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Injuries a factor for Real Madrid as La Liga returns
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LALIGA

Injuries a factor for Real Madrid as La Liga returns

La Liga returns after the international break with a game where injuries are likely to play a key role as Real Sociedad entertain Real Madrid on Saturday night. Real Madrid are without Eder Militao, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Ceballos, Aurelian Tchouameni and David Alaba with various injuries, while Jude Bellingham is a doubt due to a muscle problem he picked up before the break. The absences leave Carlo Ancelotti with a jigsaw puzzle to complete in defence and midfield and Dani Carvajal or Jesus Vallejo could start alongside Antonio Rudiger in the heart of their defence. Real Sociedad have lost their two home matches this campaign and are also struggling with a long list of absentees that includes Mikel Oyarzabal, with a badly twisted ankle, Hamari Traore, who is out for the season and creat...
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Yamal: I want to stay at Barca forever & become a legend
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Yamal: I want to stay at Barca forever & become a legend

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has appeared on Spanish television and chatted about a range of topics following his rapid rise to superstardom. The teenager spoke about comparisons with Lionel Messi and how he hopes he can stay at the club for his whole career. “I want to stay at Barça forever, I want to be a legend,” he told El Hormiguero. “I like to be compared to the best player in the history of football, but I want to be myself. Reaching Messi’s level is impossible.” Rather inevitably, Lamine was also asked about his good friend Nico Williams after a summer where Barcelona were regularly linked with the forward. Yet Yamal had a pretty diplomatic answer when asked about the prospect of playing alongside his good mate at Barcelona. “I would like to play with him every week, hopefully,...
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Erik ten Hag: I don’t care what Ronaldo has to say about me
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Erik ten Hag: I don’t care what Ronaldo has to say about me

Erik ten Hag has brushed off Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest criticism of him by insisting: “He’s far away from Manchester.” Ronaldo reignited his feud with Ten Hag by saying the Manchester United manager sent out the wrong message by claiming, in an interview during the summer, that the club were a “long way” from being able to win the Premier League and Champions League. The former United striker – who has been playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League since leaving in late 2022 – also cast doubt himself on United’s ability to win the league, claiming it would be “difficult”. But Ten Hag gave short shrift to Ronaldo’s comments when quizzed on the subject ahead of United’s game at Southampton tomorrow and implied he was not too concerned about the opinions of a player 3,200 miles away in Sa...
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PSG ordered to pay Kylian Mbappé’s unpaid wages
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PSG ordered to pay Kylian Mbappé’s unpaid wages

Kylian Mbappé (25) looks to have won his long-running dispute with former club Paris Saint-Germain concerning unpaid wages, as reported by Le Parisien and L’Équipe. Mbappé went unpaid for the final three months of his PSG contract, from April to June, prior to his move to Real Madrid. The refusal to pay the wages came amid a dispute and a messy divorce between the two parties. Les Parisiens believed that they had an oral, gentleman’s agreement with the France captain that they wouldn’t lose out financially, in the event that he left on a free transfer, which of course he did. That agreement, the club has argued, was stated publically in January, when Mbappé said the following: “With the agreement that I made with the president this summer, regardless of my decision, (at the end of ...
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Gavi returns to Barcelona training after ACL tear
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Gavi returns to Barcelona training after ACL tear

Barcelona midfielder Gavi returned to training on Thursday as he edges closer to a return to action after almost 10 months out with a serious knee injury. Gavi, 20, has not played since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing for Spain against Georgia in a qualifying match for the European Championship at the end of last year. BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 12: Pablo Martin 'Gavi' of FC Barcelona looks on prior to the Joan Gamper Trophy match between FC Barcelona and AS Monaco at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on August 12, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images) A source has told Football Flame that no date has been fixed for a possible comeback at this stage, with the next steps dependent on how he responds to a gradual increase ...
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Mikel Arteta signs new Arsenal contract and vows to ‘do much more’
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Mikel Arteta signs new Arsenal contract and vows to ‘do much more’

Mikel Arteta has signed a new three-year contract with Arsenal, committing his future to the club until 2027. The Spaniard, who has been in charge since late 2019, had entered the final 12 months of his previous deal at the start of the season. LONDON COLNEY, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta Signs a new contract at Sobha Realty Training Centre on September 12, 2024 in London Colney, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) Arteta has helped transformed Arsenal’s ambitions since replacing Unai Emery, leading the club to Premier League title challenges in each of the last two seasons. Although the Gunners fell short to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in both years, Arsenal finished the last two seasons on 84 and 89 points - their hig...
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Mourinho ‘I will die and never forget Roma Final, Osimhen dives too much’
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NEWS

Mourinho ‘I will die and never forget Roma Final, Osimhen dives too much’

José Mourinho says he ‘will die and never forget’ the 2022-23 Europa League Final his Roma side lost against Sevilla and insists he has no problems with Victor Osimhen: ‘But he dives too much.’ ISTANBUL, TURKEY - AUGUST 13: Head coach of Fenerbahce looks on during the UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round match between Fenerbahce and Lille FC at Ulker Stadium on August 13, 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images) Fenerbahce coach Mourinho released an extended interview with Turkish media HT Spor, where he discussed several things related to Italian football. Evidently, he still hasn’t forgotten about the 2022-23 Europa League Final that his Roma side lost against Sevilla, especially after a recent referee controversy that saw his Fenerbahce side elimin...
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Paul Pogba’s brother to stand trial in extortion case involving France football star
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NEWS

Paul Pogba’s brother to stand trial in extortion case involving France football star

A brother of World Cup winner Paul Pogba will stand trial with five other men as part of an extortion case that targeted the footballer two years ago, the Paris prosecutor's office said Tuesday. A judge ordered the six men to appear before a court following an investigation into whether Pogba was the target of extortion by his brother, Mathias Pogba, and childhood friends, the office said. The prosecutor's office said Mathias Pogba, 34, was ordered to stand trial “for the offences of attempted extortion and criminal conspiracy."The court date has not been announced. The five others — identified by their first names only — allegedly demanded €13 million ($14.3 million) from the France midfielder, and repeatedly intimidated him, claiming he didn't support them after he became an int...
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Barcelona have the two most experienced teenagers in world football
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LALIGA

Barcelona have the two most experienced teenagers in world football

La Masia is back on top, as Barcelona are easily producing the finest prospects in world football, assembling a star-studded lineup where the majority of the key players are homegrown talents. Gavi and Pedri have been anchoring the midfield for the past couple of seasons, Alejandro Balde was a massive breakout star at left back in 2022/23 when Barcelona last won LaLiga, and both Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi emerged as legitimately two of the best players in LaLiga in their respective positions. Yamal, in particular, was a revelation, dominating the competition at Euro 2024 as a key player for champions Spain. Both Yamal and Cubarsi are just 17 years old, so, in theory, Barcelona have two world-class players on their hands for the next 15 years. Cubarsi and Yamal are so good, i...
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Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez accused of slapping cameraman
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NEWS

Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez accused of slapping cameraman

A TV cameraman said Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez "slapped me" after Colombia's 2-1 home win in a World Cup qualifying match. Jhonny Jackson told Colombian reporters he approached Martínez after the final whistle in Barranquilla on Tuesday as the goalkeeper greeted another player. Footage he captured shows the World Cup winner, who Argentines know as Dibu, hitting the camera, which quickly falls to the ground. "Out of the blue he slapped me," Jackson told RCN Deportes on Wednesday. "I felt angry, very angry. I was working, just like he was. He was playing and I was shooting with my camera."He also sent a message to Martínez: " Dibu, my brother, how are you? I am Jhonny Jackson, the cameraman you assaulted in the match against Colombia. I wanted to tell you it is all good,...
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‘No hope’: China coach under pressure with World Cup hopes in peril
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NEWS

‘No hope’: China coach under pressure with World Cup hopes in peril

China coach Branko Ivankovic was under pressure Wednesday to quit after less than seven months in the job with their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup in danger. China are bottom of their group in the third round of Asian qualifying following two defeats in as many games, the latest a 2-1 home loss to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. The Saudis played much of the game in Dalian with 10 men following the 19th-minute dismissal of Mohamed Kanno, but they were the better side in the second half and scored the winner at the death through Hassan Kadish's second header of the night. Boos rang around the stadium at the final whistle with Croatian coach Ivankovic the target of much of the home fans' anger. On the social media platform Weibo, the hashtags "Chinese football. No hope" and "Ivan...
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Christian Pulisic urges Mauricio Pochettino to ‘change the culture’ in USMNT
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NEWS

Christian Pulisic urges Mauricio Pochettino to ‘change the culture’ in USMNT

Like most of their fans, players on the U.S. men’s national soccer team had heard the rumors of the incoming coach. On Saturday night, during a team meal in Kansas City, U.S. Soccer’s sporting director, Matt Crocker, told the players that the federation was finalizing a deal with Mauricio Pochettino. But it wasn’t until the pregame meal in Cincinnati on Tuesday that they were told it was done. A few hours later, U.S. Soccer told the public. It was officially time to move forward under arguably the highest-profile coach in the history of the U.S. men’s team. For the players, who have spent the past week or so dancing around questions about Pochettino, there seemed to be a sense of relief that the moment had come. In the wake of yet another disappointing result -- this time a...
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Lacklustre Brazil slump to 1-0 defeat in Paraguay
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NEWS

Lacklustre Brazil slump to 1-0 defeat in Paraguay

Brazil slumped to a fourth defeat in their last five World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday after a first-half goal by Diego Gomez gave Paraguay a 1-0 win in Asuncion. Five-times world champions Brazil, who scraped a 1-0 home win over Ecuador on Friday, are fifth in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup with 10 points, ahead of Venezuela on goal difference. The top six qualify directly for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, with the seventh place offering passage via further rounds of qualifiers. Manager Dorival Jr, who took over from Tite after Brazil’s quarter- final exit at the 2022 World Cup, looked forlorn on the sidelines as his side were comprehensively outplayed and fortunate not to lose by more. Brazil failed to record a shot on target in the ...
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Cristiano Ronaldo says Erik Ten Hag’s attitude too negative for Manchester United
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NEWS

Cristiano Ronaldo says Erik Ten Hag’s attitude too negative for Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo says Erik ten Hag's attitude is too negative, urging the Manchester United manager to target the Premier League title even though the club need to "rebuild from the bottom". The Portugal star, who now plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, fell out with Ten Hag before his second spell at Old Trafford ended late in 2022. Ronaldo believes his former club needs sweeping changes but that Ten Hag should not rule out winning major trophies in the meantime. The Dutchman has said he is "quite confident" of claiming more silverware this campaign after lifting the League Cup and FA Cup over the past two seasons. But he said in July his team are a "long way away" from being ready to win the Premier League, which they have not won since Alex Ferguson's final season in char...
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Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez banned from driving for six months
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez banned from driving for six months

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez has been banned from driving after being found guilty of a motoring offence.The Argentina international was fined £3,020 and banned from driving for six months after being found guilty on two charges of failing to identify the driver of a Porsche Cayenne. A driver of the car was allegedly caught speeding on Carmarthen Road, Swansea on December 20, 2023, by South Wales Police and running a red light on Church Street, Llanelli on November 28 last year by Dyfed-Powys Police.It was not proven that Fernandez was the driver of the vehicle on either occasion. Both police forces wrote to the 23-year-old, as the vehicle's registered owner, but he did not respond to requests for information. Fernandez did not appear before Llanelli Magistrates' Court on Wed...
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Bayern confident of keeping Arsenal and Man City target
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LALIGA

Bayern confident of keeping Arsenal and Man City target

Bayern Munich are confident Jamal Musiala will soon sign a new contract with the club. The German international has entered the final two years of his deal with the German giants and has recently been linked with a host of top European sides, including Manchester City and Arsenal. Born in Stuttgart, Musiala joined Bayern’s academy from Chelsea in 2020 after a year with Southampton, having moved to England at the age of seven. He has since established himself as one of Europe’s leading players, finishing second to Jude Bellingham for last year’s Kopa Trophy, which is presented to the best player in the world under the age of 21. Musiala also proved one of the stars of the Germany side at this summer’s Euro 2024 and shared the Golden Boot award alongside club teammate Harry Kane, Dani Ol...
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Man City injury update: Ake and Foden latest news and return dates
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Man City injury update: Ake and Foden latest news and return dates

Manchester City resume their Premier League campaign at home to Brentford on Saturday. Pep Guardiola’s side have won their opening three games of the season and will be strong favourites to extend that to four this weekend. City, who have something of a habit of starting the season relatively slowly, do not appear to have skipped a beat over the course of the summer break. Erling Haaland is in fine fettle and many of their stars involved at Euro 2024 are yet to hit their straps, which is a terrifying prospect for their title rivals. Still, the fixtures will soon pile up thick and fast, so Guardiola will no doubt need his whole squad available. With that in mind, here’s a look at the latest Manchester City injuries…. Nathan Ake Nathan Ake was forced off during the clash between the Ne...
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Fabrizio Romano issues Liverpool transfer update about 23-year-old attacker
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TRANSFERS

Fabrizio Romano issues Liverpool transfer update about 23-year-old attacker

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo for a long time. Citing unnamed reports in Spain, TEAMtalk has reported that the Premier League giants are interested in a move for the Brazilian attacker. It was widely believed that Rodrygo will become a victim at Santiago Bernabeu after the arrivals of Kylian Mbappe and Endrick over the summer. However, nothing of that sort has happened and the 23-year-old has featured in all the La Liga matches this season, scoring one goal and assisting another for the Spanish champions. Transfer news specialist Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed that the Brazilian has not intention of leaving Los Blancos. Romano mentioned on his Youtube channel that Rodrygo is fully committed to Real Madrid and he wants to continue representi...
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Ferland Mendy, Jesus Vallejo available to play vs Real Sociedad
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LALIGA

Ferland Mendy, Jesus Vallejo available to play vs Real Sociedad

Real Madrid defenders Ferland Mendy and Jesus Vallejo are set to be available to feature in the game against Real Sociedad on Saturday, according to reports from all over Spain. There have been a lot of players in the last couple of weeks who’ve got injured, especially in defense where, for a while, Antonio Rudiger was the only central defender who was fit — even Castilla’s Jacobo Ramon is currently injured. Vallejo is back, though, and it will be good to have another centre-back in the squad list. However, it is a different conversation about whether Vallejo will actually get the nod, because we have seen Carlo Ancelotti go for Dani Carvajal as makeshift centre-backs in the past. In other news, Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eder Militao are back in training, but they trained...
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Deco explains why Barca signed Dani Olmo and not Nico
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Deco explains why Barca signed Dani Olmo and not Nico

Barcelona sporting director Deco has revealed why the club decided to buy Dani Olmo rather than Nico Williams in the summer transfer window. The Catalans were linked with Williams all summer. Joan Laporta said the club could afford to sign the Athletic star, but Barca opted to splash out on Olmo instead. Here’s what Deco’s said in an interview with Barca One when asked about the transfers. “A high-level winger was needed. We have Raphinha, Ferran, the return of Ansu who was very good in pre-season but had a foot injury, we have Lamine ... We have players who can play as wingers like Fermín or Dani Olmo . “We were clear that to bring in a player he had to be of a very high level. But in the end, signing Dani Olmo gave you more options. It’s not that we haven’t spoken with clubs and play...
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