Verdict: Both teams to score
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A nation that is desperately looking to rebuild, Italy will be hoping to kick off their inaugural UEFA Nations League campaign with a win when they host Poland at the Stadio Renato Dell Ara on Friday night.
Italy
Starting with the hosts, after missing out on their spot in Russia at the hands of Sweden at the playoff stage, Italy have turned to former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini in the hope to bring them back to the side that lifted the World Cup back in 2006. While many believe that the four-time world champions have shown some signs of improvement, The Blues are still struggling to grind out a result. Coming off the back of a 1-1 draw with Holland back in June, Italy have now only manage…
Verdict: Bayern Munich and over 3.5 goals
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For matchday three, the 2013 Champions League winners will be playing host to the reigning Scottish champions Celtic, in a match that will be Bayern Munich s new coach Jupp Heynckes first Champions League game in charge of the Bavarians.
Bayern Munich
Could one of Europe s most feared teams be beginning to show some cracks? Well, for Bayern Munich, this season really hasn t gone quite to plan. After sacking veteran manager Carlo Ancelotti last month, the nine-time Bundesliga champions find themselves in a very unusual situation, they currently sit two points behind rivals Borussia Dortmund and more worryingly, they have already dropped points on three separate occasions so far this se…
Chelsea duo Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori have won call-ups to the England squad to face the Czech Republic and Bulgaria.
Abraham has emphatically grasped his elevation to Frank Lampard s first XI at Stamford Bridge, scoring seven goals in as many Premier League appearances this season.
The 22-year-old striker will now hope to add to his two previous senior caps won in 2017 friendlies, which means he is still eligible to represent Nigeria during the forthcoming away Euro 2020 qualifiers.
Centre-back Tomori is another of the Chelsea youngsters to have taken the opportunities afforded by his club s transfer ban. He is one of three uncapped players in Gareth Southgate s squad, alongside fellow centre-back Tyrone Mings and Leicester City playmaker James Maddi…
Neymar described Brazil s World Cup exit at the quarter-final stage as the saddest moment of his career.
The Paris Saint-Germain star left Russia having scored two goals in five games as Brazil failed to play their best football, despite topping Group E without losing a match and then beating Mexico 2-0 in the round of 16.
Headlines in the aftermath of the victory over Mexico focused on Neymar s theatrical reaction to challenges made on him rather than his performance, and he was powerless to stop Brazil losing 2-1 to Belgium in the last eight.
In his first social media comments following the defeat, Neymar posted a message on his Instagram account, saying: I can say that it is the saddest moment of my career.
The pain is very great because we knew…
Jurgen Klopp feels Liverpool s seven nominees for the Ballon d Or are fully deserving of the accolade, though he does not feel any personal pride for the players individual achievements.
Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Roberto Firmino and Georginio Wijnaldum were all named on a 30-man shortlist for the annual award on Monday.
The nominations follow on from an incredible 2018-19 campaign for the Champions League winners, with Klopp s side also finishing second to Manchester City in a thrilling Premier League title race.
Speaking ahead of his team s European game against Genk on Wednesday, Klopp has no doubt Liverpool s stars are worthy contenders for the honour.
It s nice. I don t understand or know too m…
When you give it a more serious thought, that’s just what Zlatan Ibrahimovic does. It’s just the way he is and this tweet was just another perfect example of his power to affect people.
And without even the slightest of hints that he could be returning to the national team and coming out of retirement to re-join Sweden on their Russian adventure, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the talk of the town.
The 36-year-old Manchester United striker has not played a single minute since April due to a knee injury and has yet to return to action for his club, but that did not prevent a good part of the public to speculate with his potential return to Sweden, claiming that with Ibra the Swedes would have bigger chances of producing a notable result at the World Cup.
Would th…
Kalvin Phillips has paid tribute to Marcelo Bielsa following Leeds United s decision to part company with their manager.
Leeds confirmed on Sunday that Bielsa had left the club in the wake of Saturday s 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham.
That loss came on the back of a 6-0 hammering at Liverpool, a 4-2 defeat to Manchester United and a 3-0 reverse at fellow strugglers Everton.
Indeed, Leeds have lost five of their last six Premier League games since beating West Ham in January and conceded 20 goals in the top flight across their five games in February – the most in a month by a top-flight side in England overall since Newcastle in April 1986 (21) – leaving them only two points above the relegation zone.
Phillips was a crucial figure for Leeds across Biel…
Pep Guardiola decided to sign a new two-year contract at Manchester City because there is still unfinished business .
City announced on Thursday the manager has put pen to paper on an agreement that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until the end of the 2022-23 season.
Since taking the job in 2016, Guardiola has led the club to two Premier League titles, three EFL Cup triumphs and FA Cup glory on one occasion.
However, he feels there is still more to be achieved, with City having failed to get past the quarter-finals of the Champions League during his tenure.
In the end we decided that the best for all of us is to continue because still we have the feeling that there is still unfinished business and still there is something to do and continue what we h…
Christian Eriksen could not hide his delight after scoring on his return to international football, despite Denmark s 4-2 loss away to the Netherlands on Saturday, saying he felt like a footballer again.
Following his cardiac arrest during Denmark s opening group game against Finland at Euro 2020, Eriksen found the net within two minutes of coming onto the pitch to joyfully end a 287-day absence.
He almost scored a second in his return match, rattling the frame of the goal from long distance.
Yet simply being on the pitch for Denmark provided satisfaction for Eriksen.
I felt like a footballer again. I have been away internationally for so long, he told NOS.
I m just very happy to be back. To also score is that little bit extra, it gives a wond…
Marseille have confirmed the signing of Matteo Guendouzi, who joins on a one-year loan from Arsenal with an option to buy.
The French midfielder moves to Ligue 1 to continue his career after spending the 2020-21 season out on loan at Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin.
Guendouzi made 24 appearances during the temporary stint in Germany, scoring two goals and providing one assist as Hertha avoided relegation with a 14th-placed finish in the top tier.
Signed from Lorient in July 2018, the 22-year-old played in 82 games for Arsenal and was a regular under former Gunners boss Unai Emery.
However, Guendouzi had an altercation with Neal Maupay during a game with Brighton and Hove Albion in June 2020 that led to Mikel Arteta leaving the player out of his squad. He d…