February 2023 – Football Flame

28Feb

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CHELSEA FC, PREMIER LEAGUE, Thiago Silva

Chelsea defender Thiago Silva suffers knee ligament damage

Thiago Silva of Chelsea receives treatment shortly before he has to go off injured to be replaced during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on February 26, 2023 in London, England.Chelsea have confirmed that Thiago Silva has suffered damage to his knee ligaments following the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Silva, 38, was forced off during Chelsea’s 2-0 Premier League loss to their London rivals in the first half and underwent a scan to assess the extent of his injury on Monday. The west London club have not yet given any indication as to how long Silva faces on the sidelines with games against Leeds and Borussia Dortmund coming up. They said in a statement: “Having sustained a knee injury during the first half of Sunday’s ...

28Feb

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FIFA, Lionel Messi, NEWS, PSG

Messi wins Best Fifa men’s player award

Lionel Messi (Argentina / Paris Saint-Germain FC) wins The Best FIFA Men's Player trophy during The Best FIFA Football Awards 2022 at Concert hall Salle Pleyel, Paris, France on February 27, 2023 in Paris, France.Argentina and Paris St-Germain forward Lionel Messi has been named men’s player of the year at the 2022 Best Fifa Awards. The 35-year-old beat French forwards Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema to the prize. Messi captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, and scored 27 goals in 49 games for club and country in 2021-22. Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas was named women’s player of the year. Messi, who won the award for a second time, said: “It’s amazing. It’s been a tremendous year and it’s an honour for me to be here and win this award. Without my team-mates I wouldn’t be here...

27Feb

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CHELSEA FC, N’Golo Kante, TRANSFERS

Liverpool, PSG keen on 31-year-old Chelsea star

N'Golo Kante of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on August 14, 2022 in London, England. Liverpool and PSG have been linked with a move for Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante at the end of the season. According to Football Insider, Liverpool are hoping to sign French international midfielder N’Golo Kante on a free transfer. And the Reds will face competition from Paris Saint-Germain for the Chelsea veteran. Kante will be out of contract at the end of the season and might leave the club as a free agent. There have been rumours of a potential contract extension. But the two parties have not managed to reach an agreement yet. However, the report adds that talks between Chelsea and Kante are advanced. It has been a diff...

27Feb

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BARCELONA FC, Frenkie de Jong, LALIGA

Frenkie de Jong: Barca ‘didn’t expect’ to lose to Almeria

Frenkie de Jong of FC Barcelona battles for possession with Chumi of UD Almeria during the LaLiga Santander match between UD Almeria and FC Barcelona at Juegos Mediterraneos on February 26, 2023 in Almeria, Spain.Frenkie de Jong admitted Barcelona hadn’t expected to lose to Almeria after Sunday’s disappointing 1-0 defeat in Andalusia. A single goal from El Bilal Toure gave the struggling hosts all three points and a real boost in their bid to avoid relegation. For Barcelona, it was a missed opportunity to go 10 points clear at the top of the table, and De Jong was pretty dejected after the final whistle. “We are really disappointed,” he said “We had the chance to go 10 clear. Now it’s still seven but we did not expect to lose this game. “They were really good defensively. We crossed a lot,...

27Feb

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AC Milan, SERIE A, Zlatan Ibrahimovic

AC Milan welcome Zlatan Ibrahimovic back in 2-0 win over Atalanta

Junior Messias of AC Milan (L) celebrates with teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic after scoring to give the side a 2-0 lead during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Atalanta BC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 26, 2023 in Milan, Italy.A scorching volley from Theo Hernandez led to the opening goal, Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his season debut and goalkeeper Mike Maignan returned after five months out during an encouraging 2-0 win for AC Milan over Atalanta in the Italian league on Sunday. The victory moved the defending Serie A champion level on points with second-place Inter Milan, which lost 1-0 at Bologna, 18 points behind runaway leader Napoli. Hernandez opened the scoring midway through the first half at the San Siro with a long-distance effort that ricocheted off the post then hi...

27Feb

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BUNDESLIGA, Kingsley Coman, sadio mane

Mane returns as Bayern beat Union to return to top

Thomas Mueller of FC Bayern Munich interacts with teammate Sadio Mane during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and 1. FC Union Berlin at Allianz Arena on February 26, 2023 in Munich, Germany.Sadio Mane returned from the leg injury that kept him out of the World Cup to help Bayern Munich reclaim top spot in the Bundesliga by beating Union Berlin. The Senegal striker replaced Kingsley Coman after the France winger had set up Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s headed opener and fired in Bayern’s second. Bayern top-scorer Jamal Musiala, who turned 20 on Sunday, swept in Thomas Muller’s pass to complete the scoring. Bayern are above Borussia Dortmund on goal difference while Union stay third. Union began the match level on points with Bayern and unbeaten in any competition since 13 N...

27Feb

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Kylian Mbappe, Ligue 1, Marseille, PSG

PSG rout Marseille on the road in Ligue 1 summit clash

MARSEILLE, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 26: Lionel Messi #30 of Paris Saint-Germain celebrate his first goal with Kylian Mbappe #7 during the Ligue 1 match between Olympique Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain at Orange Velodrome on February 26, 2023 in Marseille, France.Kylian Mbappe has become Paris Saint-Germain’s joint-record scorer and Lionel Messi hit the 700th goal of his senior club career as the Ligue 1 leaders thrashed rivals Marseille 3-0. Mbappe and Messi exchanged assists on Sunday night as the visitors stormed into a 2-0 halftime lead, with the Argentine’s tap-in taking him to 700 goals in senior football for Barcelona and PSG. The duo saved the best for after the break, however, with Mbappe volleying Messi’s dinked pass home to join Edinson Cavani on 200 PSG goals on a memorable ni...

26Feb

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Harry Kane, Oliver Skipp

Spurs beat Chelsea to increase pressure on Potter

Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring their teams second goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on February 26, 2023 in London, England. Tottenham boosted their hopes of top-four Premier League finish with a London derby win over Chelsea that increases the pressure on Blues boss Graham Potter. Oliver Skipp’s thumping 20-yard effort just after the interval put the hosts in command and their victory was sealed when Harry Kane turned home Eric Dier’s knock-down late on. While the majority of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were in celebratory mood in the final stages, Kane’s goal saw visiting supporters head for the exit as Chelsea’s recent woes continued. The Blues have now won just two of their previous 15 ...

25Feb

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Borussia Dortmund, Hoffenheim, Julian Brandt

Dortmund top Bundesliga, throw down gauntlet to Bayern

Julian Brandt of Borussia Dortmund celebrates after scoring the team's first goal with teammates during the Bundesliga match between TSG Hoffenheim and Borussia Dortmund at PreZero-Arena on February 25, 2023 in Sinsheim, Germany.Borussia Dortmund have gone top of the Bundesliga with a 1-0 win at Hoffenheim, throwing down the gauntlet for title rivals Bayern Munich and Union Berlin who clash on Sunday. Julian Brandt grabbed the winner for Dortmund in remarkable fashion on Saturday, flicking in free-kick from Marco Reus with his back, as Edin Terzic's side recorded their ninth straight win in all competitions in 2023. "It was not an easy game. We had a bit of luck and are very happy to take the three points," Brandt told Sky TV. "At the moment, lots of things are coming together. We ha...

25Feb

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Danny Ings, PREMIER LEAGUE, West Ham

Ings double helps West Ham to big win over Forest

Danny Ings of West Ham in action during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Nottingham Forest at London Stadium on February 25, 2023 in London, England.Danny Ings’ first goals for West Ham proved the launching pad for a huge 4-0 win as David Moyes’ side pulled themselves out of the Premier League relegation zone. Ings, a £15m signing from Aston Villa in January, proved the difference with two identical goals in three second-half minutes as the Hammers capped a much-improved display with a potentially significant three points. The former Liverpool and Burnley striker was quiet for large periods but his clinical finishes settled the nerves around London Stadium and ensured that the hosts could kick on to an eventual thumping victory. Further goals from captain Declan R...