Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola publicly revealed the belief his side could be in trouble after John Stones’ latest injury setback, during their 3-0 home Champions League group stage win over BSC Young Boys on Tuesday. The 29-year-old England international recently returned to action last month after hip and hamstring issues, but could be sidelined again with a muscular complaint. Continue reading “Guardiola fears another lengthy John Stones absence after Young Boys victory”
After speculation linked him with a move to Manchester City this summer and with Newcastle reportedly also circling, Crystal Palace are set to reward Eberechi Eze for his pre-injury form with a new £100,000-a-week contract ending questions over the England international’s future – at least short-term. Continue reading “Reports: Crystal Palace agree new £100kpw extension deal with Eberechi Eze”
If the phrase unlimited possibilities sounds familar, don’t be surprised. James Harden has forced his way out of another unsavoury situation and is now in the midst of another uncertain future with the LA Clippers – who haven’t managed to keep their two star players in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George fit, while a second Russell Westbrook reunion is set too. That’s part of the fun now, right?
Continue reading “Unlimited possibilites? James Harden forced his way to another risky bet in LA”
IBO light-heavyweight world champion Lyndon Arthur has been shortlisted to face WBA titlist Dmitry Bivol in a voluntary defence, either next month or early January, according to the long-reigning champion’s manager Vadim Kornilov – who also touched on the difficulties involved with securing the 32-year-old’s next fight after an inactive year typified a frustratingly stagnant 175lb division. Continue reading “Lyndon Arthur on shortlist for Dmitry Bivol bout, per WBA champion’s manager”
Novak Djokovic didn’t have the easiest week on his return to tour-level action, being on the brink of defeat on three consecutive days but holding his nerve to reach another final, where he reclaimed a title he knows well: the Paris Masters 1000 trophy, his penultimate event of the 2023 campaign. Grigor Dimitrov was a deserving finalist this week, but ran out of steam in a straight-sets scoreline.
Continue reading “Paris Masters: Djokovic earns record-extending seventh title after Dimitrov win”
Joe Cordina was the first to acknowledge Saturday night wasn’t his best showing, but the 31-year-old would’ve learned from the experience and more importantly, remained unbeaten after a majority decision (114-114, 116-112 x 2) win over a gamely effort by Edward Vasquez in their Monte-Carlo main event. Continue reading “Cordina compels future foes after edging majority decision nod vs. spirited Vasquez”
PSG’s 17-year-old midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery now has goal contributions in his last five club appearances after thumping home the second in a comfy 3-0 home win over Montpellier overnight – with marauding fullback Achraf Hakimi notching two assists on an evening where overlapping runs were devastating. Continue reading “PSG 3-0 Montpellier: Zaire-Emery on target as Hakimi stars in comfortable win”
As the Welshman longs for future unification fights and big-money bouts to fully maximise the prime of his career, he faces an unheralded IBF super-featherweight world title defence this weekend in the form of Edward Vasquez in Monaco as WBC champion O’Shaquie Foster called for a unification bout this past week after winning a topsy-turvy firefight against Rocky Hernandez. Continue reading “O’Shaquie Foster did his part, now Joe Cordina must complete Monaco mission”
Having only featured once – in Davis Cup play for Serbia – since clinching his 24th Major title at Flushing Meadows on September 10, world no. 1 Novak Djokovic began as he means to continue this week with a straight-sets win (6-3, 6-2) against Tomas Martin Etcheverry, after a whirlwind 24-hour period has seen two of the tournament’s top three seeds beaten elsewhere in the draw. Continue reading “Paris Masters: Djokovic wins clean after Alcaraz, Medvedev stunned in round two”
After being criticised and ridiculed on social media for going winless during last season’s WTA Finals, US Open champion Coco Gauff has attributed a change in her perspective and learning life lessons as keys aiding her progression over the past twelve months. Kicking off the elite eight event in Cancun with a straight-sets win over three-time Major finalist Ons Jabeur is a good way to start. Continue reading “WTA Finals: Gauff grateful to seal winning start with commanding Jabeur scalp”
Tyson Fury was expected to carry Francis Ngannou for a few rounds, then drop and eventually stop the former UFC heavyweight champion on the Cameroonian’s boxing debut. Instead, he had to rise from the canvas in round three and narrowly squeezed past with a split decision nod after 30 minutes, as the long-awaited undisputed world title fight against unified champion Oleksandr Usyk was again put on ice. What happens next, is unclear.
Continue reading “Sail into the sunset? Carl Froch, George Groves question Fury’s desire after Ngannou display – they’re not alone”
The difference in their body language at the final bell told its own story. The crowd rose, Cameroonian flags up high and the stunned reactions half-an-hour earlier were a thing of the past. Francis Ngannou had done the unthinkable, producing the most historic upset boxing had ever seen. Well, up until the judges’ scorecards were read out and WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury given a reprieve despite a third-round knockdown and anticlimactic finish. Continue reading “Ngannou stifles floundering Fury, who survives R3 knockdown to edge contentious split decision win”
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