Month: September 2024

23Sep By Silver Emmanuel3 Comments

TRANSFERS

Tottenham reportedly preparing bid for Valencia midfielder

As per Spanish outlet Fichajes, Tottenham Hotspur are prioritising the signing of Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra and are ready to push ahead with an offer in January. They report that the midfielder's performances over the last 18 months have caught the attention of numerous clubs in Europe, and Spurs are now ready to 'step up their pursuit'. They explain that Spurs are keen on adding to their midfield engine room, which marries up with several previous reports and links to other players. Spurs are expected to send a bid for the midfielder during the January transfer window. Valencia are said to be asking for 35 million Euros, which equates to around 29 million pounds - a fee that is described as an "obstacle" for the club, but there is belief that a "middle ground" can be agreed. Tottenh...

Read More

23Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

SERIE A

Roma owners address fans: “We respect you and De Rossi”

Dan and Ryan Friedkin, the owners of AS Roma, have issued a statement to the club’s fans addressing the recent controversial dismissal of manager Daniele De Rossi after just four league matches. The owners acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but defended it as necessary for the club’s ambitions. In their message, the Friedkins expressed their deep respect for De Rossi and belief in his future success as a coach, even suggesting he may return to Roma one day: “Football is appreciated globally for its unique beauty. Every match is full of passion, emotions, and unpredictability, and that’s why we love it. But beyond the results on the field, our responsibility as Club owners is to make important decisions that we believe are in Roma’s best interest, even when they are extremely diff...

Read More

23Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Rodri out for the season with ACL injury sustained in Man City’s draw against Arsenal

Rodri will miss the rest of Manchester City's season with an ACL injury he suffered against Arsenal, talkSPORT understands. The midfielder was substituted in the 21st minute of the 2-2 draw on Sunday after planting his foot in an awkward position on the pitch. He was able to hobble off the pitch but the Spaniard is said to have torn cruciate ligaments as per initial tests. It means it's very likely that this will spell the end of his season in what is a huge blow to City after initial optimism he wouldn't be out for a lengthy period. The extent of the injury is yet to be confirmed by City, who are bidding for an unprecedented fifth straight Premier League title. Speaking after the match, City boss Pep Guardiola revealed he didn't know how bad the 28-year-old's injury was. Guardiola said: "...

Read More

23Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold hails Arne Slot advice

Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has said he welcomes critcism from manager Arne Slot in order to become a feared defender in Europe. The 25-year-old has garnered a reputation for his attacking prowess but has also been plagued by a less glittering narrative over the defensive side of his game. However, speaking after Liverpool's 3-0 victory over Bournemouth on Saturday, he said he wants Slot to help him turn that around. "I said to him [Slot] that I would like to be the defender that no one wants to come up against in Europe," Alexander-Arnold said. "We agreed that he will be harsh on me," he added. "If any time an attacker gets by me and gets past me, he will call it out in meetings, and individual meetings, and say this cannot happen. We go through every game together and h...

Read More

23Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Paul Pogba makes feelings clear on Jadon Sancho after miserable Man Utd spell

Paul Pogba has been impressed by Jadon Sancho's early contributions at Chelsea after the winger's loan switch from Manchester United. Sancho endured a tough tme at Old Trafford after joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2021, and ended last season back at the German club after a falling-out with United manager Erik ten Hag. Another loan followed in August, with Chelsea bringing him to West London for a season with an obligation to buy for up to £25m next summer if conditions are met. A boyhood Chelsea fan, Sancho has hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge. He came off the bench to set up Christopher Nkunku's winner at Bournemouth on his debut, while his first start brought another assist in a 3-0 win at West Ham. Pogba and Sancho were briefly team-mates at Old Trafford, spending the 2021-...

Read More

23Sep By Silver Emmanuel3 Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Manchester City rise above Arsenal’s tactics to salvage a point

Manchester City and Arsenal played out an entertaining 2-all draw at the Etihad yesterday. The Premier League encounter between the two teams had no shortage of talking points across the 90 minutes. But come the final whistle City had risen above Arsenal’s tactics to salvage a point from the match. But in doing so they showed the mettle that has served them so well in previous seasons to claim the past four Premier League titles. One talking point to come out of the game was the tactical approach employed by Mikel Arteta and his team. Arsenal were determined to frustrate Manchester City across the full 90 minutes. Even when the game was 11 versus 11 Arsenal employed tactics that were designed to frustrate Pep Guardiola’s side. When they could Arsenal would disrupt the rhythm of...

Read More

23Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

BUNDESLIGA

Vincent Kompany’s hot start outshines recent Bayern Munich managers

Due to the lack of managerial experience, Bayern Munich’s hire of Vincent Kompany was met with a fair amount of skepticism. Thus far, Kompany has blown away the competition. Kompany has won all six of his Bayern matches, mostly with a large cushion. Only Wolfsburg has been able to hold a single goal deficit through 90 minutes, while SSV Ulm (DFB-Pokal), Dinamo Zagreb (Champions League) Freiburg, Holstein Kiel, and Werder Bremen have all suffered larger defeats. According to @iMiaSanMia, Kompany’s start at Bayern is the best in nearly a decade. In his third and final season at Bayern, Pep Guardiola won his first ten Bundesliga matches back in 2015/16. Pep’s successor, Carlo Ancelotti, took over the club and won five straight Bundesliga matches.

Read More

23Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

SERIE A

Fonseca on Milan derby win: “We played with the same structure”

In a surprising turn of events, Milan emerged victorious in the highly anticipated derby against Inter, marking a significant milestone for the team. Paulo Fonseca, Milan’s head coach, shared his thoughts on the match in a post-game interview with Dazn. Fonseca began by emphasizing the importance and rarity of this win: “Milan hasn’t won this match in a long time, and tonight we truly deserved it.” He went on to highlight the exceptional performance of his team, stating, “I can’t recall a team that has managed to create as many problems for Inter as we did today.” When questioned about potential tactical changes, Fonseca was quick to clarify: “No, we didn’t change anything. We played with the same structure. I only asked Fofana to drop between the center-backs during the build-up phase. ...

Read More

23Sep By Silver Emmanuel2 Comments

LALIGA

Barcelona beat Villarreal 5-1 with the help of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha

Forwards Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha both scored twice to help Barcelona thrash hosts Villarreal 5-1 on Sunday as the visitors maintained their perfect start in La Liga with a sixth consecutive victory. Lewandowski found the net twice inside 35 minutes before Villarreal pulled a quick one back through Ayoze Perez but Pablo Torre made it 3-1 after the break and Raphinha completed the rout for Barca with two goals late in the second half. On Saturday, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said he was delighted with his side’s play and resiliency in their clash against Espanyol, fighting back to win 4-1 after falling behind due to a rare blunder by their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Ancelotti praised his players’ poise under pressure as they dominated proceedings, earning a win thanks to go...

Read More

22Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

TRANSFERS

Newcastle Joins Arsenal and Liverpool in Race for PSG’s Summer Target

Late in the summer transfer window, Paris Saint-Germain was linked to Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman. Nonetheless, it appears Premier League clubs are keen on the 26-year-old forward. As the transfer window drew to a close, Lookman was linked with several top clubs, including PSG, Arsenal, and Liverpool, who were all reportedly interested in the 26-year-old. Since joining Atalanta in 2022, he’s made a strong impression. Last season, Lookman played 45 games, showcasing his skill with 17 goals and 10 assists. One of the standout moments of his season was his stunning hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen. Despite not moving this past summer, the Atalanta standout has his admirers. According to TeamTALK (h/t Le10Sport), Lookman continues to attract interest from...

Read More

22Sep By Silver Emmanuel4 Comments

Ligue 1

Enrique: Don’t expect Dembélé to fill Mbappé void

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique has been cautious about tipping Ousmane Dembélé as his team's next top scorer, saying it could be detrimental to his side. Dembélé's second-half strike in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Reims helped PSG maintain their unbeaten run in Ligue 1 and put him in the spotlight as the leading striker to fill the void left by Kylian Mbappé's move to Real Madrid. However, while praising the 27-year-old winger, who has four goals and two assists this season, the coach urged the team as a whole to improve so as not to put too much pressure on just one player. "We're not looking for a goal scorer, because if you put the pressure on Dembélé and then he doesn't score the goals you want him to score, we'll start with the problems," the coach told a news conference on Saturda...

Read More

22Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Liverpool injury list and return dates for West Ham: Alisson, Elliott latest

The defence of Liverpool's EFL Cup crown begins on Wednesday evening, as the Reds welcome West Ham United to Anfield for their third-round showdown. The tournament was the last one that Jurgen Klopp conquered during his glittering spell in the hotseat, as Liverpool triumphed 1-0 over Chelsea in the 2023-24 final, having previously demolished West Ham 5-1 in the quarter-finals. Arne Slot's side head into their EFL Cup opener on the back of another emphatic home victory, sweeping aside Bournemouth 3-0 courtesy of a Luis Diaz brace and a terrific Darwin Nunez effort to go top of the Premier League table. Here, Football Flame rounds up all of Liverpool's latest injury and suspension news ahead of their clash with the Irons, who coincidentally fell to a three-goal defeat against Chelsea on Satu...

Read More

22Sep By Silver Emmanuel2 Comments

BUNDESLIGA

Kane, Olise run riot as Bayern thump Bremen

Michael Olise scored twice and record-setting Harry Kane was on target again as Bayern Munich ran riot in a 5-0 victory at Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday. The big win continued Bayern’s stunning week, with a 6-1 win at promoted Holstein Kiel followed by a 9-2 home victory over Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League. Kane created Olise’s 23rd-minute opener and the goalscorer then turned provider, dribbling down the right and threading a perfect pass for Jamal Musiala to score shortly afterwards. Olise, who arrived from Crystal Palace in the summer, then assisted Kane’s 57th-minute goal, the England captain’s 10th goal so far for Bayern this season in six games all competitions. Olise scored again and Kane set up Serge Gnabry to make it five against Bremen, whose only win agai...

Read More

22Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

SERIE A

Juve and Napoli play out draw in early title tussle

Juventus and Napoli played out a goalless draw on Saturday as two teams tipped to challenge for the Serie A title cancelled each other out on Antonio Conte’s return to his old stomping ground. A fiercely contested, but far from exciting contest at the Allianz Stadium in Turin ended with Juventus maintaining their unbeaten start to life under new coach Thiago Motta. Juve are yet to concede in Serie A this season but their third consecutive league stalemate denied them top spot, currently held by local rivals Torino following their 3-2 win at Verona on Friday. Torino are a point ahead of Udinese, who are at Roma on Sunday, and third-placed Napoli, while Juve are a further point back in fourth. “Without goals, it is impossible to win games,” said a blunt Weston McKennie. Motta drew surprise...

Read More

22Sep By Silver Emmanuel2 Comments

LALIGA

Villarreal vs Barcelona: Preview, predictions and lineups

Barcelona are looking to bounce back from a disappointing Champions League defeat this Sunday when they travel to Villarreal in La Liga. After a perfect start to the Hansi Flick era, the Catalan giants were handed their first setback on Thursday evening as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Monaco in their first European outing of the season. An early red card for Eric Garcia proved costly, with Lamine Yamal's first Champions League goal not enough to save Barca. However, Flick's side have won all five of their La Liga matches to date and are guaranteed to finish the weekend at the top of the table, regardless of results elsewhere or their own at Villarreal. The Yellow Submarine have been in good form themselves at the start of the 2024/25 campaign and sit just four points off Barca. They ...

Read More

22Sep By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

LALIGA

Ancelotti: Madrid slowly getting ‘back to our best’

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said his team are improving "little by little" after their 4-1 comeback win against Espanyol in LaLiga on Saturday. Madrid failed to score in the first half at the Santiago Bernabeu -- they've only scored one first-half goal all season -- and went behind to a Thibaut Courtois own goal not long after the interval. The introduction of Vinícius Júnior -- who was rested at the start -- changed the game, as goals from Dani Carvajal, Rodrygo, Vinícius and Kylian Mbappé gave Madrid all three points. "I thought it was a good game, we reacted well after Espanyol's goal," Ancelotti said in his post-match news conference. "We played better, with more rhythm, we had more chances. "We played faster, moving the ball with more speed, with better movement ... our mobility...

Read More

22Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Diaz moves Liverpool to top spot, United held at Palace

Liverpool moved to the top of the Premier League with a resounding 3-0 win over Bournemouth as Manchester United were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw by Crystal Palace on Saturday. Nicolas Jackson scored twice as Chelsea cruised to a 3-0 win at West Ham, while Aston Villa are level on points at the top after coming from behind to beat Wolves 3-1. Liverpool suffered the first setback of Arne Slot’s early days in charge when Nottingham Forest shocked Anfield seven days ago. But the Reds responded in style to blow Bournemouth away before half-time. Luis Diaz was rested for an impressive 3-1 win at AC Milan to start Liverpool’s Champions League campaign in midweek. Restored to the starting line-up, the Colombian struck twice inside two minutes. Diaz pounced on a misjudgement from Kepa Arriz...

Read More

21Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Jackson double fires Chelsea to victory at woeful West Ham

Nicolas Jackson fired Chelsea to a 3-0 win against West Ham as the Senegal striker repaid his manager's faith with a decisive double at the London Stadium on Saturday. Jackson struck twice in the first half before Cole Palmer wrapped up Chelsea's third win in five Premier League games under new boss Enzo Maresca. It was a well-timed brace from Jackson, who was Chelsea's first choice striker by Maresca on Friday, despite Christopher Nkunku's match-winning impact against Bournemouth last weekend. Although Jackson signed a contract extension earlier in September that will keep the Senegal star at Stamford Bridge until 2033, there were calls for Nkunku to start after the French forward came off the bench to net in the 1-0 win at Bournemouth. Jackson scored 17 goals in an inconsistent debut sea...

Read More

21Sep By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

TRANSFERS

Real Madrid quoted club record transfer fee for Bundesliga star

Real Madrid may need to break their club transfer record to complete a future move for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz. Los Blancos have been tentatively linked with an offer for the Germany international as a future option, alongside other Bundesliga targets, as part of their long term transfer plans. Despite rumours of Wirtz being open to a move to Madrid in 2024, he remained in Germany, as Leverkusen aim to defend their Bundesliga title. The 21-year-old netted 18 goals last season, as Leverkusen sealed a first ever Bundesliga crown, and he is under contract until 2027. His father previously rejected rumours of his son considering an offer from Madrid but the links remain strong. As per the latest from German football transfer expert Christian Falk’s Caught Offside Fact Files, Leverk...

Read More

21Sep By Silver Emmanuel3 Comments

PREMIER LEAGUE

Marco Silva confirms Fulham star will miss Newcastle United clash

Marco Silva has confirmed he will be without one of his strikers this afternoon when his side takes on Newcastle United at Craven Cottage. Fulham will be without Carlos Vinicius when they welcome Newcastle United to Craven Cottage this afternoon. Vinicius, who spent the second half of last season on-loan at Turkish Super Lig side Galatasaray, has not featured for the Cottagers this season after picking up a calf injury. The 29-year-old scored twice under Silva last year but will not add to his total against the Magpies later today. Speaking about the latest injury situation at the club, Silva said: "There's not really any changes from the last game. “Carlos Vinicius is still out but will start running from next week. Apart from that, all our other players are available." Newcastle Unite...

Read More