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Bundesliga first-half review: Kane-Sane partnership, Leverkusen’s dominance, more

After removing the broadcast headset at full-time in last week’s thrilling Heidenheim-Freiburg contest to bring an end to 2023, I was tempted to immediately write this roundup column but wanted instead to take a few days to digest what we’ve all witnessed these past few months. Sometimes we can get carried away in the moment and a more sober analysis requires time. But as 2023 dwindles away, my verdict is…

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December 29, 2023

Ratcliffe arrival ‘no impact’ on players – Ten Hag

Erik ten Hag called Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment in Manchester United a “positive” turn of events for the club, but said it had no impact on the players on his team. Ratcliffe’s sporting guru, Sir Dave Brailsford, was in the stands at Old Trafford on Tuesday as United came back from 2-0 down to beat Aston Villa 3-2. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) It was their first…

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December 28, 2023

Transfer Talk: Bayern, Real eye Varane amid defensive crises

We are just days out from the transfer window opening and there are moves in the works and plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!

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December 28, 2023

Sources: City close to signing 17yo Echeverri

Manchester City are closing in on the signing of midfielder Claudio Echeverri from River Plate, a source has told ESPN. City have held formal talks with the Argentine side and are nearing an agreement for the 17-year-old midfielder. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) If a deal is reached, it’s likely that Echeverri would be loaned back to River Plate until at least the end of the Premier…

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December 27, 2023

FIFA warns Brazil over court intervention in CBF

FIFA warned Brazil on Sunday it could suspend its national teams and clubs from international competitions if an intervention by its football federation (CBF) leads to the election of a new president in January. FIFA said in a letter to a Brazilian football executive that the CBF could face suspension if it does not heed its call to wait and instead holds a swift election to replace Ednaldo Rodrigues as…

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December 27, 2023

Arsenal and Liverpool spark title race, Pulisic’s Milan struggle, Spurs stick to strategy

Happy holidays to one and all! The gift of soccer kept giving this weekend, with the title race in the Premier League taking shape. Arsenal played Liverpool at Anfield to an entertaining 1-1 draw, and Manchester City sit six points off top spot with a game in hand. Tottenham Hotspur are back in fourth (for now) after a win over Everton. In Serie A, the youngsters at Juventus helped secure…

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December 26, 2023

Premier League at Christmas: Club-by-club takes on season so far

Manchester City are still considered favourites to win the Premier League despite falling six points off the pace, which has been set by Arsenal. But is the bookmakers’ assessment right, or is this Arsenal’s year? And what about Liverpool, who sit in second? Might third-place Aston Villa “do a Leicester” and shock them all? At the other end of the table, who might fall into the relegation scrap after Christmas?…

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December 25, 2023

Transfer Talk: Barcelona race with Man City, Chelsea and PSG to sign Estevao

The winter transfer window hasn’t re-opened in Europe yet, but there are moves in the works and plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals! – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Various big-name European clubs are interested in Palmeiras forward Estevao Willian — commonly known as “Messinho” — as has been reported by Mundo…

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December 25, 2023

No goals, no hope: West Ham defeat sums up predictable Man United

LONDON — It was the inevitability of this latest Manchester United defeat that is so damning for manager Erik ten Hag. After all, did anyone expect anything else from a team that haven’t scored for four games in a row across all competitions? (It’s the first time this has happened since November 1992.) For 72 minutes against West Ham, United had almost two-thirds of the possession and their best five…

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December 24, 2023

Man City win Club World Cup with ease, but did anyone care?

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Even while it was going on, it sometimes felt as if FIFA’s Club World Cup was battling for relevance. Speaking to reporters just a few minutes after Manchester City’s win over Urawa Red Diamonds in the semifinal, captain Kyle Walker reflected on a year in which Pep Guardiola’s team reached the tournament in Jeddah courtesy of their success in the Champions League six months earlier. –…

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December 24, 2023

‘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
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