Month: August 2024

26Aug By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

LALIGA

Diego Simeone confident over Julian Alvarez impact at Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone is ready to bring his summer signings together in the coming weeks. Simeone has opted to bolster his squad this summer with new signings in his attack and Los Rojiblancos secured a first La Liga win of the season at home to Girona. Simeone will be looking to use that as a platform to build on in the coming weeks and he reserved special praise for fellow Argentinian Julian Alvarez. Alvarez made his first start for his new team against Girona, and despite not scoring, he impressed as part of a rotated line up for Simeone. “Julian worked a lot for the team, took up positions so we could recover the ball and counter attack”, as per reports from Diario AS. “He played a role in the second goal, and of course he wants to score like Sorloth, he’ll get there....

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26Aug By Silver Emmanuel4 Comments

LALIGA

Kylian Mbappe wants more after Real Madrid home debut

Kylian Mbappe is ready for more following his Real Madrid home debut. The France captain has secured an unbeaten start to life as a Los Blancos player following his summer move to the Spanish capital. Mbappe is yet to score as a Real Madrid star as Los Blancos secured their first league win of the campaign against Real Valladolid. In front of the home fans for the first time, Mbappe showed flashes of his talent, but he is yet to find the net in the famous white shirt. Carlo Ancelotti has backed his new No.9 to change that in the coming weeks and Mbappe’s record suggests it will not take long to do so.. However, the occasion was not missed by Mbappe, as he prepares to start a new chapter in Madrid, in the coming months. “Thank you for this moment, for the team, and for me. It’s a grea...

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25Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Wolves vs Chelsea: Preview, predictions and lineups

Chelsea are on the road this weekend as they travel to the West Midlands to face Gary O'Neil's Wolverhampton Wanderers. It's been a busy start to Enzo Maresca's reign. After succumbing to Manchester City on the opening weekend of the 2024/25 season, the Blues toppled Servette 2-0 in the first leg of their Conference League play-off on Thursday. There have been bright sparks in west London, but Maresca has a huge task on his hands in year one if he's to appease a wildly inflated Chelsea squad. The Italian will hope his squad dwindles in size considerably over the next week. Wolves are aiming to inflict another Premier League defeat upon the new Chelsea boss while securing their first triumph of 2024/25 themselves. O'Neil's side certainly weren't overwhelmed at Arsenal last weekend and we...

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25Aug By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

NEWS

Inter Miami blank FC Cincinnati, clinch playoff spot

Luis Suarez collected a brace in the first six minutes of Saturday night's match as CF Inter Miami clinched a spot in the MLS playoffs, blanking Cincinnati FC 2-0 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Miami (17-4-5, 56 points) opened an eight-point lead on Cincinnati (15-8-3, 48 points) in the East and avenged a 6-1 loss on July 6 at Cincinnati, where it played without six starters and had a seventh starter red-carded in the second half. Suarez was one of the missing six that night. So was fellow star Lionel Messi, who sat out this one as well with a right ankle injury suffered last month during the Copa America championship match. But Messi's presence wasn't needed in the rematch. With legendary former NFL quarterback Tom Brady looking on, Suarez put Miami ahead to stay only 30 seconds into the ...

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25Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Liverpool to compete with Chelsea, Arsenal and Aston Villa for 26-goal star

Liverpool are reportedly keen on signing Jonathan David from French outfit LOSC Lille. The Canadian international striker is a man in demand this summer and a report from CaughtOffside claims that the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Aston Villa are keen on the player as well. The French outfit are holding out for a fee of around €45-50 million, and it remains to be seen whether Liverpool can get the deal done. Liverpool are prepared to offer him a long-term contract of around four to five years. David will be attracted to the idea of playing for a big club and Liverpool are certainly one of the biggest in the world. They could certainly use more quality and depth in the attacking unit and the Canadian international would be a useful acquisition. He will add goals and creativity to the...

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25Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Haaland hat-trick as Man City, Brighton, Arsenal share top spot

Erling Haaland netted a hat-trick to fire Manchester City to a 4-1 victory over promoted Ipswich Town on Saturday and lift the champions to the top of the Premier League table. They lead on goal difference from Brighton & Hove Albion, who defeated Manchester United 2-1 with a last-gasp goal, and Arsenal who struck twice late on to earn a gritty 2-0 win at Aston Villa. Tottenham Hotspur handed last-placed Everton more misery with a 4-0 victory and West Ham earned their first win of the season, 2-0 over Crystal Palace. Manchester City scored three times in less than four minutes after conceding a shock early goal to crush Ipswich and remain perfect in their quest for a fifth consecutive league title. Haaland kicked off City’s trio of goals in 191 seconds with a penalty in the 12th minu...

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25Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Lewandowski secures Barca win over Athletic

Robert Lewandowski shrugged off a string of missed opportunities to earn Barcelona a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday in La Liga. The 36-year-old striker twice hit the woodwork, among other wasted chances, but kept his cool to slot home a 75th-minute winner for the Catalan giants. Teenage starlet Lamine Yamal put Barcelona ahead with a deflected effort but Oihan Sancet pulled Athletic level from the penalty spot before half-time. Lewandowski’s strike earned Barcelona their second win from two league matches under new coach Hansi Flick. “Especially in the first half he could have scored one or two goals... but in the end this is a goal getter, a striker, who scores goals,” Flick told reporters. “The second goal was the winner, three points, perfect.” The former Germany and Bayern...

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25Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

SERIE A

Darmian and Calhanoglu score as Inter sail past harmless Lecce

Inter captain Lautaro Martinez probably picked the best possible match to miss through injury as his teammates sailed to a comfortable 2-0 win over a timid Lecce side in their Serie A Matchday 2 fixture at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. As a sell-out crowd of 70,921 fans welcomed the champions back home for the new season, Matteo Darmian was the one who gave his side an early lead that allowed the Nerazzurri to control the first half with ease. Hakan Calhanoglu converted a penalty to double Inter‘s advantage in the second half, sealing an effortless victory. It was important for Simone Inzaghi to silence his doubters after their slip-up at Genoa in the season opener, albeit with a much sterner test to come next week against Atalanta. Inter secure early lead in a dominant first-half Inter‘...

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25Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

BUNDESLIGA

Gittens gets Dortmund off to a Bundesliga flyer

Jamie Gittens got Borussia Dortmund off to a winning start under new coach Nuri Sahin with his two goals earning them a 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in their first Bundesliga game of the season. Saturday's match was marked by Dortmund fans' protests against their club's sponsorship deal with a German arms manufacturer. Frankfurt's Fares Chaibi had a big chance in the 71st minute but was unable to react quickly enough to turn Niels Nkounkou's fiercely-struck cross into the goal from close range. Then Gittens made more of a harder chance at the other end a minute later, eluding a defender on the left of the penalty box before firing in from a narrow angle. The 20-year-old English winger then sealed the win on a counter-attack in the 93rd minute. Bundesliga runners-up Stuttgart s...

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25Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

TRANSFERS

Tottenham expected to make offer for Ligue 1 star soon

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly eyeing a last-minute addition to their squad, with Monaco's Vanderson emerging as a potential target. According to French outlet L'Equipe, Spurs are prepared to make a late bid for the Brazilian defender, who could add further depth to their already well-stocked right-back position. Tottenham’s interest in Vanderson comes as somewhat of a surprise, given that the club currently has several options at right-back. With Pedro Porro as the first-choice starter and Djed Spence poised to serve as his understudy, the position seems well-covered. Additionally, new signing Archie Gray has shown versatility by being able to fill in on the right side of the defense if needed. However, despite these options, the rumors surrounding Vanderson’s potential switch to...

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25Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

Ligue 1

Lyon fans jeer their team after a 2-0 loss to Monaco

Monaco have secured a second-straight win to start the French league, triumphing 2-0 over still goalless Lyon, who felt the frustration of their home fans. Both goals came in the second half from young talents, 19-year-old Eliesse Ben Seghir of Morocco and 20-year-old Lamine Camara of Senegal. Camara got his second yellow card deep in stoppage time but Monaco held on to their lead. The frustration of the Lyon fans was clear as boos echoed through the Parc OL stadium at the final whistle. Also Saturday, Lille beat newly promoted Angers 2-0. Thomas Meunier, the Belgium defender who joined Lille during the summer transfer window, opened the scoring in the first half. Despite a late push from Angers in the second half, Mohamed Bayo secured the win with a clinical finish in stoppage time ...

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25Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Vitor Roque lands in Sevilla to complete Real Betis move

Barcelona striker Vitor Roque was all smiles after landing in Seville to complete a loan move to Real Betis. A deal has finally been agreed between the two sides, with reports claiming it’s a two-year loan that will include a buyback clause set at €27.5m. Fabrizio Romano reports the deal is done, however, and we can expect an official announcement within the next day or so. Vitor Roque will be hoping he can make an impact at Real Betis after a tough time at Barcelona since his move at the start of the year. Rivaldo has already tipped the youngster to succeed at Betis this season and prove Barcelona they were wrong to let him go. Vitor Roque’s move won’t do too much to help Barca register Dani Olmo. The Brazilian isn’t registered yet by Barcelona for the current season as the club had ...

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24Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

‘No doubts’ – Pep talks Gundogan’s return from Barca

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said he had no doubts about bringing Ilkay Gundogan back to the club from Barcelona. Gundogan is back with the Premier League champions after just one season in Barcelona, and Guardiola is delighted to be working with the German star once again.“We know him quite well – me personally, but the staff and the players and everyone. You know the quality that he played last season in Barcelona, he played at a high, high level, consistency, playing a lot of minutes games and producing a lot. We didn’t have any doubts when the possibility was open and absolutely delighted he’s back,” he told reporters.Guardiola also revealed he said “yes” straight away to Gundogan after the midfielder got on the phone. “I got the message from Txiki that Ilkay wan...

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24Aug By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

TRANSFERS

Report: Newcastle nearing agreement for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi

Newcastle United are reportedly closing in on a transfer agreement for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, potentially bringing one of the summer’s longest-running transfer sagas to an end through this weekend. Guehi, who has been a standout performer for Palace since joining from Chelsea in 2021, is now on the brink of a move to St. James’ Park according to Sky Sports’ Keith Downie. The 24-year-old defender has attracted interest from several top clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester United, but it appears that Newcastle is set to secure his signature. According to Downie, Newcastle and Crystal Palace are nearing an agreement after weeks of negotiations. The proposed deal is expected to be in the region of £65 million plus add-ons, making it a club-record transfer for Newcast...

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24Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham injured, expected to miss several weeks

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham sustained a muscle injury during training, the Spanish club said on Friday, and will miss key games for club and country. The 21-year-old England international, who was a key player last season when Real won the Champions League and La Liga titles, will be sidelined for several weeks, according to club sources. “Following tests carried out today (Saturday) on our player Jude Bellingham by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the plantaris muscle in his right leg. Pending evolution,” Real said in a statement. He will miss Sunday’s La Liga clash against Real Valladolid and England’s Nations League matches next month against Ireland and Finland. Real coach Carlo Ancelotti, who usually talks to the media one day be...

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24Aug By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

LALIGA

Barcelona can save big with double Lenglet operation

As has been the case for the last few years, FC Barcelona once again have to look for a new club for Clement Lenglet in this summer transfer window. The Frenchman has returned to the Catalan club after spending the last season on loan at Aston Villa, but it is highly unlikely that he will remain in Flick’s team for this season. A breakthrough in this operation for Barcelona was reported yesterday as Fabrizio Romano claimed that the French defender is going to join Atletico Madrid on loan, while also extending his contract with the Blaugrana club by one year.While this move has not officially been announced yet, Mundo Deportivo has provided an outline of how this will impact the Catalan club’s finances and fair play margin. Without this contract extension, Lenglet would have been rece...

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24Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

TRANSFERS

Arsenal: Fabio Vieira set to join Porto on loan for the season

Arsenal midfielder Fabio Vieira is set to return to Porto on loan, two years after leaving the Portuguese giants. Talks between the two clubs are understood to be at an advanced stage, with the expectation that the 24-year-old will spend the season with Porto. There will be no option or obligation to make the move permanent. The midfielder trained with the Arsenal squad as usual on Friday but will not be involved in the trip to face Aston Villa on Saturday evening. Vieira moved to Arsenal in July 2022 for a fee of around €40m and is under contract in north London until 2027. Despite making 22 appearances during his debut season, an injury-hit second campaign has seen him fall down the pecking order with just 15 outings across all competitions. Mikel Merino's arrival is set to furthe...

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24Aug By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

PREMIER LEAGUE

Chelsea now ‘Even more likely’ to sign striker

Chelsea are now ‘even more likely’ to sign another striker before the transfer window closes due to Romelu Lukaku’s impending switch to Napoli, according to Sky Sports News. Napoli have been working on a deal to sign Lukaku and now have a verbal agreement in place with Chelsea. The deal on the table will see Lukaku head to Napoli on a permanent move and Chelsea will bank just over £25m, while add-ons could see the total amount swell to over £38m. The Italian side are now pushing to complete the deal and it is suggested that the development makes it ‘even more likely’ that Chelsea will sign another striker this summer. Chelsea have a number of targets they are looking at and they are keen on Napoli’s Victor Osimhen. Napoli’s asking price is an issue though and the Italians are unwi...

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24Aug By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

Ligue 1

Lens pursuing loan move for Luton Town’s Teden Mengi

Racing Club de Lens are pursuing a loan move with an option to buy for Luton Town centre-back Teden Mengi (22), according to a report this Friday from Foot Mercato. The 22-year-old joined the Hatters last year from formative club Manchester United for an undisclosed fee – thought to be up to €2m. The England U21 international played 30 games last season in the Premier League, from which Luton Town were relegated. The outlet previously reported that Mengi was being considered by INEOS-owned Ligue 1 club OGC Nice as a replacement for Jean-Clair Todibo. With RC Lens expected to part ways with Kevin Danso amid interest from AS Roma, Mengi would act as a replacement for the Austria international. The Artois side would reportedly agree to let go of Danso in exchange for a €23m transfer fe...

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24Aug By Silver Emmanuel2 Comments

Ligue 1

Mbappe-less PSG hand six of the best to Montpellier

Paris Saint-Germain seem to be doing just fine without Kylian Mbappe. PSG routed Montpellier 6-0 on Friday to make it two wins in two games in the French league as they start life without Mbappe, who left for Real Madrid in the offseason. PSG are seeking their fourth straight league title but many had expected their grip on the trophy to loosen after the departure of their star forward. But that hasn't been the case so far, with the team netting 10 goals in their opening two matches. Bradley Barcola opened the scoring after three minutes with an angled strike from nine yards out and Marco Asensio doubled the lead with a low shot from the centre of the area after being teed up by a delicate pass from João Neves. It was the third assist in two games for the 19-year-old Neves, who arrive...

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