Pep Guardiola is keenly anticipating his Premier League bow when Manchester City face Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday but does not feel this assignment is the toughest of his career.
Having inherited a team featuring the prodigious talents of Lionel Messi among others at Barcelona in 2008 and a treble-winning Bayern Munich in 2013, the common consensus has been that taking up the reins of a City side that limped to fourth place in England s top flight last term would be the sternest challenge of Guardiola s coaching mettle to date.
But the 45-year-old maintains that, following a decorated playing career at the Camp Nou, stepping up from a solitary season in charge of Barcelona B to take on a team in transition represented a unique set of pressures he will n…
Lionel Messi will miss the annual MLS All-Star game in Columbus on Wednesday due to his ongoing ankle injury, MLS has confirmed.
The Argentina captain sustained the injury during his nation s Copa America final victory over Colombia on July 14.
Messi subsequently left the pitch in tears, and watched from the dugout as substitute Lautaro Martinez struck an extra-time winner in Miami.
The eight-time Ballon d Or winner was expected to be part of the annual clash between an MLS XI and Liga MX XI.
However, he was listed as unavailable on the MLS website along with fellow Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez, though their team-mates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets are both included.
The likes of Hugo Lloris, Christian Benteke and Federico Bernadeschi also fea…
Former Borussia Dortmund defender Dan-Axel Zagadou has signed for Stuttgart on a free transfer.
Zagadou, an ex-youth international for France, left Dortmund at the end of last season.
The 23-year-old s time at Signal Iduna Park was plagued by injuries, with a serious knee problem seeing him miss the end of the 2020-21 campaign and the start of the following term.
Having made his Bundesliga debut at 18, Zagadou went on to play 67 times in Germany s top tier for Dortmund.
Sporting director Sven : Daxo has all the qualities a top-level centre-back needs. He s athletically strong, is a good passer and has gained valuable experience domestically and at European level over the past few years. |
— VfB Stuttgart_int (@VfB_int)
Zagadou was u…
Luciano Spalletti is confident reigning continental champions Italy will seize the “right moment” to get the point they need to qualify for Euro 2024 from their showdown with rivals Ukraine in Leverkusen.
The second-placed Azzurri will join Group C winners England in reaching the finals on Monday if they can avoid defeat by Ukraine, who are playing this match in west Germany due to the conflict with Russia in their homeland, as they lead Serhiy Rebrov’s men on goal difference having won the first meeting 2-1 in Milan back in September.
Only a draw in North Macedonia and a 3-1 loss to England left Italy in this vulnerable position as their other results – 4-0 against Malta and 5-2 in Friday’s reverse against the Macedonians – have been more than convincing, an…
Lionel Messi showed exactly why he was given a lucrative contract as his 650th Barcelona goal helped Ronald Koeman s side to a slender 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.
A report by El Mundo claimed the deal Messi signed at Camp Nou in 2017, which expires at the end of this season, is worth more than €555million.
He demonstrated his value to this Barca team midway through the first half on Sunday with his 49th successful free-kick strike for the Catalan giants.
Jordi Alba put through his own net early in the second half to draw Athletic level, but Antoine Greizmann ensured Barca leapfrogged Sevilla and Real Madrid into second 10 points behind leaders Atletico Madrid with a close-range finish 16 minutes from time.
FULL TIME!
— FC Barcelona (@F…
Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma has thanked former manager Jose Mourinho for giving him the tools to succeed in English football.
Mourinho raided Saint-Etienne to sign the then-teenage centre-back during his second stint in charge at Stamford Bridge.
The pair spent 18 months together before Mourinho moved on in December 2015 and his departure led to a downturn in playing time for Zouma, who was sent to Stoke City and Everton for season-long loan spells.
The five-cap France international returned to Chelsea this term and credits Mourinho with laying the foundation for his development into a first-team regular.
Mourinho opened the door to England for me. I was only 19 when I arrived. I was young, Zouma told France Football.
He gave me confidence by pl…
United agree Hojlund s personal terms
While might have secured a crucial Champions League return last season and received plenty of praise, it is no secret that the Premier League giants are desperate to recruit a new striking superstar this summer.
After failing to strike what would have been a blockbuster swoop for England skipper last month, it appears that Erik ten Hag now has a new number-one target at the top of his summer wishlist.
Enjoying what was a breakout campaign with Italian outlet Atalanta last season, has quickly transformed into one of Europe’s brightest young striking stars.
Notching nine Serie A strikes and with growing comparisons to a certain record-breaking Erling Haaland, the 20-year-old has been vocal about his desire to make a mo…
Andrew Robertson described Liverpool s players as devastated by their Champions League final loss to Real Madrid, as Vinicius Junior s winner condemned the Reds to a heartbreaking reverse in Paris.
The Brazil winger s 59th-minute goal ensured Madrid repeated their 2018 final win over Liverpool to earn their 14th European crown, while only Juventus (five) have now lost more Champions League finals than the Reds (three).
Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp has now lost more finals in the competition than any other coach (three), and despite winning the EFL Cup and FA Cup after penalty shoot-outs, Liverpool have failed to score a single goal in five and a half hours of football in major finals this term.
Having threatened a quadruple after embarking on a brilliant four-…
Gennaro Gattuso might be crazy but Nikola Kalinic expects the AC Milan head coach to deliver success.
Kalinic was at San Siro last season and, despite failing to produce his best form, the Atletico Madrid forward was impressed by Gattuso s methods.
Milan have not won the Serie A title since the 2010-11 season and they are already 12 points behind leaders Juventus this term, albeit with a game in hand.
But Kalinic – who was sent home from Croatia s World Cup campaign after refusing to come on as a substitute during his country s opening 2-0 win over Nigeria – is confident the club will make significant progress under Gattuso.
He is amazing. There were all types of jokes, a very good atmosphere, laughs, but when you start training or get on the …
Paolo Di Canio said he is not surprised by Mauro Icardi s move to Paris Saint-Germain as the Ligue 1 champions are the natural home of undisciplined players .
Former Inter captain Icardi joined PSG on an initial loan deal on transfer deadline day after being frozen out by Nerazzurri head coach Antonio Conte.
PSG have the option to buy Icardi – who was linked to Napoli and Juventus prior to the deadline – for a reported €70million at the end of the season.
Former Lazio, Juve, Napoli and AC Milan forward Di Canio hit out at Icardi following his switch to the French capital.
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English)
Di Canio told Il Mattino: Why did Carlo Ancelotti want someone like Icardi at Napoli? Someone unable to apologise to his…