Month: November 2020

7Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

BUNDESLIGA

Leipzig go top in Germany ahead of Bayern, Dortmund showdown

Leipzig's Spanish defender Angelino (C-L) is celebrated by teammates Leipzig's Hungarian defender Willi Orban (C-R) and Leipzig's French defender Ibrahima Konate (L) after scoring the third goal off a free kick during the German first division Bundesliga football match between RB Leipzig and SC Freiburg in the Red Bull arena in Leipzig, eastern Germany, on November 7, 2020.RB Leipzig went back to the top of the Bundesliga table on Saturday with a 3-0 home win over Freiburg before Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund clash in the evening showdown.Defender Ibrahima Konate fired home Leipzig's opener before midfielder Marcel Sabitzer added the second goal with a 70th-minute penalty.Manchester City loanee Angelino claimed Leipzig's third with a stunning free-kick which curled over the Freiburg ...

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7Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Real Madrid stars test positive for Covid-19

Zinedine Zidane head Coach and Eden Hazard of Real Madrid speaking during the UEFA Champions League Group B stage match between Real Madrid and FC Internazionale at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on November 03, 2020 in Madrid, Spain.Real Madrid players Eden Hazard and Casemiro have tested positive for coronavirus.A statement from the Spanish club read: "Real Madrid C.F. informs that our players, Casemiro and Eden Hazard, have tested positive in the COVID-19 tests undertaken yesterday, Friday, in the morning."All of the other first-team players and coaching staff, as well as the club employees who work directly with the squad tested negative in yesterday's tests."Meanwhile, all of them, apart from Casemiro and Hazard, once again tested negative in the antigen tests taken this morning."The news...

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7Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Fernandes masterclass eases pressure on Solskjaer

Manchester United's English striker Marcus Rashford celebrates after Manchester United's Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes scored his team's second goal during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on November 7, 2020.Bruno Fernandes rediscovered his form at precisely the right moment at Goodison Park, scoring two first-half goals in a performance which eased - for the time being at least - the pressure mounting on his manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.The Portuguese star, so important to the Reds when he arrived at Old Trafford in January, had been struggling for form, in keeping with most of Solskjaer’s first-team squad.But he found the perfect moment to remind his manager, and the rest of the Prem...

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7Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal need to score 100 goals a season to challenge at the top

Mikel Arteta manager of Arsenal during the UEFA Europa League Group B stage match between Arsenal FC and Molde FK at Emirates Stadium on November 5, 2020 in London, United Kingdom.Arsenal must aim to score up to 100 goals a season to complement their solid defensive record if they are to compete with the Premier League elites, manager Mikel Arteta believes.Arsenal have conceded seven goals, the least in the league this season, but Arteta's side have scored only nine times in seven games - the second-lowest among the top 10 teams.Arteta, however, said the team proved their attacking potential after they thrashed Norwegian side Molde 4-1 in the Europa League on Thursday."To get that balance right is not easy," Arteta told a news conference ahead of Sunday's home game against Aston Villa."It ...

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7Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Southampton go top at Premier League with 2-0 win over Newcastle

Southampton's Scottish midfielder Stuart Armstrong (R) celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the English Premier League football match between Southampton and Newcastle United at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England on November 6, 2020.Southampton moved into first place in England's top flight for the first time since 1988 after a comfortable 2-0 home victory over Newcastle United in the Premier League on Friday.Che Adams volleyed the hosts into a seventh-minute lead and the only surprise was that it took them until the 82nd minute to double their advantage as Stuart Armstrong fired into the net.Southampton's relentless pressing game hounded Newcastle into errors and the hosts twice went close within a minute after halftime. Jan Bednarek's effort got cleared off th...

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6Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

La Liga president Javier Tebas will not be removed despite calls for resignation

Javier Tebas, president of Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (La Liga), attends at Festival dello Sport at Teatro Strehler in Milan, Italy, on October 11 2020.The High  Council for Sports (CSD) in Spain has rejected a joint request from Deportivo A Coruna and Numancia to suspend La Liga president Javier Tebas from his position.Fernando Vidal, president of Deportivo, sent a letter to Irene Lozano, president of the Higher Sports Council, in August, asking her again to act after all the irregularities and infractions of the league chief, as per a report previously in Marca.They had requested that Tebas be suspended from his position as a precautionary measure with a disciplinary file opened against the situation but that has now been rejected, as per Marca.Depor had questioned the role...

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6Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

James gives Everton fitness boost ahead of Man United clash

James Rodriguez of Everton during the Premier League match between Southampton and Everton at St Mary's Stadium on October 25, 2020 in Southampton, England.Everton midfielder James Rodriguez will return to the squad for Saturday's Premier League home game against Manchester United having missed their defeat by Newcastle United last weekend through injury, manager Carlo Ancelotti said.Rodriguez, who joined Everton from Real Madrid in the close season for a reported £20 million, has made a bright start to life at Goodison Park, contributing three goals and three assists in six league games this season."He is going to play tomorrow and I hope he can do his best, Ancelotti told a news conference on Friday."I don't know if he's 100% (fit), but we need him. Physically he is OK, he has recovered ...

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6Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Barcelona boss Koeman defends Messi amid criticism over lack of form

Ronald Koeman, Head Coach of Barcelona reacts during the La Liga Santader match between Deportivo Alavés and FC Barcelona at Estadio de Mendizorroza on October 31, 2020 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman came out fighting for Lionel Messi on Friday amid a barrage of questions about the forward's form at the start of the season.Messi, 33, has played every minute of Barca's nine games in all competitions since Koeman was appointed but has yet to score a goal from open play. He has scored four penalties."I have said many times now, Messi still has a lot of quality and he's important for our attack," Koeman told a news conference when asked if the Argentina international was in decline."I know he's [only] scored penalties but we're used to him making the difference and he'...

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6Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Mourinho ‘not comfortable’ with Arsenal coach’s role in Bale’s Wales workload

Gareth Bale (L) of Tottenham Hotspur shake hands with Manager Jose Mourinho (R) after he is substituted during the UEFA Europa League Group J stage match between PFC Ludogorets Razgrad and Tottenham Hotspur at Ludogorets Arena on November 5, 2020 in Razgrad, Bulgaria.Jose Mourinho is “not comfortable” that Gareth Bale’s time on the pitch with Wales during the upcoming international break will be partly managed by an Arsenal coach.With Ryan Giggs not taking charge of Wales’ three games, coach Albert Stuivenberg, who is also on Mikel Arteta’s staff, will help assist Robert Page.Bale is in the squad as he makes his way back from a knee injury, a recovery which has been carefully managed by Tottenham since he rejoined on loan in September.Mourinho has suggested there could be a possible confli...

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6Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Klopp: Jota can take Liverpool to next level

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Diogo Jota celebrates after the final whistle during the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool.Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hailed the impact new signing Diogo Jota has made at the club and has said the Portugal forward can help the Premier League champions "reach the next level" as they prepare to face Manchester City on Sunday.Jota, 23, was signed for £40 million from Wolves in mid-September and has made an immediate impact at Liverpool, scoring seven goals in eight Premier League and Champions League matches, including a hat trick against Atalanta on Tuesday.He adds a different option to Liverpool's traditional first-choice front-three of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salahand while Klopp was keen to highlight the impact others hav...

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6Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Europa League: Yusuf Yazici nets hat-trick as Lille stun AC Milan; Arsenal and Leicester City win

Yusuf Yazici of LOSC Lille celebrates his third goal with his team-mates during the UEFA Europa League Group H stage match between AC Milan and LOSC Lille at San Siro Stadium on November 5, 2020 in Milan, Italy.Lille's Yusuf Yazici brought AC Milan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic down to earth with a bump on Thursday with all three goals in a 3-0 Europa League win over the seven-time European champions.The 39-year-old Ibrahimovic had been one of the stories of the early part of the season after firing seven goals in four league games to take the Italian giants top of Serie A, but it was Yazici, who is yet to start in Ligue 1 this season, who stole the show with his hat-trick at the San Siro.Yazici's goals put Lille, who are unbeaten in all competitions this season, one point ahead of Milan who lost...

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5Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Harry Kane bags 200th goal for Tottenham Hotspur with header in Europa League

Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates during the UEFA Europa League Group J stage match between PFC Ludogorets Razgrad and Tottenham Hotspur at Ludogorets Arena on November 5, 2020 in Razgrad, Bulgaria.Harry Kane reached a mammoth landmark on Thursday night as the Tottenham star bagged his 200th goal for the north London club. The England captain has been the leading man for Spurs since breaking into the first team in 2011, consistently finding the net for both club and country.And the 27-year-old reached the double century in his 300th appearance for the club, against Ludogorets in the Europa League. Kane rose highest to head home a Lucas Moura corner to give Jose Mourinho's side the lead after just 13 minutes against the Bulgarians. He could have got to the figure earlier,...

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5Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

FIFA asked to review controversial handball rule, UEFA confirm

 In this photo illustration a FIFA logo seen displayed on a smartphone.UEFA have asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to change the handball rule to stop "growing frustration" following a spate of penalties awarded for the offence, European football's governing body confirmed on Thursday.In a letter to Infantino, UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin asked that football's lawmakers adjust the handball rule -- which has been in place since March last year -- so that referees can once again judge whether there is intent when a player handles the ball."The attempt to strictly define the cases where handling the ball is an offence has resulted in many unfair decisions which have been met with growing frustration and discomfort by the football community," said Ceferin's letter, which was sent on ...

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5Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Gareth Bale named in Wales squad picked by absent manager Ryan Giggs

Ryan Giggs, Manager of Wales celebrates with Gareth Bale of Wales following their sides victory in the UEFA Nations League group stage match between Wales and Bulgaria at Cardiff City Stadium on September 06, 2020 in Cardiff, Wales.Gareth Bale has returned to a Wales squad selected by absent manager Ryan Giggs.Skipper Bale missed Wales’ October games against England, the Republic of Ireland and Bulgaria with a knee injury which delayed his Tottenham debut following his season-long loan move from Real Madrid.But Bale is back in a 29-man squad which was selected by Giggs before his arrest on suspicion of assaulting a woman on Sunday night.Giggs was arrested and later bailed over an alleged row with “on-off girlfriend” Kate Greville at his Manchester home on Sunday, The Sun newspaper reported...

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5Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

UCL

Champions League: Man United stunned; Barcelona, Chelsea, Juve march on

Anthony Martial of Manchester United celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League Group H stage match between Istanbul Basaksehir and Manchester United at Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu on November 4, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey.Manchester United suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Istanbul Basaksehir on Wednesday, the English side's first loss in three Champions League group matches and the Turkish champions' first victory in Europe's premier club competition.United fell behind after 12 minutes when Edin Visca's long pass found Demba Ba in acres of space and the striker ran forward before finishing neatly past goalkeeper Dean Henderson.Basaksehir doubled their lead five minutes before halftime after Deniz Turuc nicked the ball from Juan Mata and passed to Ba wh...

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4Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

David Luiz back in contention as Mikel Arteta says he will rotate squad again

David Luiz of Arsenal is embraces by Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal as he is substituted off following an injury during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Leicester City at Emirates Stadium on October 25, 2020 in London, England.Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed that David Luiz will return to the squad against Molde in the Europa League on Thursday night.The Brazilian defender has missed the last two matches, victories against Dundalk and Manchester United, after he was forced off with a thigh injury during the home defeat to Leicester on October 25.Arteta initially feared that Luiz would be out for “a few weeks” but the 33-year-old has resumed training and is available for selection.“He is available to play and has been training well for the last few days and he will be ...

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4Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Southampton’s Ings set for six weeks out

Danny Ings of Southampton celebrates his team's second goal, scored by team mate Che Adams (not pictured) during the Premier League match between Southampton and Everton at St Mary's Stadium on October 25, 2020 in Southampton, England.Southampton striker Danny Ings could be out for up to six weeks, Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl said on Wednesday.Ings had a scan after injuring his knee during Southampton's 4-3 Premier League victory at Aston Villa on Sunday."At the moment it looks like he is out for four to six weeks," said Hasenhuttl."He'll have a small surgery tomorrow (Thursday) morning. It could be worse, but he'll be out and it's not good news for us."Ings went off five minutes from time after being injured in a challenge with Villa substitute Trezeguet, having scored his fifth league g...

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4Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

UCL

Liverpool and Bayern run riot in Champions League as Real Madrid edge Inter

Diogo Jota of Liverpool FC celebrates with his team-mate Sadio Mane after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League Group D stage match between Atalanta BC and Liverpool FC at Gewiss Stadium on November 03, 2020 in Bergamo, Italy.Diogo Jota scored a stunning hat-trick in Liverpool's 5-0 demolition of Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday, as holders BayernMunich scored six and Real Madrid struck late to beat Inter Milan in a thriller.On a prolific night across Europe which also saw a rampant Borussia Moenchengladbach hit six in Ukraine, the star individual performances came from Jota and Alassane Plea.Portugal forward Jota joined Liverpool from Wolverhampton Wanderers in September and has wasted little time making an impact with seven goals from just five starts.In Be...

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3Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Giggs temporarily stands down as Wales coach over ‘incident’

Ryan Giggs co owner of Salford City and Wales manager look on in the stands during the Sky Bet League Two match between Port Vale and Salford City at Vale Park on October 17, 2020 in Burslem, England.Ryan Giggs temporarily stood down as Wales coach on Tuesday after what the nation’s soccer federation described as an “alleged incident” involving the Manchester United great.British newspaper The Sun reported Giggs was arrested at his home in Manchester on Sunday after a “disturbance” and was later released on bail.“The Football Association of Wales and Ryan Giggs have mutually agreed that he will not be involved in the upcoming international camp,” the FAW said in a statement.Wales is scheduled to play a home friendly against the United States on Nov. 12, followed by UEFA Nations League grou...

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3Nov By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Mbappe ruled out of PSG’s Champions League trip to Leipzig

Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain looks on during the UEFA Champions League Group H stage match between Istanbul Basaksehir and Paris Saint-Germain at Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu on October 28, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey.Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe has been ruled out of Wednesday’s Champions League match at Leipzig because of a thigh injury.Mbappe was substituted in the 74th minute of PSG’s 3-0 victory on Saturday in the French league but coach Thomas Tuchel said it was just a precautionary measure ahead of the trip to Germany.However, the French champions said in a statement on Tuesday that Mbappe won’t be ready to play because of the problem in his right adductor muscle.“He is not available for the trip to Germany and his unavailability will be reassessed in 48 hours,“...

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