Goalkeeper Diego Alves expects Valencia to face a tough ask in stretching their unbeaten La Liga start when champions Atletico Madrid visit.
Nuno Espirito Santo s men have made an impressive start to the 2014-15 campaign, winning four and drawing two of their league outings so far to sit in second place, two points behind leaders Barcelona.
Atletico, aiming to defend the crown they won in sensational style in May, have made a similarly impressive beginning and lie third, behind Saturday s opponents on goal difference.
Alves, who has conceded just three goals in his six La Liga appearances this season, is fully aware of the threat posed by Diego Simeone s men.
We re playing against the champions, he said. Every game shows what we are capable of achieving …
Portuguese daily newspaper that Real Madrid are keeping close tabs on Benfica goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Los Blancos are in the market for long-term successors to Diego Lopez and Iker Casillas, and the Slovenian is reportedly one of the first names on their hit-list.
The 21-year-old only recently managed to nail down a regular starting berth at Estadio da Luz, but mere six months of first team football with the Eagles proved sufficient to catch the eye of Europe s top clubs.
Oblak joined Benfica from Olimpija back in 2010, and he subsequently enjoyed loan spells with Olhanense, Uniao de Leiria and Rio Ave.
The highly rated shot-stopper was finally handed his debut in December 2013 and he has since amassed a total of 16 league appearances, while featuring in …
Martin O Neill believes everything is in place for him to continue as Republic of Ireland manager with Roy Keane as assistant following their Euro 2016 elimination.
O Neill has been in charge since November 2013 and guided Ireland through a European Championship group stage for the first time prior to Sunday s 2-1 defeat to France in the last 16.
The former Sunderland boss said his contract expired about a minute-and-a-half after the final whistle in Lyon.
But, having already reached a verbal agreement for a two-year extension of his and Keane s respective deals, O Neill is optimistic regarding his future.
I think we re pretty well all in place if the FAI [Football Association of Irleand] board want to continue on, he said after the game.
Brazil captain Neymar will play at the upcoming Olympic Games and not the Copa America, Barcelona have confirmed.
Neymar had said he wanted to be one of Brazil s three permitted over-age players at the Rio Games in his home country in August, while coach Dunga had also hoped to have the 24-year-old available for June s Copa America Centenario.
However, the 70-cap international who was in the Brazil team that lost in the final of the 2012 London Games against Mexico has been freed from taking part in the centenary tournament in the United States.
Barcelona thanks the Brazilian Football Confederation, and its president Marco Polo del Nero, who have accepted the proposal made by the club in order for the player Neymar only has to play in the Olympic Games in Brazil…
Alvaro Morata would be wrong to leave Chelsea for Atletico Madrid, according to former midfielder Bernd Schuster.
Striker Morata is expected to depart Stamford Bridge before the transfer window closes after the Premier League club brought in Gonzalo Higuain on loan from Juventus.
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri confirmed this week that Morata informed the club last month that he wanted to leave, just 18 months on from his reported £60million arrival from Real Madrid.
Atletico have been tipped to sign the Spain international, but Schuster, twice a Copa del Rey winner in three years at the club, thinks such a move would be unwise.
Indeed, the former Madrid player and head coach thinks Morata should have stayed at the Santiago Bernabeu.
7 Alvaro Morata …
Melbourne City moved towards sorting their attacking woes, signing Australia forward Jamie Maclaren from Darmstadt until 2023.
Maclaren left the A-League in 2017 yet he was unable to break through at the German club before being loaned out to Hibernian.
The 25-year-old scored eight league goals last term but the Scottish club have terminated his season-long loan deal for the 2018-19 campaign, allowing him to seal a return to his homeland.
Maclaren, who has played 12 times for the Socceroos, joins a side sitting fourth in the table and having scored just 21 goals in 16 games, with full-back Ritchie De Laet recently used up front with Bruno Fornaroli out of favour.
Jamie is a fantastic signing for us not only for this season but for the f…
Ange Postecoglou has brushed off concerns over Tottenham s lack of first-half goals.
Spurs produced another late show to down Luton on Saturday, with captain Son Heung-min scoring an 86th-minute winner in a crucial 2-1 victory.
It has been a familiar tale for Tottenham, who have now fired a blank in six consecutive first halves but produced another rally after the break to claim a vital win like in recent results against Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Brighton.
Postecoglou’s side have not scored in the first half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2024 – a run of seven matches since Pape Matar Sarr’s ninth-minute goal against Bournemouth on New Year’s Eve – but the 58-year-old is unfazed by the statistic.
“The disappointing thing about the first…
Hansi Flick would like all of Germany s players to get vaccinated against coronavirus, but does not judge those who wish not to be.
On Tuesday, Germany confirmed that Bayern Munich defender Niklas Sule – who is fully vaccinated – had tested positive for COVID-19. He was immediately placed into quarantine.
Squads no longer have to do mandatory PCR testing, but Germany elected to do so. With Sule testing positive, Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, Karim Adeyemi and Joshua Kimmich were classed as close contacts and had to leave the training camp to isolate.
Another four players, who have not been named, were also said to have contact with Sule, but were allowed to remain at the camp. They will train alone and be monitored closely over the coming days.
Apart …
Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba has applauded his team-mates for securing a semi-final berth at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Chelsea striker insisted it was about time the Elephants broke their 20-year continental trophy drought, and he said sustaining the tempo will be key to earning them their second tournament prize.
Drogba missed a penalty in their quarter-final clash with co-hosts Equatorial Guinea but recovered quickly to slot in two goals to help his side over the line in a 3-0 result.
My team-mates encouraged me and were very supportive, the 33-year-old Drogba said.
I had to get back in the game and I owe them these goals. I m glad I did it for them and I am proud of my team-mates.
In 2006, we were in the final and lost. In …
Florian Wirtz’s penalty took Bayer Leverkusen to within touching distance of the Bundesliga title as Bayern Munich squandered a two-goal lead to leave the leaders 16 points clear.
Wirtz struck from the spot eight minutes into added time at the end of the first half after Christopher Trimmel had handled to secure a 1-0 win at Union Berlin, who had seen Robin Gosens dismissed for a second bookable offence minutes earlier.
Xabi Alonso’s men could win the league next weekend, when they face Werder Bremen on Sunday, a day after Bayern host Cologne with both sides have just 18 points to play for.
90+6. Min.: Was für eine Mentalität! Der FCH schlägt den deutschen Rekordmeister aufgrund der zweiten Halbzeit verdient mit 3:2.
3:2 |
— 1. FC Hei…