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Two sides who will be desperate to pick up a first-leg advantage on Wednesday night, Braga will host Greek giants Panathinaikos in what could be a lively affair.
Braga
Starting with the hosts, while Braga might have opened the 2023/24 campaign with a shock 2-1 loss at home against Famalicao on August 11th, Arthur Jorge’s men have certainly proven that performance was nothing more than a minor blip. Extending on their Champions League qualifying adventure earlier in the month as they breezed their way to a routine 7-1 aggregate romp against TSC, the Portuguese outfit will know the importance of claiming a first-leg advantage here. Picking up some perfect momentum over the weekend as they picked up their first Primeira Liga victory of …
Usain Bolt says he is disappointed to see Cristiano Ronaldo exit Manchester United, crediting the forward for keeping the club in the Premier League last season.
The Portugal captain departed Old Trafford by mutual consent last month following an explosive interview that saw him roundly criticise the club, manager Erik ten Hag and owners, the Glazer family.
It came after a difficult first season back following his return to the club from Juventus, in which the veteran striker looked ill at ease under interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
Now Bolt, an eight-time Olympic gold medal winner and United supporter, says he is disheartened by the star s exit, but stresses he understands his reasons.
It s sad to see him go, said Bolt of Ronaldo. He played such an important…
Former FIFA executive Jerome Champagne has formally submitted his bid to become the next president of the organisation.
The 57-year-old campaigned ahead of last May s election, but ultimately withdrew his candidacy as he did not generate the necessary backing from member associations.
Champagne who has been outspoken in his criticism of incumbent Sepp Blatter in the past says the criminal investigations launched into the FIFA president, general secretary Jerome Valcke and a number of other officials has renewed his determination to take the top job.
At a time when FIFA, our FIFA, needs more than ever an open debate about its future, its reform and the reform of football, we are witnessing the first months of the electoral campaign being dominated by controversy …
Everton boss David Moyes has yet to win silverware with the club. Could this be the Toffee s year?
Everton face Wigan in the quarter-final of the FA Cup later today looking to make it to the last four of the competition for the second consecutive year.
The Toffee’s suffered a gut wrenching defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Liverpool at Wembley in last season’s semi-final.
Everton have enjoyed a good season and are still in with an outside chance of making the Champions League spots and are now in with a good chance of making it to the last four of the FA Cup.
Encouraging
Everton’s form has slumped in the last few months. The slump has left the Toffee’s seven points off the Champions League spots. However, in the last two wins against Old…
According to , Liverpool are interested in signing Stoke playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri this summer. The 26-year-old reportedly has a relegation release clause that allows him to leave the Potters for around £12million. The fee is not a huge one for a player who is capable of such moments of brilliance.
Shaqiri is highly inconsistent
Shaqiri is the sort of player that must frustrate the life out of his own fans. He has immense technical ability and is capable of some fantastic pieces of magic with the ball at his feet. He is capable of beating multiple opponents and score goals from long distance. However, the problem is he seems to struggle with consistency, which is put down to a poor attitude by his critics.
If you look up the word mercurial in the dictionary, I am surp…
Fiorentina are set to lose Federico Bernardeschi and Borja Valero, with the former turning down a contract extension and the latter keen to join Inter.
Bernardeschi arrived at Fiorentina aged nine and progressed through the youth ranks, making his debut in 2013 and becoming an Italy international three years later.
The 23-year-old has a contract at the Stadio Artemio Franchi until 2019, but could well be on the way out having turned down an extension.
Bernardeschi has been linked with arch-rivals Juventus, as well as Inter and Premier League duo Manchester United and Chelsea.
I have to acknowledge the player s desire. Bernardeschi does not want to renew his contract, despite a very strong offer, Fiorentina technical director Pantaleo Corvino said on Tues…
Luis Suarez admits Uruguay face an anxious wait to see if Edinson Cavani will be fit to face France in the World Cup quarter-final, although he is confident they can cope without him.
The Paris Saint-Germain striker suffered a hamstring injury in the last-16 win over Portugal and was the only player not to take part in team training in Nizhny Novgorod on Tuesday.
Suarez himself picked up a knock in that session but later appeared in front of the media with no obvious discomfort, which will calm fears he too could miss the clash with France.
When it comes to Cavani, though, Suarez says it is unclear at the moment whether he will be able to face Didier Deschamps side.
I include myself in the three million Uruguayans waiting for Edi, Suarez told a news conf…
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, we want you to stay, came the chant from the stands late in the first half of Tuesday s EFL Cup semi-final first leg at Old Trafford.
With Manchester United trailing 3-0 to bitter rivals Manchester City, it was an endearing show of support… or at least it would have been were it not coming from the away fans.
It was a damning indictment of just how bad United had been before the break, as they failed to register a single shot on target and found themselves essentially kissing goodbye to another competition.
Just 39 per cent possession and not a single clear-cut opportunity to show for 45 minutes of football at home, United were utterly humiliated. A Bernardo Silva stunner, Riyad Mahrez s straightforward effort and Andreas Pereira s own go…
Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Bayern Munich (3-3 agg, PSG win on away-goals rule): Champions given the Fli
Paris Saint-Germain took their revenge as they reached the semi-finals of the Champions League at the expense of last year s winners Bayern Munich, losing 1-0 on the night but sneaking through on away goals.
A dazzling first-half performance from Neymar could have seen the Brazilian score a hat-trick for PSG before the break, but for brilliance from goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and two shots against the Bayern woodwork.
It therefore became worrying for the hosts, who were beaten by Bayern in the 2019-20 final, when Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting nudged the visitors ahead at the Parc des Princes and back to 3-3 on aggregate in the 40th minute.
But Bayern were without their injured talisman Robert Lewandowski and head coach Hansi Flick could have used his immense goal thr…
Pep Guardiola expressed gratitude to Didier Deschamps for picking the best left-sided central defender in Europe after Aymeric Laporte finally received a France call-up.
Les Bleus boss Deschamps ended the uncapped Manchester City defender s lengthy exile by naming him in the squad to face Albania and Andorra in Euro 2020 qualifying.
The uncapped 25-year-old has had to be extremely patient for international opportunities despite his consistently excellent displays at the heart of City s defence.
Laporte s performances have forced Guardiola to revise his opinion of the former Athletic Bilbao player, a day after Liverpool counterpart Virgil van Dijk was crowned UEFA Men s Player of the Year.
It was a mistake when I said he is one of the best – for me he…