Month: January 2025

Jose Fonte set his sights on reaching the FA Cup final after scoring Southampton’s winner at Hull City on Tuesday.

The south-coast club s impressive season continued when Fonte scored the only goal of the game at the KC Stadium.

Mauricio Pochettino s side are seventh in the Premier League table after their latest victory, just two points adrift of champions Manchester United.

Defender Fonte was in the Southampton side that beat Carlisle United in the Football League trophy final in 2010 and the centre-back is determined to return to the home of English football for the FA Cup final ahead of Saturday s fifth round trip to Sunderland.

Fonte told the club s official website: We want a run in the FA Cup because it is a very special [competition] for us. We’re goi…

Dario Benedetto felt a weight lift after scoring his first goal for Boca Juniors since returning from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Argentina international Benedetto was on target for the first time since November 2017, having ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and suffered from Achilles tendinitis and a hamstring issue since returning to contention in August.

The 28-year-old came off the bench in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores semi-final against Palmeiras at La Bombonera and scored twice in the space of five minutes to give Boca a 2-0 win, netting a header and a brilliant 20-yard strike into the bottom-left corner after a phenomenal turn.

It was hard for me to score again. It wasn t going right for me. I am happy to return in …

The irony was certainly not lost on Carlos Tevez as he fielded questions on the final of the Copa Libertadores – a tournament named in honour of those who fought for South America s liberation from Spanish colonial rule in the early 19th century – at a Madrid training base.

I thought myself to be the dumbest guy in [terms of] history knowledge…but these guys just beat me, the veteran Boca Juniors forward joked ahead of Sunday s showdown with River Plate in the Spanish capital. That’s all I have to say.

Many others will have plenty to say about the long-delayed second leg between the two Grandes for some time to come. From the moment a group of River fans attacked the Boca team bus on its way to El Monumental, the whole situation has been an unseemly mess.

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Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Etienne Green from Saint-Etienne in the summer of 2022, according to . It has been reported that Spurs are among a number of clubs monitoring the situation of the England Under-21 international goalkeeper.

Green has just signed a new contract with Ligue 1 club Saint-Etienne and in line to make his debut for the senior England squad. The 21-year-old stands at 6ft 4in and has huge potential.

Hugo Lloris is the first-choice goalkeeper at Tottenham, who signed Pierluigi Gollini on loan from Atalanta in the summer of 2021. Gollini is expected to become the number one custodian in the coming weeks and months, but if he does not and Spurs keep Lloris, then it would make sense for the North London club to bring in Green.

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Jurgen Klopp has insisted Mohamed Salah is the best player in the world right now following another outstanding performance from the Egyptian in Liverpool s 5-0 win over Watford.

Salah moved level with Didier Drogba as the highest-scoring African player in Premier League history with a superb solo goal, whilst also producing a fabulous pass for Sadio Mane to net the opener.

The incisive showing is a continuation of Salah s blistering form so far this season, with the winger managing 10 goals and four assists from just 10 appearances across all competitions, including another stunning goal and assist in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City before the international break.

Reds boss Klopp feels the evidence is overwhelming in support of his argument that Salah stands o…

Chelsea defender David Luiz said it would be considered a s**t season if the Premier League club fail to claim any silverware.

Jose Mourinho s Chelsea were bundled out of the UEFA Champions League 3-1 on aggregate by Atletico Madrid on Wednesday after last week s scoreless draw in Spain.

Having failed to make it past the fifth round in both the FA Cup and Capital One Cup this season, the Premier League title is their only remaining chance of silverware.

Despite sitting two points behind leaders Liverpool in the standings, league success is still an uphill task with rivals Manchester City boasting a game in hand.

You can say it is a s**t season if you don t have trophies in a season at a big club. That is true, the Brazil international said.

We are a big clu…

A host of fringe players will hope to impress Louis van Gaal ahead of the FIFA World Cup when Netherlands host Ecuador on Saturday.

Van Gaal named his 30-man preliminary squad for the finals on Tuesday and half of those players will have the chance to shine in their attempts to make the final cut.

Five more individuals Ajax goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer, his club-mate Davy Klaassen, PSV winger Luciano Narsingh, Chelsea midfielder Marco van Ginkel and Twente striker Luc Castaignos make up the rest of the 20-man party for Saturday s game at the Amsterdam Arena, though their hopes of making Brazil are already over.

Each of the players still in with a shout count their caps in single figures, ensuring the competition for places will be stiff.

Feyenoord duo Terence Kongo…

Manchester City have signed Monaco playmaker Bernardo Silva for a reported fee of £43million.

The arrival of the Portugal international, who is thought to have penned a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium, represents a major statement from boss Pep Guardiola.

City s manager has moved swiftly into the transfer market after a trophy-less first season at the helm and the release of senior professionals Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy, Jesus Navas and Willy Caballero at the end of their contracts.

Silva was one of the stars of the Monaco team that stormed to a first Ligue 1 title since 2000.

He scored 11 goals and supplied 12 assists in all competitions, featuring in both legs as Monaco dismissed City in the last 16 of the Champions League o…

Manuel Pellegrini believes Manchester United s midweek defeat to West Ham has placed a different kind of pressure on Manchester City ahead of their final-day trip to Swansea City.

City head to south Wales occupying the Premier League s fourth and final Champions League qualification spot, two points better off than United in fifth.

Pellegrini s men twice shelled leads established by Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne to be held to a 2-2 draw by Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium last time out, meaning victory for United in east London would have lifted Louis van Gaal s side into the top four before their home match with AFC Bournemouth.

But, in a more dramatic collapse than that endured by their neighbours, United saw a 2-1 advantage become a 3-2 defeat as West Ham bid…

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows there are no guarantees over Harry Maguire s form after a tumultuous close-season for the Manchester United captain.

Maguire was arrested after an incident with police while on holiday on the Greek island of Mykonos last month.

At a trial on the neighbouring island of Syros, the 27-year-old was found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery.

He was handed a suspended prison sentence but maintains his innocence and Maguire s pending appeal nullifies the conviction under Greek law.

The process will keep on going, Solskjaer said ahead of United s Premier League opener at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Knowing Harry, he s a very strong character so hopefully he can put that apart but natura…