March 2022 – Page 6 – Football Flame    

Month: March 2022

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Misfiring Sevilla stumble again in La Liga

Rafa Mir of Sevilla FC competes for the ball with Edgar Mendez of Deportivo Alaves during the Spanish league match of La Liga Santander between, Deportivo Alaves and Sevilla CF at Mendizorrotza on 4 of March, 2022 in Vitoria, Spain.Sevilla have slipped again in their pursuit of Spanish league leaders Real Madrid after being held to a goalless draw at struggling Alaves.Madrid can open up an eight-point gap over second-placed Sevilla on Saturday if they beat Real Sociedad at home.Only some good goalkeeping by Yassine Bounou in the first half ensured a misfiring Sevilla salvaged a point from the trip to Vitoria.It was a fourth straight draw on the road in the league for Julen Lopetegui's side after being previously held at Valencia, Osasuna and Espanyol.Sevilla's attack never got going in a p...
LALIGA

Kroos struggling for fitness ahead of PSG

Toni Kroos of Real Madrid warms up during the Spanish League, La Liga Santander, football match played between Real Madrid and Granada CF at Santiago Bernabeu stadium on February 06, 2022, in Madrid, Spain.Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos is a doubt to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League next week after Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the midfielder will miss Madrid’s game against Real Sociedad on Sat-urday.Madrid are tasked with overturning a 1-0 deficit against PSG in the second leg at the Santiago Bern-abeu on Wednesday, but Kroos may miss the game after sustaining an injury, reportedly to his hamstring.Ancelotti said Kroos would need “five or six days” to recover while fellow midfielder Fede Val-verde has been suffering with a fever and will also sit out the match against Real Sociedad ...
NEWS

Martinez bags Serie A hat-trick for Inter

Edin Dzeko of FC Internazionale and Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale celebrates after scoring his team's fifth goal with team mates during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and US Salernitana at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on March 4, 2022 in Milan, Italy. Lautaro Martinez scored a hat trick as Inter Milan ended their goal drought in spectacular style by beating Salernitana 5-0 to move to the top of Serie A.Edin Dzeko also scored twice ensuring Inter will remain top of Serie A for 48 hours at least.The defending champions moved a point above Napoli and AC Milan, who meet on Sunday night.Inter had won only one of their past seven matches in all competitions since the start of February.That run had seen the defending Serie A champions fall off top spot in the league and lose a...
PREMIER LEAGUE

Pep Guardiola confirms key Man City injury blow ahead of Manchester derby

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the English FA cup fifth round football match between Peterborough United and Manchester City at the Weston Homes Stadium, in Peterborough, on March 1, 2022.Pep Guardiola has confirmed Ruben Dias will miss Sunday afternoon's Manchester derby.Premier League leaders Manchester City will welcome Manchester United to the Etihad, knowing they can't afford to lose against their local rivals.Guardiola's side are just six points ahead of title foes Liverpool having played a game more. Bragging rights, of course, are also at stake.Dias is one of City's most important players, playing 25 of their 27 Premier League fixtures this season. He is the reigning Football Writers' Association (FWA) Player of the Year.But the Portuguese defender is...
PREMIER LEAGUE

Newcastle United injury list in full ahead of Brighton clash

Callum Wilson of Newcastle United (9) arrives for the warm weather friendly match between Al-Ittihad and Newcastle United at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium on January 28, 2022 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Eddie Howe is hopeful that Allan Saint-Maximin will be fit for Newcastle United's game against Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend. The Magpies boss has revealed the 24-year-old hasn't trained with the squad but will make a decision closer to the time.The Frenchman has missed the last two matches after picking up a calf injury in the 1-0 win over Aston Villa back in February. However, he has spent some time out in Monaco to speed up the recovery phase as he gets set for a return to competitive action.There was some anticipation that Saint-Maximin would be fit to face Brentford last week...
NEWS

Ukraine asks Fifa to postpone World Cup play-off against Scotland

Boreham Wood players, wearing t-shirts with a national flag of Ukraine on them, warm up ahead of the English FA Cup fifth round football match between Everton and Boreham Wood at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on March 3, 2022.Ukraine have asked Fifa to postpone their 2022 World Cup qualifying play-off semi-final against Scotland this month following Russia’s invasion of their country.The two nations were due to meet in Glasgow on March 24, with the winner advancing to play either Wales or Austria for a place at the World Cup in Qatar later this year.With the conflict intensifying in Ukraine all football has been suspended and it is now expected that governing body Fifa will grant the request for the play-off at Hampden Park to be called off.Fifa can confirm it has received...
NEWS

Rondon double ends Boreham Wood’s FA Cup run as Everton fan gets standing ovation

Everton's Salomon Rondon (second right) celebrates scoring their side's second goal of the game during the Emirates FA Cup fifth round match at Goodison Park, Liverpool. Picture date: Thursday March 3, 2022.Everton booked their place in the quarter-final of the FA Cup as a 2-0 victory ended a dream run for Boreham Wood.The stubborn National League side held out for nearly an hour before a Salomon Rondon double saw the Premier League side progess.Rondon’s double was enough to send Everton to the quarter-final of the FA CupIt was a magnificent journey for Boreham Wood and they can be mightily proud of their performance at Goodison Park.There was an emotional moment before kick-off as Everton’s Ukraine star Vitalii Mykolenko led his side out as captain, with both teams draped in flags of his ...
NEWS

Aleksander Ceferin criticises Super League for attempting relaunch in the midst of war

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin ahead of the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 Final Draw at the Victoria Warehouse on October 28, 2021, in Manchester, England.UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has hit out at Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus for their continuing plans to break away from European football’s traditional structure and create a Super League. He said he’s sick and tired of talking about it.Andrea Agnelli, Juventus’ president, is expected to announce a second Super League project during the Financial Times’ Business of Football Summit today. Ceferin, alongside La Liga president Javier Tebas, didn’t hold back when asked about it.I’m sick and tired of talking about this project that has nothing to do with football,” Ceferin said in comments carried by Cope. “First they started with this...
LALIGA

Koeman speaks out on Barcelona sack: “Laporta didn’t give me the same time as Xavi”

Former Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman speaks during his official presentation at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on August 19, 2020.Ronald Koeman was appointed as the manager of Barcelona by Josep Bartomeu after sacking Quique Setien in 2019. The Dutch coach then went on to win the Copa del Rey, and even came extremely close to the league title in his maiden season.It was clear, however, that Koeman was not the coach of the new administration. Joan Laporta was never convinced by him and did not hold back some of his words when the season ended, dropping hints that he is looking for a replacement.Eventually, Koeman was allowed to continue into the new season, but was eventually sacked after a string of poor results. Xavi took his place at the helm, and it seems the treatment the former mid...
NEWS

Jurgen Klopp dismisses Takumi Minamino ‘anger’ as Liverpool boss hails complete performance

Takumi Minamino of Liverpool celebrates with Jurgen Klopp after the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Liverpool and Norwich City at Anfield on March 02, 2022 in Liverpool, England.Jurgen Klopp dismissed the idea that Takumi Minamino's match-winning performance against Norwich City was fuelled by the anger of missing out on the Carabao Cup final squad.The Japan international responded to being omitted for Sunday's penalty shootout win over Chelsea at Wembley by scoring both goals in the 2-1 victory over the Canaries in the FA Cup at Anfield on Wednesday night.Klopp admitted it was likely a disappointing afternoon for Minamino at the weekend when he was left out for the showpiece at Wembley, but the Reds boss denied the versatile forward reacted negatively to the situation.And Klopp ...
NEWS

Allegri: Winning in Florence is not easy, Juventus showed maturity

Head Coach Massimiliano Allegri of Juventus looks on during the Coppa Italia Semi Final 1st Leg match between ACF Fiorentina and Juventus FC at Stadio Artemio Franchi on March 2, 2022 in Florence, Italy.Juventus rode their luck at times against Fiorentina, and then just when it looked like this clash was headed back to Turin on level terms, there was a particularly vicious sting in the tail for the venomous hosts who had poured everything they had in attacks, both on and off the pitch.A late own goal means the Bianconeri have the upper hand in the Coppa Italia semi-final, though the second leg of this tie will only be played in six weeks so it might as well be forgotten about for the moment.Speaking after the game, coach Massimiliano Allegri credited the Viola.We have to congratulate Fiore...
NEWS

Lukaku hits winner as Chelsea beat Luton

Romelu Lukaku of Chelsea scores their team's third goal during the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Luton Town and Chelsea at Kenilworth Road on March 02, 2022 in Luton, England.Chelsea survived a scare against Championship side Luton Town to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals in a tie overshadowed by owner Roman Abramovich's decision to sell the Stamford Bridge club.Abramovich made the announcement an hour before kick-off after growing speculation he would put Chelsea up for sale following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Chelsea's players were unaware of the developments before Abramovich made them public in his statement, and Reece Burke made their night more uncomfortable when he put the Hatters in front with a header following a corner after only two minutes.Luton lost goalkeeper Je...
NEWS

Chelsea Roman Abramovich confirms he is selling club – donating net proceeds to victims of Ukraine war

Roman Abramovich, Owner of Chelsea celebrates with The FIFA Club World Cup trophy following their side's victory during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021 Final match between Chelsea and Palmeiras at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium on February 12, 2022 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Roman Abramovich has confirmed his decision to sell Chelsea amid Russia's continued invasion of Ukraine.The Russian-Israeli billionaire has owned Chelsea since 2003 and helped steer the Stamford Bridge club to 19 major trophies.But the 55-year-old's glittering reign in west London is close to an end, with a consortium of billionaires already making their interest in a deal public.Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and USA investor Todd Boehly are understood to be two of the parties joining forces and now prepar...
NEWS

EA removes Russia from Fifa 22 game

FIFA 22 logo displayed on a laptop screen and a gamepad are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on August 5, 2021.Games publisher Electronic Arts will remove the Russian national team and all other Russian teams from Fifa 22 and associated games, it has announced.It was doing so to "stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people", the company tweeted.It comes as football's governing bodies Fifa and Uefa said Russia's national side and clubs would be banned from competitions.The country's Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov called on all game-development companies and esport platforms to block Russian and Belarusian accounts, cancel tournaments and ban players.Electronic Arts tweeted: EA Sports stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and like so many voices acro...
NEWS

Italian Cup stalemate in Milan derby

Edin Dzeko of FC Internazionale and Fikayo Tomori of AC Milan battle for the ball during the Coppa Italia Semi Final 1st Leg match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on March 1, 2022 in Milan, Italy. Inter Milan's miserable month has continued with a goalless derby draw against AC Milan in the first leg of their Italian Cup semi-final.The Nerazzurri are in the midst of a worrying form slump in which they have won only one of their past seven matches in all competitions since the start of February -- and they have failed to score in more than 400 minutes of play.On Tuesday evening, the Rossoneri were unable to make their superiority count against their out-of-form city rivals in a match of few clear-cut chances.With Italy's domestic cup not following UEFA'...
NEWS

Juventus decimated for Coppa Italia semi-final with Fiorentina

 Coppa Italia matchball Nike Flight Hi-Vis is seen on a plinth with Coppa Italia logo prior to the Coppa Italia football match between FC Internazionale and AS Roma. FC Internazionale won 2-0 over AS Roma.Juventus and Fiorentina named their squads for tomorrow’s Coppa Italia semi-final, with the Bianconeri missing nine players.The first leg of the semi-final kicks off at the Stadio Franchi on Wednesday at 20.00 GMT.Max Allegri has an injury crisis on his hands and a decimated squad, with nine key players on the treatment table.Denis Zakaria is the latest addition, as he went off during the 3-2 win at Empoli with a muscular issue and has been ruled out for a month.Paulo Dybala, Federico Bernardeschi and Daniele Rugani have not yet recovered from their muscular strains, with Alex Sandro...
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