Market: Sheffield United win
Odds: 2/5 @
Desperate to avoid an EFL Cup upset on Wednesday night, Sheffield United will welcome a high-flying Lincoln to Bramall Lane.
Starting with the hosts, while Sheffield United might have put in a gutsy performance against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City over the weekend, the Blades suffered last-gasp heartbreak at Bramall Lane. Eventually slumping to a 2-1 defeat on home soil, Paul Heckingbottom’s men have struggled to find much fluidity since making their top-flight return. Opening up the 2023/24 campaign with a toothless 1-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace on August 12th, the midweek hosts have lost each of their opening three Premier League showdowns. With their nightmare start underlined by anot…
Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland is at a fantastic club as his father addressed growing speculation over his future.
Haaland is a player in demand following his exploits for Dortmund, linked with Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Chelsea, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.
The strong interest comes amid talk of a release clause that will be valid at the end of the season.
Alf-Inge Haaland was asked about the future of the 21-year-old, who is currently sidelined due to injury.
Time to focus on my recovery. I’ll be back stronger!
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland)
We ll see about that… Look behind me, at this beautiful stadium in Dortmund, former Leeds United and Norway interna…
Erik ten Hag is taking the positives from Manchester United s season, as he aims to win the FA Cup.
United have endured a difficult campaign, though they kept their European qualification hopes alive by beating Newcastle United 3-2 on Wednesday at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag took the microphone to speak to the fans after full-time, saying: You are the best supporters in the world. Thanks for your support.
I promise you that those players will give everything to get the cup and bring it to Old Trafford.
United face rivals Manchester City at Wembley on May 25, and speaking to reporters, Ten Hag – whose future is uncertain – sees no reason not to take some positives from the campaign.
I see the positives, I see that this team is developing, I know …
Italy head coach Cesare Prandelli said his younger squad members will not be given a spot in the national team until they are ready.
Prandelli s team is set to host Bulgaria in Palermo on Friday and the lead-up to the World Cup qualifier has featured discussions around the development of young Italian players.
Italy s head coach called on Serie A clubs to use more young local players rather than sign foreigners after Catania started nine Argentines versus Fiorentina on August 26.
But one day before his team s qualifying match for next year s World Cup finals, Prandelli ruled out developing young Italians in his national team and argued they must bide their time behind the veterans of the squad, such as vice-captain Giorgio Chiellini.
Today I asked Chiellini how m…
Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso feels Joshua Kimmich could emulate his former team-mate and Barcelona star Javier Mascherano by enjoying a successful career in defence.
Mascherano formed a brilliant central-midfield partnership with Alonso during their time together at Liverpool, but has played predominantly as a centre-back since moving to Camp Nou in 2010.
Kimmich has been deployed at the heart of Bayern s defence recently due to injuries to the likes of Jerome Boateng, Javi Martinez and Holger Badstuber.
And Alonso says the 21-year-old s adaption has reminded him of his illustrious former Anfield team-mate.
I think Kimmich is a bit like Mascherano. They are similar type of players, the Spaniard said.
He has been doing a great job in …
FUS Rabat begin their bid for a second CAF Confederation Cup title against Bizertin on Saturday.
The tournament, which is being held for the 10th time, is Africa s secondary club football competition behind the CAF Champions League.
FUS Rabat, who ply their trade in Morocco, lifted the trophy in 2010 following a 3-2 aggregate victory over Tunisian outfit CS Sfax.
After being knocked out of the Champions League, they defeated rivals FAR Rabat 4-3 on aggregate in the play-off round to reach the group stages this time around.
One their biggest challengers in Group B will be Algerian side ES Setif, who finished as runners-up in the competition in 2009.
Their final over two-legs with Stade Malien ended 2-2, but they were agonisingly defeated 3-2 in a penalty sho…
Former Italy international Alessandro Costacurta expects Antonio Conte to struggle at Chelsea because of the differences between working in Serie A and Premier League.
Conte enjoyed a successful spell with Juventus between 2011 and 2014 winning Serie A three times before taking the Italy job after the 2014 World Cup.
He will take over from interim manager Guus Hiddink who assumed charge following Jose Mourinho s departure in December at Stamford Bridge after Euro 2016.
But former AC Milan defender Costacurta, who featured alongside Conte for Italy between 1994 and 1998, fears his former international team-mate might find it hard to settle at Chelsea.
I foresee some difficulties because the English mentality is not suitable for a manager so obsessed w…
Fernando Santos is not generally the most jovial press conference participant but the experienced Portugal head coach could not resist having a chuckle at his own expense after last week s laboured 1-0 World Cup win over Morocco.
Once again, Cristiano Ronaldo was his country s match-winner – moving on to four goals in two matches at Russia 2018 and Santos was asked what the reasons were behind his star s clinical efficiency.
Well, he has a great coach, the 63-year-old replied before briefly collapsing into giggles. A eulogy comparing Port wine and Ronaldo s improvements with age followed.
Whether the Euro 2016 winner is a truly great coach remains up for debate, but at this stage of Ronaldo s career and with this Portugal squad he is indisputably the right on…
Competition: International friendly
Market: France to win against Cameroon
Odds:
France lock horns with Cameroon in this evening’s international friendly, which is served as pre-tournament fixture to help manager Didier Deschamps get a feel of how his side are performing ahead of this summer’s European Championship.
Les Blues are in fine form ahead of their Cameroon clash, boasting five wins from their last six games, and the gulf in class between the two sides is likely to make a big difference. France are expected to rest a number of players, but they will still want some momentum going into the competition next month.
As for Cameroon, the visitors are in poor shape ahead of a tricky fixture tonight. Four defeats and two draws from their last s…
Belgium playmaker Eden Hazard hopes to seize on the early departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to become the star of the World Cup.
Argentina lost 4-3 to France in the first match of the round of 16 on Saturday, and Portugal joined them in making a swift exit when they were beaten 2-1 by Uruguay later the same day.
The absence of two players who have monopolised the Ballon d Or and dominated the headlines at club and international level for more than a decade has left room for a rival to grab the spotlight in Russia, where the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe loom as potential replacements.
Speaking ahead of his team s meeting with Japan in Rostov-on-Don, Hazard welcomed suggestions it could be his time to make an impact on the big stage.
I h…