Blog – Page 65 – Football Flame

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Boost for Southampton despite facing three defeats in the Premier League
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Boost for Southampton despite facing three defeats in the Premier League

Southampton haven't had a good return to the Premier League as they have faced three defeats from their first three matches. While defensive mistakes have led to five goals conceded in the league, the attack also needs to improve and score more goals from the chances created inside the box. Therefore, the Saints are currently nineteenth in the league and alongside bottom placed Everton, are the only two teams that haven't taken any point from the first three matches. Hence, the chances of Southampton being involved in a relegation battle towards the end of the season, are increasing as well. Moreover, a new manager could be brought in at the St. Mary's Stadium if manager Russell Martin couldn't improve Southampton's on-field performance in the Premier League. However, there is a hug...
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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk clarifies future as Real Madrid star ‘rejects’ transfer chance
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk clarifies future as Real Madrid star ‘rejects’ transfer chance

It has been a perfect start to the new Premier League season for Liverpool as they have recorded three wins from their opening fixtures against Ipswich Town, Brentford and Manchester United. However, head coach Arne Slot has seen the breaks put on his fast start to life at Anfield as September saw his players jet across the globe to join up with their international teams. Van Dijk sets the record straight on future Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has committed his future to the Netherlands until the 2026 World Cup - just weeks after he was considering whether to retire from international duty. The 33-year-old had contemplated ending his nine-year career with the Oranje after a last-gasp defeat to England in the sem-finals of the European Championships. But after a summer o...
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Fenerbahce confirm agreement with Juventus over Kostic
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TRANSFERS

Fenerbahce confirm agreement with Juventus over Kostic

Fenerbahce have released a statement confirming an agreement with Juventus over the transfer of Filip Kostic. The Serbian was an automatic starter under Max Allegri during his first two years in Turin. However, he immediately became surplus to requirements upon the arrival of Thiago Motta. The 31-year-old has been left out of the Champions League and hasn’t been called up for any competitive or friendly fixture this season. During the summer, Kostic rejected proposals from Saudi Arabia, as well as the likes of Crystal Palace and Southampton. But with the transfer market shut almost everywhere on the globe, Turkiye became his ultimate escape route. The winger has been linked with a move to Galatasaray, but it was their crosstown rivals Fenerbahce who managed to seal the deal. Kostic w...
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Galatasaray aiming to sign Roma’s Nicola Zalewski
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SERIE A

Galatasaray aiming to sign Roma’s Nicola Zalewski

Serie A giants Roma made some important moves in the summer but they could now be at the risk of losing an important squad player. Nicola Zalewski was linked with a move to PSV Eindhoven earlier in the summer but the move never quite took off. But with the Turkish window still open, he could yet depart the Giallorossi. Gianluca di Marzio have reported that Gala are trying to sign the Poland international on a permanent basis, despite having sealed their moves for Filip Kostic and Victor Osimhen already. In the last few days of the summer transfer window, Roma had attempted a swap involving Cyril Ngonge with Napoli but it didn’t materialise but it shows their willingness to move the player on. Gala has been described as a potential opportunity and the next few days will be vital in the...
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Bayern Munich looked at Inter Milan defender Federico Dimarco if Alphonso Davies left
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BUNDESLIGA

Bayern Munich looked at Inter Milan defender Federico Dimarco if Alphonso Davies left

Alphonso Davies seems to be set on leaving Bayern Munich when his deal expires next year. What was once a surefire extension has now been in limbo for the past few years and with Real Madrid lurking in the shadows, the Rekordmeister is in a tough position. That got them looking at alternatives, one of which was Federico Dimarco from Inter Milan: 'Federico Dimarco was one of the names discussed internally at Bayern as a potential replacement for Alphonso Davies in the beginning of the summer. 'Bayern had three names on the list and Dimarco was one of them. But then Davies ended up staying at the club and Dimarco never considered leaving Inter this summer'. – Fabrizio Romano as captured by Twitter account @iMiaSanMia If Bayern is still looking at left-backs, go to the red side of Mi...
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Man Utd star Matthijs De Ligt speaks out on his mistake during Netherlands win
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Man Utd star Matthijs De Ligt speaks out on his mistake during Netherlands win

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt admits his mistake ‘sucks’ after Netherlands’ 5-2 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday evening.Ronald Koeman’s side delivered an impressive performance in the opening game of their new Nations League campaign with United striker Joshua Zirkzee scoring his first international goal after just 13 minutes. Ermendin Demirovic pulled Bosnia and Herzegovina level before Tijjani Reijnders put the Dutch back in front shortly before half time.Cody Gakpo extended the Netherlands’ lead before Edin Dzeko capitalised on an error from De Ligt to pull a goal back for the visitors. After a ball was played into the box from the right flank, De Ligt opted to leave the cross which allowed Dzeko to score from close range. Wout Weghorst and Xavi Simons...
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Hwang Ui-jo leaves Forest for Turkey, this time for good
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Hwang Ui-jo leaves Forest for Turkey, this time for good

Korean forward Hwang Ui-jo has rejoined Turkish team Alanyaspor on a one-year deal, the club announced Friday. The club did not disclose the transfer fee in a statement on its website. The move comes after Hwang played for Alanyaspor on loan in the second half of the 2023-24 season and failed to play a single minute upon his return to Premier League side Nottingham Forest so far this campaign. Alanyaspor is a club based in the southern Turkish city of Alanya and currently sits in 16th place on the 20-team Super Lig table as of press time Sunday. The club finished in eighth place last season, during which Hwang picked up one goal and one assist in eight Super Lig matches. The return to Turkey marks the latest twist in what has also been a tumultuous few years for the 32-year-old...
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Chelsea Could Start A Trend By Leaving Cole Palmer At Home
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Chelsea Could Start A Trend By Leaving Cole Palmer At Home

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer was the star of last season for the Blues, but it is unlikely his skills will be seen in European competition this season. Palmer won’t be on the plane to Greece, Germany or Kazakhstan this season as he has been left out of Chelsea’s UEFA Europa Conference League squad. He could theoretically be added to the squad in January, but whatever happens, he won’t play European soccer again in 2024. Premier League teams often leave their star players out of matchday squads for the group stages of European competitions, opting to blood their young players in these theoretically easier and lower-stakes games, and save their stars for Premier League games and the latter stages of European competitions later in the season. But it is rare that a key player is left completely of...
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PSG Receive Boost Ahead of Crucial Champions League Fixtures Against Girona, Arsenal
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Champions League

PSG Receive Boost Ahead of Crucial Champions League Fixtures Against Girona, Arsenal

The international window hasn’t been kind to Paris Saint-Germain with key players like Vitinha, Désiré Doué, and Warren Zaïre-Emery suffering injuries. After the alarm bells went off with their midfield suffering multiple blows ahead of an intense next few weeks, there’s a sigh of relief. The Parisians have a mix of good and bad news as club football returns this week and the UEFA Champions League kicks off this month. PSG will face Stade Brestois on September 14 and the Spanish side Girona on September 18. Afterward, the Ligue 1 side face Stade de Reims on September 21 and Stade Rennais on September 27 before their showdown with Arsenal on October 1. As a result, the capital club need all their players healthy for these next couple of weeks and while they suffered scares, L’Equipe ...
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Will Danilo retire from international football? He gives his answer
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SERIE A

Will Danilo retire from international football? He gives his answer

Although Danilo has not started games for Juventus this season, he remains a regular for the Brazil national team and even captains them. At 33, many players retire from international football to focus on their club careers, but Danilo has shown no signs of considering stepping away from the Brazil squad. He continues to enjoy his time with the national team. After Brazil’s early elimination from Copa America, some sections of the Brazilian media suggested that Danilo should step aside to make room for a new generation of players to help rejuvenate the team. However, Danilo has continued to make himself available for selection, and following Brazil’s recent match, he was again asked if he would consider international retirement, as some fans had previously urged him to do. He said, as ...
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S. Korea seeking redemption vs. Oman in World Cup qualifier after dismal showing at home
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NEWS

S. Korea seeking redemption vs. Oman in World Cup qualifier after dismal showing at home

South Korea will look to redeem themselves in their next World Cup qualifying match against Oman on Tuesday following a disappointing performance on home soil to begin the ongoing round last week. South Korea and Oman will square off for their second Group B match in the third round of the Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat. The kickoff is 6 p.m. Tuesday local time, or 11 p.m. the same night in South Korea. South Korea, ranked 23rd, couldn't have scripted a more frustrating start to the third round last Thursday, when they were held to a goalless draw by No. 96 Palestine at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Captain Son Heung-min struck the woodwork in a wide-open chance in the late minutes, while midfielder Lee Kang-in also wasted a few op...
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Germany captain Joshua Kimmich praises the team after resounding 5-0 Nations League victory
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NEWS

Germany captain Joshua Kimmich praises the team after resounding 5-0 Nations League victory

Germany kicked off the Nations League campaign with a 5-0 thumping of Hungary. Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala was magnificent, delivering a goal and three assists. Bayern teammate Aleksandar Pavlović linked up with Musiala to score Pavlović’s first international goal in the 77th minute. Today’s match also represented Joshua Kimmich’s first international match since being named captain for Die Mannschaft. In his postgame interview (via @iMiaSanMia), Kimmich said, “It was important that we won today. The first half was good, we could’ve scored more goals. The first 5-10 minutes of the second half were not easy. Rob [Andrich] made a great tackle to deny the equaliser. Then we scored the second through a counter from a corner and then the game became more open. Overall we controlled the...
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Declan Rice and Jack Grealish give Lee Carsley winning start to England reign
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NEWS

Declan Rice and Jack Grealish give Lee Carsley winning start to England reign

After all the focus on the soundtrack, Lee Carsley’s first game as England manager was certainly loaded with narrative. The inevitable line is that you couldn’t script this but, well, it’s really the first thing you’d script. Declan Rice and Jack Grealish scored the goals in a 2-0 England win over Ireland, the national team they both left, to also overcome a constant chorus of boos. If anything, such a response seemed to counter-productively drive them on, in the way that often happens. At least for a time. This win really just evolved into the sort of win over a smaller country that England have long learned to expect under Gareth Southgate, albeit with one important twist. The attacking under Carsley was different throughout and, for a brief period, quite exciting. There was a sens...
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Brazil edge Ecuador as Rodrygo strike ends winless World Cup qualifying run
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NEWS

Brazil edge Ecuador as Rodrygo strike ends winless World Cup qualifying run

Rodrygo scored the winning goal in the first half as Brazil defeated Ecuador 1-0 in Curitiba to end a four-game winless streak in World Cup 2026 qualifying. The 23-year-old Real Madrid swinger scored with a shot from outside the box in the 30th minute, which was deflected by a defender and went in off the right-hand post. Victory boosted the Seleçao’s qualifying campaign after they had lost to Uruguay, Colombia and Argentina at the end of 2023 after a 1-1 home draw with Venezuela. Seeking an early goal to settle their nerves, the hosts almost got it when Vinícius Júnior closed down keeper Hernán Galíndez, whose clearance ricocheted off the forward and into the side netting. After Rodrygo’s opener, Moisés Caicedo was denied a leveller, first by Alisson’s save and then by Gabri...
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Leverkusen ‘Invincibles’ star ‘will leave at the end of season’
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BUNDESLIGA

Leverkusen ‘Invincibles’ star ‘will leave at the end of season’

Bayer Leverkusen star Jonathan Tah has put a host of Europe's top clubs on red alert after confirming this season would be his last with the club. The 28-year-old had been heavily linked to an exit from the defending Bundesliga champions in the summer window, with German giants Bayern Munich showing plenty of interest.However, a move failed to materialise as Tah ultimately stayed put with the club. Yet it now looks to be a matter of time before he does depart, with Tah explaining his reasons for wanting to seek pastures now. In an interview with German outlet Suddeutsche Zeitung, the defender pointed to Leverkusen's thrilling unbeaten season as a key reason why he felt it was the right time to leave. 'I've been in Leverkusen for nine years, I experienced all the ups and downs h...
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Arsenal receive Riccardo Calafiori injury update after Italy scare
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Arsenal receive Riccardo Calafiori injury update after Italy scare

Arsenal have seemingly received a positive update on the fitness of defender Riccardo Calafiori. During the summer transfer window, the Gunners paid in the region of £42m to sign one of Bologna's star men from last season.The 22-year-old is yet to start a Premier League game, being restricted to substitute outings against Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion. However, Calafiori was included on the left-hand side of a back three on Friday night as Italy recorded a 3-1 victory over France in the UEFA Nations League. Despite conceding after 13 seconds, the Azzurri fought back to post one of their most notable victories since winning the European Championship three years ago.Nevertheless, the evening was not a perfect one for Luciano Spalletti and his side after Calafiori was fo...
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Ancelotti trusts 25-year-old Real Madrid defender amidst injury woes – report
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LALIGA

Ancelotti trusts 25-year-old Real Madrid defender amidst injury woes – report

The left-back position at Real Madrid appeared set to undergo a big change this summer with Alphonso Davies widely linked with a transfer.In the end, however, Real Madrid did not get the Canadian defender over the line as Bayern Munich refused to accept a lower fee for the youngster. Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia thus started the new season as Carlo Ancelotti’s preferred options in the department with the Frenchman taking the starting role. Both players, however, have seen regular minutes in tandem. Garcia earns Ancelotti’s favourWhile Mendy began the season as the manager’s preferred option at left-back, Garcia only had to wait until match day 2 to get his first start of the season. Benefitted by the Frenchman’s suspension, the 25-year-old played all 90 minutes against Real Valla...
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Arne Slot gets major injury boost as Liverpool substitutions start to make sense
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Arne Slot gets major injury boost as Liverpool substitutions start to make sense

A key feature of Arne Slot's early days at Liverpool has been his willingness to bring off players without fear or favour. Subplots and storylines may have subsequently emerged from his substitution of players like Jarell Quansah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, but the Reds' head coach has not ducked anything so far. Questions around his decision to sub Quansah at half time of the 2-0 win over Ipswich Town on the opening weekend were followed up by a simple explanation for the introduction of Ibrahima Konate in his place. "First thing I said was we don’t have to speak about tactics if we lose so many duels and that’s what we did," Slot said. “That’s not that Jarell lost every duel – many of us lost too many duels – but I think we needed Ibou Konate to win these long balls in the air from...
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Hallgrimsson anticipates a defence-heavy encounter with England
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NEWS

Hallgrimsson anticipates a defence-heavy encounter with England

Heimir Hallgrimsson initially scoffed at the question of playing “entertaining and “exciting” football against Uefa Nations League opponents England in Dublin tonight. Flanked by his captain Seamus Coleman at yesterday morning’s pre-match press conference, the new Republic of Ireland boss threw the question back at the reporter. “What do you mean with ‘entertainment’ and ‘excitement’? What excites you? What entertains you?”At that precise moment, the ghost of Giovanni Trapattoni hung in the air. “If you want to see a show – go to the opera,” the veteran Italian coach used to lecture the Irish media during his time as Ireland manager between 2008 and 2013. Trapattoni never professed to be in the entertainment business.Hallgrimsson is probably cut from the same cloth as the chari...
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Calafiori sustains injury in bizarre incident during France 1-3 Italy
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NEWS

Calafiori sustains injury in bizarre incident during France 1-3 Italy

Italy coach Luciano Spalletti is confident Riccardo Calafiori did not sustain a significant injury after the Arsenal man was hurt in a bizarre incident by France’s Ousmane Dembele. The Nations League match at Parc des Princes saw the Azzurri concede a Bradley Barcola goal after 14 seconds, but then fight back to win 3-1 with goals from Federico Dimarco, Davide Frattesi and Giacomo Raspadori. It was not entirely without incident, because Calafiori was forced to limp off in the second half after he was clattered from behind by a flying Dembele. Alessandro Bastoni went into the tackle on Dembele after the Frenchman had already run past several Azzurri, sending the forward flying into the air with no control over his landing. Unfortunately for the Italy star, he happened to be in t...
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