Juventus are yet to concede a goal after six Serie A games, while PSG and Monaco win again - and Victor Osimhen gets his first Galatasaray goals.
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Monday, September 30, 2024
Sunday, September 29, 2024
Top after six games 'doesn't mean much' - Slot
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot says being top of the Premier League table after just six games "doesn't mean much" following a hard-fought 2-1 win at Wolves
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Saturday, September 28, 2024
Palace lacked concentration in Everton defeat - Glasner
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner says his side lacked concentration in their 2-1 defeat to Everton in the Premier League.
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Friday, September 27, 2024
Lille braced for Gomes offers - Saturday's gossip
Lille braced for Angel Gomes offers, Newcastle face Marc Guehi competition and Manchester City weigh up Samuele Ricci move.
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Enzo Maresca hails Chelsea summer signing who is already ‘dressing room leader’
Enzo Maresca admitted he has been impressed with the leadership qualities exhibited by Tosin Adarabioyo since his summer move to Chelsea.
Adarabioyo made the switch across west London to Stamford Bridge in June following the expiration of his contract at Fulham.
Despite fighting off competition from Manchester United and Newcastle to secure his signature, the defender only made his maiden Premier League start for the Blues last weekend against West Ham.
Regardless, Adarabioyo has clearly left a noticeable impression in the opening weeks of the season, with Maresca pinpointing him as one of the instrumental figures within Chelsea’s new-look dressing room.
‘Very impressed. I have known Tosin since City. Very impressed with him, the way he has behaved on and off the pitch,’ Maresca said when asked about the 27-year-old on Friday.
‘He is one of the leaders in the dressing room. We are very delighted and very happy with him.’
Adarabioyo’s presence in the starting XI has coincided with an uptick in defensive rigidity, but Maresca insisted there is plenty more to be done in that department.
‘I think defensively we also need to improve many, many things but we are in the right direction,’ he added.
‘That doesn’t mean every game we are not going to concede, that’s not real, we are going to concede goals but it’s important that we improve the concept between all the team.
‘When we talk about the defensive line, you used to think we are just talking about the defensive players but it’s not.
‘I said after the West Ham game that the best players defending were Cole [Palmer] and Nicolas [Jackson], the way they started the high pressing to give us a chance to manage the situation better. It’s about all the team.’
Chelsea will look to make it four successive wins in all competitions when they host Brighton on Saturday.
Maresca’s side are still without captain Reece James but will have Romeo Lavia available for selection for the first time since the opening Premier League weekend.
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Record scorer Sinclair to retire in November
Canada great Christine Sinclair, the all-time top scorer in international football, will retire in November at the end of the 2024 National Women's Soccer League season.
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Watch Scottish Cup: Dalkeith Thistle v Broxburn Athletic
Live coverage as Dalkeith Thistle host Broxburn Athletic in the Scottish Cup.
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Thursday, September 26, 2024
The women's football investors 'ripping up blueprint' on club ownership
BBC Sport meets the women's football investors "ripping up the blueprint" on club ownership with designs on the Women's Super League.
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Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Alexander-Arnold's concentration can improve - Slot
Liverpool manager Arne Slot praises Trent Alexander-Arnold's defensive abilities but says his concentration can improve, as he speaks ahead of their EFL Cup tie against West Ham.
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Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola reacts to huge Rodri injury blow
Pep Guardiola said Rodri will be out ‘for a while’ in a coy update over the injured Manchester City midfielder.
Reports have suggested Rodri will miss the rest of the season after injuring his knee in Sunday’s Premier League 2-2 draw against Arsenal.
The Spaniard was writhing in pain after falling to the floor in the build-up to a Manchester City corner in the first half of the Etihad Stadium stalemate.
Rodri was able to hobble off the pitch without a stretcher but initial tests suggested he had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The 28-year-old, who has arguably been the best player in the Premier League over the last five seasons, returned to Spain after the injury to see a specialist.
Speaking ahead of City’s Carabao Cup clash against Watford on Tuesday night, Guardiola said the club were still unsure over the severity of the injury but confirmed he would be out ‘for a little while’.
‘He is still in Spain with the doctors, we are waiting for the decision of the doctors [to see] exactly what he has,’ said Guardiola, who looks set to be without Rodri as he attempts to win a record-extending fifth Premier League title.
‘When we know it, the club or myself will announce it.’
Asked if he expects to be without Rodri for ‘a little while’, Guardiola responded: ‘Yeah.’
Rodri’s absence is expected to have a significant impact on the Premier League title race, with Arsenal and Liverpool appearing to be Man City’s biggest rivals again this season.
Asked what Rodri’s injury means for the title tussle, Arsenal hero Paul Merson told Sky Sports: ‘I think it’s major.
‘For all the top, top drawer players Man City have got, Rodri is world-class. He gets into every other football team in the world.
‘There’s not many who can say that and he is one of them. He will be sorely missed because he’s an exceptional player who knits it all together.’
After facing Championship side Watford in the cup, Manchester City resume their Premier League campaign with a tricky trip to St James’ Park to take on Newcastle United.
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Man City still waiting on Rodri injury diagnosis
Manchester City are still waiting for doctors to confirm the severity of the injury sustained by midfielder Rodri, says manager Pep Guardiola.
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Arsenal need to be in Women's Champions League - White
Former Arsenal striker Ellen White says the club "need" to qualify for the Champions League, and have players capable of challenging for the trophy.
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Monday, September 23, 2024
'Streetwise Arsenal show they are real deal amid Man City pain'
Streetwise Arsenal show they are the real deal despite being denied a famous win at Etihad Stadium, says chief football writer Phil McNulty.
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Sunday, September 22, 2024
You don't get points for performance - Ten Hag
Manager Erik ten Hag is happy with Manchester United's performance but insists "you don't get points for performance" after a goalless draw at Crystal Palace.
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Saturday, September 21, 2024
Villa had to 'play with their heart' to overcome Wolves - Emery
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery says his side “had to play with their heart " to come from behind and beat Wolves 3-1 at Villa Park in the Premier League.
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Friday, September 20, 2024
European giants want Greenwood - Saturday's gossip
Three European giants want to sign Mason Greenwood, PSG are interested in a Newcastle striker and Chelsea want to sell a player.
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Joe Cole predicts Crystal Palace star will ‘dominate’ Manchester United clash
Joe Cole has predicted Manchester United will lose at Crystal Palace, with one player tipped to ‘dominate’ the game.
United travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday evening just four months after their humiliating 4-0 defeat in this fixture, but they will have hope of a very different result this time around.
Erik ten Hag’s side performed well in their 3-0 win at Southampton last week and have since thrashed Barnsley 7-0 in the Carabao Cup.
Palace on the other hand are yet to win in the Premier League this season and are without their star man from that 4-0 win Michael Olise, who was sold to Bayern Munich over the summer.
Yet, Cole believes the Eagles will end their winless run against the Red Devils who he thinks are still suffering from the same issues from last season.
‘It looks like this Crystal Palace team is all wrong for Man United at Selhurst Park,’ the Chelsea icon told Paddy Power.
‘Consistency is the key for United, but I don’t know how they will get it together now.
‘I watched them against Brighton when they were beaten 2-1 in injury time, and I saw them in the Southampton game when we covered it on TNT last week. There was a bit of everything we’ve seen from this Manchester United team before.
‘They’ll slip up against Crystal Palace on the weekend. It’s a callous game for the United players.
‘Palace have so much pace on the counter-attack. They are also at home, which is a notoriously tricky place to go.
‘I fancy Eberechi Eze to dominate the game in midfield. Both teams will score, but I see 2-1 Palace as the final score.’
England international Eze, who United are interested in signing, has already bagged three goals and an assist in six appearances this season, and will operate as Palace’s chief creator.
Eagles boss Oliver Glasner meanwhile is very wary of the threat United’s forwards have, saying in his press conference: Even when they lost 3-0 against Liverpool, the xG was almost the same.
‘They have a lot of quality in their offence, with their wingers, brilliant in one v one, with players from the midfield always scoring. Now it was [Joshua] Zirkzee or [Marcus] Rashford who played in the EFL Cup, so a very, very good offence.’
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Darren Bent says Arsenal star ‘has done himself no favours’ before Man City clash
Darren Bent believes Gabriel Martinelli’s place is the only one under threat for Arsenal’s Premier League clash against Manchester City this weekend.
The Brazil international missed an excellent chance to open the scoring in Arsenal’s goalless draw against Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday evening and has now gone 17 games for the Gunners without a goal or an assist.
Mikel Arteta’s side now turn their attention to Sunday where they will play City at the Etihad Stadium.
And Bent feels Raheem Sterling should start on Arsenal’s left flank ahead of Martinelli.
‘I didn’t think we’d concede [against Atalanta], I know we got fortunate with the penalty, but Arsenal were just way off it, I mean way off it, just didn’t create anything,’ Bent told talkSPORT.
‘Kai Havertz again, he played well, he tried to do what he needed to do, Declan [Rice] maybe a little bit off it, I wouldn’t say he was rusty because he’s played a lot of football although he missed the last one.
‘Gabriel Jesus – he looks like someone who is lacking a lot of match sharpness. Martinelli is the same.
‘It was definitely a game where I didn’t think Bukayo Saka needed to play, he didn’t really look fit, looked like he was carrying an injury. Remember he hobbled off against Tottenham, you want to keep him fresh for the weekend.
‘But when you look at that team, I genuinely think there’s only one spot available for that game against Manchester City, I was waiting for someone to step up.
‘The only spot I can see available right now is that left-hand side. The reason why I say that is because Kai Havertz will go into his normal centre-forward role, he looks so much for comfortable there, [Leandro] Trossard will play No.10 where Odegaard plays.
‘Martinelli did himself no favours last night [against Atalanta]. He can play Jesus out there but he looks lacking.
‘I think that’s the only place or position where you go, ‘if he picks Martinelli fair enough, if he picks Sterling you go fair enough’. I’m going Sterling.
‘Martinelli right now, I think he got six goals last season, 15 the year before, even his decision making, did you see his chance? Even when he went through on goal, it was one of them where he just rushed everything, wrong technique. A lack of confidence, he’s almost too anxious to get in there, but once he gets in there usually we see him go ice cold.’
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Thursday, September 19, 2024
Mbappe & Endrick score as Real Madrid beat Stuttgart
Watch highlights as Kylian Mbappe and Endrick score as Real Madrid beat Stuttgart 3-1 in their opening Champions League game at the Santiago Bernabeu.
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Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Mikel Arteta drops team news hint for Man City clash after Bukayo Saka update
Mikel Arteta has no plans to rotate his Arsenal side for Thursday’s Champions League clash against Atalanta with a trip to Manchester City looming large this weekend.
The Gunners begin their European campaign away in Italy on Thursday night, their first of eight games in the competition’s new league phase that runs until January.
Matters will then quickly shift back to the Premier League with last season’s top two meeting at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.
Arteta’s squad was stretched even at this early stage of the season last weekend against Tottenham, seeing off their arch-rivals despite missing two of their regular midfield stars and new signing Mikel Merino.
Thomas Partey, the last man standing, has played every minute of this season along with the defensive trio of Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba and Kai Havertz up front.
Bukayo Saka meanwhile limped off with cramp in the final minutes of the Tottenham win, returning to training this week with Arteta confirming the winger is available for Thursday’s game in Bergamo.
Despite the packed fixture schedule and that vital trip to the Etihad, Arteta insists he is not tempted to make major changes.
Asked if he will rotate the side with City in mind, Arteta told a press conference on Wednesday: ‘No we are in September so we have to put the players that we believe are the best to win tomorrow.
‘That’s the most important and only thing for us.’
Man City meanwhile will have an extra days’ rest with the champions in action against Inter Milan on Wednesday night.
Asked if that could be a disadvantage, Arteta said: ‘Hopefully not. We have so much energy from what happened on Sunday, it was great.
‘We have recovered a few players which is very important for us as well, and we’re playing in a competition that we absolutely love, so we’re looking at the positives.’
In addition to Saka, Arsenal have Riccardo Calafiori available again after his recent knock but Martin Odegaard is set for a spell on the sidelines with Arteta confirming he has suffered a ‘significant’ ankle ligament injury.
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Duggan's best WSL goals
Watch some of Toni Duggan's best Women's Super League goals as she announces her retirement from professional football after spells at Everton, Manchester City, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
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Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Regulator government ‘objectives’ clause under pressure
Pressure is mounting over a controversial clause regarding government 'objectives' in a draft version of the bill that will introduce an independent football regulator in England.
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John Obi Mikel hits back at Chelsea star who told him to ‘shut up’ after criticism
John Obi Mikel has urged Nicolas Jackson to take on his ‘constructive criticism’ after being told to ‘shut up’ and ‘don’t talk s**t’ by the Chelsea striker.
After a summer move from Villarreal last year, Jackson netted a very respectable 17 goals in his first season at Stamford Bridge with two in five appearances at the start of the new campaign under Enzo Maresca.
But his erratic finishing has remained a talking point with former Blues midfielder Mikel among those to question his ability in front of goal.
After scoring against Wolves in August, Jackson hit back at the former Nigeria international in a fiery Instagram post which read: ‘Shut your mouth don’t talk s***, we are killing ourselves for Africa.’
But Mikel stands by his criticism of the Chelsea star, insisting his comments ‘come from a good place’.
‘I’ve always said what I’ve said about Nicolas Jackson. He is a good player, there is not once I have ever said he is a bad player,’ Mikel told beIN Sports.
‘The only criticism is his finishing needs to be much better. In terms of giving us what we want, being in the right place at the right time, he does for the team.’
Asked by fellow pundit Ruud Gullit if Jackson agrees with that assessment, Mikel continued: ‘I don’t think he agrees to that but I think everyone will understand what I am saying. It’s not coming from a bad place, it’s a really constructive criticism.’
Gullit said: ‘As long as he knows that himself.’ Mikel added: ‘But he doesn’t. That’s why when he scored he told me to shut up!’
Jackson remains Chelsea’s first choice striker this season after the club’s failure to sign Victor Osimhen in the final weeks of the summer transfer window.
‘We want players, but we wanted a player that we decide,’ Maresca said of that failed move.
‘It has to be on our conditions. If a player is not here, then it was not. We will see in January.’
‘I had faith, and the club also, even before [in Jackson],’ Maresca added. ‘We trust Nicolas. When the transfer window was open, I said he was doing fantastic with us.
‘The only thing I know is he’s signing a new contract – I don’t know how many years.
‘I’m very happy. Nicolas is doing a fantastic job with us. He scored again. He had more chances but we’re happy with him.’
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Referee Taylor not given Premier League assignment
Anthony Taylor will not referee a Premier League game this weekend after receiving abuse on social media following Chelsea's 1-0 win at Bournemouth.
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Monday, September 16, 2024
Barcelona extend Bonmati's contract until 2028
Spain international Aitana Bonmati signs a contract extension with Barcelona until the summer of 2028.
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Sunday, September 15, 2024
More to come from goalscorer De Ligt - Ten Hag
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is delighted beat a Southampton side 3-0, with summer signing Matthijs de Ligt scoring his first goal for the club at St Mary's Stadium.
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Saturday, September 14, 2024
Kane scores hat-trick in thumping Bayern Munich win
Bayern Munich score after just 13 seconds and Harry Kane grabs a hat-trick in an emphatic Bundesliga win at Holstein Kiel.
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Liverpool star Alisson aims dig at Nottingham Forest tactics in shock defeat
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker took a subtle dig at the tactics employed by Nottingham Forest in their shock win at Anfield.
Callum Hudson-Odoi’s superb finish secured a 1-0 victory that represented Forest’s first victory in the red half for Merseyside for 55 years.
Having made a flawless start to life under Arne Slot, the Reds were expected to extend their winning run to four matches but came up against obdurate opponents who nullified the Reds’ star-studded attack.
Slot attempted to freshen up his forward line with the introductions of Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo, but it was a Forest substitute who had the decisive impact on the game, much to Alisson’s annoyance.
“It was a shame, losing points at home is not good at all but the opponent today only wanted to defend and play for the long ball.
‘We gave them that too easily when they scored, it was poor defensively from us,’ said the Brazil international.
‘We couldn’t create much, we had a lack of quality today, we needed more energy. It is three points we have lost today unnecessarily.
‘All the opportunities we had were not clear enough and they defended great, they threw themselves in front of the ball.’
This was Liverpool’s first match after an international break and it appeared to show as passes went astray with alarming regularity, the connections built up previously becoming severed quite quickly.
Liverpool had 10 players who played the full 90 minutes in both games for their international teams and the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz travelled back from South America.
However, that is not out of the ordinary and Slot did not look to find excuses.
‘It’s always difficult, but I don’t think it had anything to do with it,’ said.
‘Players came back strong and I saw today a team that wanted to fight until the end. That wasn’t to do with energy.
‘If you look at the goals we scored until now, we scored quite a few from transition moments from winning the ball back, but the other team (Forest) played over our press a lot with a lot of long balls.
‘It wasn’t good enough today because too many individual performances in ball possession were not up to the standards that I’m used to from these players.’
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Friday, September 13, 2024
Marseille chief has no regrets over Greenwood deal
Club president Pablo Longoria says Marseille "looked at all the information" when signing Mason Greenwood from Manchester United.
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How 'Slotball' varies from Klopp's rock 'n' roll
Arne Slot has managed something at Liverpool that Jurgen Klopp achieved only once in eight seasons. But how do they compare?
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Ten Hag rejects Ronaldo criticism over ambition
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag dismisses Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest criticism and says the outside noise around the club does not bother him.
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Everton’s stance on sacking Sean Dyche with Manchester United and Chelsea flops tipped to take over
Everton have made a decision on Sean Dyche’s future with former Manchester United and Chelsea managers among those tipped to replace him.
Alongside United’s Erik ten Hag, Dyche is the Premier League manager most tipped to lose their job first this season after the Toffees lost all three of their opening games by a combined score of 2-10.
Things don’t get easier this weekend, with Everton travelling to Aston Villa on Saturday evening.
Their poor form comes amid a long-running takeover saga, where multiple parties have tried and failed to buy out majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri.
American businessman John Textor is the latest to try his luck though a takeover deal is complicated as he’d need to sell his 45% stake in Crystal Palace first, but that hasn’t stopped him speaking out about his plans for the club.
Textor suggested earlier this week that there would be a change in the dugout if he bought the club, with reports claiming he wants to hire Palmeiras’ Abel Ferreira or AC Milan’s Paulo Fonseca.
Everton have publicly distanced themselves from his comments, though the pressure on Dyche to turn around his side’s form is considerable and that has kept the rumour mill turning.
According to Gambling.com, David Moyes is the favourite to replace Dyche should he be sacked, with Graham Potter just behind.
Moyes spent 11 years at Goodison Park before departing to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford and is currently out of work after leaving West Ham over the summer.
Potter meanwhile is still a free agent after being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023 and while he has been linked with the England job, that seems more likely to go to Lee Carsley.
Next Premier League manager to leave odds
Sean Dyche – 3/1
Erik ten Hag – 3/1
Enzo Maresca – 11/2
Julen Lopetegui – 9/1
Odds courtesy of Betfair
Next permanent Everton manager odds
David Moyes – 7/4
Graham Potter – 2/1
Rafael Benitez – 7/2
Daniel Farke – 4/1
Odds courtesy of Gambling.com
This could all be meaningless though as reports claim that Dyche still has the full support of Moshiri and Everton’s director of football Kevin Thelwell and they have no plans to dismiss him until at least the end of the season when his contract expires.
The Telegraph report that the pair believe that most of the fan criticism directed at the manager is ‘unfair’, though tehre will be no talk of renewing his contract until the takeover saga is sorted.
The former Burnley boss saved the club from relegation after replacing Frank Lampard in January 2023, and guided them to a 15th place finish last season despite a points deduction and major financial constraints.
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Thursday, September 12, 2024
Former Arsenal star compares summer signing to legendary defender
William Gallas has compared new Arsenal signing Riccardo Calafiori to legendary defender Paolo Maldini, although admits it might partly be down to his hair.
The 22-year-old arrived in north London from Bologna this summer in a deal worth £42m, although he is yet to make his first start for the Gunners.
The Italian has come off the bench twice in the Premier League, but did start for his country over the international break in a 3-1 win over France.
The full-back went off injured, but Gallas liked what he saw from Calafiori, as he has done whenever he has seen him play.
The Frenchman has been so impressed that Maldini comes to mind when he watches the Arsenal man, although he has tried to temper excitement despite making that comparison.
‘I was watching the France vs Italy match and Calafiori stood out,’ Gallas told Prime Casino. ‘I thought he was really impressive before he was taken off with an injury. During the game, I’m texting my friend, Ousmane Dabo (former French international), and he played for Inter, Lazio, he spent most of his career in Serie A, so he knows the league and he knows Calafiori.
‘We’re talking about this player, and Ousmane tells me that he is the best defender in Italy and has been for a while. He said that he was outstanding last season, and I’m watching it, and I’m thinking this guy reminds me of Paulo Maldini.
‘Before Arsenal fans get too excited with the comparison, I’m talking about the way that Riccardo Calafiori moves, his style. I like his movement, how he reads the game. He’s got great awareness and ability for a 22-year-old.
‘Maybe it’s the long hair and the position he plays, because he can play as a left back that also makes me think of Maldini. Against France he played as the left centre back in a back three, but without the ball he moves into midfield. He’s very comfortable on the ball in those areas of the pitch; doesn’t panic.
‘Dabo said he was one of, if not the best defender in Italy last season. Every time I’ve seen him, I’ve been impressed.’
The severity of the injury Calafiori suffered against France is not yet clear. It is not thought to be serious but his availability for the north London derby on Sunday is yet to be confirmed.
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Hamilton and Gold named Arbroath player-managers
Arbroath has confirmed the appointment of club stalwarts Colin Hamilton and David Gold as permanent co-player managers.
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Why Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez escapes FA ban over racist chant despite Rodrigo Bentancur charge
Enzo Fernandez will not be punished by the Football Association after the Chelsea star was caught singing a racist and transphobic chant following Argentina’s Copa America triumph.
That’s despite the FA charging Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur over controversial comments he made about club captain Son Heung-min.
In an interview on Uruguayan television in June, Bentancur suggested that all people from South Korea ‘looked the same’, before swiftly apologising for his remarks.
The midfielder has until next Thursday to respond to the charges and could be punished with a 12-game ban.
It was anticipated that Fernandez could receive a similar punishment after the midfielder posted a video on Instagram which appeared to show him and several of his Argentina teammates singing a derogatory chant about the France national team.
First sung by Argentina fans during the 2022 World Cup, the chant claims that France’s players are ‘all from Angola’ and makes a vile reference to a reported relationship between Kylian Mbappe and transgender model Ines Rau.
During the video, several players could be heard singing the first two lines of the song, ‘on passport, French nationality, listen, spread the word, they play in France, but they are all…’, before someone is heard saying, ‘cut the video’.
This occurred just hours after they had won the Copa America final in July, leaving several of the 23-year-old’s Chelsea teammates furious, with Wesley Fofana calling it ‘uninhibited racism’.
Chelsea and FIFA opened investigations into the incident, while Fernandez apologised publicly and privately, but unlike Bentancur he will escape punishment from the FA due to a technicality in disciplinary procedures.
According to the Daily Mail, despite Fernandez being a ‘participant’ in English football, the FA cannot actually intervene in the matter.
This is because the video in question was recorded while the player was on international duty, meaning it falls under the jurisdiction of FIFA and South America’s governing body CONEMBOL.
Though Bentancur’s offence took place on Uruguayan TV he had not actually been released by Tottenham for international fixtures and therefore it can be considered an FA matter.
It is the same technicality that has allowed Manchester City hero Rodri to escape FA punishment after the comments he made about Gibraltar during Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph celebrations.
Rodri and international teammate Alvaro Morata were issued with a one-match ban by UEFA after they chanted: ‘Gibraltar is Spanish’.
Enzo Maresca has controversially made Fernandez Chelsea captain in the wake of the scandal, a decision the manager has defended after Ian Wright labelled it ’embarrassing’.
‘All of us make mistakes. It’s important to recognise Enzo did a mistake, recognised the mistake and it’s finished.
‘I don’t know about you, but I did some mistakes in the past and I recognised. As a human being, if you do a mistake and you recognise, you are not going to be punished for life.
‘Enzo did a mistake, recognised. For me, he is one of the references and I have nothing to add.’
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Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Republic of Ireland shirt 'too heavy' for some players
Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson admits his team are lacking of confidence and that the Republic of Ireland shirt is metaphorically "too heavy" for some players.
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Manchester United star ‘likes’ post featuring Cristiano Ronaldo’s criticism of Erik ten Hag
A Manchester United star has risked the wrath of Erik ten Hag after liking an Instagram post detailing Cristiano Ronaldo’s criticism of the manager.
Ronaldo has reignited his feud with Ten Hag after they clashed several times at Old Trafford during the first half of the 2022/23 season.
This culminated in the legendary forward publicly slamming the manager, his United teammates and the club’s owners in an interview with Piers Morgan, shortly before leaving United for the Saudi Pro League.
Since Ronaldo’s departure, Ten Hag has won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup but their form in Europe and in the Premier League has been abysmal with last season’s eighth-place finish the worst in their history.
Back in July, the Dutchman said the Red Devils were a ‘long way away’ from being able to challenge the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal for the title.
In an interview on Rio Ferdinand Presents, Ronaldo agreed with that sentiment but stated that Ten Hag should not have been so public with his assessment of the side.
And it seems that one current player agrees with the United legend, with Alejandro Garnacho liking an Instagram post from transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano that shared some of Ronaldo’s quotes.
Specifically, the quotes were: ‘Man United coach cannot say they can’t compete to win the Premier League and the Champions League every year.
‘This is Man United! You have to be there, to mentally say… listen, maybe we don’t have that potential, but I cannot say that. We’re going to try. You have to try.
‘This is why Man United need to rebuild. If Ten Hag listens to Ruud van Nistelrooy [United coach] maybe he can help. He knows the club and the club should listen the guys who were there, as this is really important.
‘Rio Ferdinand, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Sir Alex Ferguson… you need advice from this people. You cannot rebuild a club without knowledge.’
Garnacho later unliked the post but was too late to prevent fans from noticing and this is not the first time the Argentina international has taken to social media to seemingly criticise his manager.
Back in April, the forward liked two Twitter posts that slammed Ten Hag for subbing Garnacho off at half-time of United’s 2-2 draw at Bournemouth.
Whether the 20-year-old faces any repercussions from the club or his manager remains to be seen with the Red Devils next in action on Saturday when they travel to Southampton.
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Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Republic of Ireland U21s hopes hit with Latvia draw
Republic of Ireland Under-21s' hopes of Euro 2025 qualification suffer a setback as they are held to a 2-2 draw by Latvia at Tallaght Stadium.
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Cristiano Ronaldo tips four players to win Ballon d’or in the near future
Cristiano Ronaldo feels four players have the best chance of winning the Ballon d’Or in the coming years, now he and Lionel Messi have relinquished their grip on the award.
Ronaldo won the prize for the first time in 2008 and has claimed it five times in total, while Messi won it first in 2009 and took his tally to a record eight last year.
While it is not out of the question while they are still playing, it doesn’t seem likely that either of the legendary figures will win the Ballon d’Or again and it is time for a younger generation to take over.
The Portuguese superstar fancies Kylian Mbappe to shine with new club Real Madrid, while he fancies Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal to be in contention for the biggest individual prize in the game.
‘I think [Mbappe] will do well,’ Ronaldo said on his YouTube channel, in conversation with Rio Ferdinand.
‘The structure of the club… it’s nice, it’s good. They have a great coach and the president, Florentino [Pérez], who has been there many many years.
‘I think it won’t be a big problem because of his talent. Mbappe can be the next golden ball [Ballon d’Or] winner for the next years. Him, [Erling] Haaland, [Jude] Bellingham, Lamine [Yamal]. This new generation has a lot of potential.
‘Madrid is the kind of team they don’t rush under pressure. People say they’re lucky in the Champions [League]. No they are not lucky. They’re prepared for this kind of moment. The Bernabeu has that different aura.
‘Now, if you say that Madrid is going to be better or not, we don’t know. Mbappe is there now, I think Madrid will keep strong, but I don’t know if they will be better than last year. Only God knows.’
The bookmakers do not expect any of those four players to win the Ballon d’Or this year, with another Real Madrid superstar the favourite.
Vinicius Jr is the favourite with the bookies, while Manchester City’s Rodri is behind him in the betting.
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Monday, September 9, 2024
Coleman out of Republic of Ireland's Greece game
Seamus Coleman is ruled out of the Republic of Ireland's Nations League game against Greece and is replaced in the squad by Festy Ebosele.
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Sunday, September 8, 2024
Lost luggage & fans' passion - Lewis' '100mph' 24 hours from Brazil to NI
Northern Ireland defender Jamal Lewis says his loan move to Brazilian side Sao Paulo was a "no-brainer" and could be the start of a long journey.
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Chelsea’s shock Cole Palmer decision branded ‘disrespectful’ by Gabby Agbonlahor
Former Aston Villa star Gabby Agbonlahor says Chelsea’s decision to leave Cole Palmer out of their Europa Conference League squad is ‘disrespectful to the competition’.
Chelsea will be playing in the third tier of European competition after finishing down in sixth place in the Premier League under Enzo Maresca’s predecessor, Mauricio Pochettino, last season.
The Blues secured their spot in the group stage of the Conference League after coming through a tough test against Swiss outfit Servette last month, with Maresca’s men winning 3-2 on aggregate over two legs.
Palmer enjoyed a remarkable debut campaign with Chelsea last term, racking up 22 goals and 11 assists in the English top flight which saw the 22-year-old attacking midfielder win the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
However, Palmer was surprisingly left out of Chelsea’s 27-man squad for the competition. It’s understood the Stamford Bridge giants are keen to manage the England international’s workload.
Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana, who have both struggled with injuries since arriving in west London, were also omitted from the group.
‘I think it’s disrespectful to the competition because they wouldn’t do that for the Europa League or the Champions League,’ Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT when asked about Chelsea’s decision.
‘They’re looking at the Europa Conference League like, “Eurgh, we’re Chelsea and we shouldn’t be in this… let’s rest our players who might pick up knocks”.
‘Especially with Lavia and Fofana. They’ve had injury problems and they’re probably thinking, “Rest them in the Europa Conference League, we can play a weakened side and then concentrate on the Premier League with some of these players”.
‘I think it’s quite disrespectful to the competition to be honest.’
According to Agbonlahor, there is a risk that Chelsea’s bold call could be used as a source of motivation by rival teams in the Europa Conference League.
He added: ‘If I’m a team that is playing against them, I’m looking at them and would be like, “Come on, that’s a team talk… they’re resting a few players, not putting them in the squad because they’re thin there, the rest of their squad can beat you”.
‘I do think that if I was playing against them I would be like, “Oh, Palmer doesn’t have to play does he? Is this a rubbish competition?”.
‘But I do get it. You need a rest as well, the players do.’
Palmer has started all of Chelsea’s games in the Premier League this season and was named in Lee Carsley’s England squad for the side’s Nations League double-header with the Republic of Ireland and Finland.
But the former Manchester City youngster returned to Chelsea prior to England’s win over Ireland to ‘continue his rehabilitation’ on an ‘ongoing issue’.
Maresca will no doubt be hoping Palmer is fit and firing again in time for Chelsea’s trip to Bournemouth next weekend.
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Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk tipped to win Ballon d’Or by one of his teammates
Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk has the ‘qualities’ to win the Ballon d’Or, according to his Ukraine international teammate Georgiy Sudakov.
Mudryk has largely struggled since he joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk for £89m in January 2023, producing just seven goals and five assists in 62 games.
The 23-year-old winger was not included on the list of nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or – which was revealed earlier this week – with the winner of the award being crowned the best individual player in world football.
Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or more than any other footballer in history – eight times – in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023 respectively.
But Georgiy Sudakov, who plays for Ukraine internationally with Mudryk, feels the Chelsea winger could follow in Messi’s footsteps because he has ‘no upper limit’.
‘Mykhailo is an incredible player, he has no upper limit and he can win the Ballon d’Or with his qualities,’ Sudakov told The Guardian.
‘But everything depends only on him. I believe he will be able to show his best qualities. Ukraine is an incredibly talented country and he is a great example for us to follow.’
Mudryk warned Chelsea fans over their ‘expectations’ for him in the 2024-25 campaign this summer.
Chelsea supporters are keen to see Mudryk reach his full potential – especially given he is under contact until 2031 – and hope he’ll improve this term.
One Blues fan, @anishpokharel29, reached out to Mudryk and posted on Instagram: ‘Misha, what can we expect from you for [the 2024-25] season?’
Mudryk replied: ‘Expectations are [what] kills our happiness.’
He has made four appearances so far in 2024-25 – two in the Premier League and two in the UEFA Conference League play-offs.
Mudryk has provided one assist across those four games, which came in the second-leg clash against Servette.
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Saturday, September 7, 2024
Keir Starmer speaks out on England manager refusing to sing the national anthem
Caretaker England boss Lee Carsley stood in respectful silence as his players sang God Save the King ahead of their Nations League clash with the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
The 50-year-old former Ireland midfielder had indicated in advance that he would not join in with the national anthem – as has been his practice throughout his career – as he took charge of his first game in the wake of Gareth Southgate’s departure.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said ahead of the match that, while he would sing the anthem, it should be a personal decision for Carsley and for any individual.
Carsley was in good company as Ireland’s Icelandic manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, also in the dugout for the first time following his appointment as Stephen Kenny’s successor in July, did not sing the Irish anthem, Amhran na bhFiann.
All the England players appeared to sing along amid raucous boos from the home fans, while many of the 2,981 travelling supporters chanted throughout the Irish anthem.
Speaking during the build-up to the game, Carsley explained his reasons for not singing.
He said: ‘This is something that I always struggled with when I was playing for Ireland – the gap between your warm-up, your coming on to the pitch and the delay with the anthems. So it’s something that I have never done.
‘I was always really focused on the game and my first actions of the game. I really found that in that period I was wary about my mind wandering off. I was really focused on the football and I have taken that into coaching.’
During his first official visit to Dublin, which Starmer said is a ‘moment for reset’ of relations between the UK and Ireland, the Prime Minister was asked for his views on the issue.
Starmer said: ‘I will sing the national anthem and we are having a fantastic reset of relations between Ireland and the UK, but the Taoiseach and I have already agreed that for 90 minutes we will suspend the reset and put more energy into it afterwards because we will be cheering on different sides.
‘So I will be singing the national anthem. What others do is really a matter for them.’
Asked then if he was not concerned about Carsley’s choice, the Prime Minister added: ‘I know what I will be doing and I will be singing it.
‘I won’t just be singing it, I will be cheering the team on.’
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England stalemate one of Wright's proudest days
Northern Ireland Under-21s boss Tommy Wright ranks his side’s 0-0 draw with England on Friday night alongside any result he has achieved in football.
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Friday, September 6, 2024
New era for England - who has a point to prove?
BBC Sport looks at those aiming to impress when England return to action for the first time since Gareth Southgate resigned as manager.
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