Julian Nagelsmann was pleased with his team s efforts despite Bayern Munich losing 2-1 at home to Borussia Monchengladbach in the first Bundesliga game after the winter break.
A superb opener from Robert Lewandowski who was nominated for the Best FIFA Men s Player 2021 award earlier on Friday was cancelled out before half-time by Foals duo Florian Neuhaus and Stefan Lainer, with the league leaders unable to respond in the second half.
Bayern were without a number of key players through COVID-19 and injuries, including Manuel Neuer, Lucas Hernandez, Dayot Upamecano, Leon Goretzka, Alphonso Davies, Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sane, but Nagelsmann still believed his team deserved something from the game.
Speaking after the defeat, the 34-year-old told reporters: We we…
Confirmation could arrive for Manchester City, Fulham and West Brom this weekend as the Premier League season edges closer to a conclusion.
For leaders City, victory over Chelsea – the team they will face in the Champions League final – will clinch a fifth title in the Premier League era, a number only rivals Manchester United (13) can top since 1992.
At the other end of the table, the Baggies appear set to be bounced out of the top flight yet again. An Arsenal win at The Hawthorns would confirm a quick return to the Championship for their hosts – and a first ever relegation from the competition for Sam Allardyce in his managerial career.
Fulham are also on the brink of dropping back into the second tier. They have picked up just one point from a possible 1…
Crewe racked up their first back-to-back away wins since August 2021 after Zac Williams’ first-half goal secured a 1-0 triumph at Harrogate.
Williams’ effort condemned the sorry Sulphurites to a fifth straight home defeat, which represents their worst sequence as an EFL outfit.
Away keeper Harvey Davies had earlier made an excellent save to push Matty Daly’s rising 12-yard drive around his far post.
Chris Long narrowly missed the target from the edge of the box at the other end before Williams opened the scoring just past the half-hour mark.
Mickey Demetriou’s long throw from the left was allowed to bounce in the home box and the 19-year-old midfielder headed in off the far post from two yards out.
After the break, Joel Tabiner survived st…
Thomas Tuchel is anticipating a special experience for Chelsea ahead of their tie against Real Madrid and the Blues rates Karim Benzema as one of the best players in the world.
Chelsea host LaLiga leaders Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday. Tuchel s team beat Los Blancos 3-1 over two legs in the semi-finals last season en route to becoming European champions for a second time.
The holders could become the first English team to eliminate Madrid from the knockout stages of the competition on multiple occasions.
History is certainly on Chelsea s side, with Madrid having faced the team from west London more times without winning than they have against any other side in European competition (five).
Madrid have been c…
Gareth Barry, who holds the record for the most appearances in the Premier League, has retired at the age of 39.
The former England midfielder played for Aston Villa, Manchester City and Everton before finishing up at West Brom, where he spent two seasons in the Championship.
Barry played in 653 top-flight games and won 53 caps for his country, scoring three goals during an international career that included playing at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
He was also an unused member of Kevin Keegan s Three Lions squad at Euro 2000, having become a regular by then in the Villa first team.
Linked with a move to Liverpool at one time, Barry eventually left Villa Park in 2009 to join City, going on to win both the FA Cup and the Premier League under Roberto M…
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Empoli and Sampdoria will face each other in Serie A next week. The match between Gli Azzurri and I Blucerchiati will take place at Stadio Carlo Castellani and is scheduled to kick off at 7:45pm UK time next Monday.
Empoli
Empoli won promotion from Serie B to Serie A at the end of the 2020-21 season and did well last season. They ended up as high as 14th in the league table, picking up as many as 50 points from 38 matches. And things are going the same way this time around.
Paolo Zanetti’s side are 13th in the Serie A table at the moment with 19 points from 17 matches. They are above the likes of Hellas Verona, Sassuolo and Sampdoria in the standings, and it shows just how good the…
Is a Manchester United reunion on the cards for Cristiano Ronaldo?
Ronaldo s future at Juventus has dominated headlines this season.
But returning to Old Trafford is reportedly not in the pipeline.
TOP STORY – NO UNITED REUNION FOR RONALDO
Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will not be returning to Manchester United, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
A report earlier this month claimed United were looking to re-sign Ronaldo, who won three Premier League titles and the Champions League in six years at Old Trafford before joining Real Madrid in 2009.
But Romano says United are focusing on different players and not Ronaldo – also a reported target for Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.
De Bru…
Bruno Genesio revelled in a great night for everyone , as incredible Lille stunned Champions League holders Real Madrid 1-0 at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Jonathan David s first-half penalty after Eduardo Camavinga handled from Edon Zhegrova s free-kick ended Madrid s 14-match unbeaten streak in this competition, while condemning them to a first reverse overall in 36 games.
Genesio also had Lucas Chevalier to thank after the Lille goalkeeper made a string of superb saves to keep Carlo Ancelotti s side at bay, including a wonderful instinctive stop to thwart Antonio Rudiger right at the death.
Indeed, Madrid simply had no answer to their stubborn hosts, despite the introduction of a fit-again Kylian Mbappe during the second half.
And Genesio saluted his players f…
Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Jordi Alba in the summer transfer window, according to . Alba is leaving Barcelona and is available on a free transfer, and former La Liga champions Atletico are keen on securing his services.
Alba joined Barcelona back in 2012 from Valencia and has been superb for the Blauugrana over the years. The Spain international is one of the best left-backs of all time and has won multiple times with Barca. Alba won the La Liga title six times, the Copa del Rey on five occasions, and the UEFA Champions League once with Barcelona.
Barcelona won the La Liga title this season after picking up 88 points from 38 matches, 10 points more than second-placed and bitter rivals Real Madrid. Atletico ended the season third in the standings with 77 p…
Tottenham have given Harry Kane permission to fly to Germany to complete his proposed move to Bayern Munich.
The England captain is set to undergo a medical ahead of a reported £95million switch to the Bundesliga champions.
The PA news agency understands reports that Spurs had refused the 30-year-old permission to fly out to Munich are false.
But there could still be some small conditions to change in the deal to prise the striker away from the Premier League.
Kane is about to enter the final year of his Tottenham contract, meaning he would be free to leave for nothing in 12 months’ time.
Chairman Daniel Levy is believed to value the striker closer to £120m, but the risk of the club’s star asset departing for nothing in under a year has unde…