Blog (Page 239)

[ad_1] The Nations League continued on Saturday with no fewer than nine games taking place across Europe. We’re at the point of the campaign where wins and losses can dictate the final standings, and there were some major results in this latest batch of fixtures. Here’s a rundown of the night’s biggest clashes. Spain’s eight-game unbeaten run came to an end in surprising fashion as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to Switzerland. Manuel Akanji headed Switzerland ahead midway through the first half, setting the tone for the remainder of the game. The visitors sat back and gifted Spain possession – Luis Enrique’sRead More →

[ad_1] Scotland moved to the top of their Nations League group on Saturday evening with a 2-1 victory over the Republic of Ireland. An enthralling affair saw the visitors take the lead through John Egan, before a rip-roaring second half from the Scots saw goals from Jack Hendry and Ryan Christie to secure the three points. It looked like first blood to Ireland when Troy Parrott thundered home 11 minutes in, but the offside flag that everyone was waiting for came up eventually to rule the strike out. There was no ruling out Egan’s thunderous volley soon after, however. A corner led to some penaltyRead More →

[ad_1] Paris Saint-Germain owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi has questioned how Real Madrid could celebrate last season’s Champions League triumph given they are one of three clubs determined to keep the breakaway Super League alive. Real, Barcelona and Juventus have all refused to accept defeat in their quest to form a Super League, despite significant resistance from UEFA, who have threatened to ban the three teams from the Champions League as a result of their plot. With all that rumbling on in the background, Carlo Ancelotti’s men went on to win last season’s Champions League, prompting celebrations from those in charge of Real Madrid – something Al-Khelaifi,Read More →

[ad_1] Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey was withdrawn from the Ghana squad to face Brazil on Friday amid concerns over a possible injury. The 29-year-old has played just four times for his club this season, with a thigh problem limiting his involvement, but he made his return with 78 minutes under his belt in the 3-0 win over Brentford just before the international break. The fit-again Partey jetted off on international duty with Ghana and was billed to start Friday’s meeting with Brazil, only to be withdrawn from the squad at the last minute. Local reports suggested Partey had complained of pain in his knee, promptingRead More →

[ad_1] Eden Hazard has revealed his frustration over a lack of playing time at Real Madrid, insisting he feels ‘good’ but is not satisfied with his opportunities. Hazard has struggled for fitness throughout his time at Real since a €100m transfer from Chelsea in 2019 – he has managed just seven goals in 70 appearances in more than three years in Madrid, compared to 21 goals in 52 games in his final season alone in London. Having previously missed games through injury, the 31-year-old has not had the same issues so far in 2022/23 and has been included in every matchday squad. But he beenRead More →

[ad_1] A new WSL attendance record has been set at the north London derby, with a crowd of 47,367 in the stands at the Emirates Stadium to watch Arsenal play Tottenham on Saturday. The figure smashed the previous WSL attendance record, far eclipsing the 38,262 mark set at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November 2019 for the WSL’s first north London derby. Arsenal ran out 2-0 winners on that occasion. The game fell just short of becoming the all-time highest attendance for a domestic women’s club match in England, which remains the estimated figure of 53,000 who saw Dick, Kerr Ladies play St. Helens atRead More →

[ad_1] England will play in the second tier of the UEFA Nations League for the first time when the competition returns in 2024/25. The Three Lions have had a dreadful 2022/23 campaign, failing to win any of their first five games – including a heavy 4-0 home defeat to Hungary, and cannot now catch third place Germany even with one more game against them still left to play. It means England are guaranteed to finish bottom of their League A group and so will drop down into League B regardless of what happens against Germany on Monday. The likes of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, NetherlandsRead More →

[ad_1] Barcelona have confirmed that Jules Kounde has picked up a hamstring injury while away on international duty and is now a doubt to face rivals Real Madrid next month. Kounde played just 23 minutes of France’s 2-0 win against Austria in the Nations League on Thursday before pulling up and being replaced by William Saliba. In a statement released on Saturday morning, Barcelona confirmed that Kounde has undergone tests and is now set for a spell on the sidelines. “Tests on Saturday morning have confirmed that Jules Kounde has a biceps femoris injury in his left hamstring. As a result he is unavailable forRead More →

[ad_1] Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has revealed that he didn’t have a preferred midfield partner during his two decades at the club but admitted it was a ‘disaster’ playing alongside former record signing Juan Sebastian Veron. Veron was considered one of the best midfielders in the world when he made the £28.1m switch from Lazio in the summer of 2001, bringing additional talent and flair to a golden United side that had already won three Premier League titles on the bounce. But the Argentine, despite showing flashes of his best in a United shirt, never quite found his place at Old Trafford. He wasRead More →

[ad_1] Argentina extended their unbeaten run to 34 matches with a comfortable 3-0 victory against Honduras in Miami. La Albiceleste are still yet to lose a match – competitive or otherwise – in the 2020s, with their last defeat coming against rivals Brazil in July 2019. Their formidable record continued on Friday night with an emphatic victory against a toothless Honduras side at Hard Rock Stadium. Papu Gomez came close to breaking the deadlock for Argentina after just four minutes, but his solo effort whistled just over the crossbar. They weren’t to be denied much longer, however, as Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring soon after.Read More →