January 2024 – Page 2 – Football Flame

27Jan

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TRANSFERS

Lyon sign Nemanja Matic on two-and-a-half-year deal

Roma player Nemanja Matic during the match Roma v Inter at the Stadio Olimpico. Rome (Italy), May 06th, 2023. Experienced midfielder Nemanja Matic has completed a permanent move to Lyon from Rennes on a two-and-a-half-year deal.The former Chelsea and Manchester United man had only arrived at Rennes from Roma in the most recent summer transfer window and made 19 appearances for the club in the first half of the season.Matic registered three assists for Julien Stephan's side during the group stage of the Europa League and started 11 Ligue 1 matches, but he was removed from the first-team picture in acrimonious circumstances just before Christmas.The Serbian's frustrations stemmed from broken promises made by the club when he signed for them relating to his children's education, ha...

27Jan

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SERIE A

Torino win to leave Cagliari struggling in Serie A

Antoine Makoumbou of Cagliari in contrast with Duvan Zapata of Torino during the Serie A TIM match between Cagliari and Torino FC - Serie A TIM at Sardegna Arena on January 26, 2024 in Cagliari, Italy. First-half goals from Duvan Zapata and Samuele Ricci have helped Torino defeat struggling Cagliari 2-1 in Serie A.Cagliari remained one point above the relegation zone after an alarming run of just one win from their last eight league games, while Torino are 10th.Torino led from midway through the first half. Zapata turned in a cross from Raoul Bellanova at the near post.Ricci added a second in stoppage time with his first goal of the season. Goalkeeper Simone Scuffet could turn his shot only into the net after a piercing run from midfield.Veteran midfielder Nicolas Viola pulled a...

27Jan

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BUNDESLIGA

Mario Gotze Header Sends Eintracht Frankfurt Past Mainz

Mario Goetze of Eintracht Frankfurt scores their sides first goal past Robin Zentner of 1.FSV Mainz 05 during the Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and 1. FSV Mainz 05 at Deutsche Bank Park on January 26, 2024 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.A second-half header from Mario Goetze lifted Eintracht Frankfurt to a 1-0 win over derby rivals Mainz on Friday, keeping the home side in touch with the European placings. Germany's World Cup hero from 2014 put Frankfurt in front with just over a quarter of an hour remaining, heading in the rebound from his own shot. Goetze appeared to be offside but his first goal of the season survived a lengthy VAR review, with images showing a deflection off a Mainz player. Goetze last scored a header almost two years ago, telling DAZN "it...

27Jan

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NEWS

Late Ake winner ensures Man City knock out Spurs

Nathan Ake of Manchester City scores his team's goal during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 26, 2024 in London, England. Nathan Ake's late goal gave Manchester City their first victory in six visits to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a place in the FA Cup fifth round.City looked likely to have to settle a replay after missing a succession of chances before Ake scored their first goal at this stadium after five successive defeats with two minutes left as Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario failed to hold Kevin de Bruyne's corner under pressure from Ruben Dias.It was a bitter blow to Spurs after a defiant rearguard action but just reward for City, who had been the better side only to miss the opp...

26Jan

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PREMIER LEAGUE

Klopp to leave as Liverpool boss at end of season

Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool addresses the media at a club press conference ahead of the Emirates FA Cup tie with Norwich City at AXA Training Centre on January 26, 2024 in Kirkby, England. The club and Jurgen Klopp announced earlier in the day that he was to leave the club at end of the current season bringing an end to his successful nine year spell at the club.Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is to step down from the role at the end of the season, saying he is "running out of energy".Klopp was appointed in October 2015 and his contract was due to run until 2026.He won the Champions League in 2019 before leading Liverpool to their first league title in 30 years in 2019-20."I told the club already in November," said 56-year-old Klopp, who has announced his decision with his side top of t...

26Jan

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TRANSFERS

Man City sign Echeverri, 18, from River Plate

Claudio Echeverri of River Plate controls the ball during the Trofeo de Campeones match between Rosario Central and River Plate at Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades on December 22, 2023 in Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Manchester City have signed Argentina Under-17 midfielder Claudio Echeverri from River Plate.City will pay about £12.5m for Echeverri, who has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract that runs to 2028.The 18-year-old, who has made six first-team appearances for River Plate, will remain with the Argentine club throughout 2024.City agreed a similar deal with River for Argentina forward Julian Alvarez in January 2022.Echeverri was Argentina's captain at the U17 World Cup in November and scored a hat-trick as they beat Brazil 3-0 in the quarter-finals.He finished the t...

26Jan

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NEWS

Bournemouth hammer Swansea to reach fifth round

Harrison Ashby of Swansea City and Lloyd Kelly of AFC Bournemouth chase the ball during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between AFC Bournemouth and Swansea City at Vitality Stadium on January 25, 2024 in Bournemouth, England.Premier League Bournemouth became the first team to confirm their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup as they hammered Championship side Swansea 5-0.Bournemouth needed just 14 minutes to race 3-0 ahead through goals from Lloyd Kelly, Alex Scott and Luis Sinisterra.Kelly and Scott's goals were both created by David Brooks, who produced a superb individual display.Brooks capped his performance to make it 4-0 on 34 minutes and Dominic Solanke added a fifth before half-time.Swansea improved after the interval and managed to limit the damage, with Bournemout...

25Jan

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NEWS

Barcelona knocked out of Copa del Rey by Bilbao

(L-R) Inaki Williams of Athletic Bilbao, Hector Fort of FC Barcelona during the Spanish Copa del Rey match between Athletic de Bilbao v FC Barcelona at the San Mames Stadium on January 24, 2024 in Bilbao Spain.Barcelona were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Athletic Bilbao after losing their quarter-final 4-2 at San Mames.Gorka Guruzeta gave Bilbao a first-minute lead but Barca were ahead just after the half-hour mark as Robert Lewandowski equalised and Lamine Yamal made it 2-1Bilbao equalised in the 49th minute with Oihan Sancet.Inaki Williams scored in extra-time before brother Nico Williams sealed victory at the death.Xavi's Barcelona side dominated possession, but Bilbao looked the most dangerous and had 27 shots on goal.However, 16-year-old Yamal, who became the competition's ...

25Jan

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NEWS

Bamford nets winner as Leeds United beat Norwich City

Patrick Bamford of Leeds United scores his team's first goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Leeds United and Norwich City at Elland Road on January 24, 2024 in Leeds, England.Leeds United have climbed to within two points of the Championship's automatic-promotion places with a 1-0 win against Norwich at Elland Road.Patrick Bamford scored the game's solitary goal with a thumping first-half header and that was enough to seal Leeds their fifth straight win in all competitions and keep the pressure on their promotion rivals.Norwich were not without their chances - Gabriel Sara's first-half effort was the best of them - but they slipped to their first defeat in six games and failed to climb into the play-off places.In a fixture brought forward because both sides are in FA C...

25Jan

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NEWS

Ivory Coast fire coach, edge into Africa Cup’s last 16

Ivory Coast's French coach Jean-Louis Gasset (C) getsures to Ivory Coast's forward #10 Karim Konate during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 group A football match between Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan on January 22, 2024.Host nation Ivory Coast have squeezed into the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations on the day they fired their coach.Morocco's 1-0 win over Zambia in Group F on Wednesday (local time) ensured Ivory Coast finished among the four best third-placed teams, thus qualifying for the knockout stage.Zambia's defeat left the Copper Bullets with two points after three games, one fewer than Ivory Coast, who failed to secure their own progress when they were beaten 4-0 by Equatorial Guinea in their final group g...