Erling Haaland was handed a start against his former club in Manchester City s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund.
Haaland scored twice in City s 4-0 rout of Sevilla last time out and Pep Guardiola had no issue starting the striker against his old side on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old has scored 25 goals in 20 Champions League appearances, the most by any player in their first 20 games in the competition. He netted 15 in 13 games with Dortmund and could become just the second player to score a Champions League goal both for and against the German side, after Ciro Immobile.
Haaland is the first City player to score on both his Premier League and Champions League debuts for the club, and was one of three former Dortmund players named in Guardiola s XI at …
France coach Didier Deschamps will have an eye on the future when his inexperienced young squad takes on Uruguay on Wednesday.
Deschamps has selected a squad of 23 players with an average age of 25.28 for France s tour of South America, with only Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna in his 30s.
France will face Uruguay in Montevideo on Wednesday before playing Brazil in Porto Alegre on Sunday as the two South American nations prepare for the 2013 Confederations Cup later this month.
While Uruguay and Brazil will be focused on the near future, France have their eye on World Cup qualifiers in September and October, as well as trying to find the next generation for the national team ahead of Brazil 2014.
Deschamps has taken 10 players with less than 10 internationa…
Red-hot Liverpool go into the FA Cup quarter-final tie against Blackburn Rovers on the back of the impressive victory over Premier League holders Manchester City and they are rightly considered hot favourites to make it to the semis. The Championship side have already eliminated Swansea and Stoke, and they clearly have nothing to lose at Anfield.
It took Brendan Rodgers quite a while to get this season back on track, but once his players restored the lost confidence, they quickly started performing up to the standard that almost saw them lift the Premier League trophy last term. The manager s decision to switch to 3-4-2-1 formation helped the team utilise their full potential, and with Daniel Sturridge slowly returning to his best, the Reds have every right to feel optimistic a…
The champions of the world will be crowned in Moscow on Sunday, when France take on Croatia at the World Cup final at Luzhniki Stadium.
Lifting that trophy is all that matters for the players and staff involved, but, looking further ahead in 2018, this match could also decide the destiny of football s greatest individual prize.
The Ballon d Or looks, finally, to be slipping from the grasp of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, one of whom has won the award every year since Kaka claimed it back in 2007. Each had success at club level once again last season, but disappointing World Cups with Argentina and Portugal mean there may at last be a new name on the trophy.
Three of the most likely candidates will come face-to-face in Moscow this weekend: Antoine Griezmann,…
The Bundesliga has extended its ongoing suspension until April 2 but is prepared to complete the 2019-20 season behind closed doors to ensure clubs can survive a testing economic period.
Germany s top flight was the last of Europe s big five leagues to cease operations in light of the coronavirus outbreak, with only last weekend s games confirmed as being postponed at the time.
However, following a meeting on Monday, the Deutsche Fussball Liga (DFL) confirmed its hiatus would take in the forthcoming round of fixtures in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga before making a further call over whether to reconvene after what was supposed to be the March international break at the end of this month.
The move brings the Bundesliga into line with the Premier League, LaLi…
Good enough, but disciplined enough?
As we head towards the world cup next summer one of the most interesting debates is about whether one of the African nations can take the next step in their development and make a serious challenge for the crown.
Challenge
Together with Ghana, The Ivory Coast are the one of the most likely to mount a challenge as they have been impressive in qualifying and have some exceptional players.
Despite the many plaudit’s the side have received some people have questioned the discipline and attitude of the side and doubt whether they have the necessary requirements that are needed to win a major international tournament as well as the exceptional ability they do possess.
Doubts
Those doubts resurfaced agai…
Chelsea faced a tough test when they faced Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. They past the test with flying colours by beating the Gunners 3-0 on their home turf. It seemed so clinical.
Not outstanding
I didn t think Chelsea s performance against the Gunners was especially outstanding. However Chelsea have that in their locker under Carlo Ancelotti, the fact that they don t have to be at their best to claim maximum points.
They have produced some outstanding performances this season and won. However they have produced some poor performances and still managed to pick up points.
Drogba brilliant
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is currently in superb form. The powerful striker is one of worlds best on his day. His histrionics with the diving …
Xabi Alonso says he would be happy to extend his contract with Bayern Munich beyond the end of the season.
The former Real Madrid and Liverpool midfielder has enjoyed great success in Germany since leaving the Spanish capital in 2014, winning two Bundesliga titles, the DFB-Pokal and the German Supercup.
The 35-year-old has missed only one league game this season, but with his contract set to expire next June, his future remains uncertain.
Alonso, however, admits that he could prolong his stay at Bayern and that his family feel settled in the area.
I would like to stay here, he told Sport1. I feel good, my family and I feel comfortable in Munich.
The season is long and we will get together soon, for sure.
Alonso had earlier stated tha…
N Golo Kante may have won the Premier League with Leicester City last season, but he says the challenge of replicating the feat with Chelsea in 2016-17 is totally different.
Kante was an integral part of Leicester s surprise title triumph in 2015-16, his performances in central midfield crucial as they stunned the footballing world.
So good were his displays that Chelsea – who finished a lowly 10th last term – moved quickly to acquire his services and he has shone once again, helping the Blues to open up a nine-point lead at the top of the table.
Meanwhile, in his absence Leicester s form has changed for the worse and they face a battle for survival.
Although the experience of winning the title last season will undoubtedly help Kante in the closing …
Gareth Southgate hailed the tremendous spirit demonstrated by England, who he feels have come together and grown following their entertaining Nations League draw with Germany.
The Three Lions head coach has come under pressure recently following a difficult spell of form that culminated in relegation from League A after defeat by Italy on Friday.
Indeed, England have now gone six matches without a win for the first time since 1993. But they showed brilliant character against Germany on Monday, recovering from 2-0 down to lead 3-2 at Wembley, before Kai Havertz denied them victory.
And Southgate is confident the sticky patch will benefit his players as all eyes turn towards the World Cup, which sees the 1966 winners face Iran in their Group B opener on November 21…