If there was great pride seeing Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe dismantle Slavia Prague to help Arsenal reach the Europa League semi-finals for the third time in four seasons last week, two players in particular shone 24 hours later during FA Youth Cup action and will certainly believe they can be next to emulate them in the first-team proper: sooner rather than later. Continue reading
David Moyes’ weekend comments on captain Declan Rice were both refreshingly bullish and shed light into an intriguing subplot as the season continues to unfold. While a lot of fanfare has covered Tomas Soucek’s rise, Jesse Lingard’s immediate impact and an unlikely but very real European qualification charge, the England international has proven a dependable constant. Continue reading
After it was confirmed earlier this week that Atalanta captain Alejandro Gomez was joining La Liga side Sevilla – rather than another Serie A rival – in a cut-price deal worth up to £7m, comments aplenty have emerged about the move. Teammates, former boss Gian Piero Gasperini and Papu had their say as he prepares for another of Europe’s top five leagues.
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After his loan deal from Chelsea was complete, centre-back Fikayo Tomori was named in Milan’s matchday squad but didn’t feature during their 3-0 home defeat by Atalanta over the weekend. His new head coach, Stefano Pioli, praised his intelligence and said the 23-year-old has interesting qualities, though a lack of training with them means he’ll need time to settle in Italy. Continue reading
Atalanta captain Alejandro Gomez is expected to depart next month after a well-documented row with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini that has only worsened with time and unsurprisingly, has courted interest across Italy. Inter, Roma and Napoli are three league-chasing rivals linked as Serie A leaders Milan appear to have pulled out of the race for the 32-year-old forward. Continue reading
A look ahead to three group stage fixtures from MD3 as the Europa League continues on Thursday. Villarreal host Maccabi Tel Aviv, Tottenham hope they can atone for their embarrassment in Antwerp against Ludogorets before Premier League rivals Leicester hope to follow up their emphatic 4-1 win over Leeds in a big home clash against Portuguese side Braga. Continue reading
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A look ahead to three group stage fixtures from MD2 as the Europa League continues on Thursday. Bayer Leverkusen are among the sides targeting successive UEL victories when they travel to Sparta Prague next, while Premier League sides Leicester and Tottenham hope to build on slender top-flight victories away from home comforts in Greece and Belgium respectively. Continue reading
A look ahead to three contrasting group stage fixtures from MD1 as the Europa League returns on Thursday. Last year’s quarter-finalists Bayer Leverkusen welcome Nice back to the competition after a two-year absence, Arteta’s Arsenal travel to Austria with Rapid Vienna first up while Maccabi Tel Aviv host Qarabag. Which players will impress this week? Continue reading
A look ahead to Sunday’s Bundesliga double-header as defending champions Bayern Munich host an unpredictable Hertha Berlin from 5pm BST, after Wolfsburg look to put Thursday’s Europa League heartbreak behind them when hosting Augsburg in the day’s afternoon kick-off. Continue reading
Antonio Conte hopes he can lead Inter Milan to their first major trophy for nine years on Friday, after watching them thump Shakhtar Donetsk 5-0 in an emphatic semi-final victory. Standing in their way are a side with serious pedigree in this competition, Sevilla. Having stunned Manchester United, Julen Lopetegui’s men are quietly confident of victory themselves… Continue reading
90 minutes separate Sevilla and Manchester United from this summer’s Europa League Final. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men are perhaps viewed as favourites to ultimately prevail here – but as Wolves, Roma and more can attest, Julen Lopetegui’s men will prove a stern test against an unpredictable United side. Continue reading
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted a matchwinning brace for the second successive FA Cup tie, as Arsenal edged out a nervy 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea – earning a record 14th title in competition history while subsequently qualifying for UEFA Europa League football next season with Mikel Arteta’s first piece of silverware in management. Continue reading
