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Pep pondering ‘many things’ before City renewal

Pep Guardiola said he will take “many things” into consideration before he decides whether to extend his contract at Manchester City. The Man City manager has a contract at the Etihad Stadium until 2025 and is set to decide on his future later this year. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Guardiola, who saw rival Jurgen Klopp announce his departure from Liverpool last week citing a lack of…

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January 31, 2024

Xavi, Klopp, Eriksson and the hypocritical treatment of managers

Three important football coaches announced their impending departures across the past few days: Sven-Göran Eriksson, Jürgen Klopp and Xavi Hernández. The former two were greeted by waves of emotional disbelief and gushing appreciation as a vast range of people said, explicitly and implicitly: “We love you, we respect what you’ve done. This is going to leave a chasm in our lives.” Xavi’s shock announcement that he feels beaten up, blamed…

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January 30, 2024

Transfer Talk: Barca close in on Swedish starlet Bergvall

The winter transfer window is now open in Europe, and there are plenty of moves in the works and gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!

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January 30, 2024

Five ambitious Asian nations on course for the 2026 World Cup in North America

Doha, QATAR — It’s becoming something of a theme across most senior international tournaments these days, that men or women, world or continental, the gap between the perceived haves and the have-nots, the heavyweights and the lightweights, is shrinking. As the United States, Canada and Mexico prepare to host an expanded, 48-team men’s World Cup in 2026, the dreams of some of world football’s lesser-known forces are coming to the…

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January 29, 2024

Liverpool oblige Klopp desire for normalcy on farewell tour

LIVERPOOL, England — Jurgen Klopp made one thing crystal clear on Friday when announcing his decision to stand down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season: from now until his final day in the job, it has to be business as usual at Anfield. That Klopp got his wish, on and off the pitch, during the FA Cup win over Norwich on Sunday showed just how much he…

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January 29, 2024

The story of Barca’s midnight kickoff: Ronaldinho, gazpacho and a party

West Bromwich Albion’s derby game against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup this weekend (stream all games live on ESPN+) kicks off at the unusually early time of 11:45 a.m. on Sunday. “Early?” Barçelona might reply to that. “Hold my gazpacho.” That’s because the earliest a professional football match has ever kicked off — or should this be the latest? — was at Camp Nou in September 2003 when Barça…

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January 28, 2024

European soccer news: Maidstone United’s FA Cup magic, Barca lose and Xavi announces exit, more

It was another fun day across European soccer, with talking points galore in the English FA Cup, Spain’s LaLiga and the German Bundesliga among others. The highlights: Maidstone United shrugged off their minnows status to shock Ipswich Town 2-1 in the FA Cup fourth round, Barcelona came back from 2-0 down vs. Villarreal only to lose 5-3, and Harry Kane scored as Bayern Munich held on to defeat Augsburg 3-2.…

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January 28, 2024

Transfer Talk: USMNT’s Matt Turner to be replaced at Forest by January signing

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January 27, 2024

Klopp won’t help pick own successor at Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp has said he will not help Liverpool identify his successor at Anfield after confirming plans to step down from his post as manager at the end of this season. Klopp, 56, signed a four-year contract extension in 2022 that would have tied him to the club until the end of the 2025-26 season, but having taken charge of the team in October 2015, the former Borussia Dortmund coach…

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January 27, 2024

Spanish court wants Rubiales, Vilda to stand trial

A Spanish High Court judge proposed on Thursday that former football federation chief Luis Rubiales stand trial for kissing player Jenni Hermoso’s lips after Spain’s victory in the Women’s World Cup. The court said in a statement that the judge, Francisco de Jorge, also sought a trial for former women’s team coach Jorge Vilda, as well as Albert Luque, the men’s team’s sport director, and Ruben Rivera, the federation’s marketing…

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January 26, 2024

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
Carlo Ancelotti to go on trial for tax evasionApril 3, 2025
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti told a Spanish court on Wednesday that he “never thought about committing fraud” as he gave evidence in a trial in which he’s accused of failing to pay over €1 million ($1.08m) in taxes. Prosecutors have accused the veteran coach of evading paying tax on his image rights income during… Read more: Carlo Ancelotti to go on trial for tax evasion
Anthony Elanga is proof of how Man United desperately need to improve transfer strategyApril 2, 2025
NOTTINGHAM, England — Anthony Elanga chose a muted celebration after his wonderful solo goal against Manchester United, but the smile that crept over his face gave away the quiet satisfaction of scoring against his former club. Who could blame him? Man United decided Elanga wasn’t good enough when he was allowed to move to Nottingham… Read more: Anthony Elanga is proof of how Man United desperately need to improve transfer strategy
Flick: No luck to Barcelona success this seasonApril 2, 2025
Hansi Flick has said there is no luck to Barcelona success this season but he knows it is trophies that matter as he prepares for Wednesday’s “final before the final” against Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey. Barça and Atlético drew 4-4 in the first leg of their Copa semifinal in February and finally… Read more: Flick: No luck to Barcelona success this season
Isco on Antony: We need to crowdfund for himApril 1, 2025
Real Betis midfielder Isco has joked that crowdfunding will be needed to keep Manchester United’s loanee Antony at the club for at least next season. Antony has been a big hit in Spain since joining on loan from United after a difficult first half of the campaign at Old Trafford. However, the loan deal which… Read more: Isco on Antony: We need to crowdfund for him
Haaland’s nightmare game, Napoli back in Serie A title race, RB Leipzig chaos, moreApril 1, 2025
The international break has finished and this weekend brought us plenty to talk about as European club action returned with a bang! Manchester City advanced in the FA Cup despite a game to forget by Erling Haaland, and Napoli took a decisive step back into Serie A’s title race while simultaneously wrecking Milan’s aspirations of… Read more: Haaland’s nightmare game, Napoli back in Serie A title race, RB Leipzig chaos, more
Football Australia: ‘No further action’ on KerrMarch 31, 2025
Sam Kerr has avoided being stripped of the Matildas captaincy after meeting with the Football Australia board, with the striker finally joining the Australian women’s team in camp. The parties met to address Kerr’s recent U.K. court case, where she was found not guilty on one charge of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.… Read more: Football Australia: ‘No further action’ on Kerr
Arsenal name Berta as new sporting directorMarch 31, 2025
Arsenal have appointed Andrea Berta as their new sporting director, the club announced on Sunday. Berta will take on the permanent role, replacing Edu Gasper who resigned in November and has been on a six-month period of gardening leave since. “I am thrilled to be joining Arsenal in what is a hugely exciting period for… Read more: Arsenal name Berta as new sporting director