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Looking to extend on their Europa League romp on Thursday evening, Roma will travel to the Fortuna Arena when they meet Slavia Prague.

Slavia Prague

Starting with the hosts, while Slavia Prague might find themselves still sat in pole position to punch their Europa League knockout stage ticket, Jindřich Trpisovsky’s men are seeking an immediate response. Slumping to a 2-0 loss when they travelled to Roma a fortnight ago, the Czech giants failed to pick up any real momentum over the weekend. Eventually falling to a shock 2-1 loss at the hands of Plzen, the Salvists have now lost two of their previous three appearances across all competitions. However, despite facing another tough examination here, Trpisovsky’s side do hold an eye-ca…

Tom Brady almost joined the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020 after a deal was brokered by UFC chief Dana White – only for Jon Gruden to walk away from negotiations in the final stages.

Elite quarterback and perennial winner Brady entered the 2020 season as a free agent, despite boasting six Super Bowl titles and nine AFC championships.

The Raiders, aided by the involvement of White, were reportedly set to swoop for the former New England Patriots star before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secured a deal for one of NFL s most coveted names.

Brady would throw 4,633 passing yards and 40 touchdown passes as Tampa Bay won eight consecutive games en route to his seventh Super Bowl title in his maiden Buccaneers term.

The intervention of then-Raiders coach Gruden prov…

Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery has revealed he attempted to sign Antoine Griezmann for Valencia in 2011.

Atletico Madrid forward Griezmann was linked with a move to the Parc des Princes in the previous transfer window after scoring 22 goals for the second successive LaLiga season.

No move materialised, but Emery was aware of the rumours. In fact, the coach admitted he tried to sign the Frenchman during his four-year stint at Mestalla between 2008 and 2012.

When I arrived here [PSG], I saw many names circulating – and names of major players. But the most important is the players who are here, Emery told RMC Sport.

I know Griezmann but I never talked to him. He is a very good player. Five years ago, when I was the coach of Valencia and he was at R…

Raphael Varane has hailed Ousmane Dembele s extraordinary qualities  and believes the 25-year-old is finally blossoming  at Barcelona.

Dembele has been a player reborn since Xavi took charge in November 2021, with his 17 assists in all competitions bettered only by Lionel Messi (22) and Kevin De Bruyne (21) among players in Europe s top five leagues, while his 15 LaLiga assists during that time represent a league high.

The former Borussia Dortmund man also leads Barca s charts for chances created (63), chances created from open play (52) and touches in the opposing box (126) under Xavi in LaLiga.

Dembele signed a new two-year deal with Barca in July, and Varane thinks the best is still to come from his compatriot.

I m very happy to see him at this lev…

Carlo Ancelotti refused to single Karim Benzema out for criticism after the striker s penalty miss saw Real Madrid drop points in LaLiga for the first time this season against Osasuna.

Despite Benzema s return from a three-week injury lay-off, Madrid produced a disjointed performance on Sunday, squandering a first-half lead when Kike Garcia cancelled out Vinicius Junior s fortunate opener.

Benzema had the chance to fire Madrid to a seventh consecutive league victory when David Garcia was sent off for a push on the striker six yards out, but the France star crashed his spot-kick against the crossbar.

Osasuna s 10 men held on for a point in comfortable fashion thereafter, and Benzema has now missed three penalties against Jagoba Arrasate s team in LaLiga this year.…

Anthony Martial s Manchester United debut is one of the club s most memorable in the modern era of the Premier League. His jinking run left Liverpool s defence in knots before he coolly slotted into the bottom-right corner to help secure a 3-1 win over his new team s bitter rivals.

It was a stunning start and one that promised much for the future, producing the ultimate response to the many pundits who had questioned his signing and reported £36million transfer fee.

Yet, five and a half years on, it s difficult to say Martial s debut resembles a microcosm of his United career, with those spectacular moments remaining fleeting rather than developing into sustained excellence.

Of course, 2019-20 was surely the closest he s come to finding consistency as he scored …

Everton are interested in signing Ben Brereton Diaz from Blackburn Rovers in the January transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that the Toffees have been scouting the Chile international striker this season, and that the Premier League club could make a move for him when the transfer window opens in January, having been his long-term admirers.

Brereton Diaz is out of contract at Blackburn at the end of the season. The striker has reportedly told Rovers that he is not going to put pen to paper on a new deal, so the Championship club are now facing the prospect of losing the 23-year-old on a free next summer. Rovers could now be willing to sell Brereton Diaz for £10 million in the January transfer window.

The striker has scored nine goals and provided on…

Liverpool did not exactly take long to underline their Premier League title credentials for 2019-20.

Kicking off the season at Anfield on Friday, Jurgen Klopp s side finished the first half with a 4-0 lead over Norwich City, playing their first game back in the top flight since winning last season s Championship.

An own goal from Grant Hanley, a Mohamed Salah strike and a header apiece from Virgil van Dijk and Divock Origi put the European champions in a commanding position inside the opening 45 minutes of a game they won 4-1.

Remarkably, Norwich had more shots in the first half than the Reds (seven, compared to six) and could easily have kept the scores closer had Marco Stiepermann been more clinical.

As it was, Liverpool finished the first half of a Pre…

Pep Guardiola is hopeful midfielder Fernandinho stays at Manchester City beyond the end of the season when his contract expires.

The 34-year-old joined City in 2013 from Shakhtar Donetsk and has gone on to become a vital – if often unheralded – cog in the team.

He featured 29 times last season as City edged out Liverpool in the title race, while he looks set for an important role at centre-back over the coming weeks following injuries to Aymeric Laporte and John Stones.

Spain international midfielder Rodri was brought in from Atletico Madrid in the transfer window, with every indication suggesting him to be the long-term replacement for Fernandinho.

But Guardiola has no desire to see him leave, even if he is unsure about what is happening in terms of …

Kevin Gameiro scored twice and Antoine Griezmann ended his LaLiga goalscoring drought with a double of his own as Atletico Madrid romped to a stunning 5-0 away victory over Levante.

Diego Simeone felt the mood at the club had been transformed since the midweek Champions league win over Roma and that pre-match assessment looked accurate as Atletico produced a marvellous attacking performance.

Rober Pier s early own goal put the visitors in front, before a goal either side of half-time from Gameiro ensured the game was over as a contest.

Griezmann, who was an impressive creative force throughout, then got in on the act with a quickfire double to put the icing on the cake, having gone six league matches without a goal coming into the fixture.

The win means …