Football Blog (Page 197)

[ad_1] Xavi has heaped praise on Gerard Pique as he prepares to make his final appearance at Camp Nou as a player. Pique has announced his imminent retirement from Barcelona, bringing an end to a tumultuous few months which have been full of reports of the Blaugrana’s desire to move on from their highest earner. The legendary 35-year-old has been Barcelona’s fifth choice centre-back this season, even falling behind left-back Marcos Alonso in the pecking order, and he has now decided to hang up his boots before the World Cup break. “He deserves all the praise from Barcelona fans,” Xavi told a press conference. “TheRead More →

[ad_1] It is no secret that UEFA find it hard to not fiddle with tournament names and formats and that is why there is a round in the Europa League that may catch some off guard. It was part of the tournament last season too but many people have lost track of how the new play-off system works, so we at 90min are going to explain it to you. This phase of the tournament was first introduced in the 2021/22 season and it is something that is here to stay. The play-off round is competed by 16 teams. The eight teams who finished second inRead More →

[ad_1] 90min is the home of the PFA Vertu Motors Fans’ Player of the Month Award for the 2022/23 season. Each month, you can vote for your favourite players across five divisions of English football, for the chance to win incredible prizes, including the opportunity to present the award to the winning player. Your League Two nominees for October are: Josh Davison celebrates scoring for AFC Wimbledon / Getty Images Appearances: 6Goals: 4Assists: 0 Every time Josh Davison scored in October for AFC Wimbledon, they were successful in picking up three points. The 23-year-old opened his account for the month with a crucial brace inRead More →

[ad_1] Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has confessed he is keen to sign a new striker in January after struggling for numbers in attack in Thursday’s 1-0 win over Real Sociedad. United needed to win by a two-goal margin to move into first in their group but could only find the back of the net through Alejandro Garnacho’s first-half strike. The teenager started in a front four alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Donny van de Beek and Bruno Fernandes, with Marcus Rashford the only attacking option on the bench. Antony, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial were all sidelined for the game, after which Ten Hag confessedRead More →

[ad_1] 90min rounds up the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip circulating around the world… Lionel Messi does not want to leave Paris Saint-Germain without winning a major trophy like the Champions League and has therefore opened talks over a contract extension with the Ligue 1 side. (L’Equipe) After dropping out of European competition altogether, Atletico Madrid are willing to listen to offers for forward Joao Felix and believe that Manchester United will reignite their interest in the 22-year-old. (Cadena SER) Liverpool are preparing to open talks with Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino over a new contract as a reward for his excellent start to the season. (FootballRead More →

[ad_1] Arsenal confirmed top spot in their Europa League group as Kieran Tierney’s first-half strike saw them dispatch Zurich 1-0 on Thursday night. The defender opened the scoring after a tense opening and the hosts held their Swiss opponents at bay for the remainder of the game to win Group A and render PSV Eindhoven’s victory at Bodo/Glimt irrelevant. It means Mikel Arteta’s side progress straight to the last 16 and will avoid a knockout play-off against a Champions League droput. Arsenal had won 12 consecutive games at the Emirates heading into Thursday night, though were slightly cagey as they chased the victory that wouldRead More →

[ad_1] Gerard Pique is a Barcelone legend, having played in one of the most successful periods in the club’s history. The former Spain international played alongside Camp Nou legends like Lionel Messi, Andre Iniesta and Xavi and won an extraordinary amount of trophies as part of a dominant Barça side in the 2010s. However, in November 2022 Pique announced his departure from his boyhood club that he briefly left for Manchester United early in his career before swiftly returning. Pique didn’t appear for Barcelona’s senior side before moving to England with Manchester United. He only made 23 appearances across four seasons with the Red Devils,Read More →

[ad_1] The Seattle Sounders made history in 2022 as the first MLS team to win the Concacaf Champions League, but their failure to make the Playoffs still left a sour taste for some. It’s the first time in the club’s 14-year illustrious history that they’ve failed to at least advance to the post-season. However, despite never really showing it on the pitch, midfielder Albert Rusnak believes Seattle should’ve been capable of fighting on two fronts. “This team is good enough to win both MLS and the Champions League in the same year,” Rusnak said (via the Seattle Times). “That’s sports, you know, it didn’t happenRead More →

[ad_1] Manchester City host Fulham on Saturday afternoon in a meeting between the reigning champions of England’s top two tiers. Pep Guardiola’s side have spent much of the season trailing Arsenal in their pursuit of a third consecutive Premier League title but would go top – for at least one night – with a victory on Saturday. Fulham, unlike recent Premier League iterations of the Cottagers, have begun post-promotion life strongly, sitting in the lofty reaches of seventh with a third of the campaign elapsed. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming meeting between these high-flyers. Man City: 5 WinsFulham: 0 WinsDraws: 0 Man City: DLWDWFulham: LDWWD GuardiolaRead More →

[ad_1] The Houston Dynamo have signed defender Daniel Steres to a two-year contract extension, the club announced Thursday. Steres’ new deal runs through the 2024 MLS season with the Dynamo holding an option to extend through 2025. “Daniel provides valuable leadership on and off the field and securing his future in Houston was an important first step in our offseason roster plans,” Dynamo general manager Pat Onstad said in a club press release. “As we look to improve the roster for this upcoming season, we need to build around veterans who best embody our values and understand how to win in this league. Daniel isRead More →