October 2019 – Football Flame    
Latest Football News

Month: October 2019

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NEWS

Lionel Messi back in Argentina squad after three-month ban

Lionel Messi has been included in Argentina's squad for friendlies against Brazil and Uruguay next month, after his three-month international football ban ended.The Barcelona forward, 32, was sent-off in Argentina's Copa America third-place play-off win over Chile on 6 July.He was later banned after claiming the Copa America was "corrupt".Messi, who has scored five goals for Barcelona this season, missed four matches for Argentina during his ban.Argentina face Brazil in Saudi Arabia on 15 November and Uruguay in Israel on 18 November.Full squadGoalkeepers: Agustin Marchesin, Juan Musso, Emiliano Martinez, Esteban AndradaDefenders: Juan Foyth , Renzo Saravia, Nicolas Otamendi, German Pezzella, Marcos Rojo, Walter Kannemann, Nicolas Taglafico, Nehuen Perez, Guido RodriguezMidfielders: Giovan...
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LALIGA

Barcelona boss Valverde ‘out of words’ on Messi after win over Real Valladolid

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde said he had “run out of words” to describe Lionel Messi after his stellar display in a 5-1 win against Real Valladolid.Messi struck twice, including a landmark 50th career free-kick, and provided brilliant assists for Arturo Vidal and Luis Suarez as Barca returned to the top of La Liga with a seventh straight win in all competitions.Clement Lenglet gave Valverde’s side a flying start, while Kiko Olivas had hauled Valladolid level in the first half.“What else can be said about him? I’ve run out of words,” Valverde told a post-match press conference.“We always know that he will appear, whatever the match.“His talent isn’t comparable to anything, the reality is that every time he touches the ball, something special happens. I just don’t know what to say.”Barcel...
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SERIE A

Lukaku scores again as Inter Milan beat Brescia

Romelu Lukaku scored his seventh Serie A goal of the season as Inter Milan won at Brescia to go top of the table.Lautaro Martinez gave Inter the lead with a deflected strike before Lukaku ran down the right wing, cut inside and smashed home from 25 yards.Milan Skriniar's own goal gave Brescia hope but Antonio Conte's Inter held on.Lukaku, who joined Inter from Manchester United for £74m in the summer, has scored seven goals in 10 league games this season.Perennial champions Juventus - who have yet to lose in the league - will go back to the top if they beat Genoa on Wednesday.
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LALIGA

Zidane dismisses speculation over Bale’s future at Real

Zinedine Zidane insists Gareth Bale was given permission by Real Madrid to travel to London on Monday, and claims the Welshman never talks about leaving the club.Bale has not played since injuring his calf during a game for Wales on October 13 and his trip to England has prompted speculation he will seek an exit from Madrid in January.But Zidane insists Bale had permission to be absent on Monday and Tuesday morning and that he is not aware the 30-year-old wants to be sold.“It was a personal issue and he had permission yesterday to go,” Zidane said in a press conference on Tuesday.“It was a personal issue and he went, that’s it, no story. He also went because he’s not available to play.“But I don’t think he ever speaks about leaving. When he is available he plays, that’s all there is to it....
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Arsenal Captain Xhaka left out of squad to face Liverpool as Unai Emery calls for apology to fans

Granit Xhaka has been left out of the Arsenal squad to face Liverpool on Wednesday night, but Unai Emery has refused to confirm if he will continue as captain.The 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace on Sunday was overshadowed by the midfielder’s angry reaction towards supporters cheering his 61st-minute substitution.The Gunners coach, speaking for the first time this afternoon since that game, said Xhaka was "devastated" following the incident with fans.The first team squad reconvened at London Colney on Tuesday morning after being given Monday off. Emery is understood to have held meetings with senior figures at the club to discuss a range of possible sanctions including fining Xhaka and even demoting him from the club captaincy.Further discussions were held on Tuesday with Emery also prepa...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Liverpool beat Tottenham to maintain their unbeaten record

Liverpool came from behind to maintain its unbeaten Premier League record with a 2-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.Spurs took the lead after just 48 seconds when Harry Kane headed in from Son Heung-Min's shot that had come back off the post, but Liverpool hit back in the second half through captain Jordan Henderson and Mo Salah's penalty.Liverpool was under pressure to get a result in this game after Manchester City had cut the gap at the top of the Premier League to three points with victory over Aston Villa on Saturday.A 1-1 draw with Manchester United last week remains the only blemish on Liverpool's domestic season after 10 games."There is a little bit of relief obviously, hanging on a bit, but we're delighted with the three points," said goal-scorer Henderson."We didn't start well...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Stoppage-time own goal gives Brighton 3-2 win over Everton

A stoppage-time own goal handed Brighton a dramatic 3-2 comeback English Premier League win over Everton, which had been leading with 10 minutes to go on Saturday.Brighton led after 15 minutes through Pascal Gross' powerful free kick, but Everton responded when Richarlison's header went in off Adam Webster, who was credited with the own goal.Two minutes after coming off the bench, Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave Everton the lead with his fifth goal in his last five games.Everton looked close to earning its first away league win since March but let Brighton back into the contest when Michael Keane fouled Aaron Connolly in the penalty area.After a video review, Neal Maupay scored the penalty for Brighton in the 80th.Brighton claimed the three points when Lucas Digne turned a cross into his own ne...
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SERIE A

Juventus held to a 1-1 draw by Lecce

Juventus were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by struggling Lecce in Serie A on Saturday as Matthijs de Ligt's disappointing start to his Bianconeri career continued. Juventus were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by struggling Lecce in Serie A on Saturday as Matthijs de Ligt's disappointing start to his Bianconeri career continued.De Ligt has been at fault for several goals since his £75million transfer from Ajax in the offseason and the 20-year-old gave away the penalty that led to Lecce's equalizer.Paulo Dybala had scored from the spot to give Juventus the lead.Inter Milan can move top of Serie A, a point above Juventus, if it beats Parma later.Lecce moved two points above the relegation zone ahead of the rest of the weekend's fixtures.Cristiano Ronaldo was rested for the match and ...
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BUNDESLIGA

Robert Lewandowski breaks Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's goal-scoring record to send Niko Kovac's side top of the Bundesliga despite late scare

Bayern catapulted themselves to the top of the Bundesliga table with a 2-1 win over lowly Union Berlin, as Robert Lewandowski broke a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang goal-scoring record with his 13th of the season.Niko Kovac's side were looking to bounce back from a disappointing away draw to Augsburg last week and got off to a flyer when French defender Benjamin Pavard struck from long range after just 13 minutes.Robert Lewandowski made it 2-0 after 53 minutes. He has now scored in his ninth straight league game, breaking Aubameyang's previous record of eight. That's the Polish striker's 13th goal domestically this season. He also had a strike in the 84th minute ruled out by VAR. Sebastian Andersson missed the opportunity to pull one back after his penalty was saved by Manuel Neuer ju...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Manchester City hit by double injury blow

Manchester City have suffered a double injury setback with Rodri and Oleksandr Zinchenko sidelined for at least a month.Manager Pep Guardiola said midfielder Rodri will be out until after the next international break in November with a hamstring issue, while left-back Zinchenko may need six weeks to recover following knee surgery.Rodri, who had been playing in defence to cover for other injuries, hobbled out of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Atalanta. He is set to miss the champions’ top-of-the-table clash with Liverpool on November 10 but could return to face Chelsea a fortnight later.Guardiola said: “They told me after the international break he will be ready again.”Zinchenko has missed City’s last two games and this week underwent a minor procedure to repair a knee injury.Speakin...
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TRANSFERS

Tottenham Hotspur eye Mainz striker Mateta

According to a report in the Daily Mail, Tottenham Hotspur are reviewing a number of possible signings in January with Mainz striker Jean-Philippe Mateta being one of the club’s primary targets.Mauricio Pochettino is keen to add more athleticism and energy to his squad in order to play with more intensity and Mateta is one of the players the Argentine has reportedly identified to help with the transition.The 22-year-old struck fourteen times for the Bundesliga side last season (transfermarkt.com) after moving from Lyon in the summer of 2018. The French under-21 international is known for his aerial prowess and his ability to hold up the ball.With Spurs losing both Fernando Llorente and Vincent Janssen in the summer, Harry Kane is the only out and out centre forward at the club at present.W...
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UCL

Paulo Dybala double rescues Juventus against Lokomotiv Moscow

Maurizio Sarri praised Juventus for not losing their heads as Paulo Dybala's quick-fire second-half double rescued a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Lokomotiv Moscow in their Champions League Group D clash in Turin on Tuesday.The Italian champions had trailed the Russians with 13 minutes to go in the Allianz Stadium after Aleksei Miranchuk had put the visitors ahead after half an hour.But Dybala pulled the hosts level on 77 minutes and added a second two minutes later to keep Juventus on course in Group D with seven points after three games.Sarri's side had drawn with Atletico Madrid and beaten Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the last two games.Atletico also have seven points, after beating Leverkusen 1-0 in Spain on Tuesday, with Lokomotiv third with three points."It became a difficult match when w...
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NEWS

Sadio Mane, Sergio Aguero and Hugo Lloris have been nominated for the 2019 Ballon d'Or

Six Liverpool players were among the first 20 names revealed on the Ballon d'Or shortlist by France Football on Monday evening.Sadio Mane was one of the nominees announced early in the prolonged process, and was soon joined by Champions League-winning team-mates Alisson Becker and Georginio Wijnaldum.There was further recognition for the Anfield club too when Virgil Van Dijk and Roberto Firmino were added to the list, and they were soon joined by Trent Alexander-Arnold.There was further Premier League representation in the form of Manchester City duo Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva, Tottenham pair Hugo Lloris and Son Heung-min, and Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.Five-times winner Cristiano Ronaldo was also included on what will eventually be a 30-man list, as was his former Rea...
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SERIE A

Lukaku scores twice as Inter Milan beat Sassuolo

Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez scored two goals each as Inter Milan survived a late fightback to beat Sassuolo 4-3 at the Mapei Stadium on Sunday.Martinez struck inside two minutes before Domenico Berardi equalised, but Lukaku gave Inter breathing space with a powerful strike and a penalty before half time.Martinez stretched his side's lead to 4-1 from the penalty spot after the break, but Sassuolo hit back through Filip Djuricic and Jeremie Boga strikes.Antonio Conte's side held on in a nervy finish to the game as the home side pressed for a remarkable equaliser."We did everything right in the first half and should have scored more in the second," Lukaku told sports streaming service DAZN."Once it goes to 3-1 and 4-1, it ought to be over. The positive we take is that we got the three ...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Chelsea get Late Win over Newcastle

Chelsea secured a third successive Premier League win on Saturday, beating struggling Newcastle thanks to a driven Marcos Alonso goal with 20 minutes remaining.Frank Lampard's side came into Saturday's game in fifth place in the Premier League, having comfortably defeated Southampton 4-1 in their last outing, while the travelling team sat just above the relegation zone, but the Blues were forced to exhibit patience at Stamford Bridge.Following an uneventful opening half, the first genuine chance for either team came in the 57th minute as Tammy Abraham headed Willian's corner against the crossbar.From that moment Chelsea increased the pressure on their visitors, with Lampard opting to bring on United States international Christian Pulisic.The 21-year-old was denied his first goal for Chelse...
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LALIGA

Griezmann, Messi, Suarez net in Barcelona win against Eibar

Barcelona put the civil unrest back home to one side as they enjoyed a comfortable win away to Eibar with Antoine Griezmann, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez all on target in the same match for the first time.The build-up to this game was dominated by the ongoing clashes in Catalonia, sparked by protests against jail sentences handed to nine Catalan separatist leaders, and even forced Barca to change their travel plans for this match at the last minute.However, the issues didn't seem to affect Barca, who took the lead on 13 minutes when Griezmann took advantage of a slip from Eibar's Pablo de Blasis to race through and open the lead.Barca eventually doubled their lead on 58 minutes in a move which involved all three of their frontmen.Frenkie de Jong played the ball to Suarez before it came to ...
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SERIE A

Inter, Schalke Reportedly Make Offer for Brazilian Striker Gabigol

German giants FC Schalke have reportedly made a move to sign Inter forward Gabigol.The Brazilian arrived at the nerazzurri from Santos in the summer of 2016 but failed to make an impact. He was loaned out to clubs like Benfica, Flamengo and is currently at Santos. He impressed in his spells at Brazil and has currently scored 19 times for Santos in just as many games.Sportmediaset claim that Schalke are interested in the Brazilian and have already made an attempt to sign the former Benfica man.The German giants have already made contact with Inter to know about the forward's signature. They have held talks with Beppe Marotta, Piero Ausilio and Javier Zanetti and plan to make an offer very soon.Flamengo had been linked with a move for him but Inter loaned him back to Santos last January.Scha...
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SERIE A

Alexis Sanchez diagnosed with dislocated ankle and tendon damage

Alexis Sanchez has been diagnosed with a dislocated ankle and tendon damage, Inter Milan have confirmed.The Manchester United forward, on loan at the Serie A side, is still waiting to learn whether he requires surgery after sustaining the injury on Saturday during Chile's goalless draw with Colombia in Alicante."Alexis Sanchez underwent medical tests earlier [on Tuesday] morning at the Humanitas Institute in Rozzano," Inter said on their official website."Results revealed a joint dislocation in his left ankle which has caused damage to the peroneus longus tendon."The player will meet for further consultations with Professor Ramon Cugat in Barcelona on Wednesday, where they will seek to reach a decision on whether surgical intervention is necessary."Chile coach Reinaldo Rueda said on Monday...
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TRANSFERS

Roma plot Move for Napoli defender Hysaj

Roma have identified Napoli’s Elseid Hysaj as their ideal replacement for the injured Davide Zappacosta.The Giallorossi are expected to move for the Albanian in January or, failing that, next summer.La Gazzetta dello Sport have reported that any deal will consist of a number of steps. In January, the Eternal City side will look to return Zappacosta to Chelsea before approaching the Partenopei, whereas in the summer they’ll want to move on Robin Olsen, Rick Karsdorp and Steven Nzonzi permanently.Hysaj’s importance with Napoli has slid in recent seasons, failing to fully recover and rediscover his best form after an injury.He has just three Serie A appearances so far this term after 27 in 2018/19. He played 35 times in both 2017/18 and 2016/17 in Serie A, while he played in all but one Serie...
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NEWS

Wales held by Group leaders Croatia in UEFA EURO Qualifiers

Gareth Bale and Wales hosted Luka Modric and Croatia in a group E clash which saw both sides share the points in Cardiff.Nikola Vlasic provided the go-ahead goal for Croatia, just ten minutes into the the match. The young CSKA midfielder is one of the emerging talents for Croatia and he did well to win possession in midfield, offload the ball, and then make a late arriving run on the edge of the area, and drove his shot off the post and into the net.It would be Gareth Bale who would bring Wales back into the game with a crucial goal just before half. Ben Davies worked his way through the Croatian lines and fed Bale with a threaded ball eight yards from goal that Bale clinically finished into the bottom corner with his left foot. Wales had been sitting deep looking to absorb pressure f...
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