Category Other

Bale rejects offer to join Wrexham next season

Welsh legend Gareth Bale won’t be coming out of retirement to play for Wrexham next season, despite the pleas of the club’s Hollywood actor co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. After Wrexham earned promotion to the English Football League (EFL) last weekend, McElhenney responded to a congratulatory message from Bale with an ambitious bid to lure the 33-year-old back to the pitch. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)…

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April 29, 2023

Barca hold on to reach 3rd straight UWCL

Barcelona are into a fourth Champions League final in five years after a nervy 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Spotify Camp Nou on Thursday saw them progress 2-1 on aggregate. Caroline Graham Hansen, who scored the winner in the first leg of the semifinal last weekend, broke the deadlock after the break, but Guro Reiten’s 67th minute equaliser set up a nervy finale. – Women’s World Cup bracket and fixtures…

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April 28, 2023

Desperate Spurs rally for draw with Man Utd

Tottenham Hotspur pulled off a remarkable second-half turnaround to draw 2-2 with Manchester United in a high-stakes Premier League affair on Thursday in north London. Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford put Man United in control in the first half, but Pedro Porro’s moment of magic early in the second half for Spurs and Son Heung-Min’s late strike saw the top-six rivals settle for a point apiece. – How Premier League…

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April 28, 2023

Newcastle rout Everton to close in on UCL place

Callum Wilson scored twice as Newcastle United tightened their grip on a Champions League qualification place with a thumping 4-1 Premier League victory at second-bottom Everton on Thursday, deepening the relegation crisis at the Goodison Park club. Joelinton and Jacob Murphy were also on the scoresheet as Newcastle had too much quality for an Everton side who were last relegated in 1951 but are now facing that very real prospect.…

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April 28, 2023

Leaders Barca suffer shock loss to Rayo Vallecano

Barcelona wasted a golden opportunity to extend their lead at the top of LaLiga as they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday thanks to goals in each half from Alvaro Garcia and Fran Garcia. With seven games to play, Barca are top of the league on 76 points, 11 ahead second-placed Real Madrid, who were also stunned 4-2 at lowly Girona on Tuesday. Rayo Vallecano are…

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April 27, 2023

MLS expansion: San Diego has the momentum to become club No. 30

In February, MLS commissioner Don Garber stated that Las Vegas and San Diego were the two leading expansion candidates to become the league’s 30th team. Multiple sources tell ESPN that it’s San Diego’s bid that has considerably more momentum, though. One source with knowledge of the league’s thinking went so far as to say that San Diego “is clearly the leader in the clubhouse,” and that if the deal goes…

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April 27, 2023

Rayo strikes Barcelona once again but Xavi’s side still bolting toward LaLiga crown

Alvaro Garcia and Fran Garcia scored in each half as Rayo Vallecano recorded a memorable 2-1 win over runaway LaLiga leaders Barcelona on Wednesday. Robert Lewandowski pulled a goal back late on, but it proved too little, too late for Barca, who tasted defeat in the league for just the third time this season. Rayo climbed to ninth with the three points, while Barca remain 11 points clear of Real…

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April 27, 2023

Crocker has USMNT coach hire atop agenda

British football executive Matt Crocker was hired Tuesday as sporting director of the U.S. Soccer Federation and will lead the search for the United States men’s national team coach, a job that has been uncertain since Gregg Berhalter was pushed aside during an investigation that developed from a feud with the Reyna family. Crocker will start the job on Aug. 2 but will begin the coach search process immediately, the…

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April 26, 2023

UEFA slams handball rule: ‘Nobody understands’

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin on Tuesday criticised current handball rules, telling Roger Bennett’s “Men in Blazers” podcast that “nobody in the world understands when there’s handball or not.” Ceferin’s comments were echoed by the UEFA Football Board, which on Tuesday urged more clarity on the handball law and recommended changes for next season after holding its inaugural meeting in Nyon at the headquarters of European football’s governing body. – Stream…

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April 26, 2023

UEFA chief: UCL matches in U.S. are ‘possible’

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin once again said he is open to a discussion about playing significant Champions League games in the United States. In an exclusive interview with “Men in Blazers,” Ceferin told Roger Bennett that he would not rule out holding a part of the most-watched annual football event in the world outside of Europe. – Stream on ESPN+: FA Cup, LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) “It is possible [Champions…

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April 26, 2023

Manchester derby shows City and United flaws, Real Madrid and Liverpool lose, moreApril 8, 2025
Another weekend in Europe’s top soccer leagues brought plenty for us to talk about. (When doesn’t it?) Sunday’s Manchester derby promised a lot but delivered little, while Real Madrid lost ground in LaLiga’s title race with a stunning home defeat to Valencia — Los Che’s first away win of the 2024-25 season. (Don’t stress too… Read more: Manchester derby shows City and United flaws, Real Madrid and Liverpool lose, more
Liverpool not complacent despite shock loss – SlotApril 7, 2025
Arne Slot has insisted Liverpool were not complacent in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to Fulham but warned they must produce “constant effort” in their final seven games to win the Premier League title. Liverpool fell to only their second league defeat of the campaign at Craven Cottage despite Alexis Mac Allister giving the visitors a 13th-minute… Read more: Liverpool not complacent despite shock loss – Slot
Fulham stun Liverpool, delay Prem title marchApril 7, 2025
Expert recap and game analysis of the Fulham vs. Liverpool English Premier League game from April 6, 2025 on ESPN.
‘No way’ Everton penalty call was right – ArtetaApril 6, 2025
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said there is “no way” Everton should have been awarded a penalty in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Goodison Park. David Moyes’ side put another dent in Arsenal’s faltering Premier League title hopes when Iliman Ndiaye converted a second-half spot-kick to cancel out Leandro Trossard’s earlier strike on Merseyside. Referee Darren… Read more: ‘No way’ Everton penalty call was right – Arteta
Title gone for Arsenal as attention turns to Real MadridApril 6, 2025
LIVERPOOL, England — If it’s true that this year’s battle for the Premier League title has been a one-horse race for some time, then this was the day Arsenal all but surrendered their hopes of pipping Liverpool at the finishing post. With one of the world’s most famous sporting fixtures, horse racing’s Grand National, taking… Read more: Title gone for Arsenal as attention turns to Real Madrid
Spurs’ Ange: Out of love with football over VARApril 5, 2025
Ange Postecoglou has said he is “falling out of love with football” after admitting he made a mistake in celebrating Pape Matar Sarr’s disallowed goal against Tottenham, but not because he risked a fan backlash. Spurs lost 1-0 at Chelsea on Thursday but Sarr had a second-half strike ruled out by VAR. Postecoglou’s decision to… Read more: Spurs’ Ange: Out of love with football over VAR
Fenerbahce: Mourinho provoked before nose grabApril 5, 2025
Fenerbahce have come out in defence of their coach Jose Mourinho, claiming he was provoked by his Galatasaray counterpart Okan Buruk following Wednesday’s Turkish Cup game between the sides. Mourinho, whose team lost 2-1 in the quarterfinal, was seen grabbing the nose of Buruk following a scuffle that broke out between the players on the… Read more: Fenerbahce: Mourinho provoked before nose grab
Harry Kane is on a mission to finally end his long personal trophy droughtApril 4, 2025
Harry Kane is a man on a mission. Not just for Bayern Munich but also for himself. It’s simple: the England captain finally wants to win silverware of note. Despite winning goal-scoring trophies and featuring in five finals, Kane has never tasted victory in a major competition, a run of futility that has even made… Read more: Harry Kane is on a mission to finally end his long personal trophy drought
Tottenham’s Postecoglou on thin ice with his future more uncertain than everApril 4, 2025
LONDON — Ange Postecoglou is no stranger to risk, but on Thursday, he played his most dangerous game yet. Tottenham Hotspur were midway through another insipid Premier League performance when his 64th-minute double change — introducing Pape Matar Sarr and Brennan Johnson for Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert — elicited a brief but audible chant… Read more: Tottenham’s Postecoglou on thin ice with his future more uncertain than ever
City fans protest over ticket issues, miss 1st goalApril 3, 2025
Manchester City fans boycotted the opening of their Premier League fixture against Leicester City on Wednesday in protest at ticketing issues at the Etihad Stadium. Supporters gathered outside the stadium an hour before kick-off with a banner which read: “MCFC – For the love not the money.” Hundreds of fans also remained in the concourses… Read more: City fans protest over ticket issues, miss 1st goal