Pep Guardiola refused to recognise the Champions League as a greater priority for his Manchester City side as they also close on the Premier League title.
City have never won Europe s premier club competition and are playing in the semi-finals for just the second time.
They face Paris Saint-Germain in France on Wednesday and then host the Ligue 1 giants, last year s beaten finalists, next Tuesday.
Between those two matches, City could win the Premier League. If they defeat Crystal Palace and defending champions Liverpool win at Manchester United, Guardiola s men will reclaim that crown.
While acknowledging his club have been building towards a Champions League challenge over the past decade, Guardiola was keen to talk up City s continued domestic success.…
Dusan Vlahovic scored twice to help Juventus to a 3-0 win at Genoa in Serie A as Thiago Motta s side moved top of the standings.
Vlahovic scored Juventus first goal in four league games when he converted from the spot after they were awarded a penalty for a handball following half-time.
He added his second in the 55th minute from a tight angle after Teun Koopmeiners found the Serbian striker on the edge of the box with a deep cross-field pass.
Substitute Francisco Conceicao then sealed the win with a low, one-touch finish late on.
The game in Genoa was played behind closed doors after crowd violence during their Coppa Italia fixture against Serie B side Sampdoria left more than 50 people injured.
Juventus, who drew each of their last three league …
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has compared playing football in La Paz to drowning as he braces his team for the challenge posed by competing at altitude in Tuesday s clash with Bolivia.
La Albiceleste will be hoping to build on their winning start to World Cup qualification on, having beaten Ecuador 1-0 on Friday.
But up next is one of the trickiest tasks on the South American football calendar; getting a result in La Paz.
It is situated roughly 3,650 metres (11,975ft) above sea level, making La Paz the highest capital city on Earth and consequentially causing some visiting athletes to struggle due to the air pressure.
Unacclimatised individuals are known to suffer from breathlessness much faster at such altitudes, giving Bolivia a significant advanta…
Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Barcelona thrashed Young Boys 5-0 on Tuesday, bouncing back from their opening Champions League defeat at Monaco.
Hansi Flick s team were beaten 2-1 by Monaco in their first game in the competition s new-look league phase, but there were no surprises when Young Boys visited Montjuic on matchday two.
Lewandowski gave the hosts the lead in the eighth minute by tapping in a low Raphinha cross, following good combination play between the Brazilian and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.
After the hosts squandered some decent chances, a quickfire double from Raphinha and Inigo Martinez gave Barca a 3-0 lead, the Brazilian netting a rebound in the 34th minute and Martinez scoring with a towering header less than three minutes later.
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Best Odds: 4/9
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In what looks set to be a fiery Coppa Italia showdown on Wednesday evening, bitter local rivals Lazio and Roma will meet at their shared home of the Stadio Olimpico.
Lazio
Starting with the hosts, while Lazio might have opened up the 2023/24 campaign in the midst of a real struggle, the Eagles do appear to have claimed a recent boost. Opening the New Year with a 2-1 victory away at Udinese, Maurizio Sarri’s men have won all other previous three Serie A appearances. Signing off 2023 with a 3-1 romp against Frosinone, the one-time Chelsea boss has seen his side skyrocket up the table. Springing a real Champions League upset last month as they secured a knockout stage ticket, Lazio will also be excited by their continued success at the …
Mohamed Abou Gabal was the hero as Egypt reached the Africa Cup of Nations final at the expense of hosts Cameroon with a 3-1 success on penalties.
After 120 minutes of scoreless action, goalkeeper Abou Gabal saved spot-kicks from Harold Moukoudi and James Lea Siliki before Clinton N Jie completely missed the target.
Egypt will take on Senegal in the showpiece on Sunday, though Carlos Queiroz will not be in the dugout after being sent off for two displays of dissent towards the end of normal time.
In a low-tempo game littered with mistakes, the best chance of the first half came when Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui saw his header hit the post in the 18th minute.
Mohamed Salah was presented with a glorious chance to open the scoring in the second half by a …
Gregg Berhalter is relishing the opportunity to face Gareth Southgate s England at the World Cup, with the United States coach seeing his England counterpart as a mentor .
The USA were drawn alongside England, Iran and one of Wales, Scotland or Ukraine in Group B in Friday s draw for the 2022 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar later this year.
Having failed to make the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the USA were not sure of qualification heading into Wednesday s meeting with Costa Rica, which they lost 2-0.
However, a 5-0 win over Panama in their previous qualifier had all but ensured that they, along with Mexico and Canada, progressed automatically as the CONCACAF representatives, courtesy of their superior goal difference compared to Costa Rica.
Spea…
According to , AC Milan sent scouts to keep an eye on Armando Broja in Albania s Euro opener against Italy. The Chelsea striker started and played 77 minutes for his country before coming off to make way for Rey Manaj, but he wasn t able to help them avoid defeat as Nedim Bajrami s first-minute opener got cancelled out by Alessandro Bastoni and overturned by Nicolo Barella within the opening 16 minutes of the match.
Having struggled with knee issues early in 2023/24, Broja made 21 Premier League appearances for Chelsea under Mauricio Pochettino, but only five as a part of the starting XI, scoring one goal and contributing one assists. Pochettino has been replaced in the Stamford Bridge dugout by Enzo Maresca, but Broja still doesn t appear to have a future at the club.
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In the last couple of days, the members of the Spanish press have been working hard on stories linking Manchester City s Erling Haaland first with Real Madrid, and then Barcelona.
These stories always come with a sense of confidence, arrogance even, from the two Spanish giants, fueled by the ever-present prerogative that every player in the world wants to play for either Real Madrid or Barcelona. In most cases, it has proven true. The histories of these two clubs and their significance in world football are impossible to ignore.
Steven Gerrard and Francesco Totti reportedly rejected the advances of Real Madrid to establish themselves as icons at Liverpool and AS Roma, respectively, and Marco Reus and Daniel Agger allegedly refused to join Barcelona at the peak of their …
Martin O Neill has named a 39-man provisional squad for the Republic of Ireland s Euro 2016 qualifying play-off with Bosnia and Herzegovina next month.
After narrowly missing out on automatic qualification from Group D to Germany and Poland, O Neill s side must overcome Bosnia over two legs to secure their place in France next year.
Hull City midfielder Stephen Quinn misses out on the squad through injury, but Darron Gibson retains his place alongside uncapped trio Alan Judge, Eunan O Kane and Adam Rooney.
O Neill s squad – which he will trim nearer to the first leg in Zelenica on November 13 – also includes Jonathan Walters and John O Shea, although the experienced duo will be suspended for the opening match of the tie.
There is also a place for Sout…