Match coverage

Istanbul bound: City composed in 4-0 Real rout, as a pivotal three weeks now beckon

Bernardo Silva of Manchester City celebrates scoring the first goal during the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg match between Manchester...

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”

Match coverage

Real Madrid 1-1 Manchester City: de Bruyne keeps semi-final tie finely poised

Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg match between...

In a tense Champions League semi-final first leg encounter headlined by two excellent strikes from distance, Kevin de Bruyne’s emphatic equaliser midway through the second-half saw Manchester City restore parity vs. defending champions Real Madrid during their nailbiting affair at the Bernabeu tonight. Continue reading “Real Madrid 1-1 Manchester City: de Bruyne keeps semi-final tie finely poised”

Analysis, feature pieces

Graham Potter was doomed at Chelsea from Day 1, but poisoned chalice moves on

Graham Potter, Manager of Chelsea, reacts during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on April 01, 2023 in...

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”

Match coverage

Mbappe scores record-breaking goal in Benfica draw, as reports swirl he wants to leave PSG

Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates scoring a goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League group H match between Paris...

As reports emerged today that PSG’s superstar forward Kylian Mbappe wants to leave the club in January – a broken relationship with the board being cited as the reason – the 23-year-old made history with his first-half penalty: becoming the French champions’ highest-scoring player in the Champions League during their 1-1 Group H draw against Benfica earlier tonight.
Continue reading “Mbappe scores record-breaking goal in Benfica draw, as reports swirl he wants to leave PSG”

Match coverage

Real Madrid 2-0 Eintracht Frankfurt: Alaba, Benzema ensure Los Blancos seize UEFA Super Cup title

David Alaba of Real Madrid celebrates 1-0 with Karim Benzema of Real Madrid, Carlos Henrique Casemiro of Real Madrid, Toni Kroos of Real Madrid...

Goals from David Alaba and Karim Benzema in either half helped Champions League winners Real Madrid claim their first piece of silverware before their La Liga curtain-raiser on Sunday, beating Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 in Helsinki to clinch this year’s UEFA Super Cup – now tied with Milan and rivals Barcelona for the most in competition history. Continue reading “Real Madrid 2-0 Eintracht Frankfurt: Alaba, Benzema ensure Los Blancos seize UEFA Super Cup title”

Analysis, feature pieces

Courtois’ inspired display – once again – proves a fitting end as Real clinch 14th CL title

Courtois Thibaut of Real Madrid elected man of the match kissing the cup during the UEFA champions league final match between Real Madrid and...

It felt fitting that, eight years after suffering stoppage-time heartbreak against Real with Atletico Madrid in Lisbon, Thibaut Courtois was Los Blancos’ impenetrable wall here, defiantly stifling Liverpool throughout – breaking the record for most saves in a Champions League Final with nine, producing greatness with the lights shining brightest on a career-defining night. Continue reading “Courtois’ inspired display – once again – proves a fitting end as Real clinch 14th CL title”

Archives

Chelsea 1-3 Real Madrid: Benzema hat-trick leaves UCL holders with mountain to climb

Karim Benzema,, player of Real Madrid, is celebrating the goal during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and...

After conjuring up magic to save Real Madrid from the brink of elimination against PSG in the previous round, it was again Karim Benzema’s night – this time in west London – as two first-half headers and pouncing on Edouard Mendy’s early second-half mistake has now confined Champions League holders Chelsea to an unenviable second leg recovery mission on April 13. Continue reading “Chelsea 1-3 Real Madrid: Benzema hat-trick leaves UCL holders with mountain to climb”

Archives

Contingency plans: Adeyemi fee impasse, Dortmund also linked with other Haaland replacements

Karim Adeyemi of FC Red Bull Salzburg runs with the ball under pressure from Benjamin Pavard of FC Bayern Muenchen during the UEFA Champions League...

While still battling over a fair price for RB Salzburg’s latest hotshot, around the €45m (£37.4m) figure, Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund have been linked with approaches for other strikers this summer as they prepare for life after Erling Haaland – whose €75m (£62.4m) release clause is active and will inevitably be explored by Europe’s elite in the weeks to come. Continue reading “Contingency plans: Adeyemi fee impasse, Dortmund also linked with other Haaland replacements”

Archives

Real Madrid (3) 3-1 (2) PSG: Benzema’s second-half hat-trick secures unlikely comeback

Karim BENZEMA of Real Madrid celebrates his third goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Real Madrid and Paris at Estadio Santiago...

Karim Benzema’s 17-minute hat-trick sent the Bernabeu into raptures, as Real Madrid produced the seemingly improbable: recovering from 1-0 down on the night, and 2-0 on aggregate, stunning PSG to progress into the Champions League quarter-finals. The visitors, ahead after Kylian Mbappe’s near-post finish six minutes before half-time, capitulated again. Continue reading “Real Madrid (3) 3-1 (2) PSG: Benzema’s second-half hat-trick secures unlikely comeback”

Archives

PSG 1-0 Real Madrid: Mbappe’s stoppage-time magic sinks Los Blancos in tense first leg

Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain celebrates scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League Round Of Sixteen Leg One match between...

Kylian Mbappe scored his second stoppage-time winner in four days, ensuring PSG hold a slender first leg lead in their Champions League last-16 clash with La Liga leaders Real Madrid. The visitors defended stoutly with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois producing saves galore – including a Lionel Messi penalty – but had no chance stopping a magical moment at the death.
Continue reading “PSG 1-0 Real Madrid: Mbappe’s stoppage-time magic sinks Los Blancos in tense first leg”

Archives

Athletic Bilbao 1-2 Real Madrid: Benzema’s quick-fire brace sees Los Blancos prevail

Karim Benzema of Real Madrid CF celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the LaLiga Santander match between Athletic Club and Real...

Karim Benzema’s 14th and 15th goals of the La Liga season, bullish but devastating, ensured Carlo Ancelotti’s men returned to winning ways – leaving San Mames with a hard-fought three points vs. Athletic Bilbao, who created more chances but crucially lacked incisive execution against the league leaders. Heading into 2022, Real are eight points clear of Sevilla in second. Continue reading “Athletic Bilbao 1-2 Real Madrid: Benzema’s quick-fire brace sees Los Blancos prevail”

Archives

Belgium 2-3 France: Benzema, Mbappe key as Les Bleus earn second-half comeback win

Karim Benzema of France gives words of encouragement to team mate Kylian Mbappe before taking a penalty to level the scoreline at 2-2 during the UEFA...

In a week where he addressed the Real Madrid rumours and mother Fayza provided an update on her son’s future, Kylian Mbappe produced his best display since May to help propel France into the UEFA Nations League Final, where they play Euro 2020 semi-finalists Spain on Sunday.
Continue reading “Belgium 2-3 France: Benzema, Mbappe key as Les Bleus earn second-half comeback win”