Athletico Paranaense are one step closer to the Copa Libertadores final after holding serve for a 1-0 home win in the first leg of their semi-final against Palmeiras.
Athletico have not made it to the final since 2005, when they lost to Sao Paulo, while Palmeiras are the reigning back-to-back champions from 2020 and 2021.
In a game where Palmeiras controlled 64 per cent of the possession and produced four shots on target compared to just one for the hosts, it was Athletico s one shot on target that made the difference.
It came in the 23rd minute, when a botched clearance went straight up in the air, allowing 17-year-old Vitor Roque to bring it down and control it deep in the penalty area, before squaring the ball along the six-yard box to Alex Santana for the eas…
Arsenal are interested in signing Eden Hazard from Real Madrid in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Arsenal have already made contact in regard to signing the former Chelsea attacking midfielder at the end of the season.
Hazard has been on the books of Madrid since 2019 when he joined from Chelsea. The 31-year-old, who can also operate as a winger, has struggled with injuries and poor form and is nowhere near the starting lineup at the moment. Hazard has made seven starts and 10 substitute appearances in La Liga so far this season.
Arsenal are doing well at the moment and could finish in the top four of the Premier League table this season. If Mikel Arteta’s side get back into the Champions League, then a player of Hazard’s quali…
Real Madrid are interested in signing N Golo Kante from Chelsea, according to Sport.
The likable Frenchman is primarily a defensive midfielder, and he played in that role for Leicester City in their title winning 2015/16 season, as well as for Chelsea under Antonio Conte the following season, before being converted to a box-to-box role under Maurizio Sarri last term as Jorginho followed the manager from Napoli to Stamford Bridge to take up the role ahead of the back line. Nonetheless, Kante has shown that he is more than capable of playing further up the pitch too.
Real Madrid had a disappointing 2018/19, both domestically and in Europe, and they haven t started well this time around either, especially in the Champions League. They ve been linked heavily with Paul Pogba…
Mauricio Pochettino knew it was only a matter of time before Kylian Mbappe returned to goalscoring form after netting a brace in Paris Saint-Germain s 4-0 rout of Montpellier.
Mbappe had been criticised following four games without a goal for PSG, and just two in his previous eight matches across all competitions.
But Mbappe responded to his critics with two goals and an assist as Ligue 1 champions PSG eased past 10-man Montpellier in Paris on Friday.
Mbappe is decisive every 58 minutes this season in Ligue 1 (14 goals and six assists) – the best ratio among players involved in more than one goal, per Opta. This is the first time he has been involved in three goals in the same league game (two goals and one assist) since February 2020 (against Dijon).
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Jurgen Klopp masterminded a stunning 97-point season in the Premier League only to be pipped on the final day by a relentless Manchester City.
In many respects, it would feel cruel for such a phenomenal side to finish the campaign without a trophy.
But that is exactly what will happen if Mauricio Pochettino s Champions League shock troops can seal silverware for Tottenham at Liverpool s expense in Madrid.
Klopp must overcome Spurs, as well as a wretched individual record in major finals.
Here, we look at some memories the charismatic German will hope to banish on Saturday.
6 Jurgen Klopp has now lost six of his seven major finals as manager (2 x DFB-Pokal, 2 x Champions League, 1 x League Cup, 1 x UEFA Europa League), only winning the DFB-Pokal …
Watford stunned Burnley to register their first away win under Javi Gracia, maintaining their perfect start to the Premier League season in a 3-1 victory.
The Hornets, who had previously failed to win any of their last 12 games on the road, struck at the start of either half through Burnley old boy Andre Gray, Troy Deeney and Will Hughes.
Burnley appeared in the driving seat after cancelling out Gray s strike Watford s first away from home since January through James Tarkowski, but Watford rallied again after the break to devastating effect.
Sean Dyche s shell-shocked side were incapable of responding a second time, having played 120 minutes of Europa League football in midweek, and Watford breezed to three points.
Burnley 1-3 Watford (70 mins)
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta hailed Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard s quality after both scored in a thrilling 3-2 win at Watford.
Saka and Odegaard netted terrific first-half goals before Gabriel Martinelli added a third after the break, although replies from Watford s Cucho Hernandez and Moussa Sissoko ensured a nervy ending for the Gunners.
Arsenal, who are chasing a first top-four finish since 2016, have won four consecutive Premier League games, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Saka and Odegaard, who combined for the Norwegian s opener.
Saka has now posted 13 goal contributions in the Premier League this season (eight goals and five assists). Among players aged 21 and younger in the five big European leagues, only Bayer Leverkusen s Florian Wirtz, w…
Starting with Tuesday s hosts, still showing signs of a hangover after throwing away their 2-1 lead in Eindhoven last week, fans around St. Jakob-Park are becoming increasingly worried by Basel s start to the new season. Once again putting in a worrying display in their surprise 2-1 defeat at home to St. Gallen last weekend, Marcel Koller s men have now lost three of their last four matches across all competitions and their continued defensive issues need resolving immediately if they re to pull off a turnaround in midweek. Along with now losing back-to-back matches on home soil for the first time since June 2018, Basel have shipped nine goals in their last four appearances and remarkably have recorded just one clean sheet since the 4th of May. While Koller s men might still be dealing …
What the papers say
Aaron Ramsdale will be allowed to leave Arsenal at the end of the season, but not before, according to The Sun via 90min. The England goalkeeper has been forced to play second fiddle at the Emirates to David Raya but the club do not want him to leave on loan in January.
An ankle injury to Rodrigo Bentancur, 26, could keep a couple of other midfielders at Tottenham. The Uruguayan is ruled out until at least February and the Daily Telegraph reports the club could reject moves for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, 28, and Oliver Skipp, 23, in his absence.
Premier League clubs are keeping an eye on Mason Greenwood, 22, during his spell in Getafe, according to the Daily Mail via Spanish outlet AM. The Manchester United forward is on loan in Spain after charges again…
Cristiano Ronaldo has won the inaugural The Best FIFA Men s Player award for 2016.
The Real Madrid and Portugal forward was announced as the winner at Monday s ceremony in Zurich.
Ronaldo beat fellow finalists Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann to the new FIFA honour, the trio having topped a shortlist of 23 global stars.
The triumph adds to the Ballon d Or crown the 31-year-old picked up last month, which was the fourth of his career.
Congratulations, Ronaldo!
Winner of FIFA Men s Player 2016
— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom)
Wow, wow, wow – it is incredible, Ronaldo said after being presented with the award by FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
I m really happy. I tell you 2016 was the best year of my career. I had a lot of doubts,…