The only team to have taken the Premier League trophy away from Manchester City for a while in the last five years are Liverpool. Regardless of the way their season started, City boss Pep Guardiola spoke of the Merseysiders as their main rivals ahead of the match played at Anfield on Sunday, and the game provided the reasons why for those who still weren t convinced.
Liverpool still a force to be reckoned with
This match always felt likely to be defined by Liverpool and the way they would enter it, for all the quality shown this term by City. The defending champions have been mostly consistent, their attacks sublime and finishing deadly, and had Liverpool entered the contest like they did several times since the start of term, there was a real possibility they would get hammer…
February 3, 2020 – In an interview with Catalan publication Sport, sporting director Eric Abidal says the club had begun considering Valverde s future after the 0-0 draw with Real Madrid on December 18. He adds that he and his colleagues identified many players weren t satisfied nor working hard and there was also an internal communication problem .
February 4, 2020 – Messi hits back at Abidal, calling on him to name individuals rather than tar every player with the same brush. Writing on Instagram and highlighting a section of Abidal s quotes, Messi says: I honestly don t like to do these things, but I think everyone has to be responsible for their tasks and take care of their decisions. The players [are responsible for] what happens on the pitch and we are also the firs…
Carlo Ancelotti is hoping to make history by landing a fourth Champions League title this season but is unsure where his Real Madrid rank among the favourites to win the competition.
The experienced Italian coach is level with Liverpool great Bob Paisley and former Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane with three triumphs in the competition previously known as the European Cup.
Ancelotti famously ended Madrid s 12-year wait for La Decima – a 10th European crown – when beating Atletico Madrid 4-1 in the 2013-14 final in Lisbon.
Los Blancos went on to win the competition in three successive seasons under Zidane, during which time Ancelotti was boss of Bayern Munich and Napoli, before a spell with Everton.
Back at the Santiago Bernabeu since June, Ancelotti is …
Simone Inzaghi believes Inter deserved all three points in their 1-1 derby draw with Milan on Sunday.
Hakan Calhanoglu – who joined the blue half of Milan from the red side on a free transfer in July – won and then converted an early spot-kick to put the Rossoneri ahead.
The Turkey international became the fourth player to score in his first Milan derby in Serie A after having played the previous encounter with the opposing team (since 1994-95), after Hernan Crespo (2006), Ronaldo (2007) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2010).
Inter were pegged back soon after as Stefan de Vrij scored an own goal – the first in a Milan derby since Samir Handanovic s in December 2017.
The Nerazzurri were handed a second penalty in the first half, but Ciprian Tatarusanu saved …
Joachim Low wants Germany to show Cristiano Ronaldo they have the kind of bottle that he and Portugal cannot handle in Saturday s crunch Euro 2020 clash.
Head coach Low has told his team to take more risks and be brave as Germany bid to bounce back from their opening 1-0 defeat to France in Group F.
The Munich tussle follows several days when Ronaldo has faced scrutiny for moving two Coca-Cola bottles that were positioned on a news conference stage, and appearing to declare he preferred water to the tournament sponsor s product.
Cristiano can do more than put away Coca-Cola bottles, he has more qualities, said Low on Friday evening, as he faced questions on how Germany would handle the Portuguese superstar.
That quip came amid a full assessment of Por…
Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte dismissed comparisons between his side and his previous reign at Chelsea as he insisted there is still a big job to do with Spurs.
Conte became just the third Spurs manager – after Jacques Santini in 2004 and Tim Sherwood in 2013-14 – to remain unbeaten in their first six league games after a dominant 3-0 victory over 10-man Crystal Palace.
Harry Kane struck first as he scored in his sixth consecutive Boxing Day appearance to match Robbie Fowler s Premier League scoring record of nine goals in games on 26th December.
Lucas Moura doubled the lead just two minutes later before Wilfried Zaha s needless dismissal for two bookable offences, with Son Heung-min sealing victory in the second half.
Spurs remain six points adr…
According to multiple reports in England, Wilfried Zaha is reluctant to sign a new contract with Crystal Palace, and the club are facing an uphill task to convince him to remain at Selhurst Park for years to come.
Zaha was a product of the Palace academy, but he left the club to join Manchester United in 2013. However, he wasn t able to produce much impact at Old Trafford and he consequently had loan spells, back at Palace and at Cardiff City, before finally returning to Selhurst Park on a permanent deal in January 2015.
Since then, the winger has been showing his talent quite clearly and has been the standout player for Palace. The club therefore refused to allow him to leave when Arsenal and Everton came calling in 2019, demanding no less than £80 million for his ser…
France have been dealt another injury blow as Karim Benzema is out of the World Cup.
Benzema will become the first reigning Ballon d Or winner to miss a world finals since Allan Simonsen s Denmark failed to qualify for the 1978 tournament.
The holders curse is now well established – Benzema had been hoping to help France end a sequence of three consecutive defending champions exiting in the first round – but Ballon d Or victors have been no more fortunate.
In fact, stars entering a World Cup recognised as the world s best player have never gone home with the trophy.
While Alfredo Di Stefano s Spain, like Simonsen s Denmark, did not qualify in 1958, Benzema is the first player to be absent through injury.
But plenty of all-time greats have suff…
Flamengo are interested in signing Lucas Paqueta from West Ham United in the summer transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano. The well-known and well-respected journalist has reported on X that Brazilian giants Flamengo are keen on securing the services of Paqueta from Premier League club West Ham on a loan deal.
Romano wrote on : Flamengo board delegation, in England to held face to face talks with West Ham about Lucas Paqueta.
“Flamengo are trying for loan move but expected to be difficult, permanent transfer more likely; clubs in contact.
“Negotiations to follow with player s camp also informed.”
Paqueta has been on the books of West Ham since 2022 and has been one of the best players for the Hammers. The 26-year-old Brazil international, w…
Best Odds: 17/20
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With this summer’s Copa America title up for grabs in the early hours of Monday, Argentina and Colombia will meet at the Hard Rock Stadium.
Argentina
Starting with Argentina, making real history out in Qatar 18 months ago as they got their hands on a first world crown since 1986, the South American icons have firmly cemented their spot as the greatest international squad across the globe. Extending on their Copa America adventure last week and booking their spot to Florida thanks to a routine 2-0 victory against Canada, Lionel Scaloni’s men are on the cusp of shattering more records here. Hardly getting out of third gear this summer, La Albiceleste are certainly firing on all cylinders. In fact, continuing on from their World Cup…