Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made an interesting comparison between Cityzens midfielder Bernardo Silva and Lionel Messi, claiming after the Portuguese's goal against Villarreal on Tuesday night that both him and the great Argentine have a "hammer in their necks", capable of scoring great headed goals despite their comparatively short stature.
Former USMNT star Herculez Gomez sparked debate by saying Carlos Vela's record-setting 2019 campaign was more impressive than Lionel Messi's current Golden Boot-winning season, despite the Argentine's contributing to 48 goals in just 28 appearances. Vela scored 34 goals and contributed to 49 goals in 31 games in 2019.
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino detailed his philosophy for constructing a competitive national team roster, emphasizing the process as he prepares the team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He highlighted the importance of evaluation before implementing plans designed to foster internal competition and maximize player development.
Jose Mourinho has aimed a veiled dig at Newcastle over the atmosphere created at St James’ Park during the clash with Benfica, which the Magpies won 3-0. The Geordie faithful pride themselves on the hostile reception they generate for away players and fans, with a raucous atmosphere regularly created in the ground, and they will not take kindly to hearing the Special One’s negative comments.
Manchester United have been backed for a shock Premier League title tilt as a former Red Devils coach feels that 'positive power' is finally building under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford. With their latest win at Anfield over reigning champions Liverpool, United have finally registered back-to-back victories in the Premier League for the first time since the Portuguese coach took charge of the club.
Mohamed Salah has been left out of Liverpool's starting line-up to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, as Arne Slot has taken action following the Premier League defeat at home to Manchester United last Sunday. Hugo Ekitike has replaced the Egyptian winger in the Reds' XI after starting on the bench against the Red Devils.
Chelsea have begun talks with Moises Caicedo over a new, more lucrative contract to ward off interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid. The move comes as Caicedo, described as "world-class" by head coach Enzo Maresca, has become a key figure since his £115 million ($154m) arrival from Brighton in 2023. His emergence as one of the Blues' best players has been driven by his improved defensive output, increased on-ball influence, and consistency under Maresca.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank compared Xavi Simons to Liverpool's Florian Wirtz as the playmakers continue to struggle for form since swapping the Bundesliga for the Premier League in the summer. Simons left RB Leipzig to complete his move to Spurs, while Wirtz joined the Reds from former German champions Bayer Leverkusen as the Merseyside broke the British transfer record at that time.
Per a new report from The Sun, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight could involve himself in Birmingham City's plans to build a sparkling new stadium in the middle of the city. The Championship club want to build a 62,000-seater ground, which could cost in excess of £3 billion ($4bn), under the stewardship of NFL legend Tom Brady.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has called for calm after watching his side slump to a worrying fourth consecutive loss at the weekend, in the form of the damaging 2-1 home defeat by arch-rivals Manchester United. The Dutchman has urged players and fans to focus on the coming matches and not dwell on woeful recent run as the Reds look to get back on track.
Al-Nassr edged out FC Goa 2-1 in their third AFC Champions League Two clash in India on Wednesday. Former Chelsea man Angelo Gabriel and Haroune Camara were on target as the Saudi giants picked up a comfortable victory without their star forward Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portugal legend, along with Marcelo Brozovic, did not make the away trip to remain fresh for their upcoming Pro League clashes.
Alisha Lehmann insists she "only drank non-alcoholic beer" when her and her Como team-mates headed to Oktoberfest in Germany. The entire squad were bedecked in traditional Bavarian clothing, and Lehmann was seen downing a huge stein, although she insists the liquid inside it was not liable to leave her tipsy.
Manchester United outcast Joshua Zirkzee could be close to ending his nightmare spell at Old Trafford with another Premier League team touted to want the Netherlands striker in the forthcoming January transfer window. Zirkzee has barely featured for United this season and he is yet to start or score, managing just 74 minutes across three Premier League appearances and an eight-minute Carabao Cup cameo against lowly Grimsby Town - all as a substitute.
Jamie Vardy described his first home start for Cremonese as a “special feeling” but admitted frustration after being held to a 1-1 draw by Udinese. The former Leicester City striker, who completed a shock move to Italy this summer, came close to scoring in a lively full debut but couldn’t prevent his side from dropping points at Stadio Giovanni Zini.
Noa Lang has expressed frustration over his lack of playing time at Napoli, revealing he has only spoken to Antonio Conte once since joining in the summer. After being benched in a humiliating 6-2 defeat to former club PSV, the Dutch winger admitted he “has to accept” his situation while Conte warned he must avoid being “selfish” and focus on the team.
A former Manchester United player has accused Marcus Rashford of being 'lazy' and 'letting his team-mates at Old Trafford down', with the forward's resurgence at Barcelona dismissed. Rashford has rediscovered himself in Catalonia this season after completing a loan move from United. He had fallen out of favour under Ruben Amorim and was included in the manager's 'bomb squad' during pre-season.
Jean-Philippe Mateta insists he and Wilfried Zaha have cleared the air after their public spat last week. The Crystal Palace striker said, after scoring his first goal for France, that team-mates at Palace had laughed at his dream of playing for his country, and named Zaha as one of the players involved in the mockery, leading to a furious response from the FC Charlotte star.
Jamie Carragher has ignored England as he named his favourites for the 2026 World Cup. Thomas Tuchel's side were the first European team to qualify for the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and head into their final two qualifiers already assured of their place; Carragher, though, has picked Argentina, Spain, and France as his favourites.
Chelsea have been dealt a major blow after they decided not to include a buy-back clause in the deal for Diego Moreira, who has been dubbed the "new Marcelo" amid a strong run of form. Moreira’s latest masterclass came in Strasbourg’s electrifying 3-3 draw with Paris Saint-Germain, where he notched both a goal and an assist against the reigning European champions.
Jobe Bellingham delivered his first goal contribution for Borussia Dortmund in a 4-2 Champions League win over Copenhagen, earning glowing praise from coach Niko Kovac, team-mate Felix Nmecha and sporting director Sebastian Kehl. The 20-year-old, previously criticised for poor form, responded under pressure and showed signs of the player Dortmund believe he can become.
Once the home of Zinedine Zidane and one of France’s great football dynasties, Bordeaux now finds itself in the wilderness of the fourth tier. Yet beneath the ruins lies a sleeping giant waiting for revival.
Barcelona have been dealt a major setback ahead of El Clasico after the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) dismissed their appeal against Hansi Flick’s red card. The German coach will serve a one-match ban following his dismissal against Girona, leaving assistant Marcus Sorg to take charge at the Santiago Bernabeu in a much-awaited game of the Spanish league.
Arsenal have been accused of "killing" the Premier League with "boring" tactics under manager Mikel Arteta. The Gunners currently sit top of the Premier League table, three points clear of nearest challengers Manchester City, but have come under fire for their use of set-pieces and long throws, which are now being copied by other teams in the English top flight.
Nuno Espirito Santo has warned West Ham that they are "going to have problems" this season after their 2-0 defeat to Brentford. The former Nottingham Forest manager has now been in charge for three games, but he is yet to oversee a victory, after drawing with Everton and losing to both Arsenal and the Bees.
Como Women's star Alisha Lehmann has revealed how beating former club Juventus with her new side earlier this season has given her a big boost. Lehmann moved to Como in the summer transfer window and enjoyed a swift reunion against her former team-mates earlier this month, emerging victorious in a surprise 1-0 Serie A Femminile win at the Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo Lamarmora.
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