Wojciech Szczesny says playing with Cristiano Ronaldo made him feel like his side were starting matches a goal up, as he rued Juventus failure to win the Champions League with the Portugual great.
Ronaldo scored 101 goals in 134 appearances in all competitions for Juve between 2018 and 2021, averaging a strike every 113.95 minutes and winning five trophies in Italy.
Juve stumbled to a second consecutive fourth-placed Serie A finish in the 2021-22 season after Ronaldo returned to Manchester United, who themselves toiled in the Premier League, finishing sixth with their worst points tally (58) in the competition, despite the striker s 18 top-flight goals.
Ronaldo failed to add to his five Champions League titles while representing the Bianconeri, and while Sz…
Gabriel Jesus merely wanted an opportunity for regular football as he sought a move away from Manchester City to Arsenal.
Jesus opened his account for his new club in style on Saturday, scoring twice in a 4-2 victory over Leicester City.
The Brazil forward, who cost Arsenal a reported £45million in July, also assisted his side s other two goals.
He finished with statistics of seven shots, with three on target, and three chances created.
Jesus moved on from the champions in search of guaranteed game time, and he will no doubt get that at Arsenal should this form continue.
A lot, a lot, Jesus told Premier League productions when asked how much he was enjoying his role at Arsenal.
I was not unhappy at City, I just wanted to play and the …
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has settled his High Court contract dispute with Everton.
The Italian, who spent 18 months at Goodison Park between December 2019 and June 2021, finishing 12th and 10th before returning to the Bernabeu, had lodged a case which court records stated related to “general commercial contracts and arrangements”.
Very few details were known about the specifics of the claim but it has now been resolved.
“Carlo Ancelotti and Everton Football Club have reached an amicable resolution to their dispute,” said John Mehrzad KC in a statement issued on behalf of the Real Madrid boss.
“Carlo has enduring respect and a deep affection for the club’s fans and wishes them and the club the very best for the future.”
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Although Spain might have opened their European adventure in Seville on Monday night with many expecting them to lay down an early marker, it was a disappointing opener for the former world champions.
Despite a game that saw La Roja almost entirely dominate possession, Luis Enrique’s young squad was unable to find a clinical edge once again as they had to settle for a 0-0 stalemate against Sweden.
A squad that is undoubtedly in the midst of a real transition under the one-time Barcelona boss and electing to name a starting XI that raised plenty of eyebrows on Monday, we have taken a look at three big talking points after Spain’s draw in Seville.
Possession not enough for Spain
After watching Slovakia open up their own European campaign with a shock 2-1 win …
Borussia Monchengladbach are set to appoint Xabi Alonso to replace head coach Marco Rose at the end of the season, according to multiple reports.
The 39-year-old former midfielder played for Real Sociedad, Eibar (loan), Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in his long and pretty illustrious career. He has two Champions League trophies (Liverpool, Real Madrid) to his name, one FA Cup with Liverpool, one La Liga and two Copa del Rey trophies with Real, as well as three Bundesliga titles and one DFB-Pokal with Bayern. He was a 114-time Spain international, helping his nation win two European Championships (2008, 2012) and the 2010 World Cup.
Following his retirement in 2017, he completed the UEFA elite coaching course and worked for a while at Real Madrid, coaching the…
Memphis Depay has urged the Netherlands to start fast against Austria to avoid any more Euro 2020 drama after their thrilling opener against Ukraine.
The two teams go into Thursday s clash in Amsterdam level on three points in Group C after the Oranje scrambled to a 3-2 win, while Austria saw off North Macedonia with a 3-1 victory.
After a scoreless first half, Ukraine recovered from two goals down against the Netherlands in a scintillating second period only for Denzel Dumfries to score the winner five minutes from time.
Depay was tipped as one of the stars to watch in this tournament after a fine season for Lyon, with a move to Barcelona expected soon.
— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020)
But he failed to score or assist against Ukraine,…
Joan Laporta says he is eager to see Pep Guardiola lift the Champions League trophy amid reports the Manchester City boss is his top target to coach Barcelona.
It was suggested this week that Barca president Laporta will make an audacious attempt to persuade Guardiola to return to Camp Nou after the Champions League final.
Laporta reportedly wishes to speak to Guardiola who is under contract with City until 2023 after signing a new deal last year before determining his next move with under-pressure incumbent Ronald Koeman.
Guardiola enjoyed a hugely successful spell at the Barca helm between 2008 and 2012, winning the Spanish title for three successive seasons, as well as the Champions League twice.
If you want to ask me about Pep, I wish that he wins t…
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Looking to make another Group A statement on Wednesday evening, Germany will welcome Hungary to the MHPArena.
Germany
Starting with the hosts, opening this summer’s European Championships with a rampant performance in Munich as they stormed their way to a 5-1 romp against Scotland, Julian Nagelsmann will be calling on a repeat performance here. Knowing that they could officially book their knockout stage ticket on Wednesday evening, the Nationalelf certainly find the mood in their camp at a red-hot high. With many billing this summer’s host nation as a leading contender, the former RB Leipzig boss has not seen his squad suffer a single defeat from any of their previous five appearances across all competitions. Signing off their pr…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said the last thing I want to be is in Solskjaer s shoes as he showed sympathy for his Manchester United counterpart following Sunday s 5-0 Premier League humbling at Old Trafford.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and United endured a dark day in Manchester, where the embattled Red Devils were embarrassed as Liverpool ran riot on enemy turf.
Mohamed Salah became the first Premier League player to score an away hat-trick against United, while Naby Keita and Diogo Jota were also on target for Liverpool – who led 4-0 at half-time before Paul Pogba came off the bench and was sent off within 15 minutes to add to the hosts misery.
United have only lost by a larger margin against Liverpool in October 1895 when the Reds beat them 7-1 at Anfield, whil…
Manchester City ran out comfortable 4-1 winners over hosts Swindon Town in Friday s FA Cup third-round clash.
City, under the guidance of assistant coach Rodolfo Borrell after Pep Guardiola contracted COVID-19, never looked in danger of suffering a first FA Cup defeat to a side from the fourth tier or lower since 1984.
The visitors were cruising by the half-hour mark, with Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus getting the goals.
Ilkay Gundogan buried a fine free-kick with just under an hour played to put the game beyond doubt, before Harry McKirdy got a consolation.
Cole Palmer s gorgeous late strike finished the League Two side off and capped a great performance late on.
Swindon were lucky to hold out for 14 minutes, but Silva – who had previously w…