked off with hosts Qatar essentially crapping their pants on a global stage. A team that took 12 years to build and was backed to cause some upsets didRead More →

[ad_1] Kieron Dyer says the World Cup was a ‘passing of the torch tournament,’ one that will have secured another Ballon d’Or for Lionel Messi. No player has won the Ballon d’Or more than Messi, with the Argentinian taking it home seven times already during his sensational career. The closest player to him is old rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has five to his name, but Dyer says that lead is going to be extended as a result of the Qatar World Cup – and the brilliant young players the tournament showcased will also have to wait a little longer too. Speaking on 90min’s World CupRead More →

[ad_1] Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez is a force of nature. He has just 26 caps for Argentina but in that time Martinez has won both the Copa America and now the World Cup, along with the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper during both tournaments. Not only that but he’s done so in style. And that style is this: becoming the most horrible man in the entire world for the opposition, especially during penalty shootouts. Like, genuinely despicable. A man who would debag the Pope if he thought it would give him an advantage. A man who would punt a baby harp seal intoRead More →

[ad_1] Napoli director Cristiano Giuntoli has insisted that the club have no interest in selling star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the January transfer window. 90min reported last week that Gli Azzurri were hopeful of tying the Georgia international down to a new contract following his fast start to life in Italy. Every top team from across Europe have eyes firmly on Kvaratskhelia’s progress, with Newcastle the latest team to be touted with an interest. When asked about the Magpies’ interest in the forward, Giuntoli told Sport Express: “No, there’s no chance we will let him go [in January]. “It doesn’t depend on the fee orRead More →