Month: January 2025

Jeonbuk Motors require victory at Jeju United to seal the K. League title with three games to spare as Pohang Steelers host rivals Ulsan.

Kaio s last-gasp goal ensured Jeonbuk edged Seoul 1-0 last time out and began the Championship Round – in which the top six play one another to conclude the campaign – in style.

The Brazilian striker will now be entrusted with firing Jeonbuk to a sixth successive league victory and a third K-League crown in six years in Seogwipo on Saturday.

The odds certainly favour Jeonbuk. Their run of recent wins have all been secured to nil and they have lost just one of their past 13 encounters with Jeju, who have won only two of their last nine matches.

Jeju, who sit five points behind Pohang, holders of the last AFC Champion…

Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane feels he is mentally stronger after a knee injury saw him miss large chunks of last season.

The France international centre-back rose to prominence with a series of fine displays in the 2012-13 campaign.

Varane endured a frustrating spell on the sidelines at the beginning of last term, though, due to a knee complaint.

However, the 21-year-old returned to help Carlo Ancelotti s side clinch a UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey double, while he has enjoyed a solid start to 2014-15 that has seen Real move top of La Liga with 27 points from 11 matches.

Varane is confident his injury problems are a thing of the past and thinks his period on the sidelines has helped his mental approach to the game.

These things [t…

Frank Lampard was delighted with the way Chelsea rallied from an  awful first-half display to beat Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

The Blues inconsistent form continued with a 2-1 victory after late goals from Jorginho and Tammy Abraham, having looked set to lose for the second match running following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang s opener.

As in a Boxing Day defeat to Southampton, Chelsea were unrecognisable from the team that dominated Tottenham in an away win a week ago.

But Lampard saw his side s lethargy give way to a spirited second-half display, with the coach refusing to take credit for the triumph despite a tactical tweak, ditching the 3-4-3 system that proved Spurs undoing.

We were so awful for 30 minutes; slow, lethargic, nervous, the oppo…

Boca Juniors have appointed former boss Miguel Angel Russo as head coach to replace Gustavo Alfaro.

Alfaro stepped down earlier this month and club great Diego Maradona – currently in charge of Argentina s Superliga side Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata – suggested ex-Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino to take charge.

However, Boca brought back Russo, who previously coached the Argentine powerhouse in 2007 and led the club to Copa Libertadores glory that year.

I always had the illusion of returning to Boca again, Russo told reporters.  The previous coaches who were lucky enough to win the Copa Libertadores have returned.

I knew that some time I would return and that I never lost it. This is the moment and this is the opportunity.

 Miguel Á…

Arsenal maintained their serene progress in the Premier League with a 3-1 victory over Birmingham City on Saturday.

Quick-fire goals from Robin van Persie and Abou Diaby put the Gunners into a commanding position and, while Lee Bowyer halved the deficit after seizing on an error from goalkeeper Vito Mannone, Andrey Arshavin sealed Arsenal s seventh straight win with a smartly-taken third late on.

The only cloud on an encouraging day for Arsene Wenger s team was an injury to Theo Walcott, who was forced off before half-time after his knee buckled following a hefty challenge from Liam Ridgewell.

It was an eerie throwback to Arsenal s last meeting with Birmingham in February 2008 when, notoriously, Eduardo da Silva s leg was shattered by Martin Taylor s challenge.<…

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell is dealing with another unexpected twist in his transfer window plans after losing loan striker Mika Biereth.

Biereth has been recalled by Arsenal in favour of another loan move elsewhere, possibly Sheffield Wednesday, to leave Well without their top goalscorer.

The Denmark Under-21 international provided six goals and five assists in 11 cinch Premiership starts and three substitute appearances during a stay in Scotland which was interrupted by a knee injury.

Kettlewell said: “Mika has been recalled. It’s been a difficult one for us over the last 24 hours. It’s a major, major disappointment.

“This was a little bit unexpected. The conversation was that Mika would stay here until the end of the season just last w…

Maurice Edu has completed a return to MLS side Philadelpha Union to end his unsuccessful spell at Stoke City.

The United States international initially moved to the Britannia Stadium in 2012 from Rangers but struggled to make an impact in the Premier League making just one substitute appearance for Stoke in October that year.

Loan spells at Bursaspor and Union followed, with the 28-year-old returning to the league he started in with Toronto FC. 

Edu named in the MLS All-Star Team during his recent loan spell at PPL Park moves ahead of the new MLS campaign and explained his delight at returning to Philadelphia.

I couldn t be happier to permanently return to Philadelphia and to play in front of our great fans, he told the club s official website.