2023 – Page 2 – Football Flame
Latest Football News

Year: 2023

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PREMIER LEAGUE

Villa miss chance to go top of Premier League despite late draw

 Vinicius Souza of Sheffield United and Nicolo Zaniolo of Aston Villa challenge during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Sheffield United at Villa Park on December 22, 2023 in Birmingham, England. Aston Villa missed out on the chance to move top of the Premier League as they were held at home by Sheffield United.Cameron Archer, sold by Villa to the Blades in the summer, stunned the hosts by opening the scoring in the 88th minute from close range.Substitute Nicolo Zaniolo snatched a point for Villa with a header deep into stoppage time, but they could not find a winner.Villa needed a win to go top for the first time since August 2011, having not led the table at this stage in a season for 25 years.But despite dominating possession and chances, they remain behind lea...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Late Welbeck header gives Brighton draw at Palace

 Facundo Buonanotte and Danny Welbeck of Brighton & Hove Albion and Jefferson Lerma, Tyrick Mitchell , Jordan Ayew of Crystal Palace in action during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion at Selhurst Park on December 21, 2023 in London, United Kingdom. Danny Welbeck's late looping header rescued a point for Brighton as they denied rivals Crystal Palace victory at Selhurst Park in the Premier League.Having dominated much of the second half, the Seagulls deservedly levelled when substitute Welbeck met Pascal Gross' deep cross, flicking the ball over Dean Henderson and into the top corner.Jordan Ayew had opened the scoring for Crystal Palace on the stroke of half-time, and the home side were eight minutes of normal time away from ending t...
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LALIGA

Ten-man Real Madrid beat Alaves to go top

 Lucas Vazquez of Real Madrid CF compete for the ball with Abderrahmane Rebbach 'Abde' of Deportivo Alaves during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Deportivo Alaves and Real Madrid CF at Estadio de Mendizorroza on December 21, 2023 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. Lucas Vazquez struck deep into stoppage time as 10-man Real Madrid won at Alaves to go top of La Liga.A 1-1 draw between Girona and Betis earlier in the day meant Real knew they would go first with victory.But they struggled to create chances and their cause was not helped when defender Nacho was dismissed in the 54th minute for a bad foul on Samu Omorodion.But two minutes into added time Vazquez rose to head in a Toni Kroos corner.La Liga top scorer Jude Bellingham was unable to add to his 13 league goals so far in this cam...
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Ligue 1

Mbappe’s birthday brilliance secures PSG’s win over Metz

 Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is playing during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Metz at Parc des Princes in Paris, France, on December 21, 2023.Paris Saint-Germain celebrated the year-end atop Ligue 1 with a convincing 3-1 victory against Metz, led by Kylian Mbappe's sensational performance on his 25th birthday.At Parc des Princes, the match started sluggishly for PSG, but Vitinha changed the tempo, scoring swiftly after the break with a debut goal. Mbappe then stole the spotlight, doubling the lead with a spectacular long-range strike, showcasing his sheer brilliance. Despite Matthieu Udol's determined header for Metz, Mbappe struck again, capitalising on a defensive mistake, closing the game 3-1 and securing his 18th league goal of t...
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NEWS

Bologna shock Inter with 2-1 upset in Italian Cup last 16

 Sam Beukema of Bologna FC passes the ball during the Coppa Italia Round of 16 match between FC Internazionale and Bologna FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on December 20, 2023 in Milan, Italy. Two-time holders Inter Milan were knocked out of the Italian Cup last 16 after a last-gasp 2-1 loss to Bologna.Defender Sam Beukema and attacker Dan Ndoye scored in the second half of extra time at the San Siro to set up a quarter-final tie with Fiorentina after Carlos Augusto had opened the scoring for the Serie A leaders.Bologna, managed by ex-Inter midfielder Thiago Motta, join Fiorentina, Lazio and Frosinone, who beat league champions Napoli 4-0 on Tuesday, in the last eight.Inter coach Simone Inzaghi made plenty of changes for the game during a busy festive period, keeping the likes of p...
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LALIGA

Barcelona back to third in La Liga with Almeria win

 (L-R) Sergi Roberto of FC Barcelona, Ferran Torres of FC Barcelona celebrating the victroy during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona v UD Almeria at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium on December 20, 2023 in Barcelona Spain.Barcelona have earned a hard-fought 3-2 win over last-placed Almeria to end a three-game winless streak and regain third place in Spain.Captain Sergi Roberto scored twice and Raphinha once for Barcelona on Wednesday night (Thursday AEDT) to move them three points ahead of fourth-placed Atletico Madrid. The Catalan club trail Real Madrid by four points and leaders Girona by six.Almeria are the only team yet to win a La Liga match this season and the Saudi-owned club hasn't enjoyed a victory in 21 straight league games, going back to last season.They re...
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NEWS

Liverpool thrash West Ham to reach EFL Cup semis

Curtis Jones of Liverpool scores their fifth goal during the Carabao Cup Quarter Final match between Liverpool and West Ham United at Anfield on December 20, 2023 in Liverpool, England.Liverpool cruised into the Carabao Cup semi-finals with a dominant performance against West Ham at Anfield.Once Dominik Szoboszlai had driven a superb 25-yard effort into the bottom corner after 28 minutes, Liverpool's place in the last four was never in doubt.Curtis Jones added a second 11 minutes after the restart when he deceived Alphonse Areola into thinking he was going to cut a cross back from the edge of the six-yard box, and instead drove a shot through the Hammers' keeper's legs.Cody Gakpo was given too much space to fire home his eighth goal of the season 19 minutes from time, then Mohamed Salah ma...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Forest appoint Nuno to replace sacked Cooper

 Al-Ittihad's Portuguese coach Nuno Espirito Santo attends a press conference ahead the November 6 AFC Champions League match between Iraq's Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Saudi's Al-Ittihad in Arbil, the capital of Iraq's northern autonomous Kurdish region on November 5, 2023.Nottingham Forest have appointed Nuno Espirito Santo on a two-and-a-half-year contract to replace Steve Cooper.Cooper was sacked on Tuesday after two years, with Forest having lost five of their past six league games and sitting 17th in the table.Former Wolves and Tottenham manager Nuno was sacked by Saudi Pro-League club Al-Ittihad in November.The 49-year-old's first match in charge will be Saturday's home Premier League game against Bournemouth.Nuno spent four years at Wolves, guiding the club to promotion from the Cha...
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NEWS

Man City through to the FIFA Club World Cup final

 Bernardo Silva of Manchester City celebrates scoring his side's third goal during the FIFA Club World Cup between Urawa Red Diamonds and Manchester City at King Abdullah Sports City on December 19, 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Manchester City set aside struggles at home to ease past Urawa Red Diamonds 3-0 in the Club World Cup semifinals and is one game away from a fifth title in 2023.The champion of Europe has never lost to the champion of Asia at a Club World Cup and it never looked likely on a balmy evening in the Red Sea port city Jeddah.After it took Man City until first-half stoppage time to score from an own goal by defender Marius Hoibraten, Mateo Kovačić and Bernardo Silva struck with shots in a seven-minute spell early in the second half against the Japanese team.Man ...
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NEWS

Neymar to miss Copa América – Brazil doctor

 Neymar of Al-Hilal is seen during the AFC Champions League Group D match between Nassaji Mazandaran and Al-Hilal at Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Iran on October 03, 2023.Brazil forward Neymar will miss the 2024 Copa América in the United States because of a serious knee injury he suffered in October, Brazilian team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said Tuesday.The Al Hilal star, 31, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee during his country's World Cup qualifying loss to Uruguay on Oct. 17, before undergoing surgery two weeks later.The Copa América will begin on June 20 and run through the final on July 14."It's too early," Lasmar told Brazil's Rede 98. "There's no point in skipping steps to recover sooner and taking unnecessary risks. Our expectation is that he wil...
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NEWS

Chelsea beat Newcastle on penalties to reach last four

 Callum Wilson of Newcastle United in action with Benoit Badiashile and Moises Caicedo of Chelsea during the Carabao Cup Quarter Final match between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge on December 19, 2023 in London, England.Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier endured a Stamford Bridge nightmare as Chelsea reached the Carabao Cup semi-finals after a penalty shootout.Callum Wilson's 16th-minute goal looked to be sending Newcastle into the last four until substitute Mykhailo Mudryk pounced on the veteran defender's error deep into stoppage time to send the game to spot-kicks.The 33-year-old, who has suffered a dip in form recently, then fired Newcastle's second penalty wide and once keeper Djordje Petrovic saved Matt Ritchie's spot-kick Chelsea had gone from the despair of co...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Man Utd’s Onana must ‘decide what is best’ over Afcon

 Andre Onana of Manchester United in action during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester United at Anfield on December 17, 2023 in Liverpool, England.Andre Onana must think of his career when he decides whether to miss part of the Premier League season to go to the Africa Cup of Nations in January, says former Manchester United and Cameroon midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba.Indomitable Lions goalkeeper Onana could miss more than a month of United's campaign if he joins his country's squad at the tournament in Ivory Coast.The 27-year-old, who ended his international retirement in September, has come under scrutiny during a poor start to the season for United which has seen them knocked out of Europe and well off the pace domestically."One of the problems for him is e...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Forest sack Cooper and hold talks with Nuno

 Nottingham Forest's manager Steve Cooper looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest at Molineux on December 9, 2023 in Wolverhampton, England. Nottingham Forest have sacked manager Steve Cooper and are holding talks with former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo to replace him.After losing five of their past six games, Forest have decided to act and told Cooper of the decision on Tuesday.Nuno, 49, was sacked by Saudi Pro-League club Al-Ittihad in November.Former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner has also been mentioned as a potential replacement, but it seems Nuno is now in pole position.Forest, 17th in the top flight, have won once in 13 Premier League games and taken eight points in that time.They have also picked up just ...
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BUNDESLIGA

Muller signs one-year Bayern contract extension

 Thomas Mueller of FC Bayern Muenchen celebrates a goal that was later disallowed for offside during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and VfB Stuttgart at Allianz Arena on December 17, 2023 in Munich, Germany. Bayern Munich midfielder Thomas Muller has signed a one-year contract extension until June 2025.The German, 34, has spent his whole career at Bayern, making 684 senior appearances since his debut in 2008.Club president Herbert Hainer said: "Bayern has been shaped by many people, and there will never again be a player like Thomas Müller."Muller has won 12 German Bundesliga titles, the Champions League twice, six German cups and eight German Supercups.Bayern trail league leaders Leverkusen by four points, although they have a game in hand.
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NEWS

Leicester beat Birmingham to stretch clear at top

 Harry Winks of Leicester City celebrates after Stephy Mavididi of Leicester City scores to make it 1-3 during the Sky Bet Championship match between Birmingham City and Leicester City at St Andrews (stadium) on December 18, 2023 in Birmingham, United Kingdom.Leicester City turned up the heat at the top of the Championship – looking breathtaking at times as they beat Birmingham City at St Andrew’s. In a lightning start, Stephy Mavididi fired Leicester ahead at one end, just 13 seconds after Foxes defender James Justin had hit his own post, then Jordan James quickly levelled for Blues, but Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall finished off another rapid counter-attack to quickly restore the Foxes’ lead. Mavididi, booked for over-celebrating his first goal, then curled in a deflected killer third goal ...
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LALIGA

Girona go top of La Liga after victory over Alaves

 Artem Dovbyk of Girona FC celebrates with teammates after scoring their team's third goal with a penalty kick during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Girona FC and Deportivo Alaves at Montilivi Stadium on December 18, 2023 in Girona, Spain. Girona are perched at the head of the La Liga table after a convincing 3-0 home victory over 13th-place Alaves. The Catalonians are now two points ahead of Spanish giants Real Madrid and a whopping nine points ahead of current La Liga champions Barcelona, whom they defeated 4-2 at the Nou Camp last weekend. This is all part of an incredible run of form for Girona who have now gone 11 games without a loss, a loss that came against their closest title challengers Madrid at home at the end of September. The surprise title contenders took the...
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LALIGA

Barcelona hoping to sign a midfielder in January, says Laporta

 Joan Laporta, President of FC Barcelona, is seen during the Spanish league, La Liga EA Sports, football match played between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadi Olimpic on October 28, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.FC Barcelona enter this next phase of the ongoing season with a hardened mentality. The Catalan giants have suffered heavy blows this season already, both domestically and on the continental stage. However, Barcelona remains resilient and despite the criticism, they look forward to the rest of the season.One of the main things to look forward to in the coming weeks is the January winter transfer window. So far, only the arrival of Brazilian forward Vitor Roque seems confirmed. The 18-year-old striker is expected to add goals to a Barça side struggling in that department.Speak...
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Champions League

Champions League final 16 draw: Arsenal get Porto, Man City meet Copenhagen

 This photograph taken on December 18, 2023, shows the UEFA Champions League cup ahead of the 2023-2024 UEFA Champions League football tournament round of 16 draw at the House of European Football in Nyon.Holders Manchester City will face FC Copenhagen in the last 16 of the Champions League. Arsenal, the current Premier League leaders, will take on Portuguese side Porto in the first knockout round. City played Copenhagen – who came through a group that included Manchester United – in the early stages last season, winning 5-0 at the Etihad Stadium and drawing 0-0 in Denmark. Arsenal’s opponents Porto qualified as runners-up to Barcelona in Group H. Spanish champions Barca, meanwhile, were handed a tough assignment against Serie A winners Napoli. Real Madrid, the record 14-time winners,...
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Ligue 1

Nasty for Nice as high-flyers lose at Le Havre

 Le Havre's US midfielder #11 Emmanuel Sabbi (R) fights for the ball with Nice's French defender #06 Jean-Clair Todibo before scoring the first goal during the French L1 football match between Le Havre AC and OGC Nice at the Stade Oceane in Le Havre, north-western France, on December 16, 2023.US international Emmanuel Sabbi has scored two first-half goals to lead Le Havre to a surprise 3-1 win over Nice in a match both sides finished with 10 men. Second-placed Nice had conceded only six goals in their previous 15 matches but trailed 3-0 after little more than 50 minutes of the clash at Stade Oceane. Sabbi struck in the fifth and 35th minutes, finding the net for the first time for promoted Le Havre having joined in the off-season on a four-year deal from Danish club Odense. Mohamed Ba...
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BUNDESLIGA

Borussia Dortmund suffer another Bundesliga setback

 Giovanni Reyna of Borussia Dortmund takes a shot during the Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund at WWK-Arena on December 16, 2023 in Augsburg, Germany. Borussia Dortmund have suffered another domestic setback, held 1-1 at Augsburg just days after topping a Champions League group above Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Newcastle. Ermedin Demirovic held off Schlotterbeck’s challenge – arguably with a shove – to fire Augsburg into a 23rd-minute lead before Donyell Malen played a one-two with Niclas Fullkrug to equalise 10 minutes before halftime. Augsburg missed three good chances early in the second half before Dortmund coach Edin Terzic sent on Gio Reyna for Marco Reus, then the 19-year-old Samuel Bamba for his Bundesliga debut, but Dortmund were unable to ...
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