Month: January 2025

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is back in Argentina s squad for next month s friendlies against Brazil and Uruguay after serving a three-month suspension.

Messi was banned by CONMEBOL in August and fined $50,000 for accusing the governing body of corruption following his side s semi-final loss to Brazil at the Copa America.

The 32-year-old has missed Argentina s past four matches all friendlies but is in line to make his return in November after being named in Lionel Scaloni s latest 26-man squad.

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is also included for the first time since Argentina s 2-1 third-place play-off victory over Chile in the Copa America, while Tottenham midfielder Giovani Lo Celso returns after sitting out of this month s draw with Germany and vict…

Erling Haaland scored five of Manchester City’s six goals in a superb individual display as the FA Cup holders thrashed Luton at Kenilworth Road to progress to the quarter-finals.

City’s top scorer made it 27 for the season despite having missed almost two months with a foot injury, driving his team on to a ruthless 6-2 victory, though the win owed as much to the excellent Kevin De Bruyne, architect of four of his team-mate’s goals.

Mateo Kovacic also scored with a worthy strike of his own late on after Jordan Clark had netted either side of the interval to haul Luton from three down to within a single goal. In truth, though, they never really got close to City.

Name a better duo. We ll wait.

— Manchester City (@ManCity)

Pep Guardiola’…

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag says the chance to stop Manchester City’s treble charge provides no extra motivation heading into the FA Cup final.

The eyes of the footballing world will be on Wembley on Saturday afternoon for the first-ever all-Manchester cup final.

United head to the capital looking to end a promising first season under Ten Hag by winning both domestic cups in the same campaign for the first time.

We deserve to be in the final.

— Manchester United (@ManUtd)

Neighbours City already have the Premier League title under their belt and are looking to lift the FA Cup a week before heading to Istanbul to take on Inter Milan in the Champions League final.

Lifting both of those trophies would see Pep Guardiola’s men…

Australia may be without Rhys Williams for the World Cup after the defender suffered a potentially serious Achilles injury on Tuesday.

Williams, 25, went down just before the break in Middlesbrough s 0-0 draw at home to Wigan Athletic, causing a lengthy stoppage. A leg brace was applied and he was provided with oxygen on the pitch, prompting fears of a serious tear.

While Middlesbrough are yet to comment on the severity of the injury, it appears the versatile player – capable of operating at centre-back, full-back and in defensive midfield – is now in serious doubt for Australia s World Cup campaign, which begins against Chile on June 13.

It would be a cruel blow for Williams, who also missed out on a place in the 2010 World Cup squad due to a pelvic problem.

…

Carlos Queiroz was sacked as Portugal coach on Thursday after a disciplinary feud sparked by a six-month ban for insulting officials from the country s anti-doping body.

The former Manchester United boss, who took over in July 2008, also paid a heavy price for a loss of form that saw his team struggle to reach the World Cup and pick up just a point from their opening two Euro 2012 qualifiers.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has decided unanimously to end the contract of national coach Carlos Queiroz, FPF president Gilberto Madail told a news conference.

Queiroz was serving a six-month ban, which he had described as erroneous and abusive , for hindering dope testers who had turned up to test his players at a pre-World Cup training camp in May.

P…

Zinedine Zidane does not feel his close relationship with Bayern Munich boss Carlo Ancelotti will have too great a bearing upon Real Madrid s Champions League quarter-final clash with the Bundesliga giants.

Zidane served as Ancelotti s assistant when Madrid collected a 10th European title in 2014 and stepped up to
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be at the helm himself when number 11 arrived last year.

Speaking before the match at the Allianz Arena, Ancelotti said the experience of working alongside the France great served to inform his coaching style – stating that he now places more emphasis on player morale than tactical intricacy.

Such learning was a two-way street but Zidane, who grinned his way through the most probing moments of his own briefing in Bavaria, believes both men …

Atletico Madrid s players have the chance to give the Vicente Calderon the farewell it deserves in their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, according to director Clemente Villaverde.

Friday s draw pitted the city rivals against each other in a repeat of last season s final, which Real Madrid won 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Zinedine Zidane s side are aiming to become the first to retain the trophy in the Champions League era but Villaverde, who made over 100 appearances for Atleti between 1981 and 1987, hopes Diego Simeone s men can give the Calderon a derby to remember before the club moves ground next season.

Villaverde reflected on Atletico s defeats in the Champions League finals of 2014 and 2016, telling reporters: Our fans and players …

Milan Škriniar has revealed Inter Milan have nothing to worry about when it comes to him penning a new deal.

Speaking to Sport Mediaset, the defender said that the only thing that has been delaying the signing of his new contract was lack of time to discuss it due to the team s jam-packed schedule, as they ve been playing a game every three days.

Škriniar has reportedly been one of Manchester United s defensive targets during this year s summer transfer window along with Toby Alderweireld of Tottenham Hotspur and Harry Maguire of Leicester City, and if they really had any hopes of bringing the 23-year-old Slovak, this statement of his will have come as a heavy blow to them.

The young centre-back arrived to Italy from MŠK Žilina in January 2016 when he signed…

Richarlison has thanked Marco Silva after struggling Everton made the decision to sack their under-pressure manager on Thursday.

After a humiliating 5-2 defeat to Merseyside rivals and Premier League leaders Liverpool left Everton in the bottom three, Silva was relieved of his duties, bringing an end to an 18-month stint in charge.

Richarlison – who played under Silva at Watford – arrived as the Portuguese s first signing in 2018, and has been a consistent performer at Goodison Park, scoring 21 goals in all competitions for Everton, while also establishing himself as a regular in the Brazil team.

The 22-year-old, who has previously referred to the former Hull City coach as a father figure, signed a new long-term deal with Everton this week, and ultimately sco…