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Two sides scrapping it out to secure a Europa Conference League ticket for the New Year, Ajax will welcome AEK Athens to Amsterdam on Thursday night.
Starting with the hosts, while Ajax might have opened the 2023/24 campaign in the midst of an infamous rut, the Dutch giants have come roaring back in an eye-catching fashion. Making plenty of improvements since returning from November’s international break, John van’t Schip’s men have now won four of their previous five appearances across all competitions. Picking up some perfect momentum over the weekend as they secured a 2-1 victory against Sparta Rotterdam, the former Greece boss will be most excited by his side’s clinical performances in the final third. Marking their return…
Cardiff City have lost their appeal against a FIFA ruling to pay the first instalment of Emiliano Sala s £15million transfer from Nantes.
The Argentine striker died in a plane crash in January 2019 while travelling across the English channel to the Welsh side and a legal battle has ensued over the outstanding transfer fees owed.
Cardiff have argued that they were not liable for the fee because the 28-year-old was not officially their player and refused to make any interim payments as they stated the deal was not legally binding.
FIFA disagreed, however, and the appeal was heard by a three-man Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) panel earlier this year, who rejected the appeal.
In a statement, Cardiff expressed disappointment in the ruling and confirme…
Manchester United have a realistic chance of breaking into the top three of the Women s Super League this season, despite losing head coach Casey Stoney during the close season.
That is according to Tottenham defender Kerys Harrop, who told Stats Perform she is expecting the 2021-22 campaign to be the most exciting yet .
Stoney departed United at the end of last season after steering the club into the top flight and then to successive fourth-placed finishes in the WSL across her three years in charge.
The Red Devils have opted for an experienced replacement, with former Birmingham City and Orlando Pride boss Marc Skinner taking the reins.
United led the way at the top of the division come the end of last year, but hampered by injury issues they slipped …
Former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Alex Song has joined Swiss club Sion on a free transfer.
Song rose to prominence with the Gunners and became a key part of Arsene Wenger s squad during the 2008-09 season.
His form in the Premier League persuaded Barca to make a move, signing him for a reported €17million, but it did not work out for the Cameroonian at Camp Nou or West Ham, whom he represented for two years on loan until 2016.
Song left Barca for free in 2016 and joined Russia s Rubin Kazan, but he made just 22 league appearances, last featuring in September 2017.
Still only 30, Song has signed a two-year deal with Sion after training with them for several weeks.
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Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez is confident his side can close the gap on LaLiga’s leaders but will need to cut out the errors.
Last season’s champions are nine points off the top after winning just one of their last four games in the competition.
Barca are currently third, trailing second-placed Real Madrid by seven points with Girona – who beat their Catalan rivals earlier this month – leading the way.
Xavi: We’ve lacked effectiveness in the area. Our situation in La Liga is not good, but it can be overcome.
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
Xavi told reporters at a press conference: “The conviction in both areas is marking our season a little and that is what needs to be fixed and improved to be competitive in all competitions.
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With his strike against Curacao on Tuesday, Lionel Messi reached another landmark by scoring 100 goals for Argentina.
The 35-year-old brought up the milestone in style, receiving a 20th-minute pass from Giovani Lo Celso before jinking past two Curacao defenders and rifling in a low right-foot finish.
The man considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time had come in for some criticism over the years for his performances at international level.
That was until he led Argentina to Copa America success in 2021 and followed that up at last year s World Cup, starring as La Albiceleste recovered from a shock opening defeat to Saudi Arabia to beat defending champions France in the final on penalties.
Of course, the sheer volume of his goals has been…
Barcelona great Andres Iniesta has revealed how his father has been the biggest influence on his professional career.
The 35-year-old established his place as one of the world s finest midfielders during a 16-year senior career at Camp Nou.
Iniesta won nine LaLiga titles only Lionel Messi, with 10, has more among 32 titles with Barca, for whom he registered 35 goals and 87 assists in 442 league appearances.
He also won two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup with Spain, scoring the winning goal in the final of the latter against Netherlands in Johannesburg.
His success marks quite the journey for Iniesta, who was born in the village of Fuentealbilla close to Albacete in 1984 and first joined Barca s famed La Masia academy at the age of 12.
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Aleksandar Mitrovic scored two brilliant headers as Fulham came from behind to earn a priceless 4-2 Premier League win at home to Brighton and Hove Albion, following key tactical changes from Claudio Ranieri.
Glenn Murray s double gave Brighton a 2-0 lead inside 16 minutes as crosses from the Seagulls right led to chances the striker gobbled up to reach 10 Premier League goals this season.
But, after Ranieri switched to a back four then brought on Luciano Vietto at half-time, Calum Chambers and Mitrovic struck to draw the scores level.
Mitrovic put Fulham ahead after beating Lewis Dunk in the air and Vietto struck late to wrap up an amazing win, moving the Cottagers to within two points of third-bottom Cardiff City.
— Fulham Football Club (@Fulham…
Borussia Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin demanded improvements after watching his side play out a goalless draw with Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
BVB produced a meek attacking performance at the Weserstadion, with a 20-yard effort from substitute Karim Adeyemi representing their best sight of goal in the second half.
They attempted nine shots totalling just 0.63 expected goals (xG) overall, managing just 14 touches in the area to their hosts 22.
To make matters worse, Dortmund saw centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck sent off for a second bookable offence in the 73rd minute and had to dig in for their point, leaving Sahin frustrated.
As Borussia Dortmund, we have to perform differently, even if the team has undergone changes and has a new coach, Sah…
Sergio Aguero has been named the Premier League s Player of the Month for a record seventh time, while Jurgen Klopp takes home the managers gong for on an unprecedented fifth occasion in a single season.
Manchester City striker Aguero was in lethal form throughout January, scoring six times and registering an assist from just three matches.
In doing so, Aguero became the Premier League s highest-scoring foreign player, with his hat-trick in the 6-1 hammering of Aston Villa taking him beyond Thierry Henry s record of 175.
That treble also propelled him above Alan Shearer s haul of 11 hat-tricks, as Aguero set a new record.
Six goals
Two record-breaking landmarks
is the Player of the Month for January
— Premier League (@premier…