Sven-Goran Eriksson believes Liverpool and Manchester City are the two best teams in the world and talked up the possibility of the Premier League rivals meeting in this season s Champions League final.
The two teams have led the way in England in recent years, winning each of the last four Premier League titles between them and being the two front-runners again this season.
City sit one point ahead of the Reds at the top of the table, with the two rivals set to meet in a crunch clash at the Etihad Stadium next weekend.
However, while Jurgen Klopp won the 2019 Champions League with Liverpool, Pep Guardiola is yet to taste success in Europe s premier competition with City, despite reaching last season s final.
Speaking exclusively to Stats Perform, Eriksso…
Xavi accepts he played an important part in Gerard Pique deciding to retire after downscaling the defender s first-team role at Barcelona this season.
The head coach revealed he went through some of the most difficult moments of his career when he made the decisions during the off-season that have spurred his former team-mate to quit.
Pique, a Barcelona great who won eight LaLiga titles and the Champions League three times with the club, is set to play his last Camp Nou match on Saturday when Almeria are the visitors.
The 35-year-old will then be available for the match at Osasuna on Tuesday, according to Xavi, but will put a full stop to his playing career after that.
Xavi said coaching friends can make his role unpleasant when big decisions have to be m…
Cameroon forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is sad for Senegal, Africa and Sadio Mane after his Bayern Munich team-mate was ruled out of the World Cup.
African player of the year Mane was initially expected to feature in Qatar and was named in Senegal s 26-man squad, despite sustaining a leg injury in Bayern s 6-1 win over Werder Bremen on November 8.
But the former Liverpool forward saw his World Cup dreams shattered last Thursday as Senegal confirmed surgery would be required for the 30-year-old s fibula issue, thus ruling him out of the tournament.
Choupo-Moting and Cameroon face Switzerland in Thursday s Group G opener but much of the striker s focus appeared to be with team-mate Mane.
I m very sad for him, and for both Senegal and for Africa. He s a g…
Wembley Stadium will stage an extra four matches during Euro 2020 after UEFA announced Brussels will no longer be used as a venue for the tournament.
Belgium s capital city was due to have three group fixtures and one last-16 tie, but delays over a new stadium forced UEFA s executive committee to make changes to the schedule.
The announcement means London will now host seven games in total, with Wembley already confirmed for the semi-finals and final.
Despite being in the running as alternative options, Cardiff s Principality Stadium and Stockholm s Friends Arena missed out on the chance to replace Brussels.
While the full schedule is still to be confirmed by UEFA, the Stadio Olimpico in Rome will stage the opening game.
Each host nation that …
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Antwerp host Anderlecht in the derby game of the second round from Jupiler Pro League following a perfect start to this campaign. While both teams won their opening games, a tough contest between the former Belgian champions is expected to occur at Bosuilstadion on Sunday afternoon where over 16, 000 fans are keen to witness the local side s second success.
Antwerp
Antwerp managed to end Clubb Brugge s recent dominance in Belgian s top flight after surprisingly winning the title at the end of 2023. Although the Reds finished the regular season 3rd behind leaders Genk, an excellent run in the championship play-off brought the title to Antwerp. Despite being seen as the underdog in front of Genk and Royal…
Lautaro Martinez struck twice as Inter recovered from two goals down to beat Empoli 4-2 in a thrilling contest and climb above fierce rivals Milan at the top of Serie A.
Empoli had failed to win any of their previous nine away league games yet took the lead inside five minutes at San Siro through Andrea Pinamonti, who is on loan from Inter.
Inter were two goals behind when Kristjan Asllani fired in, but Martinez struck after ex-Milan man Simone Romagnoli had put into his own net to level up before half-time.
Martinez completed the comeback in the 64th minute and Alexis Sanchez added a late fourth as Inter moved one point above Milan, who travel to Hellas Verona on Sunday.
Pinamonti slid in to meet Szymon Zurkowski s cross and give Empoli an early lead,…
Mauricio Pochettino has officially been appointed as the United States new head coach following the departure of Gregg Berhalter.
Berhalter was fired after overseeing a miserable home campaign at the Copa America, where a shock defeat to Panama sent the USA crashing out in the group stage.
Pochettino was quickly reported to be a surprise contender for the role, having left Chelsea following a single season in charge.
The Argentine – who previously enjoyed a successful five-year spell in charge of Tottenham, leading them to the 2018-19 Champions League final – oversaw a sixth-placed Premier League finish in his only campaign at Stamford Bridge.
He has now agreed to lead the USA into a home World Cup in 2026, as they prepare to co-host the tournament al…
Springing what was a EURO 24 upset on Tuesday night, Turkey booked their quarter-final ticket as they secured a lively 2-1 victory against Austria in Leipzig.
Although the Crescent Stars might have opened their Round of 16 showdown pencilled in as a real underdog, Vincenzo Montella’s men got off to a sensational start as defender Merih Demiral powered home in the opening 57 seconds.
In the torrential rain at the Red Bull Arena, Turkey and Demiral doubled their advantage just before the hour mark as the Al-Ahil star once again found himself free in Austria’s penalty box.
However, in what was an action-packed showdown on Tuesday night, Austria set up what was a grandstand finish as substitute Michael Gregoritsch tapped home at the back post midway through the …
Gareth Southgate says England will be away from the tournament hubbub next summer with plans in place for a quiet European Championship base camp.
Monday’s 1-1 draw in North Macedonia rubber-stamped the Euro 2020 runners-up a place among the top seeds in the December 2 draw in Hamburg.
Southgate will be in attendance for a draw that will not only provide clarity on opposition and pathways but where England will be based during their stay in Germany.
Finishing Group C as unbeaten group winners.
Full focus now on
— England (@England)
This tournament is being regionalised for sustainability purposes, with priority given to teams whose preferred base camps are closer to their match venues.
England have registered their interest …
Russia have been dealt a blow ahead of their Euro 2016 opener with the news that Igor Denisov will miss the tournament due to a hamstring injury.
The 32-year-old Dynamo Moscow midfielder underwent tests after complaining of discomfort following the 1-1 friendly draw with Serbia on Sunday.
The Russian Football Union subsequently issued a statement to confirm that Denisov will leave Leonid Slutsky s squad as he has no chance of being fit for any of the group games against England, Slovakia or Wales.
On Monday, midfielder Igor Denisov underwent the MRT examination in Paris after the injury he got in the friendly match against Serbia, the statement said.
The examination confirmed a hamstring injury without any possibility to recover within next two weeks.…