Benfica closing in on Milan target
Benfica are on the verge of completing a move for Standard Liege midfielder Axel Witsel, according to A Bola.
Benfica chiefs are set to meet with Standard officials in Liege later today and will try to close the deal for the Belgian international.
The 22-year-old winger has attracted a lot of attention with his performances during the last two years and was mentioned as a possible target for Milan, Tottenham and even Barcelona.
However, Benfica were the only team to make a formal offer to sign the highly rated midfielder and the Eagles look on the verge of completing the deal.
The player has already expressed his desire to join the La Luz outfit, while Standard Liege director of football, Pierre Francois acknowl…
Market: Both teams to score No
Odds: 7/10 @
In what could prove to be a cagey affair from Tolk Park on Friday night, Shelbourne will welcome Derry City when this weekend’s Premier Division fixtures get underway.
Starting with the hosts, while Shelbourne might have continued on a real romp prior to June’s international break, Damien Duff’s men were last seen marking their return to top-flight duties with a downbeat display. Eventually getting hit with a toothless 1-0 loss at the hands of St. Patrick’s, the one-time Chelsea star almost finds his squad sat in Premier Division limbo. However, still impressing many across Ireland’s top-tier in 2023, the Reds have lost just a pair of their previous 14 straight appearances across all competitions a run that s…
France midfielder Moussa Sissoko said he is not simply a standby option to replace Paul Pogba at the FIFA World Cup.
Coach Didier Deschamps claimed he rested Pogba for their clash with Switzerland, one they won 5-2 to almost ensure their progress from Group E in Brazil.
There was speculation Pogba was dropped due to disciplinary issues, but regardless of the Juventus man s absence, Sissoko said he was in the side on his own merits.
I am happy with my performances during this game (against Switzerland) and the one against Jamaica, the Newcastle United midfielder said.
I am not here to take the place of someone else (Pogba). I am within a group of 23 people. The head coach told us that every player can be in the line-up. I am trying to be always ready for…
LDU Quito claimed a 2-0 victory over Independiente in the first leg of their Copa Sudamericana Round-of-16 tie on Wednesday.
Defender Paul Ambrosi opened the scoring for the Ecuadorian club in the 42nd minute, finishing past Hilario Navarro after receiving a delightful pass from Argentine team-mate Hernan Barcos.
Striker Luis Bolanos doubled their advantage seven minutes after the interval in Quito, hitting a stunning strike after completing a string of one-touch passes involving Ambrosi and Barcos.
Argentina s Independiente will host the return leg on October 11 at the Estadio Libertadores de America in Buenos Aires, requiring at least two goals to stay alive in the competition.
Independiente are defending champions of the illustrious South American cl…
Napoli rejected an offer from Atletico Madrid of €60million plus two or three players for Gonzalo Higuain, according to club president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
The Argentina international s future has been the subject of intense speculation in recent weeks, with Atletico, Juventus and Arsenal all heavily linked with an interest.
Juve held talks with their Serie A rivals over the striker this week, though De Laurentiis who is demanding that any suitors meet Higuain s €94m release clause claimed the deal was dead in the water.
Manchester United s reported interest in Paul Pogba has reignited speculation that Juve could return with an offer close to that amount, but De Laurentiis remains convinced that the 28-year-old will stay after revealing he has already reje…
A brilliant strike from Danny Drinkwater denied Chelsea the chance to mark Guus Hiddink s final game in charge with a win, earning Premier League champions Leicester City a 1-1 draw at Stamford
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Hiddink took over from Jose Mourinho in December and helped steer the club into the top half of the table, but Drinkwater s effort ensured he would not get a winning send-off before Antonio Conte takes the reins next season.
Leicester clinched the title following Chelsea s 2-2 draw with Tottenham on May 2, and the Foxes were welcomed onto the pitch by last season s winners with a guard of honour Claudio Ranieri, Blues manager from 2000 to 2004, receiving a warm ovation from the home fans.
Kasper Schmeichel produced excellent saves to keep Willian and Ces…
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals scored yes
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Wolfsburg are coming off a shocking 4-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen earlier this week, and they have entrenched themselves in the sixth place of the standings. They have set their sights in earning a UEFA Europa League berth ahead of the 2020-21 campaign, and a win against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday would go a long way towards accomplishing that feat. Kick-off for this match has been slated at 15:30 GMT.
Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg currently sit in sixth place of the standings with 42 points, as they bounced back from last weekend s loss against Dortmund with a 4-1 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen. Maximilian Arnold and Marin Pongracic stood out for the Wolksvagen Arena side in that contest, but it wou…
Rio Ferdinand says he has missed the chemical that comes out of you in professional sport as he launches a new career as a boxer.
The 38-year-old announced on Tuesday that he is to try his hand in the ring with the view to challenging for a belt over the next 12 months, just two years after retiring from football.
Although the former Manchester United defender insists he does not expect to progress as far as global title bouts, he is eager to experience the thrill of competition and to test himself as a human being .
A lot of people sit and watch huge fights, plus other sporting events and say I can do that or they ve messed it up , he told Standard Sport.
There are a lot of armchair fans wanting to pass judgement. Well, I m going to walk the walk and a…
Manchester City s search to replace Sergio Aguero is well known.
Spanish reports have linked Pep Guardiola’s side with Barcelona s Antoine Griezmann.
So, could City who won the Premier League but lost the Champions League final to Chelsea – be set to bring in the France international? Possibly not
TOP STORY – GRIEZMANN NOT ON CITY RADAR
Manchester City are ready to ramp up their move for a new striker during the transfer window but will not pursue Barcelona forward Griezmann, claims The Sun.
Pep Guardiola s side will instead set their sights on Tottenham s Harry Kane, while Borussia Dortmund s Erling Haaland is another possibility.
The Sun s report denies Spanish links between City and Frenchman Griezmann, with Barcel…
Inter head coach Antonio Conte claimed he has previously turned down offers to manage Real Madrid.
Conte, 51, made the admission at a media conference on the eve of crunch Champions League clash between the clubs.
Zinedine Zidane is in his second spell in charge of Madrid having returned in March 2019 after Julen Lopetegui was sacked and an interim stint by Santiago Solari.
Of course, there have been a couple of moments in the past when I was very close to coaching Real Madrid, Conte said on Monday.
The season had already started, it would have been difficult to take over, the club had already made a schedule and in a very sincere way I preferred to postpone it
In the past, it s true, there was the opportunity to become the Real Madrid coach,…