Inter Miami are fortunate to have Jordi Alba, so says head coach Gerardo Martino.
Alba scored a stunning volley that ultimately proved the winner just before half-time in Saturday s 2-1 win over Nashville SC. The strike came with an expected goals (xG) value of 0.01.
That victory kept Miami top of the Eastern Conference, with a two-point lead over FC Cincinnati.
Miami face Charlotte in midweek, and with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez still away at the Copa America, Martino is glad to have such an experienced, quality player as Alba at his disposal.
I celebrated] as should be celebrated because it was a great goal, Martino said.
I m not surprised because he is a player with so much quality.
He [Alba] puts me at ease for what he gives the t…
Harry Kane believes the experience he gained playing for Bayern Munich last season has prepared him for Euro 2024 in Germany.
Kane made the move to Bayern from Tottenham in August last year, becoming the most expensive Bundesliga signing in history.
He enjoyed an impressive maiden season in the German top-flight, scoring 44 goals in 45 matches across all competitions.
Kane acknowledged how his time at Bayern has improved his game and given him valuable experience going into the tournament.
It s been an incredible experience, Kane told UEFA.com.
I think playing for a club like Bayern Munich can only improve you and only push you to another level because you re under huge pressure to be successful in every game and I think the standard of players,…
It may be a year late, but Euro 2020 is almost upon us and the opportunity for glory is just around the corner.
The usual suspects will be undoubtedly favoured by many, with France s squad seemingly stronger than ever, Portugal possessing a seriously talented group and England looking good as they bid to end their long wait for international success.
Similarly, Italy and the Netherlands are back on the scene after missing out on tournament qualification in recent times, while Germany will be hoping to bounce back from their World Cup humiliation.
Die Mannschaft were eliminated from the group stage of a World Cup for the first time ever by South Korea three years ago, and Joachim Low will be eager to restore some dignity in what will be his final tournament in ch…
Best odds: 14/25
Bookmaker:
John van t Schip starts his tenure as Ajax s interim head coach with an Eredivisie match against FC Volendam at the Johan Cruijff Arena on Thursday evening.
Ajax currently find themselves in an unusual position at the bottom of the league table, experiencing their worst-ever start to a top-flight season. On the other hand, FC Volendam is just two points and two places above them, sitting in 16th place in the Eredivisie.
Following their decision to part ways with Maurice Steijn a week ago, Ajax announced on Monday that John van t Schip will take over as the interim head coach of the senior team until the end of the season. He is also set to take on a role in technical management starting from July 1, 2024.
Van t Schip,…
Julen Lopetegui has refused to rule out Niclas Fullkrug’s involvement when West Ham return to Premier League action against Fulham on Saturday.
Fullkrug, who was signed from Borussia Dortmund during the transfer window, picked up an injury on international duty with Germany during their 5-0 win over Hungary, a game the 31-year-old scored in.
Lopetegui has picked up one win from his first three league fixtures at the helm, but the Spaniard says his side are still in the process of becoming the team he wants them to be.
Let s see, he has a little problem, it was a pity,” Lopetegui said on Fullkrug. “But it s true that we will evaluate him too, today.
“Yesterday we thought he was a little bit better, today we re going to see how he is exactly and t…
Manchester City and Liverpool look set to go head-to-head for the 2019-20 Premier League title once again after last season s titanic tussle.
City edged out Liverpool to defend their crown after winning 14 Premier League games in a row in a stunning run of form from February.
Liverpool only lost once in the league all season away to City in early January but finished a point behind Pep Guardiola s side.
Winning the Champions League by beating Tottenham in the final ensured the Reds had something to show for their efforts, though.
City and Liverpool will be expected to do battle for the league again, with Chelsea sitting a whopping 25 points back in third last season.
So where will the 2019-20 Premier League title be won and lost? After the release…
Best odds: 11/5
Bookmaker:
Wales will look to build momentum when they face Montenegro on Monday night in their second match of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League.
Craig Bellamy s team secured a valuable point in a 0-0 draw with Turkey, a solid start to their Group 4 League B campaign. Meanwhile, Montenegro began their Nations League challenge with a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Iceland, and they will be eager to bounce back and avoid falling further behind in the group standings.
Montenegro
Montenegro showed promise during their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign but fell just short, finishing third in Group G behind Hungary and Serbia. Despite some positive performances, they missed out on a spot in the finals, and now they are seeking to turn things around in…
Having been scrapped last year due to the disruption caused by the pandemic, the Ballon d Or returns in 2021.
With Euro 2020 and the Copa America rescheduled for this year, the stars of Europe and South America have the chance to use those tournaments as a springboard towards claiming the game s top individual prize.
Following club seasons either laden with trophies or padded with statistical achievements – or, in some cases, a bit of both – a few elite-level performances could make the difference in the race to win France Football s famous award.
Stats Perform has chosen a shortlist of 14 players who could make themselves Ballon d Or favourites should they sparkle over the next month
Karim Benzema
Remarkably, Karim Benzema fail…
Paris Saint-Germain are champions of Ligue 1 again, clinching a sixth title in seven years after Lille failed to beat Toulouse on Sunday.
The Parisians still have six matches remaining but their 16-point gap to Lille, who have played a game more, means a title race that was virtually over before it began is now officially done.
Despite plenty of teams in France s top flight playing attractive football, there is at present no side who appears capable of interrupting PSG s dominance.
No club has been able to match PSG s spending power since the Qatar Sports Investments takeover of 2011, which has transformed them from a top-six side to Ligue 1 s superpower.
Here we assess how Thomas Tuchel s first title win compares to previous years in terms of their supe…
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will be hoping his side can go six points clear at the top of the Premier League with a victory at Manchester City on Sunday
This round of Premier League fixtures is spread over three days.
The undoubted encounter of the weekend sees champions Manchester City host arch-rivals and league leaders Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Sunday’s early kick-off.
City head into the game three points behind their local rivals looking for a win to take them back to the top of the table, after the Citizens drew 1-1 with Everton at the Etihad Stadium last weekend.
Meanwhile United recorded a 4-3 victory at Reading.
However, both Manchester clubs suffered Champions League losses in midweek. City lost 1-0 in Dor…