Blog (Page 227)

A first-half blitz inspired by James Maddison helped Leicester beat Nottingham Forest to earn their first Premier League win of the season and ease the pressure on manager Brendan Rodgers. The Foxes and Forest were both badly out of form going into Monday night’s game but it was the hosts who took firm control in the first half as Maddison and Harvey Barnes both struck from range in the space of three minutes. Maddison then produced a trademark free kick to send Leicester 3-0 up before the break, with Steve Cooper’s visitors fluffing their best chance when Taiwo Awoniyi hit the post with the gameRead More →

Antonio Conte faced the media on Monday as his Tottenham side prepare to return to the Champions League against Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany. Spurs suffered north London derby defeat on Saturday as an error-strewn performance saw Arsenal run out comfortable 3-1 winners. Having lost in Europe to Sporting CP last time out, Conte’s side need a positive result on Tuesday to secure their spot in the top two places of Group D. Here’s what he said in the build-up to the game. “We made really bad mistakes for the bad passes. We had the chances to go one to one. Every team has to thinkRead More →

Bruno Fernandes has questioned the ‘attitude and belief’ in the Manchester United team during their derby day thrashing by Manchester City. Man Utd eventually lost 6-3 at the Etihad Stadium, although in truth the final score flattered them to a large degree. The Red Devils went in at half-time 4-0 down resulting in City taking their foot off the pedal after the restart. It was the second time this season Man Utd have been four goals down before the break, and Fernandes knows they have to be stronger in the early stages of matches. “I think the attitude and the belief from the beginning wasRead More →

It should have been the night where they sealed their spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the fourth year running but, instead, Minnesota United fell to a disappointing 2-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes. Playing against the bottom side in the Western Conference, MNUFC’s performance on Saturday was as frustrating as it was head-scratching. It is safe to say head coach Adrian Heath was not impressed. “I thought it was a strange game. It was like: ‘you attack and then we’ll attack’,” Heath said after the match. “I don’t think we did enough to win. I think they [San Jose] wanted to winRead More →

Aurelien Tchouameni has dismissed comparisons with fellow French midfielder Paul Pogba, insisting that he wants to write his ‘own story’. The 22-year-old made the blockbuster move from Monaco to Real Madrid this past summer and has hit the ground running at Santiago Bernabeu, becoming a key figure in the midfield. Pogba also made a headline-grabbing move in the summer, re-signing for Juventus on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Manchester United. Speaking to Telefoot following Real Madrid’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Osasuna on Sunday evening, Tchouameni was quick to squash comparisons with Pogba, stating: “I’m not the ‘new’ Pogba… I’m AurelienRead More →

Inter will host Barcelona on Tuesday in the third round of Champions League group-stage fixtures of the season. The two sides are tied for points in Group C, with Barcelona’s superior goal difference keeping them in the qualification spots, so this fixture is about as important as they come for both sides. Inter come into this one having lost their last two games in all competitions, while Barcelona’s defeat to Bayern Munich last time out in Europe is the only blot on an otherwise perfect eight-game run for Xavi’s men. Here’s all you need to know about this one. Marcelo Brozovic remains sidelined with theRead More →

Chelsea are keeping a watchful eye on Gabriel Martinelli’s progression at Arsenal. The forward, signed as a relative unknown from lower-league Brazilian side Itauno in 2019, has made huge strides in just over three years in north London. He’s scored 21 goals in 93 games for Arsenal – including three in nine so far this season – while he has also made three appearances for the Brazil international team. Martinelli’s current contract at the Emirates Stadium expires in 2024, while the club retain an option to extend it by a further year. However, the 21-year-old is attracting plenty of interest. The Daily Mail report thatRead More →

Europe’s third tier competition returns on Thursday as teams compete in the Europa Conference League. The ECL is a hipster’s dream this season, with the likes of Gent, Fiorentina and Villarreal featuring in the tournament’s second edition. Here’s what you need to know ahead of matchday three. 6 October BT Sport currently hold exclusive broadcasting rights for the Europa Conference League in the United Kingdom and show all games from each gameweek live on their various channels and streams. Anderlecht vs West Ham First up is a replay of the 1976 European Cup Winners’ Cup final as Belgian giants Anderlecht take on David Moyes’ WestRead More →

The Champions League returns to our screens this week and there are some mammoth match-ups to look forward to. Giants like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester City are among the sides to have picked up six points from their opening two games, while others are playing catch up to simply get on the board. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the upcoming fixtures. 4 October 5 October BT Sport currently hold exclusive broadcasting rights for the Champions League in the United Kingdom and show all games from each gameweek live on their various channels and streams. Liverpool vs Rangers Two clubs withRead More →

Karim Benzema missed a penalty as Real Madrid were frustrated by a ten man Osasuna at Santiago Bernabeu. The visitors took a shock lead in the first half before Vinicius Junior hit back for Real Madrid. Benzema was then gifted a glorious chance to win the game for his side, but hammered the ball off the crossbar – missing his third consecutive penalty kick against Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera. Real Madrid dominated possession early in the game, with Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy’s overlapping runs causing problems for the Osasuna backline, but it was actually the visitors who’d create the first real chance of theRead More →