LaLiga president Javier Tebas has said he is targeting playing a competitive league game in Miami next season, if they can reach an agreement with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). Tebas originally planned to stage a league match involving Barcelona and Girona at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium in 2018 but was met with opposition from the RFEF and FIFA, among others. However, a recent lawsuit involving Relevent Sports Group, the…
Editor’s Note: This was updated after Atlético Madrid’s 1-0 win against Celta Vigo on Sept. 26. The best Atlético Madrid teams of the past 20 years all had a great No. 9. Think of Luis Suárez, scoring 21 league goals to fire Atlético to the title in 2021, fueled by a burning desire to prove Barcelona wrong for letting him go. Think of prime Diego Costa, a centre-forward battering ram…
The English Football Association has charged Preston North End forward Milutin Osmajic with violent conduct after he allegedly bit Blackburn Rovers defender Owen Beck. Beck, on loan at Blackburn from Liverpool, complained to referee Mathew Donohue that he had been bitten by Osmajic following an incident during the second half of the 0-0 draw. Beck had been sent off for kicking out at a separate Preston player before the alleged…
IN A DIFFERENT life, Ahmed Al-Ghamdi might currently be listening intently to a lecture or spending late nights poring over journals in a library in Vancouver. He had been accepted to the University of British Columbia, one of Canada’s top-ranked universities which counts three Canadian prime ministers — including the incumbent Justin Trudeau — among its alumni. He would have first worked towards completing a bachelor’s degree in science, which…
Former Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has said he will listen to Barcelona’s offer to come out of retirement after the Catalan club made him their top target to replace the injured Marc-André ter Stegen. A source confirmed to ESPN that talks are well underway between Barça and Szczesny’s camp to thrash out the final details of what is expected to be a short-term contract until the end of the season,…
UEFA has re-opened the bidding process to stage the 2027 Champions League final after stripping Milan’s San Siro Stadium of the hosting rights. The San Siro, the home ground of AC Milan and Inter Milan, last staged the Champions League final in 2016 when Real Madrid defeated Atlético Madrid following a penalty shoot-out. UEFA announced Milan as the 2027 host city in May this year at the same time as…
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said he would have preferred not to play against his former club, FC Twente, in the Europa League because it’s “not nice to have to hurt something you love.” Ten Hag began his playing career at FC Twente and returned as a coach before becoming a first-team manager. The Dutch side visit Old Trafford in the Europa League on Wednesday and…
The Friedkin Group has agreed on a deal to take over Everton owner Farhad Moshiri’s 94.1% controlling stake, the club announced Monday. The Texas-based firm is a consortium of investments in automotive, entertainment, hospitality and sports. It also owns Serie A club Roma. The deal could signal an end to a tumultuous time at Goodison Park at the ownership level as British-Iranian billionaire Moshiri tried to sell his shares in…
Another topsy-turvy weekend of European football action is in the books, with Christian Pulisic instrumental as AC Milan pipped Internazionale 2-1 in the Derby della Madonnina. His goal, combined with Matteo Gabbia’s late header, secured a crucial victory for Milan, easing pressure on manager Paulo Fonseca and ending Milan’s six-game losing streak in the rivalry. In the Premier League, Manchester City’s feisty 2-2 draw with Arsenal saw Erling Haaland notch…
A knee injury will rule out Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen for months after he was carried off on a stretcher during Sunday’s 5-1 LaLiga win at Villarreal, a source confirmed to ESPN. Barça coach Hansi Flick confirmed the injury appears to be “huge and serious,” but added he could not offer any timeframe until he undergoes further tests. Radio station RAC1 reported Ter Stegen, who was taken to a…