November 2021 – Football Flame

30Nov

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Liverpool and Arsenal legend Ray Kennedy passes away aged 70 after long Parkinson’s battle

Former footballer Ray Kennedy is applauded by his two of his previous teams as he walks out before his Testimonial match between Arsenal and Liverpool at Highbury on April 27, 1991 in London, England. Former Liverpool and Arsenal player Ray Kennedy has died at the age of 70, the Merseyside club have announced.Kennedy won three European Cups and five league titles with the Reds, whom he joined from Arsenal in 1974 having done the league and FA Cup double with the Gunners three years earlier.A personal highlight was his pivotal away goal in the 1981 European Cup semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich.He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 1984 and a testimonial game between Liverpool and Arsenal was held in 1991.Later that year he sold his medals and 17 England caps to help r...

30Nov

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PREMIER LEAGUE

Jack Grealish admits to struggles at Pep Guardiola’s Man City as he tries to adapt

Jack Grealish and Kevin de Bruyne of Manchester City in action during a training session at Manchester City Football Academy on November 05, 2021 in Manchester, England. Jack Grealish admits he feels like a let down since joining Manchester City in a British record £100m deal.Grealish has revealed he's struggled to produce his best form following his stunning move from Aston Villa in the summer.The England ace, 26, has scored just twice in 15 appearances for Pep Guardiola's Premier League champions.Grealish will return to Villa Park for the first time since leaving his boyhood club, when City take on Steven Gerrard's men.And he admits to finding his new life at the Etihad difficult at times.He told the Telegraph: "I've got so much more to give."I've found it a lot more difficult than ...

30Nov

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NEWS

Lionel Messi wins record seventh men’s Ballon d’Or

Lionel Messi receives his seventh Ballon D'Or award from Luis Suarez during the Ballon D'Or Ceremony at Theatre du Chatelet on November 29, 2021 in Paris, France.Lionel Messi admitted winning the Copa America with Argentina might have been the determining factor in him claiming the men's Ballon d'Or prize for the seventh time after a turbulent year, as Spain's Alexia Putellas took the women's award.Now 34, Messi pipped much-fancied rivals like Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema to take the award in a glittering ceremony on Monday in Paris, the city he now calls home after leaving boyhood club Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in August.Despite his tearful goodbye from Barcelona and his relatively underwhelming start to life in France, the jury of journalists from around the world rewarde...

29Nov

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NEWS

Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar to miss 6-8 weeks with ankle injury

Neymar Junior of Paris Saint Germain (L) lies injured during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between AS Saint-Etienne and Paris Saint Germain at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on November 28, 2021 in Saint-Etienne, France.Neymar is expected to be sidelined for between six and eight weeks after sustaining ligament damage to his left ankle, Paris Saint-Germain said on Monday. The Brazil star was stretchered from the pitch in tears after suffering the injury in the final minutes of Sunday's 3-1 victory at Saint-Etienne. "The examinations carried out last night confirm that Neymar Jr is suffering from a sprained left ankle with ligament damage," PSG said in a statement, adding that a further update would be made in 72 hours.Neymar had started 13 of the past 15 games for PSG this season after an...

29Nov

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SERIE A

Dazzling Napoli win in tribute to Maradona

Napoli's Spanish midfielder Fabian Ruiz (C) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A football match between Naples (Napoli) and Lazio Rome at Diego-Armando-Maradona stadium in Naples, on November 28, 2021.Napoli have produced a dazzling display to mark the first anniversary of Diego Maradona's death when they stormed to a 4-0 win over Lazio to move three points clear at the top of Serie A.Club great Maradona died on November 25 last year and to mark the anniversary Napoli unveiled a statue inside the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium pre-match and wore shirts with the Argentine's face on them for the Lazio clash.The performance was befitting of the man, too, with the hosts blowing away Lazio with a stunning show of attacking football, racing to a 3-0 lead ...

29Nov

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LALIGA

Vinicius Junior’s Real stunner nabs win

Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates with teammate Eder Militao after scoring their side's second goal during the La Liga Santander match between Real Madrid CF and Sevilla FC at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on November 28, 2021 in Madrid, Spain.Vinicius Junior has scored a stunning winner for Real Madrid as they fought back to beat Sevilla 2-1 in an electrifying match at the Bernabeu.The win left Real four points clear at the top of La Liga and frustrated the visitors' hopes of leapfrogging them at the summit.Vinicius received the ball on his chest out wide, cut in from the left and unleashed an effort from outside the box in the 87th minute to complete Real's comeback after they fell behind early.Sevilla went in front in the 12th minute with a header from Rafa Mir, but a mistake by goa...

28Nov

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PREMIER LEAGUE

Jorginho penalty earns Chelsea draw with Man Utd

Christian Pulisic of Chelsea battles for possession with Alex Telles and Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on November 28, 2021 in London, England.Manchester United prepared for the arrival of interim manager Ralf Rangnick by earning a battling point against Premier League leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.United, under the caretaker charge of Michael Carrick with Rangnick's appointment expected to be confirmed imminently, kept Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench and mounted a largely rearguard action until Jadon Sancho hit Chelsea on the break five minutes after half-time.Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United argues with Referee Anthony Taylor during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Manc...

28Nov

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PREMIER LEAGUE

Man City beat West Ham at wintery Etihad

Ilkay Guendogan of Manchester City celebrates after scoring their side's first goal with Bernardo Silva, Gabriel Jesus and Joao Cancelo during the Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham United at Etihad Stadium on November 28, 2021 in Manchester, England.Manchester City midfield pair Ilkay Gundogan and Fernandino were on target as Pep Guardiola's Premier League superiority over West Ham continued.City have now won 10 out of 11 top-flight meetings with the Hammers under the Spaniard.In a game played in a snow-storm before half-time, skipper Gundogan provided the decisive moment after 33 minutes when he turned home a deflected Riyad Mahrez effort at the far-post.It was the Germany midfielder's third goal of the season - and his second in four league games - and was followe...

28Nov

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PREMIER LEAGUE

Vardy double as Leicester beat Watford to ruin Ranieri return

Jamie Vardy of Leicester City looks on through the snow during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Watford at The King Power Stadium on November 28, 2021 in Leicester, England.Jamie Vardy scored twice as Leicester beat Watford in a hugely entertaining match to ruin Claudio Ranieri's return to the King Power Stadium.Ranieri was in the opponents' dugout for the first time since guiding the Foxes to the 2015-16 Premier League title and received a great reception from the home fans.But in a chaotic and thrilling game played in blizzard conditions, his current side played a big part in their own downfall.There looked to be no danger when Jonny Evans launched a free-kick forward, but William Ekong ducked under the ball and that allowed James Maddison to fire the 16th-minute opene...

28Nov

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NEWS

PSG score late goals to beat 10-man Saint-Etienne

Saint-Etienne's French defender Timothee Kolodziejczak (L) and Paris Saint-Germain's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi fight for the ball during the French L1 football match between AS Saint-Etienne and Paris Saint Fermain (PSG), at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in Saint-Etienne, central France, on November 28, 2021.Paris St-Germain came from behind to beat 10-man Saint-Etienne and move 14 points clear at the top of Ligue 1.After Neymar had an early finish ruled out for offside, Denis Bouanga gave St Etienne a 23rd-minute lead.Timothee Kolodziejczak was sent-off for a foul on Kylian Mbappe and Marquinhos headed PSG level from the resulting free-kick before half-time.Angel di Maria curled in with 11 minutes left and Marquinhos added a third for the visitors in added time.Bouanga's opener, co...