Market: Lens draw no bet
Odds: 4/5 @
Looking to sign off their history-making Ligue 1 campaign with another statement on Saturday night, Lens will travel to the Stade de I Abbe-Deschamps when they meet Auxerre.
Starting with the hosts, missing out on the chance to automatically extend on their Ligue 1 status last weekend, Auxerre still have work to do on Saturday night. Holding just a two-point buffer over Nantes and slipping into the drop zone, the Burgundy-based outfit know that they’re at the heart of a two-horse race to avoid the drop. Last seen eventually having to settle for a 1-1 draw away at Toulouse, Christophe Pelissier’s men have struggled to find any kind of stability over the past six weeks. Including what could turn out to be a season-deciding …
Best Odds: 4/6
Bookmaker:
In what could prove to be an enjoyable La Liga showdown on Sunday night, Barcelona will travel to San Mames when they meet Athletic Bilbao.
Athletic Bilbao
Starting with the hosts, punching their Copa del Rey final ticket thanks to a stunning second-leg performance earlier in the week, Athletic Bilbao will be desperate to pick up another heavyweight scalp here. Eventually storming their way to a 4-0 aggregate romp against Atletico Madrid, Ernesto Valverde s men are dreaming of the chance to punch a famous Champions League ticket in 2024. Although the Lions might have been hit with a 3-1 defeat away at Real Betis last weekend, that is the only loss that Bilbao have suffered from any of their previous eight domestic appearances across al…
Atletico Madrid midfielder Diego has revealed that coach Diego Simeone was a major reason behind him signing for the club.
The Brazilian made the move from Wolfsburg on Friday, having spent a season on loan at the Vicente Calderon in 2011.
He had been with the Bundesliga side since 2010 and Diego admitted that Simeone s influence was one of the main forces behind his decision to move.
My relationship with Simeone was always spectacular, he said at his unveiling on Monday. He s the best coach I worked with in my life. He helps a lot as a player and person.
That confidence he has in me has made a difference in the decisions I have made.
Diego enjoyed a goalscoring return to the club as he registered the final effort in Atletico s 4-0 win over Real Sociedad…
Manchester City are interested in signing Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad, according to . It has been reported that City manager Pep Guardiola wanted to Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window, but the transfer did not happen.
And now, according to the report, Premier League champions City want to sign Isak from Real Sociedad despite the striker having recently extended his contract with the La Liga club. Real Madrid and Barcelona are also claimed to be keen on the 22-year-old Sweden international striker.
Isak has made four starts and one substitute appearance in La Liga for Sociedad so far this season. The youngster has yet to score a goal. The 22-year-old striker scored 17 goals and provided two assists in 30 La Liga starts last season.
…
Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri has indicated he will stay at the club for another season as they hunt for their first Serie A title since 1989-90.
Sarri led Napoli to a club record points total of 86 this season but missed out on automatic qualification for the Champions League, finishing third behind Roma and champions Juventus.
President Aurelio De Laurentiis has compared Sarri to Manchester United legend Alex Ferguson and said the Italian, who has been at Napoli since June 2015, can stay at the club for life .
And the former Empoli boss, who was given the Enzo Bearzot Award for the best Italian coach on Tuesday, assured he intends to remain at the Stadio San Paolo.
My feeling at this point in time is that I m not finished at Napoli, Sarri said. I h…
Robert Huth s late own goal spared Arsenal s blushes as Arsene Wenger s side claimed a vital three points in the race for the Premier League s top four with a 1-0 win over Leicester City.
Nacho Monreal who netted in Arsenal s FA Cup semi-final victory over Manchester City last time out continued his form in front of goal when his 86th-minute strike deflected in wickedly off Leicester s German defender.
It was a relief for the home crowd following a lacklustre display from Wenger s men, who, despite desperately needing to make up ground on the teams above them, had been found wanting throughout at Emirates Stadium.
Alexis Sanchez epitomised Arsenal s performance with some sloppy touches and slack passing, though the former Barcelona winger still went closest for t…
Aymeric Laporte has targeted a return to Manchester City s first team within two months.
The France centre-back sustained a serious knee injury in the 4-0 defeat of Brighton and Hove Albion at the end of August and required surgery.
Laporte, who joined from Athletic Bilbao in January 2018, is unsure exactly when he will be back but provided a positive update for City fans.
[My recovery] is going very well, he told The National.
I still need time but I hope as soon as possible I can come back and play with my team-mates. I can t say when exactly but more or less one-month-and-a-half to two months.
One more day of work, one day left to come back! Good feelings!
— Aymeric Laporte (@Laporte)
City s decision not to sign a c…
Everton have signed England Under-19 defender Brendan Galloway from MK Dons for an undisclosed fee.
The 18-year-old, who can also play in midfield, handed in a transfer request last month amid reported interest from several Premier League clubs and has now got his wish after signing a five-year contract at Goodison Park.
Galloway became the youngest player to play for League One club MK Dons when he faced Nantwich Town at the age of 15 back in November 2011 and went on to make 17 appearances for the club.
And the teenager is determined to make the most of the opportunity to join Everton.
It means an awful lot to me coming to such a great club, he told Everton s official website. I m now looking forward to learning off some of the more senior players the …
Best ever?
When I watched Barcelona dismantle Real Madrid last week it crossed my mind that it may have been one of the finest displays of football I have ever seen. I am just about old enough to remember the fantastic Brazil World Cup winning team of 1970 and never felt that I was likely to see anything to match their brilliance. Now, I think I might have done.
Tactical
I know Barcelona didn’t win last season’s Champions League but that was largely down to the tactical genius of the ‘special one’ rather than Inter actually being on the same planet in terms of footballing expertise. I know that up until last week Real Madrid were ahead of them in La Liga, but that game at the Camp Nou surely clarified which one is the superior side.
Barcelona did w…
Rui Vitoria says his Benfica side will only know the effect of Zenit s lack of match action come kick-off in Tuesday s Champions League last-16 first-leg showdown.
While Benfica go into the clash at the Estadio da Luz off the back of a defeat to Primeira Liga rivals Porto, Andre Villas-Boas Zenit have not played a competitive match since their final Champions League group meeting with Gent in December.
Their Russian Premier League title defence does not begin until March and former Porto coach Villas-Boas acknowledged Zenit face a challenge to regain match sharpness.
Opposite number Vitoria is unsure what impact it will have, telling reporters: They are a strong team, with quality players and a quality coach.
They are a team with a great conne…