Football Blog (Page 223)

[ad_1] Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has been ruled out for two weeks with an ankle injury, while fellow defender Joel Matip is out for up to three weeks because of a calf problem. Injuries have given Liverpool a bit of a nightmare start to the season, with Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara both having spells on the sidelines earlier in the campaign. Andrew Robertson has also missed games and is not yet back in action, while Luis Diaz will miss the next ten games and Arthur Melo is out until January or February. Ibrahima Konate is only jut back from a knee injury and theRead More →

[ad_1] Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has admitted having a ‘conversation’ over a potential Real Madrid transfer during the summer but insists he feels ‘at home’ at St James’ Park. Bruno became an immediate fan favourite at Newcastle last season following his big money from Lyon in January, helping steer the Magpies to a mid-table finish after a poot start to the campaign and also beginning 2022/23 in a rich vein of form. Newcastle have averaged two points per game with him, compared to 0.7 points per game in a run out of the side through injury, and the Brazilian scored twice at the weekend inRead More →

[ad_1] Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has hailed Erling Haaland as already one of the best strikers he has ever worked with in a glittering career that has previously seen him coach the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Sergio Aguero and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Haaland recently scored his 20th goal of the season in just his 13th appearance since his summer move from Borussia Dortmund. That ended an astonishing run of consecutive Premier League home games in which he had scored a hat-trick at three and Guardiola joked immediately afterwards that he was ‘so upset’ his new superstar had only scored once and should be ‘sacked’. AsRead More →

[ad_1] Paris Saint-Germain can book their spot in the knockout stages of the Champions League with a win against Benfica on Tuesday. The French champions’ form has dipped recently, and they were held to a draw by the Portuguese giants at the Estadio da Luz last week. Here’s the lineup Christophe Galtier could select to stop their recent slump. GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma – Italy’s number one has become the permanent starting goalkeeper at club level since Galtier’s arrival, relegating Keylor Navas to the bench for good. CB: Nordi Mukiele – Though he’s primarily played as a wing-back, summer signing Mukiele has reverted to playing inRead More →

[ad_1] Liverpool have been handed a fresh blow with the news that Luis Diaz will be out until December with a knee injury. The Colombian left the Emirates on crutches following the Reds’ 3-2 defeat to Arsenal last week, with Jurgen Klopp immediately speculating that the injury could a serious one. Fortunately, it appears to be less serious than first feared and he will not need surgery, although his World Cup participation with Colombia is also now in serious doubt. Diaz will miss Liverpool’s next ten matches before the World Cup break, starting with their Champions League clash with Rangers this week. They will beRead More →

[ad_1] Six days after thumping AC Milan 3-0, Chelsea will travel to San Siro to try and replicate the feat. The Blues, who beat Wolves 3-0 at the weekend, have climbed up into second in their Champions League group but still have a whole lot of work to do to ensure they book their place in the knockout stages. With a handful of injury concerns to address, here’s how Graham Potter could set up. Gallagher is flying under Potter / James Williamson – AMA/GettyImages GK: Kepa Arrizabalaga – The Spaniard appears to have Potter’s faith right now, but he’ll need to keep the levels upRead More →

[ad_1] Andres Iniesta says he would like to return to Barcelona in some capacity once his playing career is over. Barça are currently rebuilding impressively under his former midfield partner Xavi Hernandez while Iniesta winds down his own playing career with Japanese club Vissel Kobe. However, Barcelona is the only other club he has played for and it is the one with which he will always be most associated – and he hopes to return there soon. “I’ll spend another year here, then we’ll see,” Iniesta told Iniesta told Gazzetta Dello Sport. “I’d like to return to Barcelona, but I don’t know which role. Coach,Read More →

[ad_1] Paris Saint-Germain will have the option to buy young midfielder Xavi Simons back from PSV Eindhoven next summer. The young Dutchman left PSG this summer on a free transfer and has excelled in the Eredivisie, racking up six goals and four assists in just nine games and flashing the kind of potential that was widely expected of him during his time with both PSG and boyhood side Barcelona. His departure had many PSG fans scratching their heads, not least because the Ligue 1 side received no money in exchange for one of the game’s most popular young talents, but Rik Elfrink has now unearthedRead More →

[ad_1] Atletico Madrid have confirmed that Antoine Griezmann has completed his permanent return to the club from Barcelona. The Frenchman first joined Atletico in 2014 from Real Sociedad and went on to become one of the defining figures in the club’s modern history, notably helping them reach the Champions League final in 2016 and win the Europa League in 2018. After flirting with a move to Barça in 2018, he eventually swapped the capital for Catalonia in 2019, though proved to be an underwhelming signing and was loaned back to Atletico at the start of last season on a two-year deal. And Los Rojiblancos confirmedRead More →

[ad_1] The 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs bracket is set following a dramatic ending to the regular season on Decision Day. Supporters’ Shield winners LAFC and Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union head straight into the Conference semi-finals. However, the other 12 teams will battle it out in the first round, which begins on Saturday, October 15. Here is the full 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs bracket: Second seeds CF Montreal pushed right until the final day for top spot in the East but ultimately fell two points short. Nevertheless, they enjoyed a stellar regular season and will be firm favorites against an Orlando City side that scrapedRead More →