Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Premier League champions Manchester City banished their demons from twelve months ago, avenging a painful collapse against Real Madrid with a 4-0 (5-1 aggregate) win over the Champions League holders on Wednesday, earning a date with Serie A giants Inter Milan for the Istanbul final on June 10. Five games in 20 days across three competitions between now and then, what’s next?
Continue reading “Istanbul bound: City composed in 4-0 Real rout, as a pivotal three weeks now beckon”
Mohamed Salah proved Liverpool’s matchwinner once again. His scruffy first-half finish secured goal no. 30 for the season across all competitions, and 100th strike at Anfield, during a narrow and hard-fought victory over European hopefuls Brentford as Jurgen Klopp’s men extended their winning streak to six.
Continue reading “Liverpool 1-0 Brentford: Salah the centurion seals sixth straight league win”
They say records are there to be broken, and an in-form Erling Haaland reeled off another one on Wednesday: his 35th goal in 31 Premier League appearances, as defending champions Manchester City won 3-0 at home vs. West Ham, means the 22-year-old striker has made more history during a memorable debut campaign in England’s top-flight – 19 years after the last time it happened. Continue reading “Erling Haaland breaks Premier League’s single-season scoring record in 3-0 win”
Graham Potter was always going to find himself under intense scrutiny after succeeding Thomas Tuchel last September, and has barely lasted seven months in charge. The managerial merry-go-round has returned once more in west London, where club legend Frank Lampard will this week take interim charge while a host of free agent big names are linked for the summer months. Continue reading “Graham Potter was doomed at Chelsea from Day 1, but poisoned chalice moves on”
Individual mistakes from Gunners defensive duo Takehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel Magalhaes during both halves helped reigning champions Manchester City rally from a tetchy start to return top of the Premier League, earning a hard-fought 3-1 away win over long-running leaders Arsenal in north London. Erling Haaland ended his three-match goalscoring drought to wrap up the points, combining with – who else – Kevin de Bruyne. Continue reading “Arsenal 1-3 Manchester City: Individual mistakes cost profligate Gunners as Citizens return top”
Milan playmaker Brahim Diaz scored his first goal since October – a rebounded finish from close-range – as Antonio Conte’s Tottenham side suffered consecutive defeats for the second time already in 2023 with a frustrating collective showing in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. The return fixture might be in three weeks’ time, but they’ll have to execute with far more incision than they managed here if they’re to advance into the quarter-finals. Continue reading “Milan 1-0 Tottenham: Diaz’s early opener stings Spurs as Champions League knockout stages return”
World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez, signed in the dying hours on deadline day this past Tuesday, made his Premier League debut for Graham Potter’s Chelsea side but the midfielder couldn’t inspire his new teammates to produce more than a frustrating goalless draw with west London rivals Fulham, who defended valiantly with centre-back and captain Tim Ream in particular. Continue reading “Chelsea 0-0 Fulham: Ream rescues Cottagers as £106m man Enzo Fernandez makes Blues debut”
A six-week World Cup hiatus didn’t appear to faze a bullish Brentford display, nor spring Tottenham out of their worrying tendencies as the pair played out a compelling 2-2 draw in the Premier League’s first fixture back since the winter international pause ended earlier today. Continue reading “Brentford 2-2 Tottenham: Kane, Hojberg save sluggish Spurs in frantic London derby”
France forward Randal Kolo Muani will undoubtedly be thinking about his stoppage-time miss against Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup Final, but the Eintracht Frankfurt frontman – a late-notice injury replacement – shone on the world stage and spoke of his pride at a tournament he didn’t expect to be at. Elsewhere, Morocco duo Sofiane Boufal and Azzedine Ounahi have attracted interest from a host of European clubs: both are now anticipating January transfers. Continue reading “World Cup 2022: Kolo Muani reflects on magical experience, while Morocco duo set to leave Angers”
Conor Gallagher’s start to the Premier League season has been a forgettable one for the Chelsea midfielder, yet the 22-year-old talent – already capped by England’s senior side – certainly picked the right moment to produce his best performance of 2022 thus far in Sheffield overnight against Germany under-21s ahead of a big month under new boss Graham Potter. Continue reading “U21s: Chelsea’s Gallagher produces integral display against Germany, before October’s big month”
As they prepare to host Red Bull Salzburg in their first game of the post-Thomas Tuchel era tonight in Champions League action, Chelsea vice-captain and Italy international midfielder Jorginho told reporters in the pre-match press conference while the 47-year-old’s dismissal was a surprise last week, the players were ultimately responsible for the German’s abrupt sacking. Continue reading “Jorginho: Chelsea players to blame for Tuchel’s sacking; Campos linked with sporting director role”
Just six weeks into his spell in England, disaster has struck for Aston Villa’s £26m summer signing Diego Carlos in the form of a long-term Achilles injury sustained during their 2-1 home win over Frank Lampard’s Everton on Saturday afternoon. Set to be sidelined for six months or more, this news means he misses the chance to crack the Brazil squad for the Qatar World Cup. Continue reading “Confirmed: Aston Villa’s Diego Carlos out until 2023, ruptured Achilles on home debut vs. Everton”
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